11:16

أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَيۡسَ لَهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ إِلَّا ٱلنَّارُۖ وَحَبِطَ مَا صَنَعُواْ فِيهَا وَبَٰطِلٞ مَّا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ

Olaika allatheena laysa lahum fee alakhirati illa alnnaru wahabita ma sanaAAoo feeha wabatilun ma kanoo yaAAmaloona

Those are the ones for whom there is not in the Hereafter but the Fire. And lost is what they did therein, and worthless is what they used to do.

Word by word
  1. أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَThose
  2. ٱلَّذِينَ(are) the ones who
  3. لَيۡسَ(is) not
  4. لَهُمۡfor them
  5. فِيin
  6. ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِthe Hereafter
  7. إِلَّاexcept
  8. ٱلنَّارُۖthe Fire
  9. وَحَبِطَAnd (has) gone in vain
  10. مَاwhat
  11. صَنَعُواْthey did
  12. فِيهَاtherein
  13. وَبَٰطِلٞand (is) worthless
  14. مَّاwhat
  15. كَانُواْthey used (to)
  16. يَعۡمَلُونَdo
Hud · 11:16Makkah

Deeds that looked impressive, but weighed nothing.

What is left of work done only for the world


At the end
a life of deedsall aimed at this world
becomes
lostwhat they made
worthlesswhat they used to do
What carries over
it was a good deedso it must count
the intentiondecides if it crosses

This verse finishes the thought of the previous one. Ibn Abbas said that a person who prays or fasts only for worldly benefit has his deed wasted, since he only sought this world. Ibn Kathir adds that whoever strives for the Hereafter as a believer has his striving appreciated.

You spend years building a reputation as the generous one at work. Every gift is noted, every favor remembered. Ask who it is really for. The same hours can be turned toward Allah with one honest change of heart.

I have done so much good that I must be fine.

Good deeds only last if they were for Allah, so I keep checking why I do them.

Try this

Before one task today, pause and say quietly: this is for You, O Allah.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 11:15)

Whosoever desires the life of the world and its glitter, to them We shall pay in full (the wages of) their deeds therein, and they will have no diminution therein (15)They are those for whom there is nothing in the Hereafter but Fire, and vain are the deeds they did therein. And of no effect is that which they used to do (16)

Whoever wants the Worldly Life, then He will have no Share of the Hereafter

Al-'Awfi reported that Ibn 'Abbas said concerning this verse, "Verily those who show off, will be given their reward for their good deeds in this life. This will be so that they are not wronged, even the amount equivalent to the size of the speck on a date-stone." Ibn 'Abbas continued saying, "Therefore, whoever does a good deed seeking to acquire worldly gain - like fasting, prayer, or standing for prayer at night - and he does so in order to acquire worldly benefit, then Allah says, 'Give him the reward of that which he sought in the worldly life,' and his deed that he did is wasted because he was only seeking the life of this world. In the Hereafter he will be of the losers." A similar narration has been reported from Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak and many others.

Anas bin Malik and Al-Hasan both said, "This verse was revealed concerning the Jews and the Christians." Mujahid and others said, "This verse was revealed concerning the people who perform deeds to be seen." Qatadah said, "Whoever's concern, intention and goal is this worldly life, then Allah will reward him for his good deeds in this life. Then, when reaches the next life, he will not have any good deeds that will be rewarded. However, concerning the believer, he will be rewarded for his good deeds in this life and in the Hereafter as well." Allah, the Exalted, says,

مَّن كَانَ يُرِيدُ الْعَاجِلَةَ عَجَّلْنَا لَهُ فِيهَا مَا نَشَاءُ لِمَن نُّرِيدُ ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا لَهُ جَهَنَّمَ يَصْلَاهَا مَذْمُومًا مَّدْحُورًا - وَمَنْ أَرَادَ الْآخِرَةَ وَسَعَىٰ لَهَا سَعْيَهَا وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَأُولَٰئِكَ كَانَ سَعْيُهُم مَّشْكُورًا - كُلًّا نُّمِدُّ هَٰؤُلَاءِ وَهَٰؤُلَاءِ مِنْ عَطَاءِ رَبِّكَ ۚ وَمَا كَانَ عَطَاءُ رَبِّكَ مَحْظُورًا - انظُرْ كَيْفَ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ ۚ وَلَلْآخِرَةُ أَكْبَرُ دَرَجَاتٍ وَأَكْبَرُ تَفْضِيلًا

(Whoever desires the quick-passing (transitory enjoyment of this world), We readily grant him what We will for whom We like. Then, afterwards, We have appointed for him Hell; he will burn therein disgraced and rejected. And whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it, with the necessary effort due for it while he is a believer - then such are the ones whose striving shall be appreciated. On each - these as well as those - We bestow from the bounties of your Lord. And the bounties of your Lord can never be forbidden. See how We prefer one above another, and verily, the Hereafter will be greater in degrees and greater in intricacy.)[17:18-21] Allah, the Exalted, says,

مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ حَرْثَ الْآخِرَةِ نَزِدْ لَهُ فِي حَرْثِهِ ۖ وَمَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ حَرْثَ الدُّنْيَا نُؤْتِهِ مِنْهَا وَمَا لَهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِن نَّصِيبٍ

(Whosoever desires the reward of the Hereafter, We give him increase in his reward, and whosoever desires the reward of this world, We give him thereof, and he has no portion in the Hereafter.)[42:20]