Key Verses

1. 3:162Aali ImranWarning
   أَفَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَ رِضۡوَٰنَ ٱللَّهِ كَمَنۢ بَآءَ بِسَخَطٖ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَمَأۡوَىٰهُ جَهَنَّمُۖ وَبِئۡسَ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ
   Is one who followeth the pleasure of Allah as one who hath earned condemnation from Allah, whose habitation is the Fire, a hapless journey's end?
   In context

   Before Allah, someone who has faith and does good actions that please Allah is not the same as someone who disbelieves and does wrong, earning Allah’s anger and Hell as their resting place. What an awful resting place and destination Hell is!

2. 3:174Aali ImranConsolation
   فَٱنقَلَبُواْ بِنِعۡمَةٖ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَفَضۡلٖ لَّمۡ يَمۡسَسۡهُمۡ سُوٓءٞ وَٱتَّبَعُواْ رِضۡوَٰنَ ٱللَّهِۗ وَٱللَّهُ ذُو فَضۡلٍ عَظِيمٍ
   So they returned with grace and favour from Allah, and no harm touched them. They followed the good pleasure of Allah, and Allah is of Infinite Bounty.
   In context

   They returned from the battle of Ḥamrā’ Al-Asad with a great reward from Allah, an increase in their rank and security from their enemy, whilst suffering no deaths or wounds. They did what pleased Allah, always doing as He instructed and not going against Him; and the grace of Allah for His servants who have faith is great.

3. 5:16Al-Maidah
   يَهۡدِي بِهِ ٱللَّهُ مَنِ ٱتَّبَعَ رِضۡوَٰنَهُۥ سُبُلَ ٱلسَّلَٰمِ وَيُخۡرِجُهُم مِّنَ ٱلظُّلُمَٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ بِإِذۡنِهِۦ وَيَهۡدِيهِمۡ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٖ مُّسۡتَقِيمٖ
   Whereby Allah guideth him who seeketh His good pleasure unto paths of peace. He bringeth them out of darkness unto light by His decree, and guideth them unto a straight path.
   In context

   By this Book, Allah guides the person who follows faith and does good actions, which please Him, to the paths of safety from Allah’s punishment. These are the paths that lead to Paradise. He removes them from the darkness of disbelief and disobedience to the light of faith and obedience, and He guides them to the straight path: the path of Islam.

4. 9:58At-Tawbah
   وَمِنۡهُم مَّن يَلۡمِزُكَ فِي ٱلصَّدَقَٰتِ فَإِنۡ أُعۡطُواْ مِنۡهَا رَضُواْ وَإِن لَّمۡ يُعۡطَوۡاْ مِنۡهَآ إِذَا هُمۡ يَسۡخَطُونَ
   And of them is he who defameth thee in the matter of the alms. If they are given thereof they are content, and if they are not given thereof, behold! they are enraged.
   In context

   Among the hypocrites are those who criticise the Messenger for how he distributes charity. If they are given what they want from it, they are happy with the Messenger; but if he does not give them what they want from it, they start to complain.

5. 9:59At-Tawbah
   وَلَوۡ أَنَّهُمۡ رَضُواْ مَآ ءَاتَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥ وَقَالُواْ حَسۡبُنَا ٱللَّهُ سَيُؤۡتِينَا ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦ وَرَسُولُهُۥٓ إِنَّآ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ رَٰغِبُونَ
   (How much more seemly) had they been content with that which Allah and His messenger had given them and had said: Allah sufficeth us. Allah will give us of His bounty, and (also) His messenger. Unto Allah we are suppliants.
   In context

   If only these hypocrites who criticize you in the distribution of charity had been pleased with their portion that Allah had assigned for them and with what the Messenger gave them, saying: 'Allah is sufficient for us and He will grant us more from His Grace, and the Messenger will also give us from what Allah has given him, and we ask Allah alone to enrich us!

6. 9:87At-TawbahCommand
   رَضُواْ بِأَن يَكُونُواْ مَعَ ٱلۡخَوَالِفِ وَطُبِعَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمۡ فَهُمۡ لَا يَفۡقَهُونَ
   They are content that they should be with the useless and their hearts are sealed, so that they apprehend not.
   In context

   These hypocrites are pleased with disgrace and humiliation, since they are pleased to stay behind with those who are excused. Allah has sealed their hearts because of their disbelief and hypocrisy, so they do not know where their best interests are. They are therefore similar to animals.

7. 9:93At-TawbahWarning
   ۞إِنَّمَا ٱلسَّبِيلُ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يَسۡتَـٔۡذِنُونَكَ وَهُمۡ أَغۡنِيَآءُۚ رَضُواْ بِأَن يَكُونُواْ مَعَ ٱلۡخَوَالِفِ وَطَبَعَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمۡ فَهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ
   The road (of blame) is only against those who ask for leave of thee (to stay at home) when they are rich. They are content to be with the useless. Allah hath sealed their hearts so that they know not.
   In context

   There will only be punishment and blame on those who ask you, O Messenger, for permission to remain behind from striving while they are able to do so, due to their having the means to equip themselves. They are pleased with disgrace and humiliation for themselves by staying behind with those who remain behind at home. Allah has sealed their hearts so they are not affected by any warning.

8. 47:28MuhammadCommand
   ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمُ ٱتَّبَعُواْ مَآ أَسۡخَطَ ٱللَّهَ وَكَرِهُواْ رِضۡوَٰنَهُۥ فَأَحۡبَطَ أَعۡمَٰلَهُمۡ
   That will be because they followed that which angereth Allah, and hated that which pleaseth Him. Therefor He hath made their actions vain.
   In context

   That severe punishment that will occur when their souls are removed is because they followed everything that brought Allah’s wrath on them, such as disbelief, hypocrisy, opposition to Allah and His messenger, and they hated what brings them close to their Lord and draws down on them His pleasure, such as faith in Allah and following His messenger. Thus Allah nullified their deeds.

9. 57:27Al-Hadid
   ثُمَّ قَفَّيۡنَا عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَٰرِهِم بِرُسُلِنَا وَقَفَّيۡنَا بِعِيسَى ٱبۡنِ مَرۡيَمَ وَءَاتَيۡنَٰهُ ٱلۡإِنجِيلَۖ وَجَعَلۡنَا فِي قُلُوبِ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوهُ رَأۡفَةٗ وَرَحۡمَةٗۚ وَرَهۡبَانِيَّةً ٱبۡتَدَعُوهَا مَا كَتَبۡنَٰهَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ إِلَّا ٱبۡتِغَآءَ رِضۡوَٰنِ ٱللَّهِ فَمَا رَعَوۡهَا حَقَّ رِعَايَتِهَاۖ فَـَٔاتَيۡنَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مِنۡهُمۡ أَجۡرَهُمۡۖ وَكَثِيرٞ مِّنۡهُمۡ فَٰسِقُونَ
   Then We caused Our messengers to follow in their footsteps; and We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow, and gave him the Gospel, and placed compassion and mercy in the hearts of those who followed him. But monasticism they invented - We ordained it not for them - only seeking Allah's pleasure, and they observed it not with right observance. So We give those of them who believe their reward, but many of them are evil-livers.
   In context

   Then followed them up with my messengers and I sent them one after the other to their nations. I sent after them Jesus the son of Mary and gave him the Gospel, placing gentleness and mercy in the hearts of those who brought faith in him.