وَإِذَآ أَنْعَمْنَا عَلَى ٱلْإِنسَـٰنِ أَعْرَضَ وَنَـَٔا بِجَانِبِهِۦ وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ فَذُو دُعَآءٍ عَرِيضٍ 51
Translations
And when We bestow favor upon man, he turns away and distances himself; but when evil touches him, then he is full of extensive supplication.
Transliteration
Wa-idha anAAamna AAala al-insani aAArada wa-naa bijanbihi wa-idha massahu al-sharru fa-dhu duAAain AAareedh
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the ingratitude and spiritual weakness of humankind: when blessed with bounties, people turn away arrogantly from their Lord, but when afflicted with hardship, they turn to Him in extensive supplication. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi note this reflects human nature's tendency toward heedlessness during prosperity and desperation during adversity, highlighting the inconsistency in human gratitude and reliance upon Allah.
Revelation Context
Surah Fussilat is a Meccan surah that addresses the disbelievers and those of weak faith. This ayah is part of a broader theme in the surah discussing human nature and the signs of Allah. It reflects the spiritual condition of those who reject faith despite clear proofs, emphasizing how humans alternate between arrogance and desperation rather than maintaining consistent servitude to Allah.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best among you to my family' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3895), emphasizing consistency in character. Additionally, the hadith 'No one of you believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself' (Sahih Bukhari 13) relates to the consistency of faith and gratitude.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us to maintain gratitude to Allah during times of blessing and to strengthen our faith proactively rather than waiting for hardship to drive us to supplication. It serves as a mirror for self-reflection: believers should strive for consistent devotion and gratitude regardless of their circumstances, recognizing that both ease and difficulty are divine tests meant to draw us closer to our Creator.
Related Ayahs
وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا رَوَٰسِىَ مِن فَوْقِهَا وَبَـٰرَكَ فِيهَا وَقَدَّرَ فِيهَآ أَقْوَٰتَهَا فِىٓ أَرْبَعَةِ أَيَّامٍ سَوَآءً لِّلسَّآئِلِينَ
And He placed on it [i.e., the earth] firmly set mountains over its surface, and He blessed it and determined therein its [creatures'] sustenance in four days without distinction - for [the information of] those who ask.
فَلَنُذِيقَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَسْوَأَ ٱلَّذِى كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
But We will surely cause those who disbelieve to taste a severe punishment, and We will surely recompense them for the worst of what they had been doing.
وَقَالُوا۟ قُلُوبُنَا فِىٓ أَكِنَّةٍ مِّمَّا تَدْعُونَآ إِلَيْهِ وَفِىٓ ءَاذَانِنَا وَقْرٌ وَمِنۢ بَيْنِنَا وَبَيْنِكَ حِجَابٌ فَٱعْمَلْ إِنَّنَا عَـٰمِلُونَ
And they say, "Our hearts are within coverings [i.e., screened] from that to which you invite us, and in our ears is deafness, and between us and you is a partition, so work; indeed, we are working."
فَإِنِ ٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ فَٱلَّذِينَ عِندَ رَبِّكَ يُسَبِّحُونَ لَهُۥ بِٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ وَهُمْ لَا يَسْـَٔمُونَ ۩
But if they are arrogant - then those who are near your Lord [i.e., the angels] exalt Him by night and by day, and they do not become weary.