Tafsir of Fussilat 41:34

"And not equal are the good deed and the bad deed..."

It means: The good deed and the bad deed are inherently different. Therefore, take the good deed that is "better" than its counterpart if two good deeds present themselves to you, and repel with it the bad deed that comes to you from some of your enemies.

An example of this: A man harms you with an offense. The "good deed" is to pardon him. The "better deed" is to treat him with kindness in place of his offense toward you—such as if he disparages you, you praise him; or if he kills your child, you ransom his child from the hands of his enemy. For if you do that, your hostile enemy will turn into a close, intimate friend, devoted to you.

Then He said: "And none is granted this quality..."—meaning this disposition of responding to evil with good—"...except those who are patient, and none is granted it except one having a great portion of good."

If you ask: Why was it not said, "Repel with that which is good" (fa-idfa‘ bi-allatī hiya ḥasana)? I say: It is based on the assumption of a speaker who asks, "How should I act?" So it was said, "Repel with that which is better." It is also said that the "no" (lā) is an addition, and the meaning is: "The good deed and the bad deed are not equal."

If you ask: According to this interpretation, the standard rule would be to say, "Repel with that which is good." I say: Yes, but "that which is better" was placed in the position of "the good" to be more emphatic in repelling with the good deed; for whoever repels with the "best" finds it easy to repel with what is less than it.

• Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both): "With that which is better" means patience at the time of anger, forbearance at the time of ignorance, and pardon at the time of offense. He interpreted "portion" (ḥaẓẓ) as reward.
• Al-Hasan (may Allah have mercy on him): By Allah, there is no greater portion than Paradise.
• It is said: This was revealed regarding Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, who was a harmful enemy to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and then became a devoted friend.

"And if there comes to you from Satan an evil suggestion, then seek refuge in Allah. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Knowing."