What is the meaning of the two noble verses in the saying of Allah the Exalted: “And that man has nothing but what he strives for” [al-Najm: 39], and His saying
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Question: What is the meaning of the two noble verses in the saying of Allah the Exalted: [al-Najm: 39],And his statement: [al-Tur: 21], and is there any abrogation or contradiction between them? And what do we benefit from them?
Answer: There is a difficulty between the two verses,That the first verse contains: namely that a person possesses nothing but his own striving and does not possess the striving of another[An-Najm 53:39], so his possession is limited to his striving, and nothing benefits him but his striving, whereas the other verse states that
if the offspring believe, they are joined with their fathers in Paradise and are with them in their rank, even if they did not perform their fathers’ deeds. So if the offspring benefit from the deeds of others,Allah the Exalted said: [al-Tur: 21], the noble verse indicates that the offspring are joined with their fathers in their ranks and are raised with them in their ranks, even if their deeds are not like their fathers’ deeds. The apparent meaning of the verse is that they benefited from the deeds and striving of others, whereas the other verse states that a person is benefited by nothing but his own striving.
And the scholars have answered this with several answers:
First Answer: That the first verse[An-Najm 53:39] is absolute and the second verse [At-Tur 52:21] is restricted.
And the absolute is understood in light of the restricted, as is established in the science of usul al-fiqh (principles of jurisprudence).
And the second answer: That the first verse informs that a person possesses nothing but his striving and is benefited by nothing but his striving, but it does not deny that a person benefits from the deeds of others, without possessing them. So the first verse is about possession, and the second is about benefit. A person may benefit from the deeds of others even if they are not his property. For this reason, it benefits him if he gives charity on his behalf, if he seeks forgiveness for him, and if he makes du'a' (supplication) for him. So a person benefits from the du'a' of others and from the deeds of others, even if he is dead.
And benefit is not possession. So the first verse is about one type, and the second verse is about another type, and there is no contradiction between them.
In my opinion, this answer is better than the first. So this answer is the stronger position (rajih) in my view.
And there is another answer: It is that the first verse[An-Najm 53:39] is abrogated; because it is from the law of those before us, for Allah the Exalted says: [al-Najm: 36 - 39], so this recounts what was in the scrolls of Musa and the scrolls of Ibrahim (peace be upon them both). But our Shari'ah came with the ruling that a person benefits from the deeds of others, so that would be abrogation. However, this answer is weak, and the answer before it is stronger in my view, and Allah knows best.
Question: Should we not understand the offspring here to be the children who die before reaching puberty?
Answer: No, the intended meaning of offspring is offspring in general.
And that there is not for man except that [good] for which he strives
وَأَنْ لَيْسَ لِلْإِنْسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىAnd those who believed and whose descendants followed them in faith - We will join with them their descendants, and We will not deprive them of anything of their deeds
وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَاتَّبَعَتْهُمْ ذُرِّيَّتُهُمْ بِإِيمَانٍ أَلْحَقْنَا بِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَمَا أَلَتْنَاهُمْ مِنْ عَمَلِهِمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍAnswer: There is a difficulty between the two verses,That the first verse contains: namely that a person possesses nothing but his own striving and does not possess the striving of another
And that there is not for man except that [good] for which he strives
وَأَنْ لَيْسَ لِلْإِنْسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىif the offspring believe, they are joined with their fathers in Paradise and are with them in their rank, even if they did not perform their fathers’ deeds. So if the offspring benefit from the deeds of others,Allah the Exalted said:
And those who believed and whose descendants followed them in faith - We will join with them their descendants, and We will not deprive them of anything of their deeds
وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَاتَّبَعَتْهُمْ ذُرِّيَّتُهُمْ بِإِيمَانٍ أَلْحَقْنَا بِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَمَا أَلَتْنَاهُمْ مِنْ عَمَلِهِمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍAnd the scholars have answered this with several answers:
First Answer: That the first verse
And that there is not for man except that [good] for which he strives
وَأَنْ لَيْسَ لِلْإِنْسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىWe will join with them their descendants
أَلْحَقْنَا بِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْAnd the absolute is understood in light of the restricted, as is established in the science of usul al-fiqh (principles of jurisprudence).
And the second answer: That the first verse informs that a person possesses nothing but his striving and is benefited by nothing but his striving, but it does not deny that a person benefits from the deeds of others, without possessing them. So the first verse is about possession, and the second is about benefit. A person may benefit from the deeds of others even if they are not his property. For this reason, it benefits him if he gives charity on his behalf, if he seeks forgiveness for him, and if he makes du'a' (supplication) for him. So a person benefits from the du'a' of others and from the deeds of others, even if he is dead.
And benefit is not possession. So the first verse is about one type, and the second verse is about another type, and there is no contradiction between them.
In my opinion, this answer is better than the first. So this answer is the stronger position (rajih) in my view.
And there is another answer: It is that the first verse
And that there is not for man except that [good] for which he strives
وَأَنْ لَيْسَ لِلْإِنْسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَى(36) Or has he not been informed of what was in the scriptures of Moses (37) And [of] Abraham, who fulfilled [his obligations] - (38) That no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another (39) And that there is not for man except that [good] for which he strives
أَمْ لَمْ يُنَبَّأْ بِمَا فِي صُحُفِ مُوسَى وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ الَّذِي وَفَّى أَلَّا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى وَأَنْ لَيْسَ لِلْإِنْسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىQuestion: Should we not understand the offspring here to be the children who die before reaching puberty?
Answer: No, the intended meaning of offspring is offspring in general.