وَإِذا مَسَّ الإِنسانَ ضُرٌّ دَعا رَبَّهُ مُنيبًا إِلَيهِ ثُمَّ إِذا خَوَّلَهُ نِعمَةً مِنهُ نَسِيَ ما كانَ يَدعو إِلَيهِ مِن قَبلُ وَجَعَلَ لِلَّهِ أَندادًا لِيُضِلَّ عَن سَبيلِهِ ۚ قُل تَمَتَّع بِكُفرِكَ قَليلًا ۖ إِنَّكَ مِن أَصحابِ النّارِ

When distress befalls man, he supplicates his Lord, turning to Him penitently. Then, when He grants him a blessing from Himself, he forgets that for which he had supplicated Him before, and sets up equals to Allah that he may lead [people] astray from His way. Say: ‘Revel in your ingratitude for a while. Indeed you are among the inmates of the fire.’

EXEGESIS

Massa: touch or reach, in the most general sense.^{‎[1]Tahqiq, under m-s-s.} It is used in a variety of contexts and applications in the Quran, but a common usage of it is in cases where a person or group is afflicted with some evil or distress.

Al-insān is apparently all human beings because it is in an unconditional form (muṭlaq). The inclusion of all human beings under this description might be due to one of the following considerations: 1. It is in accordance with the corporeal and natural dimension that every human being has, as opposed to their divine and spiritual aspect. The former aspect inclines toward multiplicity and rebels against the truth unless it is restrained, trained, and educated by religion and revelation. 2. What is really meant by al-insān is a subcategory of all human beings, but this subcategory is so large and prevalent that it dominates the other categories.^{‎[2]Alusi, 12/234-235.} Either way, clearly not all human beings are as described in this verse, as the next verse testifies. Those who are excepted from this attitude are also discussed elsewhere in the Quran: Excepting those who are patient and do righteous deeds. For such there will be forgiveness and a great reward (11:11).

Nāba yanūbu is to return and come back repeatedly.^{‎[3]Maqayis; Raghib, under n-w-b.} The derivatives of this root (such as munīban here) are used frequently in the Quran, all in the context of returning to God in a state of remembrance, humility, and penitence.

Khawwalahu: grant, give, endow – it is especially used for things that are protected and attended to.^{‎[4]Maqayis; Raghib; Tahqiq, under kh-w-l.} It is used three times in the Quran (twice in this surah and once in 6:94), all when talking about granting some material endowment to people in this world.

It is notable that the verse describes blessings as something from God (minhu) while afflictions and distress are not attributed to Him.^{‎[5]Qaraati, 8/149.} See verse 4:79 for more on this topic.

Andād is the plural of nidd, meaning similar, equal, and equivalent.^{‎[6]Raghib, under n-d-d.} It is used in the Quran when talking about the presumed partners and associates of God.

Tamattaʿ: revel, enjoy, take pleasure; or more generally, benefit and make use.^{‎[7]Maqayis; Lisan; Tahqiq, under m-t-ʿ.} It is interesting that all of the derivatives of this root are used in the Quran in the context of material endowments and the usage of God’s worldly bounties. Sometimes this is seen in a sharp contrast against God’s good promise and reward in the hereafter: Is he to whom We have given a good promise, which he will receive, like him whom We have provided the wares (mattaʿnāhu matāʿ) of the life of this world, but who will be arraigned on the Day of Resurrection? (28:61).

Qalīlan: a bit. This could be in a temporal sense where one’s life in this world is short, limited, and transitory compared to the eternal life of the hereafter. It could also refer to a more general Quranic view, that The enjoyment of this world is little (4:77) – not only in terms of duration, but also in terms of level, perfection, purity, strength, and intensity.^{‎[8]Furqan, 25/297.}

Revel in your ingratitude for a while is a threat in the form of a command, which makes it more serious. This reproachful command is for those who refuse God’s loving command to faith and obedience.^{‎[9]Alusi, 12/236.}

EXPOSITION

This verse elaborates on what is meant by If you are ungrateful in verse 7, and the next verse elaborates on if you give thanks (also in verse 7). The essence of gratitude is to acknowledge (mentally, verbally, and practically) that Whatever blessing you have is from Allah (16:53). Some people arrive at this awareness only when they are afflicted by some distress or calamity, and it is then that they see that all of the means, connections, and intermediaries in which they were confident fail them without avail: All their means of recourse will be cut off (2:166); Certainly all links between you have been cut, and what you used to claim has forsaken you (6:94); Shall I take gods besides Him? If the All-Beneficent desired to cause me any distress their intercession will not avail me in any way, nor will they rescue me (36:23).

When such a person is freed from this illusion and the constant engagement in seeking his objectives through these apparent means, he supplicates his Lord, turning to Him penitently. It becomes clear at that point that Should Allah visit you with some distress, there is no one to remove it except Him; and should He desire any good for you, none can stand in the way of His grace: He grants it to whomever He wishes of His servants, and He is the all-forgiving, the all-merciful (10:107), and the conclusion that Do not invoke besides Allah that which neither benefits you nor can do you any harm. For if you do so, then you will indeed be among the wrongdoers (10:106). God is referred to as Lord because this refers to the aspect of God’s care and protection for His servants, like that of parents to their child.

However, this is only a passing penitence due to despair and necessity, not a voluntary submission to God out of a deep realisation and transformation of the soul. That is why when the channels of ingratitude, heedlessness, and defiance are opened to such a person once again, he goes back to his old ways and customs: Then, when He grants him a blessing from Himself, he forgets that for which he had supplicated Him before. He has not truly realised and embraced the fact that Whatever mercy Allah unfolds for the people, no one can withhold it; and whatever He withholds no one can release it after Him, and He is the all-mighty, the all-wise (35:2). That is why he takes recourse to other forces, means, and human beings, and sets up equals to Allah. There are many verses in the Quran that talk about how mankind remembers his Lord and returns to Him at times of hardship and despair, but then turns away and sets partners for Him at times of ease and abundance (6:63-64, 7:94, 10:12, 10:21-23, 16:53, 17:83, 23:64, 29:65, 31:32, 41:51, and verse 49 of this surah). This contradictory behaviour during ease and hardship signifies a contradiction in the beliefs of the person.^{‎[10]Razi, 26/427.}

… he forgets that for which he had supplicated Him before: this part of the verse can have three possible meanings: 1. He forgets the problem, evil, or request for which he had supplicated God. 2. He forgets his act of supplication to God. 3. He forgets God – to whom he had supplicated.^{‎[11]Tibyan, 9/12; Tabrisi, 8/766-767 (the second meaning is narrated from Zajjāj).} These three are indeed concomitant, because one entails the other two as well. They would not make much difference to the general theme of the verse. Nonetheless, the first meaning is the most apparent and plausible. The third meaning is the least likely because if it were true, then the following part of the verse should have used a pronoun (sets up equals to Him) instead of a noun (Allah).^{‎[12]Furqan, 25/297.}

… sets up equals to Allah. There are a few possible meanings here: 1. Based on the context of this verse, this means associating others with God in His bounties, which is equivalent to ungratefulness. It is when the person attributes God’s blessings to other forces and sources and treats them as the partners of God in directing the affairs of this world: They attribute a share of what We have provided them to what they do not know (16:56). An example of this is seen in 7:189-190. 2. It means associating others with God in worship, as the idolaters used to do.^{‎[13]Mizan, 17/243.} 3. It means following other people or Satan in sinning and disobeying God, which is equivalent to setting them as God’s equals.^{‎[14]Tabari, 23/128; Alusi, 12/235, narrated from Suddī, Qatādah, and others.}

… that he may lead [people] astray from His way is apparently the result of such behaviour. The right attitude in response to God’s blessings is to follow Prophet Solomon’s (a) example who said: My Lord! Inspire me to give thanks for Your blessing with which You have blessed me and my parents, and that I may do righteous deeds which may please You, and admit me, by Your mercy, among Your righteous servants (27:19) and This is by the grace of my Lord, to test me if I will give thanks or be ungrateful (27:40), and to follow God’s command that As for your Lord’s blessing, proclaim it (93:11). This would call people towards God and bring about the realisation that all other sources and forces are only means and instruments by which God carries out His decree. On the other hand, when one treats other-than-God as independent sources of influence, he is effectively promoting false gods, and thus he may lead [people] astray from His way.

Say: ‘Revel in your ingratitude for a while.’ This respite and tolerance is due to God’s decree to give mankind a chance in this life in order to be tested, so that they may grow. Their share, as decreed in the book, shall reach them (7:37). Otherwise, were it not for a prior decree of your Lord [granting them reprieve] until a specified time, decision would have been made between them (42:14). This respite serves two purposes: 1. It is an instance of God’s mercy, where the wrongdoers are given the chance to repent from their misdeeds and rectify their beliefs and actions (3:89, 4:110, 4:146, 5:74, 16:119). 2. For those who persist in their wrong ways, this only exhausts all their excuses for their deeds, renders them without any justification for their defiance, and only adds to their sins and misguidance (3:176, 3:178, 23:55-56). It is such that their plots and schemes against God and His orders return to themselves (10:21). This is called istidrāj (leading on step-by-step), whereby one is gradually drawn into sin and wretchedness as a result of being immersed in ease and abundance (6:44, 7:95, 7:182-183, 69:44-45). Indeed they are devising a plot, and I [too] am devising a plot. So respite the faithless; give them a gentle respite (86:15-17).

Once this short respite and material endowment is over, the end result of ingratitude is that Indeed you are among the inmates of the fire. This is what God has promised elsewhere in the Quran: if you are ungrateful, My punishment is indeed severe (14:7). Do you see, should we let them enjoy for some years, then there comes to them what they have been promised, of what avail to them will be that which they were given to enjoy? (26:205-207).

Overall, this verse is very closely related to the following three sets of verses:

1. When distress befalls man, he supplicates Us, [lying] on his side, sitting, or standing; but when We remove his distress, he passes on as if he had never supplicated Us concerning the distress that had befallen him. To the profligate is thus presented as decorous what they have been doing (10:12).
2. Have you not regarded those who have changed Allah’s blessing with ingratitude, and landed their people in the house of ruin? – hell, which they shall enter, and it is an evil abode! They have set up equals to Allah, to lead [people] astray from His way. Say: ‘Enjoy [for a while], for indeed your destination is hellfire!’ (14:28-30).
3. Whatever blessing you have is from Allah, then when a distress befalls you, you make entreaties to Him. Then when He removes the distress from you, behold, a part of them ascribe partners to their Lord, being unthankful for what We have given them. So let them enjoy. Soon they shall know! (16:53-55).

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. Imam al-Sajjād (a) supplicated God and praised Him as follows: ‘There is no hurry in Thy vengeance, for indeed only one who fears to miss hurries … but Thou art far exalted, my God, above that.’^{‎[15]Sahifah, supplication 48.}

Note: This shows why God is so confident in giving respite to those who defy His blessings and majesty. This is expressed elsewhere in the Quran as follows: Let the faithless not suppose that they have outmanoeuvred [Allah]. Indeed they cannot thwart [His power] (8:59).

TOPICAL ARTICLES

See Topical Article: Bounty and Gratitude.

[1] Tahqiq, under m-s-s.
[2] Alusi, 12/234-235.
[3] Maqayis; Raghib, under n-w-b.
[4] Maqayis; Raghib; Tahqiq, under kh-w-l.
[5] Qaraati, 8/149.
[6] Raghib, under n-d-d.
[7] Maqayis; Lisan; Tahqiq, under m-t-ʿ.
[8] Furqan, 25/297.
[9] Alusi, 12/236.
[10] Razi, 26/427.
[11] Tibyan, 9/12; Tabrisi, 8/766-767 (the second meaning is narrated from Zajjāj).
[12] Furqan, 25/297.
[13] Mizan, 17/243.
[14] Tabari, 23/128; Alusi, 12/235, narrated from Suddī, Qatādah, and others.
[15] Sahifah, supplication 48.