Surah Hud 11:111
سُورَةُ هُودٍ · Meccan · Verse 111 of 123
وَإِنَّ كُلًّۭا لَّمَّا لَيُوَفِّيَنَّهُمْ رَبُّكَ أَعْمَٰلَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌۭ
Translation
Your Lord will give everyone full due for whatever they have done: He is aware of everything they do.
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
This powerful verse, Surah Hud, Ayah 111, comes as a concluding statement after Allah has recounted the stories of various nations, both those who believed and those who disbelieved. It serves as a profound declaration of universal accountability, a promise of full recompense for everyone. The tone is one of absolute certainty, a clear warning and an assurance, addressed to all humankind through the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
The Absolute Certainty of Recompense
The very wording of this verse highlights an undeniable truth: every single person will be fully repaid for their deeds. The phrase وَإِنَّ كُلًّۭا لَّمَّا لَيُوَفِّيَنَّهُمْ رَبُّكَ أَعْمَٰلَهُمْ (And indeed, your Lord will surely fully repay all of them for their deeds) is packed with an extraordinary level of emphasis. Scholars like Ibn Ashur and Al-Razi have pointed out that this single statement contains up to seven distinct layers of affirmation, making its message impossible to ignore:
1. "Indeed" (إنَّ): The opening word itself, *Inna*, conveys strong certainty.
2. "All" (كُلًّا): The word *kullan* emphasizes universality, meaning *every single one* of the differing groups mentioned previously, without exception. The *tanween* (double vowel mark) on *kullan* here acts as a substitute for an omitted word like "of them," clearly signaling "all of them."
3. The first "Lam" (لَّ): The *Lam* attached to *lamma* is for emphasis, similar to "truly" or "verily."
4. The "Ma" (مَّا): The *ma* in *lamma* further intensifies the statement.
5. An Implied Oath: There is an unspoken oath, as if Allah is swearing by His Own Self, "And indeed, by Allah, your Lord will surely..."
6. The second "Lam" (لَ): Another emphatic *Lam* directly preceding the verb *yuwaffiyannahum* (will fully repay them), reinforcing the certainty of the action.
7. The Emphatic "Nun" (نَّ): The strong *Nun* at the end of *yuwaffiyannahum* further accentuates the verb, leaving no doubt that this repayment *will* happen.
This deliberate piling of emphatic words and grammatical structures ensures that the listener fully grasps the absolute, unquestionable certainty of divine justice. The word *yuwaffiyannahum* means "He will fully repay them" or "give them their due in full," emphasizing that no deed, good or bad, will be overlooked or partially rewarded.
Allah's Perfect Knowledge
The verse concludes with a powerful explanation for this absolute certainty: إِنَّهُۥ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌۭ (Indeed, He is All-Aware of what they do). The Divine Name *al-Khabir* (All-Aware or All-Knowledgeable) signifies Allah's perfect, intricate knowledge of everything. It's not merely knowing what people do, but knowing the inner intentions, the hidden motives, the smallest details, and the full extent of every action. Because Allah is *Khabir*, His judgment will be flawlessly accurate, perfectly just, and entirely comprehensive. This attribute guarantees that the full recompense promised will be exactly what each person deserves, without any injustice or oversight.
Thus, the verse serves as both a profound promise for those who do good, that their efforts will be fully recognized and rewarded, and a stern warning for those who persist in wrongdoing, reminding them that nothing escapes Allah's perfect awareness, and they too will face the full consequence of their actions.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), al-Jalalayn, al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb)
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Hud 11:111 is discussed in 3 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah Hud 11:111 in Maani to reflect on it through the Five Lenses: its wording, its context, what it means for you, its connections across the Quran and its lessons, grounded in classical tafsir.