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Fussilat

Surah 41 · 54 verses
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51

وَإِذَآ أَنۡعَمۡنَا عَلَى ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنِ أَعۡرَضَ وَنَـَٔا بِجَانِبِهِۦ وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ فَذُو دُعَآءٍ عَرِيضٍ۬

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.

Tafsir

Knowledge of the Hour is with Allah Alone

Then Allah says:

﴿ إِلَيۡهِ يُرَدُّ عِلۡمُ ٱلسَّاعَةِ‌ۚ ﴾

(To Him is referred the knowledge of the Hour.) meaning, no one knows about that apart from Him. Muhammad , the leader of mankind, said to Jibril, who is one of the leading angels, when he asked him about the Hour:

« مَا الْمَسْؤُولُ عَنْهَا بِأَعْلَمَ مِنَ السَّائِل »

(The one who is asked about it does not know more than the one who is asking.)'' And Allah says:

﴿ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ مُنتَہَٮٰهَآ ﴾

(To your Lord belongs the term thereof.) (79:44)

﴿ لَا يُجَلِّيہَا لِوَقۡتِہَآ إِلَّا هُوَ‌ۚ ﴾

(None can reveal its time but He) (7:187).

﴿ وَمَا تَخۡرُجُ مِن ثَمَرَٲتٍ۬ مِّنۡ أَكۡمَامِهَا وَمَا تَحۡمِلُ مِنۡ أُنثَىٰ وَلَا تَضَعُ إِلَّا بِعِلۡمِهِۦ‌ۚ ﴾

(No fruit comes out of its sheath, nor does a female conceive nor brings forth (young), except by His knowledge.) means, all of that is known to Him, and nothing is hidden from your Lord the weight of a speck of dust on the earth or in the heaven. Allah says:

﴿ وَمَا تَسۡقُطُ مِن وَرَقَةٍ إِلَّا يَعۡلَمُهَا ﴾

(not a leaf falls, but He knows it) (6:59).

﴿ يَعۡلَمُ مَا تَحۡمِلُ ڪُلُّ أُنثَىٰ وَمَا تَغِيضُ ٱلۡأَرۡحَامُ وَمَا تَزۡدَادُ‌ۖ وَڪُلُّ شَىۡءٍ عِندَهُ ۥ بِمِقۡدَارٍ ﴾

(Allah knows what every female bears, and by how much the wombs fall short or exceed. Everything with Him is in (due) proportion) (13:8).

﴿ وَمَا يُعَمَّرُ مِن مُّعَمَّرٍ۬ وَلَا يُنقَصُ مِنۡ عُمُرِهِۦۤ إِلَّا فِى كِتَـٰبٍۚ إِنَّ ذَٲلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ۬ ﴾

(And no aged man is granted a length of life nor is a part cut off from his life, but is in a Book. Surely, that is easy for Allah.) (35:11)

﴿ وَيَوۡمَ يُنَادِيهِمۡ فَيَقُولُ أَيۡنَ ﴾

(And on the Day when He will call unto them (saying): "Where are My (so-called) partners'') means, on the Day of Resurrection, Allah will call out to the idolaters before all of creation and say, "Where are My partners whom you worshipped besides Me''

﴿ قَالُوٓاْ ءَاذَنَّـٰكَ ﴾

(They will say: "We inform You...'') means, `we tell You,'

﴿ مَا مِنَّا مِن شَہِيدٍ۬ ﴾

(that none of us bears witness to it.) means, `not one of us will bear witness today that You have any partner.'

﴿ وَضَلَّ عَنۡہُم مَّا كَانُواْ يَدۡعُونَ مِن قَبۡلُ‌ۖ ﴾

(And those whom they used to invoke before (in this world) shall disappear from them, ) means, they will go away, and will be of no benefit to them.

﴿ وَظَنُّواْ مَا لَهُم مِّن مَّحِيصٍ۬ ﴾

(and they will perceive that they have no place of refuge) means, they will have no way of escaping from the punishment of Allah. This is like the Ayah:

﴿ وَرَءَا ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُونَ ٱلنَّارَ فَظَنُّوٓاْ أَنَّہُم مُّوَاقِعُوهَا وَلَمۡ يَجِدُواْ عَنۡہَا مَصۡرِفً۬ا ﴾

(And the criminals shall see the Fire and apprehend that they have to fall therein. And they will find no way of escape from there.) (18:53)

﴿ لَّا يَسۡـَٔمُ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنُ مِن دُعَآءِ ٱلۡخَيۡرِ وَإِن مَّسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ فَيَـُٔوسٌ۬ قَنُوطٌ۬ • وَلَٮِٕنۡ أَذَقۡنَـٰهُ رَحۡمَةً۬ مِّنَّا مِنۢ بَعۡدِ ضَرَّآءَ مَسَّتۡهُ لَيَقُولَنَّ هَـٰذَا لِى وَمَآ أَظُنُّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ قَآٮِٕمَةً۬ وَلَٮِٕن رُّجِعۡتُ إِلَىٰ رَبِّىٓ إِنَّ لِى عِندَهُ ۥ لَلۡحُسۡنَىٰ‌ۚ فَلَنُنَبِّئَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِمَا عَمِلُواْ وَلَنُذِيقَنَّهُم مِّنۡ عَذَابٍ غَلِيظٍ۬ • وَإِذَآ أَنۡعَمۡنَا عَلَى ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنِ أَعۡرَضَ وَنَـَٔا بِجَانِبِهِۦ وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ فَذُو دُعَآءٍ عَرِيضٍ۬ ﴾

(49. Man does not get tired of asking for good; but if an evil touches him, then he gives up all hope and is lost in despair.) (50. And truly, if We give him a taste of mercy from Us, after some adversity has touched him, he is sure to say: "This is due to my (merit); I think not that the Hour will be established. But if I am brought back to my Lord, surely there will be for me the best with Him. "Then, We verily will show to the disbelievers what they have done, and We shall make them taste a severe torment.) (51. And when We show favor to man, he turns away and becomes arrogant; but when evil touches him, then he has recourse to long supplications.)

52

قُلۡ أَرَءَيۡتُمۡ إِن ڪَانَ مِنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ ڪَفَرۡتُم بِهِۦ مَنۡ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنۡ هُوَ فِى شِقَاقِۭ بَعِيدٍ۬

Say, "Have you considered: if the Qur’an is from Allah and you disbelieved in it, who would be more astray than one who is in extreme dissension?"

Tafsir

Man is fickle when Ease comes to Him after Difficulty

Allah tells us that man never gets bored of asking his Lord for good things, such as wealth, physical health, etc., but if evil touches him -- i.e., trials and difficulties or poverty --

﴿ فَيَـُٔوسٌ۬ قَنُوطٌ۬ ﴾

(then he gives up all hope and is lost in despair.), i.e., he thinks that he will never experience anything good again.

﴿ وَلَٮِٕنۡ أَذَقۡنَـٰهُ رَحۡمَةً۬ مِّنَّا مِنۢ بَعۡدِ ضَرَّآءَ مَسَّتۡهُ لَيَقُولَنَّ هَـٰذَا لِى ﴾

(And truly, if We give him a taste of mercy from Us, after some adversity has touched him, he is sure to say: "This is due to my (merit)...'') means, if something good happens to him or some provision comes to him after a period of difficulty, he says, `this is because of me, because I deserve this from my Lord.'

﴿ وَمَآ أَظُنُّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ قَآٮِٕمَةً۬ ﴾

(I think not that the Hour will be established.) means, he does not believe that the Hour will come. So when he is given some blessing, he becomes careless, arrogant and ungrateful, as Allah says:

﴿ كَلَّآ إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ لَيَطۡغَىٰٓ • أَن رَّءَاهُ ٱسۡتَغۡنَىٰٓ ﴾

(Nay! Verily, man does transgress. Because he considers himself self-sufficient.) (96:6)

﴿ وَلَٮِٕن رُّجِعۡتُ إِلَىٰ رَبِّىٓ إِنَّ لِى عِندَهُ ۥ لَلۡحُسۡنَىٰ‌ۚ ﴾

(But if I am brought back to my Lord, surely there will be for me the best with Him.) means, `if there is a Hereafter after all, then my Lord will be generous and kind to me just as He was in this world.' So he expects Allah to do him favors in spite of his bad deeds and lack of certain faith. Allah says:

﴿ فَلَنُنَبِّئَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِمَا عَمِلُواْ وَلَنُذِيقَنَّهُم مِّنۡ عَذَابٍ غَلِيظٍ۬ ﴾

(Then, We verily will show to the disbelievers what they have done, and We shall make them taste a severe torment.) Thus Allah threatens punishment and vengeance to those whose conduct and belief is like that.

﴿ وَإِذَآ أَنۡعَمۡنَا عَلَى ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنِ أَعۡرَضَ وَنَـَٔا بِجَانِبِهِۦ ﴾

(And when We show favor to man, he turns away and becomes arrogant;) means, he turns away from doing acts of obedience and is too proud to obey the commands of Allah. This is like the Ayah:

﴿ فَتَوَلَّىٰ بِرُكۡنِهِۦ ﴾

(But (Fir`awn) turned away along with his hosts) (51:39).

﴿ وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ ﴾

(but when evil touches him,) means, difficulties,

﴿ فَذُو دُعَآءٍ عَرِيضٍ۬ ﴾

(then he has recourse to long supplications.) means, he asks at length for one thing. Long supplications are those which are long on words and short on meaning. The opposite is concise speech which is brief but full of meaning. And Allah says:

﴿ وَإِذَا مَسَّ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ ٱلضُّرُّ دَعَانَا لِجَنۢبِهِۦۤ أَوۡ قَاعِدًا أَوۡ قَآٮِٕمً۬ا فَلَمَّا كَشَفۡنَا عَنۡهُ ضُرَّهُ ۥ مَرَّ ڪَأَن لَّمۡ يَدۡعُنَآ إِلَىٰ ضُرٍّ۬ مَّسَّهُ ۥ‌ۚ ﴾

(And when harm touches man, he invokes Us, lying on his side, or sitting or standing. But when We have removed his harm from him, he passes on as if he had never invoked Us for a harm that touched him!) (10:12)

﴿ قُلۡ أَرَءَيۡتُمۡ إِن ڪَانَ مِنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ ڪَفَرۡتُم بِهِۦ مَنۡ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنۡ هُوَ فِى شِقَاقِۭ بَعِيدٍ۬ • سَنُرِيهِمۡ ءَايَـٰتِنَا فِى ٱلۡأَفَاقِ وَفِىٓ أَنفُسِہِمۡ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُمۡ أَنَّهُ ٱلۡحَقُّ‌ۗ أَوَلَمۡ يَكۡفِ بِرَبِّكَ أَنَّهُ ۥ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ شَہِيدٌ • أَلَآ إِنَّہُمۡ فِى مِرۡيَةٍ۬ مِّن لِّقَآءِ رَبِّهِمۡ‌ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّهُ ۥ بِكُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ مُّحِيطُۢ ﴾

(52. Say: "Tell me, if it is from Allah, and you disbelieve in it Who is more astray than one who is in opposition far away.'') (53. We will show them Our signs in the universes, and within themselves, until it becomes manifest to them that this is the truth. Is it not sufficient in regard to your Lord that He is a Witness over all things) (54. Lo, Verily, they are in doubt concerning the meeting with their Lord. Verily, He is surrounding all things!)

53

سَنُرِيهِمۡ ءَايَـٰتِنَا فِى ٱلۡأَفَاقِ وَفِىٓ أَنفُسِہِمۡ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُمۡ أَنَّهُ ٱلۡحَقُّ‌ۗ أَوَلَمۡ يَكۡفِ بِرَبِّكَ أَنَّهُ ۥ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ شَہِيدٌ

We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth. But is it not sufficient concerning your Lord that He is, over all things, a Witness?

Tafsir

Man is fickle when Ease comes to Him after Difficulty

Allah tells us that man never gets bored of asking his Lord for good things, such as wealth, physical health, etc., but if evil touches him -- i.e., trials and difficulties or poverty --

﴿ فَيَـُٔوسٌ۬ قَنُوطٌ۬ ﴾

(then he gives up all hope and is lost in despair.), i.e., he thinks that he will never experience anything good again.

﴿ وَلَٮِٕنۡ أَذَقۡنَـٰهُ رَحۡمَةً۬ مِّنَّا مِنۢ بَعۡدِ ضَرَّآءَ مَسَّتۡهُ لَيَقُولَنَّ هَـٰذَا لِى ﴾

(And truly, if We give him a taste of mercy from Us, after some adversity has touched him, he is sure to say: "This is due to my (merit)...'') means, if something good happens to him or some provision comes to him after a period of difficulty, he says, `this is because of me, because I deserve this from my Lord.'

﴿ وَمَآ أَظُنُّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ قَآٮِٕمَةً۬ ﴾

(I think not that the Hour will be established.) means, he does not believe that the Hour will come. So when he is given some blessing, he becomes careless, arrogant and ungrateful, as Allah says:

﴿ كَلَّآ إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ لَيَطۡغَىٰٓ • أَن رَّءَاهُ ٱسۡتَغۡنَىٰٓ ﴾

(Nay! Verily, man does transgress. Because he considers himself self-sufficient.) (96:6)

﴿ وَلَٮِٕن رُّجِعۡتُ إِلَىٰ رَبِّىٓ إِنَّ لِى عِندَهُ ۥ لَلۡحُسۡنَىٰ‌ۚ ﴾

(But if I am brought back to my Lord, surely there will be for me the best with Him.) means, `if there is a Hereafter after all, then my Lord will be generous and kind to me just as He was in this world.' So he expects Allah to do him favors in spite of his bad deeds and lack of certain faith. Allah says:

﴿ فَلَنُنَبِّئَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِمَا عَمِلُواْ وَلَنُذِيقَنَّهُم مِّنۡ عَذَابٍ غَلِيظٍ۬ ﴾

(Then, We verily will show to the disbelievers what they have done, and We shall make them taste a severe torment.) Thus Allah threatens punishment and vengeance to those whose conduct and belief is like that.

﴿ وَإِذَآ أَنۡعَمۡنَا عَلَى ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنِ أَعۡرَضَ وَنَـَٔا بِجَانِبِهِۦ ﴾

(And when We show favor to man, he turns away and becomes arrogant;) means, he turns away from doing acts of obedience and is too proud to obey the commands of Allah. This is like the Ayah:

﴿ فَتَوَلَّىٰ بِرُكۡنِهِۦ ﴾

(But (Fir`awn) turned away along with his hosts) (51:39).

﴿ وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ ﴾

(but when evil touches him,) means, difficulties,

﴿ فَذُو دُعَآءٍ عَرِيضٍ۬ ﴾

(then he has recourse to long supplications.) means, he asks at length for one thing. Long supplications are those which are long on words and short on meaning. The opposite is concise speech which is brief but full of meaning. And Allah says:

﴿ وَإِذَا مَسَّ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ ٱلضُّرُّ دَعَانَا لِجَنۢبِهِۦۤ أَوۡ قَاعِدًا أَوۡ قَآٮِٕمً۬ا فَلَمَّا كَشَفۡنَا عَنۡهُ ضُرَّهُ ۥ مَرَّ ڪَأَن لَّمۡ يَدۡعُنَآ إِلَىٰ ضُرٍّ۬ مَّسَّهُ ۥ‌ۚ ﴾

(And when harm touches man, he invokes Us, lying on his side, or sitting or standing. But when We have removed his harm from him, he passes on as if he had never invoked Us for a harm that touched him!) (10:12)

﴿ قُلۡ أَرَءَيۡتُمۡ إِن ڪَانَ مِنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ ڪَفَرۡتُم بِهِۦ مَنۡ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنۡ هُوَ فِى شِقَاقِۭ بَعِيدٍ۬ • سَنُرِيهِمۡ ءَايَـٰتِنَا فِى ٱلۡأَفَاقِ وَفِىٓ أَنفُسِہِمۡ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُمۡ أَنَّهُ ٱلۡحَقُّ‌ۗ أَوَلَمۡ يَكۡفِ بِرَبِّكَ أَنَّهُ ۥ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ شَہِيدٌ • أَلَآ إِنَّہُمۡ فِى مِرۡيَةٍ۬ مِّن لِّقَآءِ رَبِّهِمۡ‌ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّهُ ۥ بِكُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ مُّحِيطُۢ ﴾

(52. Say: "Tell me, if it is from Allah, and you disbelieve in it Who is more astray than one who is in opposition far away.'') (53. We will show them Our signs in the universes, and within themselves, until it becomes manifest to them that this is the truth. Is it not sufficient in regard to your Lord that He is a Witness over all things) (54. Lo, Verily, they are in doubt concerning the meeting with their Lord. Verily, He is surrounding all things!)

54

أَلَآ إِنَّہُمۡ فِى مِرۡيَةٍ۬ مِّن لِّقَآءِ رَبِّهِمۡ‌ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّهُ ۥ بِكُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ مُّحِيطُۢ

Unquestionably, they are in doubt about the meeting with their Lord. Unquestionably He is, of all things, encompassing.

Tafsir

Man is fickle when Ease comes to Him after Difficulty

Allah tells us that man never gets bored of asking his Lord for good things, such as wealth, physical health, etc., but if evil touches him -- i.e., trials and difficulties or poverty --

﴿ فَيَـُٔوسٌ۬ قَنُوطٌ۬ ﴾

(then he gives up all hope and is lost in despair.), i.e., he thinks that he will never experience anything good again.

﴿ وَلَٮِٕنۡ أَذَقۡنَـٰهُ رَحۡمَةً۬ مِّنَّا مِنۢ بَعۡدِ ضَرَّآءَ مَسَّتۡهُ لَيَقُولَنَّ هَـٰذَا لِى ﴾

(And truly, if We give him a taste of mercy from Us, after some adversity has touched him, he is sure to say: "This is due to my (merit)...'') means, if something good happens to him or some provision comes to him after a period of difficulty, he says, `this is because of me, because I deserve this from my Lord.'

﴿ وَمَآ أَظُنُّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ قَآٮِٕمَةً۬ ﴾

(I think not that the Hour will be established.) means, he does not believe that the Hour will come. So when he is given some blessing, he becomes careless, arrogant and ungrateful, as Allah says:

﴿ كَلَّآ إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ لَيَطۡغَىٰٓ • أَن رَّءَاهُ ٱسۡتَغۡنَىٰٓ ﴾

(Nay! Verily, man does transgress. Because he considers himself self-sufficient.) (96:6)

﴿ وَلَٮِٕن رُّجِعۡتُ إِلَىٰ رَبِّىٓ إِنَّ لِى عِندَهُ ۥ لَلۡحُسۡنَىٰ‌ۚ ﴾

(But if I am brought back to my Lord, surely there will be for me the best with Him.) means, `if there is a Hereafter after all, then my Lord will be generous and kind to me just as He was in this world.' So he expects Allah to do him favors in spite of his bad deeds and lack of certain faith. Allah says:

﴿ فَلَنُنَبِّئَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِمَا عَمِلُواْ وَلَنُذِيقَنَّهُم مِّنۡ عَذَابٍ غَلِيظٍ۬ ﴾

(Then, We verily will show to the disbelievers what they have done, and We shall make them taste a severe torment.) Thus Allah threatens punishment and vengeance to those whose conduct and belief is like that.

﴿ وَإِذَآ أَنۡعَمۡنَا عَلَى ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنِ أَعۡرَضَ وَنَـَٔا بِجَانِبِهِۦ ﴾

(And when We show favor to man, he turns away and becomes arrogant;) means, he turns away from doing acts of obedience and is too proud to obey the commands of Allah. This is like the Ayah:

﴿ فَتَوَلَّىٰ بِرُكۡنِهِۦ ﴾

(But (Fir`awn) turned away along with his hosts) (51:39).

﴿ وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ ﴾

(but when evil touches him,) means, difficulties,

﴿ فَذُو دُعَآءٍ عَرِيضٍ۬ ﴾

(then he has recourse to long supplications.) means, he asks at length for one thing. Long supplications are those which are long on words and short on meaning. The opposite is concise speech which is brief but full of meaning. And Allah says:

﴿ وَإِذَا مَسَّ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ ٱلضُّرُّ دَعَانَا لِجَنۢبِهِۦۤ أَوۡ قَاعِدًا أَوۡ قَآٮِٕمً۬ا فَلَمَّا كَشَفۡنَا عَنۡهُ ضُرَّهُ ۥ مَرَّ ڪَأَن لَّمۡ يَدۡعُنَآ إِلَىٰ ضُرٍّ۬ مَّسَّهُ ۥ‌ۚ ﴾

(And when harm touches man, he invokes Us, lying on his side, or sitting or standing. But when We have removed his harm from him, he passes on as if he had never invoked Us for a harm that touched him!) (10:12)

﴿ قُلۡ أَرَءَيۡتُمۡ إِن ڪَانَ مِنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ ڪَفَرۡتُم بِهِۦ مَنۡ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنۡ هُوَ فِى شِقَاقِۭ بَعِيدٍ۬ • سَنُرِيهِمۡ ءَايَـٰتِنَا فِى ٱلۡأَفَاقِ وَفِىٓ أَنفُسِہِمۡ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُمۡ أَنَّهُ ٱلۡحَقُّ‌ۗ أَوَلَمۡ يَكۡفِ بِرَبِّكَ أَنَّهُ ۥ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ شَہِيدٌ • أَلَآ إِنَّہُمۡ فِى مِرۡيَةٍ۬ مِّن لِّقَآءِ رَبِّهِمۡ‌ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّهُ ۥ بِكُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ مُّحِيطُۢ ﴾

(52. Say: "Tell me, if it is from Allah, and you disbelieve in it Who is more astray than one who is in opposition far away.'') (53. We will show them Our signs in the universes, and within themselves, until it becomes manifest to them that this is the truth. Is it not sufficient in regard to your Lord that He is a Witness over all things) (54. Lo, Verily, they are in doubt concerning the meeting with their Lord. Verily, He is surrounding all things!)