This ayah presents reward as a consequence of sustained action. It highlights a precise link between recompense and repeated good deeds, and draws attention to a meaningful correlation with Surah Ar-Rahman.
“As a recompense for what they used to do”.
The reward is presented as a direct recompense tied to prior conduct.
The phrase جَزَاءً بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ means reward or recompense as a result of what they used to do. The emphasis is not on an isolated action, but on a pattern of deeds that preceded this reward.
A consequence-based reading is emphasized.
The use of بِمَا here means “as a consequence”. In other words, the recompense is not mentioned in abstraction; it is described as arising as a result of what they used to do.
The structure points to continuity and repetition in past action.
كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ combines the past form of كَانَ with a present-form verb, producing the sense of past continuous. This gives the meaning: “they used to do”, rather than merely “they did”.
A thematic parallel appears after mention of the female companions.
After speaking about the female companions in Surah Ar-Rahman, Allah states: “And is the reward for excellence anything other than excellence”. Likewise, here in Al-Waqi’ah, after mention of the female companions, Allah states: جَزَاءً بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ. This presents a clear correlation between the two surahs.
“And is the reward for excellence anything other than excellence”.
“As a recompense for what they used to do”.
The wording excludes the idea of a single isolated action.
“He used to do something” differs from “He did something”. The first implies repeated or continuous action, while the second may only imply a single occurrence. This distinction is central to the ayah’s wording.
This wording points to a life of constant good deeds.
كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ indicates that these سَابِقُونَ were continuously and constantly doing good deeds. It is precisely this ongoing quality of action that earned them this great reward.
A step-by-step reading of the ayah.
جَزَاءً establishes the idea of recompense and reward.
بِمَا indicates consequence: reward comes as a result of what preceded.
كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ conveys a repeated, continuous pattern in the past: they used to do.
The full phrase therefore presents reward as connected to persistent good action, not momentary effort.
The ayah centers these key lessons.
Reward is consequential: the ayah shows recompense that comes as a result of what they used to do.
Consistency matters: the grammar points to continuous or repetitive action in the past, not a one-off deed.
The wording is deliberate: the use of كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ carries a richer temporal meaning than a simple past action.
There is a surah-to-surah correlation: this ayah in Al-Waqi’ah connects with the statement in Surah Ar-Rahman about excellence and its reward.
The سَابِقُونَ are characterized by constancy: they were continuously and constantly engaged in good deeds, and this earned them great reward.