And their Lord answers them their supplication by saying that ‘I do not let the labour of any labourer among you go to waste be you male or female — the one of you is as the other this statement is a reaffirmation of the previous one that is they are both equal when it comes to recompensing them for their deeds and for not neglecting them. When Umm Salama asked ‘O Messenger of God why is there no mention of women when it comes to the Emigration hijra?’ the following was revealed and those who emigrated from Mecca to Medina and were expelled from their habitations those who suffered hurt in My way for My religion and fought the disbelievers and were slain read qutilū or quttilū — them I shall surely absolve of their evil deeds concealing these with forgiveness and I shall admit them to Gardens underneath which river flow’. A reward thawāban is a verbal noun reaffirming the import of la-ukaffiranna from God! there is a shift of person here. And God — with Him is the fairest reward the fairest requital.
