وَيَدْعُ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ بِٱلشَّرِّ دُعَآءَهُۥ بِٱلْخَيْرِ ۖ وَكَانَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ عَجُولًا 11
Translations
And man supplicates for evil [when angry] as he supplicates for good, and man is ever hasty.
Transliteration
Wa yad'u al-insānu bi-ash-sharri du'ā'ahu bi-al-khayr wa kāna al-insānu 'ajūlā
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the human tendency to invoke evil upon himself with the same urgency and fervor that he invokes good, revealing the hastiness and impatience inherent in human nature. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir explain this as referring to a person who, in moments of anger or distress, curses himself, his family, or his wealth—forgetting that such invocations may be answered by Allah. The ayah concludes by emphasizing that impatience ('ajal) is a defining characteristic of mankind, leading him to make hasty decisions and supplications without reflection.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within Surah Al-Isra, which addresses various aspects of human nature and behavior. The context follows discussions of human ingratitude and disobedience. While no specific historical asbab al-nuzul is recorded for this particular verse, it reflects the broader Meccan theme of critiquing human weakness and the need for divine guidance. The surah emphasizes the consequences of human choices and the importance of patience and gratitude.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Do not curse yourselves, do not curse your children, do not curse your wealth, lest you coincide with an hour in which Allah grants [the curse]' (Sunan Abu Dawud 5090). Additionally, the Prophet warned against hasty supplications: 'None of you should invoke curse upon himself, curse upon his children, or curse upon his wealth' (Sahih Muslim 3009).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us to be mindful of our words and supplications, especially during moments of anger or distress, as they may be answered by Allah. We must cultivate patience, reflection, and conscious awareness before invoking anything upon ourselves or others, recognizing that hasty speech can have serious spiritual consequences.
Related Ayahs
وَٱسْتَفْزِزْ مَنِ ٱسْتَطَعْتَ مِنْهُم بِصَوْتِكَ وَأَجْلِبْ عَلَيْهِم بِخَيْلِكَ وَرَجِلِكَ وَشَارِكْهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَوْلَـٰدِ وَعِدْهُمْ ۚ وَمَا يَعِدُهُمُ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ إِلَّا غُرُورًا
And incite [to senselessness] whoever you can among them with your voice and assault them with your horses and foot soldiers and become a partner in their wealth and their children and promise them." But Satan does not promise them except delusion.
لَّا تَجْعَلْ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَـٰهًا ءَاخَرَ فَتَقْعُدَ مَذْمُومًا مَّخْذُولًا
Do not make [as equal] with Allāh another deity and [thereby] become censured and forsaken.
عَسَىٰ رَبُّكُمْ أَن يَرْحَمَكُمْ ۚ وَإِنْ عُدتُّمْ عُدْنَا ۘ وَجَعَلْنَا جَهَنَّمَ لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ حَصِيرًا
[Then Allāh said], "It is expected, [if you repent], that your Lord will have mercy upon you. But if you return [to sin], We will return [to punishment]. And We have made Hell, for the disbelievers, a prison-bed."
قُل لَّوْ كَانَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مَلَـٰٓئِكَةٌ يَمْشُونَ مُطْمَئِنِّينَ لَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَلَكًا رَّسُولًا
Say, "If there were upon the earth angels walking securely, We would have sent down to them from the heaven an angel [as a] messenger."