وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا فِى قَرْيَةٍ مِّن نَّبِىٍّ إِلَّآ أَخَذْنَآ أَهْلَهَا بِٱلْبَأْسَآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَضَّرَّعُونَ 94
Translations
And We sent to no city a prophet [who was denied] except that We seized its people with poverty and hardship that they might humble themselves [to Allāh].
Transliteration
Wa mā arsalnā fī qaryatin min nabiyyin illā akhazhnā ahlahā bil-ba'sā'i wa-d-darrā'i la'allahum yaddarraa'ūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes a divine pattern: whenever Allah sent a prophet to a community, He tested that community with hardship and adversity so that they might turn to Him in humble supplication (du'ā). Ibn Kathir notes this reflects Allah's wisdom in using trials as a means of spiritual awakening and repentance. Al-Tabari emphasizes that these afflictions are merciful interventions designed to guide people back to their Lord before more severe punishment befalls them.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the middle section of Surah Al-A'raf, which discusses the histories of various prophets and their peoples. It provides a general principle about the testing of communities throughout history, illustrating the consistent divine methodology in calling people to monotheism and righteousness. The context emphasizes that hardship is not arbitrary punishment but a means of spiritual reform.
Related Hadiths
The principle aligns with the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet ﷺ said: 'The greatest reward comes with the greatest trial. When Allah loves a people, He tests them.' Additionally, in Sunan Ibn Majah, the Prophet stated that trials purify sins and elevate ranks.
Themes
Key Lesson
Trials and difficulties in life are not signs of divine abandonment but rather opportunities for spiritual purification and drawing closer to Allah through sincere supplication. Understanding this divine pattern encourages believers to respond to life's challenges with humility, prayer, and trust in Allah's ultimate wisdom and mercy.
Related Ayahs
وَلَمَّا جَآءَ مُوسَىٰ لِمِيقَـٰتِنَا وَكَلَّمَهُۥ رَبُّهُۥ قَالَ رَبِّ أَرِنِىٓ أَنظُرْ إِلَيْكَ ۚ قَالَ لَن تَرَىٰنِى وَلَـٰكِنِ ٱنظُرْ إِلَى ٱلْجَبَلِ فَإِنِ ٱسْتَقَرَّ مَكَانَهُۥ فَسَوْفَ تَرَىٰنِى ۚ فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّىٰ رَبُّهُۥ لِلْجَبَلِ جَعَلَهُۥ دَكًّا وَخَرَّ مُوسَىٰ صَعِقًا ۚ فَلَمَّآ أَفَاقَ قَالَ سُبْحَـٰنَكَ تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَأَنَا۠ أَوَّلُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
And when Moses arrived at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said, "My Lord, show me [Yourself] that I may look at You." [Allāh] said, "You will not see Me, but look at the mountain; if it should remain in place, then you will see Me." But when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He rendered it level, and Moses fell unconscious. And when he awoke, he said, "Exalted are You! I have repented to You, and I am the first [among my people] of the believers."
فَأَنجَيْنَـٰهُ وَأَهْلَهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱمْرَأَتَهُۥ كَانَتْ مِنَ ٱلْغَـٰبِرِينَ
So We saved him and his family, except for his wife; she was of those who remained [with the evildoers].
إِنَّ وَلِـِّۧىَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى نَزَّلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ ۖ وَهُوَ يَتَوَلَّى ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ
Indeed, my protector is Allāh, who has sent down the Book; and He is an ally to the righteous.
فَإِذَا جَآءَتْهُمُ ٱلْحَسَنَةُ قَالُوا۟ لَنَا هَـٰذِهِۦ ۖ وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَطَّيَّرُوا۟ بِمُوسَىٰ وَمَن مَّعَهُۥٓ ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّمَا طَـٰٓئِرُهُمْ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
But when good [i.e., provision] came to them, they said, "This is ours [by right]." And if a bad [condition] struck them, they saw an evil omen in Moses and those with him. Unquestionably, their fortune is with Allāh, but most of them do not know.