Surah Az-Zumar 39:52

How Man changes when He is blessed after suffering Harm

Allah tells us how man, when he is suffering from harm, prays to Allah, turning to Him in repentance and calling upon Him, but when He makes things easy for him, he transgresses and commits sins.

(Only because of knowledge I obtained it.) means, `because Allah knows that I deserve it; if it were not for the fact that Allah regards me as special, He would not have given me this.' Qatadah said, "Because I know that I deserve it." Allah says:

(Nay, it is only a trial,) meaning, `the matter is not as he claims; on the contrary, We have blessed him with this as a test to see whether he will be obedient or disobedient -- although We have prior knowledge of that.' In fact, it is a trial.

(but most of them know not!) So they say what they say and claim what they claim.

(Verily, those before them said it,) means, the previous nations who came before said the same things and made the same claims,

(yet (all) that they had earned availed them not. ) means, what they said was not right and all that they had gathered did not save them.

(So, the evil results of that which they earned overtook them. And those who did wrong of these...) means, the people who are addressed here,

(will also be overtaken by the evil results (torment) for that which they earned;) just as happened to those earlier peoples.

(and they will never be able to escape.) This is like the Ayah in which Allah tells us how Qarun reacted when his people told him:

("Do not exult, verily, Allah likes not those who exult. But seek, with that (wealth) which Allah has bestowed on you, the home of the Hereafter, and forget not your portion of lawful enjoyment in this world; and do good as Allah has been good to you, and seek not mischief in the land. Verily, Allah likes not the corrupters." He said: "This has been given to me only because of the knowledge I possess." Did he not know that Allah had destroyed before him generations, men who were stronger than him in might and greater in the amount (of riches) they had collected But the criminals will not be questioned of their sins.") (28:76-78). And Allah says:

(And they say: "We are more in wealth and in children, and we are not going to be punished.") (34:35).

(Do they not know that Allah expands the provision for whom He wills, and straitens it.) means, He gives plenty to some and restricts the provision for others.

(Verily, in this are signs for the folk who believe!) means, there is a lesson and proof.

Pada ayat ini, Allah memperlihatkan bukti atas kekuasaan, keagungan dan kebijaksanaan-Nya. Orang-orang musyrikin itu tidak mengetahui bahwa Allah-lah yang melapangkan rezeki kepada siapa yang Ia kehendaki dan menyempitkan bagi siapa yang dikehendaki-Nya. Suatu kenyataan yang tak dapat dibantah bahwa keadaan manusia berbeda-beda tentang milik dan kekayaannya, ada yang sangat kaya dan ada yang sangat miskin. Hal yang demikian itu tidak dapat dikaitkan hanya dengan kepandaian atau keterampilan saja. Kadang-kadang yang berpendidikan tinggi hidupnya serba kekurangan sebaliknya yang berpendidikan rendah hidupnya serba berkecukupan.

Sesungguhnya pada kejadian itu terdapat tanda-tanda kekuasaan Allah bagi kaum yang beriman. Mereka mengetahui bahwa semua itu diatur oleh Allah. Tidak ada suatu kejadian pun dalam kehidupan ini yang di luar aturan-Nya