Ar-Rum 30:36
The Romans · Juz 21 · Page 408
وَإِذَآ أَذَقۡنَا ٱلنَّاسَ رَحۡمَةٗ فَرِحُواْ بِهَاۖ وَإِن تُصِبۡهُمۡ سَيِّئَةُۢ بِمَا قَدَّمَتۡ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ إِذَا هُمۡ يَقۡنَطُونَ ٣٦
And when We let the people taste mercy, they rejoice therein, but if evil afflicts them for what their hands have put forth, immediately they despair.
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Ibn Kathir (abridged)
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Commentary on 30:33–37
How man sways between Tawhid and Shirk, and between Joy and Despair, according to His Circumstances
Allah tells us that when man is in dire straits, he calls upon Allah alone with no partner or associate, then when times of ease come and they have the choice, some people associate others with Allah and worship others alongside Him.
لِيَكْفُرُواْ بِمَآ ءاتَيْنَهُمْ
(So as to be ungrateful for the graces which We have bestowed on them.) Then Allah warns them by saying:
فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ
(but you will come to know.) One of them said: By Allah, if a law enforcment officer were to say this to me, I would be afraid, so how about when the One Who is issuing the warning is the One Who merely says to a thing "Be!" and it is Then Allah denounces the idolators for fabricating lies and worshipping others instead of Him with no evidence or proof:
أَمْ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ سُلْطَناً
(Or have We revealed to them an authority,) means, proof.
فَهُوَ يَتَكَلَّمُ
(which speaks) means, tells
بِمَا كَانُواْ بِهِ يُشْرِكُونَ
(of that which they have been associating with Him) This is a rhetorical question intended to denounce them, for they have no such thing.
وَإِذَآ أَذَقْنَا النَّاسَ رَحْمَةً فَرِحُواْ بِهَا وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ إِذَا هُمْ يَقْنَطُونَ
(And when We cause mankind to taste of mercy, they rejoice therein; but when some evil afflicts them because of what their hands have sent forth, behold, they are in despair!) This is a denunciation of man for the way he is, except for those whom Allah protects and helps, for when man is given blessings, he is proud, and says:
ذَهَبَ السَّيِّئَاتُ عَنِّي إِنَّهُ لَفَرِحٌ فَخُورٌ
("Ills have departed from me." Surely, he is exultant, and boastful.) (11:10) He rejoices over himself and boasts to others, but when difficulties befall him, He despairs of ever having anything good again. Allah says:
إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ صَبَرُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّلِحَاتِ
(Except those who show patience and do righteous good deeds). They are patient during times of difficulty and do good deeds at times of ease. It was reported in the Sahih:
«عَجَبًا لِلْمُؤْمِنِ لَا يَقْضِي اللهُ لَهُ قَضَاءً إِلَّا كَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ، إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ سَرَّاءُ شَكَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ، وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرَّاءُ صَبَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَه»
(How wonderful is the affair of the believer. Allah does not decree anything for him but it is good for him. If good things happen to him, he gives thanks, and that is good for him; and if bad things happen to him, he bears that with patience, and that is good for him.)
أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَقْدِرُ
(Do they not see that Allah expands the provision for whom He wills and straitens (it for whom He wills).) He is the One Who is controlling and doing that, by His wisdom and justice, so He expands the provision for some people and restricts it for some.
إِنَّ فِى ذلِكَ لآيَتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ
(Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who believe.)
Page 408
30:33
وَإِذَا مَسَّ ٱلنَّاسَ ضُرّٞ دَعَوۡاْ رَبَّهُم مُّنِيبِينَ إِلَيۡهِ ثُمَّ إِذَآ أَذَاقَهُم مِّنۡهُ رَحۡمَةً إِذَا فَرِيقٞ مِّنۡهُم بِرَبِّهِمۡ يُشۡرِكُونَ ٣٣
And when adversity touches the people, they call upon their Lord, turning in repentance to Him. Then when He lets them taste mercy from Him, at once a party of them associate others with their Lord,
30:34
لِيَكۡفُرُواْ بِمَآ ءَاتَيۡنَٰهُمۡۚ فَتَمَتَّعُواْ فَسَوۡفَ تَعۡلَمُونَ ٣٤
So that they will deny what We have granted them.1 Then enjoy yourselves, for you are going to know.
1 translator’s note
- Or "So let them deny what We have granted them." ↩
30:35
أَمۡ أَنزَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ سُلۡطَٰنٗا فَهُوَ يَتَكَلَّمُ بِمَا كَانُواْ بِهِۦ يُشۡرِكُونَ ٣٥
Or have We sent down to them an authority [i.e., a proof or scripture], and it speaks of what they have been associating with Him?
30:36
وَإِذَآ أَذَقۡنَا ٱلنَّاسَ رَحۡمَةٗ فَرِحُواْ بِهَاۖ وَإِن تُصِبۡهُمۡ سَيِّئَةُۢ بِمَا قَدَّمَتۡ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ إِذَا هُمۡ يَقۡنَطُونَ ٣٦
And when We let the people taste mercy, they rejoice therein, but if evil afflicts them for what their hands have put forth, immediately they despair.
30:37
أَوَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَبۡسُطُ ٱلرِّزۡقَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيَقۡدِرُۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّقَوۡمٖ يُؤۡمِنُونَ ٣٧
Do they not see that Allāh extends provision for whom He wills and restricts [it]? Indeed in that are signs for a people who believe.
30:38
فَـَٔاتِ ذَا ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ حَقَّهُۥ وَٱلۡمِسۡكِينَ وَٱبۡنَ ٱلسَّبِيلِۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيۡرٞ لِّلَّذِينَ يُرِيدُونَ وَجۡهَ ٱللَّهِۖ وَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ ٣٨
So give the relative his right, as well as the needy and the traveler. That is best for those who desire the face [i.e., approval] of Allāh, and it is they who will be the successful.
30:39
وَمَآ ءَاتَيۡتُم مِّن رِّبٗا لِّيَرۡبُوَاْ فِيٓ أَمۡوَٰلِ ٱلنَّاسِ فَلَا يَرۡبُواْ عِندَ ٱللَّهِۖ وَمَآ ءَاتَيۡتُم مِّن زَكَوٰةٖ تُرِيدُونَ وَجۡهَ ٱللَّهِ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُضۡعِفُونَ ٣٩
And whatever you give for interest [i.e., advantage] to increase within the wealth of people1 will not increase with Allāh. But what you give in zakāh,2 desiring the face [i.e., approval] of Allāh - those are the multipliers.3
3 translator’s notes
The phrase includes several connotations, among them: a) that which is given as usury or interest, b) that which is given on the condition that it be repaid with interest, and c) a gift given with the intention of obtaining from the recipient greater benefit or a larger gift.
[1150] The meaning of ṣadaqah (voluntary charity) is included here.
[1151] Of their blessings on earth and their rewards in the Hereafter.
↩- ↩
- ↩
30:40
ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَكُمۡ ثُمَّ رَزَقَكُمۡ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمۡ ثُمَّ يُحۡيِيكُمۡۖ هَلۡ مِن شُرَكَآئِكُم مَّن يَفۡعَلُ مِن ذَٰلِكُم مِّن شَيۡءٖۚ سُبۡحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ عَمَّا يُشۡرِكُونَ ٤٠
Allāh is the one who created you, then provided for you, then will cause you to die, and then will give you life. Are there any of your "partners" who does anything of that? Exalted is He and high above what they associate with Him.
30:41
ظَهَرَ ٱلۡفَسَادُ فِي ٱلۡبَرِّ وَٱلۡبَحۡرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتۡ أَيۡدِي ٱلنَّاسِ لِيُذِيقَهُم بَعۡضَ ٱلَّذِي عَمِلُواْ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَرۡجِعُونَ ٤١
Corruption has appeared throughout the land and sea by [reason of] what the hands of people have earned so He [i.e., Allāh] may let them taste part of [the consequence of] what they have done that perhaps they will return [to righteousness].
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy