comes with a good deed will have better than it; but whoever comes with an evil deed—those who commit evil deeds will be recompensed only for what they used to do.”

And His words, Most High:

“Indeed, good deeds do away with evil deeds. That is a reminder for those who take heed.”

And His words, Most High:

“For those, Allah will replace their evil deeds with good deeds. And Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

Here, however, He said:

“Whatever good befalls you is from Allah, and whatever evil befalls you is from yourself.”

He did not say, “Whatever you do” or “Whatever you earn.” Similarly, He said:

“Whatever calamity befalls you is because of what your hands have earned.”

He Most High also said:

“Know that Allah only intends to afflict them for some of their sins.”

He Most High also said:

“Say, ‘Do you await anything for us but one of the two good outcomes? We, however, await Allah’s afflicting you with punishment from Himself or at our hands.’”

He Most High also said:

“Those who disbelieve will continue to be struck by calamity because of what they have done, or it will settle close to their homes.”

He Most High also said:

“And the calamity of death befalls you.”

He Most High also said:

“And give glad tidings to the patient, who, when calamity befalls them, say, ‘Indeed, we belong to Allah, and to Him we shall return.’”

Thus, the expressions “Whatever good befalls you” and “whatever evil” encompass the blessings that come to a person and bring him joy, and the calamities that befall him and cause him distress. The verse unquestionably encompasses this meaning. This is also what most Quran commentators have said.

Abū al-‘Āliyah said:

“If good befalls them, they say, ‘This is from Allah.’”