Surah Al-Israa
Chapter 17 · Verse 20 · Revealed in Makkah
“To each [category] We extend - to these and to those - from the gift of your Lord. And never has the gift of your Lord been restricted.”
Translation: Saheeh International
Listen to recitation
Mishary Rashid Alafasy
Reflection — Ibn Kathir
كَلاَّ
On each meaning, on each of the two groups, those who desire this world and those who desire the Hereafter, We bestow what they want
مِنْ عَطَآءِ رَبِّكَ
Reflection — Maarif ul Quran
A self-opinionated deed and an act of religious innovation, no matter how appealing, is not acceptable
In this verse (19), by adding the word: سَعْيَهَا (as due), it has been made explicit that every deed and every effort is not necessarily beneficial or acceptable with Allah. Instead, the only deed or effort credible is that which is appropriate to the essential objective (of the Hereafter). And whether or not it is appropriate can only be found out from the statement of Allah Ta’ ala and His Messenger ﷺ . Therefore, even well meaning efforts made by insisting on bland personal opinion and self-invented ways - which includes common customs of Bid'ah (innovations in established religion) - no matter how good and beneficial they may appear at their face, but are not appropriate to the effort made for the Hereafter. Consequently, they are neither acceptable with Allah nor are they of any use in the Hereafter.
What does this verse bring up for you today?