Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:100
ﲍ ﲎ ﲏ ﲐ ﲑ ﲒ ﲓ ﲔ ﲕ ﲖ ﲗ ﲘ ﲙ ﲚ ﲛ ﲜ
Say, "Not equal are the evil and the good, although the abundance of evil might impress you." So fear Allah, O you of understanding, that you may be successful.
Tafsir of Al-Ma'idah 5:100
Tafsir
Al-Kashshaf
Verse range: 5:100
Al-Ma'idah: 100 **"Say, 'The evil and the good are not equal...'"**
The distance between the evil and the good is vast in the sight of Allah Almighty, even if it appears small to you.
Do not be impressed by the abundance of the evil, such that you prefer it over the small amount of the good due to its quantity. For what you imagine to be a merit in abundance does not outweigh the deficiency in the evil and the loss of the good.
This applies generally to:
- Lawful and unlawful wealth.
- Righteous and corrupt deeds.
- Sound and corrupt doctrines.
- Good and base people.
"So fear Allah..."
Prefer the good, even if it is little, over the evil, even if it is much. It is the right of this verse to be cast into the faces of the Mujbira (determinists) when they boast of their numbers, as it is said:
*Boast of Sa'd, for Sa'd is numerous,* *But expect from Sa'd neither loyalty nor victory.*
And as it is said:
*Let not the number of their masses overwhelm you,* *For most of them—nay, all of them—are cattle.*
It is also said that this was revealed regarding the pilgrims of Yamama when the Muslims wanted to attack them, but were forbidden from doing so, even though they were polytheists.