Quran Universe
40:40

مَنۡ عَمِلَ سَيِّئَةٗ فَلَا يُجۡزَىٰٓ إِلَّا مِثۡلَهَاۖ وَمَنۡ عَمِلَ صَٰلِحٗا مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوۡ أُنثَىٰ وَهُوَ مُؤۡمِنٞ فَأُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ يَدۡخُلُونَ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ يُرۡزَقُونَ فِيهَا بِغَيۡرِ حِسَابٖ

Man AAamila sayyiatan fala yujza illa mithlaha waman AAamila salihan min thakarin aw ontha wahuwa muminun faolaika yadkhuloona aljannata yurzaqoona feeha bighayri hisabin

Whoever does an evil deed will not be recompensed except by the like thereof; but whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer - those will enter Paradise, being given provision therein without account.

Word by word
  1. مَنۡWhoever
  2. عَمِلَdoes
  3. سَيِّئَةٗan evil
  4. فَلَاthen not
  5. يُجۡزَىٰٓhe will be recompensed
  6. إِلَّاbut
  7. مِثۡلَهَاۖ(the) like thereof
  8. وَمَنۡand whoever
  9. عَمِلَdoes
  10. صَٰلِحٗاrighteous (deeds)
  11. مِّنof
  12. ذَكَرٍmale
  13. أَوۡor
  14. أُنثَىٰfemale
  15. وَهُوَwhile he
  16. مُؤۡمِنٞ(is) a believer
  17. فَأُوْلَـٰٓئِكَthen those
  18. يَدۡخُلُونَwill enter
  19. ٱلۡجَنَّةَParadise
  20. يُرۡزَقُونَthey will be given provision
  21. فِيهَاin it
  22. بِغَيۡرِwithout
  23. حِسَابٖaccount
Ghafir · 40:40Makkah

Evil earns its like. Good earns provision without count.

Man or woman, the believer who does good

The scale
an evil deedrepaid with its like
a good deedmale or female, believing
leads to
Paradiseprovision without account
Who qualifies
only some peoplethe special ones
any believerman or woman

Ibn Kathir explains an evil deed is repaid with only one like it, while for the righteous believer, man or woman, the reward cannot be counted. Allah gives an immense reward without end.

You feel your good deeds are small: the dishes, the patient reply, the coin in the box. Allah's side of the scale is not measured like yours. Man or woman, young or old, the door is the same.

My small good deeds hardly count.

Allah repays evil exactly, and repays good beyond counting.

Try this

Do one small good deed today without telling anyone, and trust it is counted.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 40:38)

And the man who believed said: "O my people! Follow me, I will guide you to the way of right conduct. (38)"O my people! Truly, this life of the world is nothing but an enjoyment, and verily, the Hereafter that is the home that will remain forever. (39)"Whoever does an evil deed, will not be requited except the like thereof; and whosoever does a righteous deed, whether male or female and is a true believer, such will enter Paradise, where they will be provided therein without limit. (40)

More of what the Believer from Fir'awn's Family said

This believer said to his people who persisted in their rebellion and transgression, and preferred the life of this world:

يَا قَوْمِ اتَّبِعُونِ أَهْدِكُمْ سَبِيلَ الرَّشَادِ

(O my people! Follow me, I will guide you to the way of right conduct.) This is in contrast to the false claim of Fir'awn:

وَمَا أَهْدِيكُمْ إِلَّا سَبِيلَ الرَّشَادِ

(and I guide you only to the path of right policy.) Then he sought to make them shun this world which they preferred to the Hereafter, and which had prevented them from believing in the Messenger of Allah, Musa, peace be upon him. He said:

يَا قَوْمِ إِنَّمَا هَٰذِهِ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا مَتَاعٌ

(O my people! Truly, this life of the world is nothing but an enjoyment,) meaning, it is insignificant and fleeting, and soon it will diminish and pass away.

وَإِنَّ الْآخِرَةَ هِيَ دَارُ الْقَرَارِ

(and verily, the Hereafter that is the home that will remain forever.) means, the abode which will never end and from which there will be no departure, which will be either Paradise or Hell. Allah says:

مَنْ عَمِلَ سَيِّئَةً فَلَا يُجْزَىٰ إِلَّا مِثْلَهَا ۖ 

(Whosoever does an evil deed, will not be requited except the like thereof;) means, one like it.

وَمَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِنْ ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنْثَىٰ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَأُولَٰئِكَ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ يُرْزَقُونَ فِيهَا بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ 

(and whosoever does a righteous deed, whether male or female and is a true believer, such will enter Paradise, where they will be provided therein without limit.) means, the reward cannot be enumerated, but Allah will give an immense reward without end. And Allah is the Guide to the straight path.