إِن تَمْسَسْكُمْ حَسَنَةٌ تَسُؤْهُمْ وَإِن تُصِبْكُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَفْرَحُوا۟ بِهَا ۖ وَإِن تَصْبِرُوا۟ وَتَتَّقُوا۟ لَا يَضُرُّكُمْ كَيْدُهُمْ شَيْـًٔا ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطٌ 120
Translations
If good touches you, it distresses them; but if harm strikes you, they rejoice at it. And if you are patient and fear Allāh, their plot will not harm you at all. Indeed, Allāh is encompassing of what they do.
Transliteration
In tamassakum hasanah tasu'uhum wa-in tusibkum sayyiah yafrahu biha wa-in tasbiroo wa-tattaqoo la yadurrukum kayduhum shay'an innallaha bima ya'maloon muhit
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the envious nature of the disbelievers who grieve when good befalls the believers and rejoice when calamity strikes them. However, Allah reassures the believers that if they exercise patience (sabr) and God-consciousness (taqwa), the plots and schemes of their enemies cannot harm them in any meaningful way, for Allah's knowledge encompasses all their deeds and will ultimately bring them to account. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that this verse provides psychological comfort to the early Muslim community facing persecution from the Quraysh and other opponents.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed during the Medinan period, likely in reference to the attitudes of the hypocrites (munafiqun) and disbelievers of Medina toward the Muslim community. It comes within the context of Surah Ali 'Imran's broader discussion of trials, faith, and the conflict between believers and disbelievers, particularly following discussions of the Battle of Uhud.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Amazing is the affair of the believer, for all of his affairs are good, and this is not for anyone except the believer. If good befalls him, he is grateful, and if evil befalls him, he is patient' (Sahih Muslim 2999). Additionally, the hadith regarding the evil eye and envy relates to the first part of this ayah about envious reactions to good fortune.
Themes
Key Lesson
For believers facing opposition or envy from others, true protection lies not in avoiding harm from external enemies but in cultivating patience and taqwa (God-consciousness), trusting that Allah's comprehensive knowledge ensures justice will ultimately prevail. This teaches that spiritual fortitude and moral integrity are the greatest defenses against the schemes of those who wish us harm.