Allaah (The Most High) said:
وَلَا تَسْتَوِي الْحَسَنَةُ وَلَا السَّيِّئَةُ ۚ ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ فَإِذَا الَّذِي بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ عَدَاوَةٌ كَأَنَّهُ وَلِيٌّ حَمِيمٌ
The good deed and the evil deed cannot be equal. Repel (the evil) with one which is better (i.e. Allah ordered the faithful believers to be patient at the time of anger, and to excuse those who treat them badly), then verily! he, between whom and you there was enmity, (will become) as though he was a close friend
وَمَا يُلَقَّاهَا إِلَّا الَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا وَمَا يُلَقَّاهَا إِلَّا ذُو حَظٍّ عَظِيمٍ
But none is granted it (the above quality) except those who are patient, and none is granted it except the owner of the great portion (of the happiness in the Hereafter i.e. Paradise and in this world of a high moral character)
[وَلَا تَسْتَوِي الْحَسَنَةُ وَلَا السَّيِّئَةُ – (The good deed and the evil deed cannot be equal] – meaning: There is a big difference between this (i.e. a good deed) and this (i.e. an evil deed).
[ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ – (Repel (the evil) with one which is better]-meaning: The one who does wrong to you, repel (his evil) by treating him in a good manner, just as Umar (radiyallaahu-anhu) said: “There is no better punishment for one who has disobeyed Allah regarding you (i.e. violates a right of yours that Allaah has commanded to be fulfilled) than your obeying Allah regarding him (i.e. you fulfilling his rights in obedience to Allaah). ”
[فَإِذَا الَّذِي بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ عَدَاوَةٌ كَأَنَّهُ وَلِيٌّ حَمِيمٌ – (then verily he, between whom and you there was enmity, (will become) as though he was a close friend] – meaning: If you (return) good treatment to the one who treat you badly, this good deed (or treatment) will lead to reconciliation and love. He will show you affection and become as if he is a close friend to you, and shows you pity and kindness. Then Allah says:
[وَمَا يُلَقَّاهَا إِلَّا الَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا- (But none is granted it except those who are patient]-meaning: No one accepts this advice and acts in accordance with it, except for the one who exercises patience in that, because it is hard on the souls (i.e. difficult for people act upon it).
[وَمَا يُلَقَّاهَا إِلَّا ذُو حَظٍّ عَظِيمٍ ]- (and none is granted it except the owner of the great port ion] – meaning: The one who has an ample share of happiness in this world and in the Hereafter. ` Ali bin Abee Talhah said that Ibn` Abbas said in his explanation of this Ayah: “Allaah command the believers to exercise patience when they are angry, to be forbearing when encountered with ignorance and to forgive when treated badly; for if they do that, Allaah will protect them from shaytaan and make their enemies humble (in their presence) until they become like close friends.
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[Abridged…see Tafseer Ibn Katheer’ Vol 6 Surah Fussilat 41:34-35. Publishers Daarul Aathaar 1430AH (2009)]
Abu Mu’aawiyah (Abdullah Al-Gambi)