وَمَا بِكُم مِّن نِّعْمَةٍ فَمِنَ ٱللَّهِ ۖ ثُمَّ إِذَا مَسَّكُمُ ٱلضُّرُّ فَإِلَيْهِ تَجْـَٔرُونَ 53
Translations
And whatever you have of favor - it is from Allāh. Then when adversity touches you, to Him you cry for help.
Transliteration
Wa ma bikum min ni'matin fa min Allah, thumma idha massackum ad-durru fa ilayhi taj'urun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes that every blessing and favor upon humanity originates from Allah alone, while conversely, when hardship and distress strike, people instinctively turn to Him in supplication and plea. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this ayah highlights the inconsistency of human nature—people attribute blessings to themselves or others, yet in times of calamity they recognize Allah's power and return to Him in desperate prayer, demonstrating their inherent acknowledgment of His sovereignty.
Revelation Context
Surah An-Nahl, revealed in Mecca, addresses the polytheists' denial and their failure to recognize Allah's blessings. This ayah appears within the broader context of the surah's argument against shirk (associating partners with Allah), reminding the Quraysh that despite attributing their prosperity to idols and themselves, they inevitably seek Allah's help during crises—an implicit proof of tawhid (monotheism).
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'When a calamity befalls any of you, let him remember that which has passed away before him of the days of Allah, for this is the greatest solace' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi). Additionally, the Prophet emphasized gratitude for blessings: 'Whoever among you wakes up secure in his family, healthy in his body, and has food for the day, it is as if the whole world has been given to him' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us to maintain consistent gratitude and recognition of Allah in both prosperity and hardship, rather than forgetting Him during good times and only remembering Him in distress. It reminds us that true faith requires acknowledging Allah as the sole source of all blessings and turning to Him with sincere hearts in all circumstances.
Related Ayahs
وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تُسِرُّونَ وَمَا تُعْلِنُونَ
And Allāh knows what you conceal and what you declare.
وَأَقْسَمُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَـٰنِهِمْ ۙ لَا يَبْعَثُ ٱللَّهُ مَن يَمُوتُ ۚ بَلَىٰ وَعْدًا عَلَيْهِ حَقًّا وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
And they swear by Allāh their strongest oaths [that] Allāh will not resurrect one who dies. But yes - [it is] a true promise [binding] upon Him, but most of the people do not know.
إِنَّمَا جُعِلَ ٱلسَّبْتُ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ فِيهِ ۚ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَيَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا۟ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ
The sabbath was only appointed for those who differed over it. And indeed, your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ.
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا۟ لَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مَا عَبَدْنَا مِن دُونِهِۦ مِن شَىْءٍ نَّحْنُ وَلَآ ءَابَآؤُنَا وَلَا حَرَّمْنَا مِن دُونِهِۦ مِن شَىْءٍ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ فَعَلَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ فَهَلْ عَلَى ٱلرُّسُلِ إِلَّا ٱلْبَلَـٰغُ ٱلْمُبِينُ
And those who associate others with Allāh say, "If Allāh had willed, we would not have worshipped anything other than Him, neither we nor our fathers, nor would we have forbidden anything through other than Him." Thus did those do before them. So is there upon the messengers except [the duty of] clear notification?