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What is the difference between using "yaf'alun" (يفعلون - they do) and "ya'malun" (يعملون - they work/act) in the Qur'an when referring to the actions of Allah, and what is the difference between "al-fi'l" (الفعل - the deed/action) and "al-amal" (العمل - the work/labor/act)?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The scholars have mentioned distinctions between "al-fi'l" (act/deed) and "al-amal" (work/action) in Qur'anic usage and their attribution to Allah Almighty:

- It is said that "al-amal" requires effort and hardship, while "al-fi'l" is more general. - It is also said that "al-amal" is that which produces an effect in the object acted upon, and "al-fi'l" is more general. - Some have said that "al-amal" is nobler than "al-fi'l," but this is refuted by the fact that evil deeds are called "a'mal" (actions). - Allah attributes "al-fi'l" to Himself (e.g., "How your Lord dealt with 'Ad"), and attributes "al-amal" to His hands (e.g., "among what Our hands have made [are] livestock"). - Al-Zarkashi stated: "Al-amal" is more specific than "al-fi'l"; every "amal" is a "fi'l." "Al-amal" occurs over a period of time, whereas "al-fi'l" denotes speed and power, especially when attributed to Allah. - "Al-fi'l" indicates the creation of an effect without delay and the speed of the event. "Al-amal" indicates the continuity of the event and the extension of time. - Some scholars have mentioned "al-amal" among the attributes of Allah Almighty, citing verses such as: "Have they not seen that We created for them from what Our hands have made [are] livestock?"

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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