There are 194 instances from the same root in 12 derived forms in the Quran while 102 instances, which are closely related in the verb (24), verbal noun (12), nominal noun (36), noun (3) and active participle (39) forms as shown in the table below are reviewed here, which have been prioritized:
Note: The above table is populated with data obtained from the corpus.quran.com
Here is a review of 39 instances including 36 instances of ahsan in the nominal form meaning ‘better/best’, and 3 instances of hasnaat in the noun form meaning ‘good deed’. However, an Arabic word may have a different meaning in the different contexts.
Instances of ahsan
Here are details of 36 instances of ahsan in the nominal form meaning “better/best” found in 36 verses across 22 suras in the Quran:
[2:138] That is God’s religion, and who has better than God’s religion (wa-man ahsanu mina allahi sib’ghatan)? And to Him we are worshipers.
[4:59] O you who have believed, you shall obey God and shall obey the messenger and those with the authority from you. When if you have disputed in any matter, then you shall refer it to God and the messenger if you have committed to believe in God and the Last Day. That is good and better for ending (dhaalika khayrun wa-ahsanu taweelan).
[4:86] And when you have been greeted with a greeting, then you shall greet with better than it (fa-hayyuu bi-ahsana minhaa) or shall return it. Indeed, God has been a Reckoner of everything.
[4:125] And who has better religion than one who has submitted himself to God (wa-man ahsanu deenan mimman aslama wajhahu lillahi), and has been a good-doer, and has followed a religion of Abraham, monotheism? And God has chosen Abraham as a friend.
[5:50] Do then they seek the judgment of the ignorance time? And who has better than God’s judgment for a people who ascertain (wa-man ahsanu mina allahi hukman liqawmin yuuqinuuna)?
[6:152] “And you should not go near the orphan’s wealth except with that which has been best until he reaches his maturity (illaa bi-allatee hiya ahsanu hattaa yablugha ashuddahu). And you shall give the measure and the weight with the justice. We do not burden any soul except its capacity. And when you have spoken, then you shall be just even if he has been of a near relative, and of promise to God you shall fulfil. That He has enjoined you with it that you may remember.”
[7:145] And we have prescribed for him (Moses) in the tablets from an instruction of everything and an explanation for everything. So, you shall take them with firmness and shall order your people to take them of their best (wa-amur qawmaka yakhudhuu bi-ahsanihaa). I will show you an abode of the disobedient.
[9:121] While neither they can spend a small spending nor a big, nor can they cross a valley, except has been recorded for them that God may reward them best of what they had done to accomplish (liyajziyahumu allahu ahsana maa kaanuu ya’maluuna).
[11:7] He is the One who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and has been His dominion upon the water that He can test you which of you has been better in deed (liyabluwakum ayyukum ahsanu `amalan). And certainly, if you said: “Indeed, you will be resurrected after the death,” certainly those who disbelieved say: “This is not but a clear magic!”
[12:3] We narrate through you best of the stories in that we have revealed to you this of the Quran (nahnu naqussu `alayka ahsana al-qasasi bimaa awhaynaa ilayka haadhaa al-qur’aana); and even you have been of its before, surely with the unaware.
[16:96] Whatever is with you runs out, while whatever is with God is remaining. And surely, we will reward those who have been patient their reward with a best of what they have done to accomplish (wa-la’najziyannaa alladheena sabaruu ajrahum bi-ahsani maa kaanuu ya`maluuna).
[16:97] Whoever has done as righteous, whether a male or a female, and he is a believer, then surely, we will give him a good life and surely, we will reward them their reward with a best of what they have done to accomplish (wa-la’najziyannahum ajrahum bi-ahsani maa kaanuu ya’maluuna).
[16:125] You shall invite to your Lord’s path with the wisdom and the instruction of the good, and shall discuss them with that which is best (wa-jadil’hum bi-allatee hiya ahsanu). Indeed, your Lord is Knower of who has strayed off from His path, and He is Knower of the guided ones.
[17:34] And you should not go near the orphan’s wealth except with that which has been best until he reaches his maturity (illaa bi-allatee hiya ahsanu hattaa yablugha ashuddahu). And you shall fulfill of the promise, indeed, the promise has been a question.
[17:35] And you shall give the measure when have been measured, and shall weigh with the balance of the straight. That is good and better in end (dhaalika khayrun wa-ahsanu taweelan).
[17:53] And say that My servants should speak that which is best (wa-qul li’`ibaadee yaquuluu allatee hiya ahsanu). Indeed, the Satan comes with animosity between them. Indeed, the Satan has been a great enemy for mankind.
[18:7] Indeed, we have made what is on the earth an adornment for it, that we can test them which of them is better in deed (li’nabluwahum ayyuhum ahsanu `amalan).
[19:73] And when is recited our clear revelations to them, has said those who disbelieved to those who believed: “Which of the two groups is better in position as well as better in number (ayyu al-fareeqayni khayrun maqaaman wa-ahsanu nadiyyan)?”
[19:74] And how many of a generation we destroyed their before, they had better in wealth and in power (hum ahsanu athaathan wa-ri’yan)?
[23:14] Then we created the drop (semen) to an embryo (hanging), then we created the embryo to a fetus (embryonic lump), then we created the fetus to bones, then we covered the bones with flesh, thus, we have produced it another creation. So has blessed to God, a best of the creators (fa-tabaaraka allahu ahsanu khaaliqeena).
[23:96] You shall repel the evil with that which is best (id’fa` bi-allatee hiya ahsanu). We are Knower of what they attribute.
[24:38] That God will reward them best of what they had done (li’yajziyahumu allahu ahsana maa `amiluu), and will increase them from His bounty. And God provides for whomever He wills without reckoning.
[25:24] The dwellers of Paradise, that day will have a better abode and a best resting place (as’haabu al-jinnati yaw’ma-idhin khayrun mus’taqarran wa-ahsanu maqeelan).
[25:33] And they do not come to you with an example rather we have brought to you with the truth and a best of explanation (ji’inaaka bil-haqqi wa-ahsana tafseeran).
[29:7] And those who believed and have done as righteous, surely, we will remove their evil deeds from them and surely, we will reward them best of what they had done to accomplish (wa-la’najziyannahum ahsana alladhee kaanuu ya’maluuna).
[29:46] And you should not argue with the people of the scripture except with that which is best (wa-laa-tujaadiluu ah’la al-kitaabi illaa bi-allatee hiya ahsana), except those who wronged of them and say: “We have believed in what has been revealed to us and what has been revealed to you, and our god and your god is One, and to Him we are submitters.”
[37:125] “Do you call on Ba’al (false deity) and forsake a best of the creators (a-tad’uuna balan wa-tadharuuna ahsan al-khaaliqeena)?”
[39:18] Those who listen to the Word, then follow its best (alladheena yastami`uuna al-qawla fa-yattabi`uuna ahsanuhu). Those are whom God has guided and those are possessors of the understanding.
[39:23] God has revealed a scripture of the best hadith (allahu nazzala ahsan al-hadeethi kitaaban) made consistent to each other. The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver from it (Quran), then their skins and their hearts soften up to God’s message. That is God’s guidance; He guides with it (Quran) whomever He wills, and whomever God lets go astray, then there is no guide for him.
[39:35] That God will remove from them worst of what they had done, and will reward them their reward with best of what they had done to accomplish (wa-yajziyahum ajrahum bi-ahsani alladhee kaanuu ya’maluuna).
[39:55] And you shall follow best of what has been revealed to you from your Lord (wa-ittabi`uu ahsana maa unzila ilaykum min rabbikum) of before that the punishment comes to you suddenly while you do not perceive.
[41:33] And who is better in utterance than whoever has invited to God, and has done as righteous (wa-man ahsanu qawlan mimman da`aa ilaa allahi wa-`amila saalihan), and has said: “I am one of the submitters.”
[41:34] And neither equals the good nor the evil. You shall repel with that which is better (id’fa` bi-allatee hiya ahsanu). Thus, once the one who had enmity between you and him, as that he is a best friend.
[46:16] Those are whom we accept from them best of what they have done (ulaika alladheena nataqabbalu `anhum ahsana maa `amiluu) , and we overlook of their evil deeds among the dwellers of Paradise. The true promise, which they are promised.
[67:2] The One who has created the death and the life that He may test you, which of you is best in deed (li’yabluwakum ayyukum ahsanu `amalan), and He is the Al-mighty, the Forgiving.
[95:4] Certainly, we have created the human being in a best shape (laqad khalaqnaa al-insaana fee ahsani taqweemin).
Instances of hasanaat
Here are details of 3 instances of hasanaat meaning “good deed” found in 3 verses across 3 suras in the Quran:
[7:168] And We have divided them in the earth as communities. Of them there are the righteous and of them there are other than that. And we have tested them with the good deeds and the evil deeds that they may return (wa-balawnaahum bil-hasanaati wal-sayiaati la’`allahum yarji`uuna).
[11:114] And you shall observe the Contact Prayer at both ends of the day and the early part of the night. Indeed, the good deeds remove the evil deeds (inna al-hasanaat yudh’hib’na al-sayiaati). That is a reminder for those who remember.
[25:70] Except whoever has repented and has believed and has done deed as righteous, as for those God will replace their evil deeds with good deeds (fa-ulaaika yubaddilu allaha sayyiaatihim hasanaatin), and God is Forgiving, Merciful.
Summary
- God to whom we are worshipers has given us a best religion as He has a better judgment.
- When there is a dispute in any matter, should be referred to God and the messenger, which implies that the dispute will always be addressed based on the message as and when we encounter it.
- When you have been greeted with a greeting, then you shall return it with a better or equal one.
- He has a better religion whoever has submitted himself to God and has been a good-doer, and has followed the religion of Abraham.
- God has commanded us to be fair-minded not touching the orphan’s wealth except with best until he reaches his maturity, and giving the measure and the weight with the justice.
- The Satan has been a great enemy of mankind and he always comes between God’s worshipers.
- God gave Moses at his appointment with Him the tablets with instruction and explanation of everything that he and his people could take them with firmness and with best of them.
- Neither they can spend small nor large, nor can they do anything, except has been recorded for them that God may reward them best of what they had done to attain.
- God has created the heavens and the earth that He can test us who has been better in deed confirming the resurrection after the death, which seems to be a clear magic to the disbelievers.
- He has narrated to us the best of the stories in which we had no knowledge revealing in the Quran.
- He will reward those who have been patient with their reward with the best of what they had done.
- A male or a female, whoever has done as righteous while he is a believer, will be given him a good life and will be rewarded them their reward with best of what they had done to accomplish.
- God wants us to invite to His path with wisdom and good instruction of them which is best.
- When recited His revelations, those who disbelieved said to those who believed that they have better position and number disregarding history of destruction who had better wealth and power.
- God has given best shape to human being and has described its reproduction to be appreciative.
- God wants us to repel the evil with that which is best to be rewarded best of what they had done.
- Those who have believed and have done as righteous, God will remove their evil deeds from them and will reward them best of what they had done to achieve.
- Those who believed argued with the people of the scripture that they believed in what was revealed to them and what was revealed to them while god is One god, and to Him they both are submitters.
- Those who have listened to the Word, and have followed its best are the guided ones.
- God’s guidance is He guides with His revelations (the Quran) whomever He wills, while whomever He sends astray has no guide for him.
- What is a better utterance than that whoever has invited to God and has done as righteous while he has said “I am one of the submitters.”
- Evil can be repelled with good to become a best friend eliminating enmity between you and them.
- God has promised to overlook the evil deeds of those who have repented and submitted to Him at the age of forty and have done as righteous accepting from them the best they had done.
- God has created the death and the life that He may test us, which of us is best in deed.
- Salat Prayer at noon and the early part of the night is a good deed that removes the evil deeds.
- Those who committed sins but thereafter they have repented and have believed and have done as righteous, God will replace their evil deeds with good deeds being forgiving and merciful on them.
Better deed is indeed to follow God’s words and to invite to His path with wisdom and good instruction, even people of the scripture with logic of One god for both while wealth and number as arguments is disbelieving. Test is to return God with better deed but the Satan has come with animosity between the worshipers of God being a great enemy of mankind causing a disaster on the planet.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.
Tafazzal (3/6/2020).