Allah says,

مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ الْعِزَّةَ فَلِلَّهِ الْعِزَّةُ جَمِيعًا ...

Whosoever desires Al-`Izzah then to Allah belongs all Al-`Izzah.

means, whoever desires honor, power and glory in this world and the next, let him be obedient towards Allah, may He be exalted. This will help him reach his goal, for Allah is the Sovereign of this world and the Hereafter, and to Him belong all honor, power and glory.

This is like the Ayat:

الَّذِينَ يَتَّخِذُونَ الْكَـفِرِينَ أَوْلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَيَبْتَغُونَ عِندَهُمُ الْعِزَّةَ فَإِنَّ العِزَّةَ للَّهِ جَمِيعاً

Those who take disbelievers for protectors instead of believers, do they seek Al-`Izzah with them? Verily, then to Allah belongs all honor, power and glory. (4:139)

وَلاَ يَحْزُنكَ قَوْلُهُمْ إِنَّ الْعِزَّةَ للَّهِ جَمِيعاً

And let not their speech grieve you, for all Al-`Izzah belongs to Allah. (10:65)

وَلِلَّهِ الْعِزَّةُ وَلِرَسُولِهِ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلَـكِنَّ الْمُنَـفِقِينَ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ

But Al-`Izzah belongs to Allah, and to His Messenger, and to the believers, but the hypocrites know not. (63:8)

Mujahid said:

مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ الْعِزَّةَ (Whosoever desires Al-`Izzah) means, by worshipping idols, فَإِنَّ العِزَّةَ للَّهِ جَمِيعاً (then to Allah belongs Al-`Izzah).

مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ الْعِزَّةَ فَلِلَّهِ الْعِزَّةُ جَمِيعًا

Whosoever desires Al-`Izzah then to Allah belongs Al-`Izzah. means,

let him seek honor, power and glory through obeying Allah, may He be glorified.

Righteous Deeds ascend to Allah

Allah says,

... إِلَيْهِ يَصْعَدُ الْكَلِمُ الطَّيِّبُ ...

To Him ascend the good words,

means, words of remembrance, recitation of Qur'an, and supplications.

This was the view of more than one of the Salaf.

Ibn Jarir recorded that Al-Mukhariq bin Sulaym said that "Abdullah bin Mas`ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said to them,

"If we tell you a Hadith, we will bring you proof of it from the Book of Allah. When the Muslim servants says, `Glory and praise be to Allah, there is no god worthy of worship except Allah, Allah is Most Great and blessed be Allah,' an angel takes these words and puts them under his wing, then he ascends with them to the heaven. He does not take them past any group of angels but they seek forgiveness for the one who said them, until he brings them before Allah, may He be glorified.''

Then Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, recited:

... إِلَيْهِ يَصْعَدُ الْكَلِمُ الطَّيِّبُ وَالْعَمَلُ الصَّالِحُ يَرْفَعُهُ ...

To Him ascend the good words, and the righteous deeds exalt it.''

Imam Ahmad recorded that An-Nu`man bin Bashir, may Allah be pleased with him, said,

"The Messenger of Allah said:

الَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللهَ مِنْ جَلَالِ اللهِ مِنْ تَسْبِيحِهِ وَتَكْبِيرِهِ وَتَحْمِيدِهِ وَتَهْلِيلِهِ، يَتَعَاطَفْنَ حَوْلَ الْعَرْشِ لَهُنَّ دَوِيٌّ كَدَوِيِّ النَّحْلِ، يَذْكُرْنَ بِصَاحِبِهِنَّ، أَلَا يُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَنْ لَا يَزَالَ لَهُ عِنْدَ اللهِ شَيْءٌ يُذَكِّرُ بِه

Those who remember Allah and glory Allah by saying,

`Glory be to Allah, Allah is most Great, all praise is due to Allah and La ilaha illallah,

these words go around the Throne buzzing like bees, mentioning those who said them. Would one of you not like to have something with Allah mentioning him.''

This was also recorded by Ibn Majah.

... وَالْعَمَلُ الصَّالِحُ يَرْفَعُهُ ...

and the righteous deeds exalt it.

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said,

"The good word is the remembrance of Allah, may He be exalted, which is taken up to Allah, and the righteous deed is the performance of obligatory duties.

Whoever remembers Allah when doing an obligatory duty, his deed carries his remembrance of Allah and takes it up to Allah, may He be exalted.

Whoever remembers Allah and does not perform the obligatory duties, his words will be rejected, as will his deed."

... وَالَّذِينَ يَمْكُرُونَ السَّيِّئَاتِ ...

but those who plot evils,

Mujahid, Said bin Jubayr and Shahr bin Hawshab said,

This refers to those who show off by their actions, i.e., they deceive the people by giving the impression that they are obeying Allah, when in fact they are hated by Allah for showing off.

Allah says:

... لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَكْرُ أُوْلَئِكَ هُوَ يَبُورُ ﴿١٠﴾

theirs will be severe torment. And the plotting of such will perish.

meaning, it will fail and vanish, for their reality is apparent from up close to those who have insight and wisdom. No one conceals a secret but Allah will cause it to become known, on his face or by a slip of the tongue, or He will cause the person to wear it like a cloak (so that everyone will see it). If it is good, then the consequences will be good, and if it is bad, then the consequences will be bad. The person who shows off cannot continue to deceive anyone but the fool, but the believers who have insight are not deceived by that; from up close, they soon discover it. And nothing at all can be hidden from the Knower of the Unseen (Allah).