The Dawn, Daybreak — Verse 15
89:15 · al-Fajr
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فَأَمَّا الْإِنسَانُ إِذَا مَا ابْتَلَاهُ رَبُّهُ فَأَكْرَمَهُ وَنَعَّمَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَكْرَمَنِ
Faamma al-insanu itha ma ibtalahu rabbuhu faakramahu wanaAAAAamahu fayaqoolu rabbee akramani
The Dawn, Daybreak / al-Fajr (89:15)
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No verses on this ayah are cited by 2 or more commentators using numeric S:A notation. All extracted references come from a single source's commentary.
Single-source mentions (2) cited by only one commentator
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Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) 2 verses
Note: these connections are extracted from numeric S:A references inside the commentary text and are therefore biased toward mufassirun who use that notation. Prose-style references (e.g. "Surat al-Baqarah verse 30") will be added later, which should surface additional multi-source consensus.
[The nature of] man is that, when his Lord tries him through honour and blessings, he says, ‘My Lord has honoured me,’
Faamma al-insanu itha ma ibtalahu rabbuhu faakramahu wanaAAAAamahu fayaqoolu rabbee akramani
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Tafsir Commentary
And as for man the disbeliever whenever his Lord tests him and honours him with wealth and other things and is gracious to him he says ‘My Lord has honoured me’.
فأما الإنسان إذا ما اختبره ربه بالنعمة، وبسط له رزقه، وجعله في أطيب عيش، فيظن أن ذلك لكرامته عند ربه، فيقول: ربي أكرمن.
يقول تعالى منكرا على الإنسان في اعتقاده إذا وسع الله تعالى عليه في الرزق ليختبره في ذلك فيعتقد أن ذلك من الله إكرام له وليس كذلك بل هو ابتلاء وامتحان كما قال تعالى "أيحسبون إنما نمدهم به من مال وبنين نسارع لهم في الخيرات بل لا يشعرون".
ثم ذكر - سبحانه - حال الإِنسان عند اليسر والعسر ، والغنى والفقر ، والسراء والضراء فقال :( فَأَمَّا الإنسان إِذَا . . . ) .الفاء فى قوله : ( فَأَمَّا الإنسان . . . ) للتفريع على ما تقدم ، ولترتيب ما بعدها على ما قبلها .والمراد بالإِنسان هنا : جنسه . وقيل المراد به الكافر . ولفظ " الإنسان " مبتدأ ، وخبره : ( فَيَقُولُ ربي أَكْرَمَنِ ) .والمعنى : هذه سنة ربك - أيها العاقل - فى عباده ، أنه - تعالى - لهم بالمرصاد ، فهو يراقب أعمالهم ، ويحاسبهم عليها ، ويجازيهم بها ، والسعيد من الناس هو الذى يفقه هذه الحقيقة ، فيؤدى ما كلفه خالقه به . . . فأما الإِنسان ، الشقى الغافل عن طاعة ربه . .( إِذَا مَا ابتلاه رَبُّهُ فَأَكْرَمَهُ وَنَعَّمَهُ ) أى : إذا ما اختبره وامتحنه ربه بألوان من النعم ، بأن منحه المال الكثير ، والجاه العريض ، وأسباب القوة والمنعة ( فيقول ) على سبيل التباهى والتفاخر . . ( ربي أَكْرَمَنِ ) أى : ربى أعطانى ذلك ، لأنى مستحق لهذه النعم ، كما قال - تعالى - : ( وَلَئِنْ أَذَقْنَاهُ رَحْمَةً مِّنَّا مِن بَعْدِ ضَرَّآءَ مَسَّتْهُ لَيَقُولَنَّ هذا لِي وَمَآ أَظُنُّ الساعة قَآئِمَةً وَلَئِن رُّجِعْتُ إلى ربي إِنَّ لِي عِندَهُ للحسنىا ) .
* وقوله: ( فَأَمَّا الإنْسَانُ إِذَا مَا ابْتَلاهُ رَبُّهُ ) يقول تعالى ذكره: فأما الإنسان إذا ما امتحنه ربه بالنعم والغنى ( فأكْرَمَهُ ) بالمال، وأفضل عليه، ( وَنَعَّمَهُ ) بما أوسع عليه من فضله ( فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَكْرَمَنِ ) فيفرح بذلك ويسرّ به ويقول: ربي أكرمني بهذه الكرامة.كما حدثنا بشر، قال: ثنا يزيد، قال: ثنا سعيد، عن قتادة، قوله: ( فَأَمَّا الإنْسَانُ إِذَا مَا ابْتَلاهُ رَبُّهُ فَأَكْرَمَهُ وَنَعَّمَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَكْرَمَنِ ) وحقّ له.
"فأما الإنسان إذا ما ابتلاه"، امتحنه، "ربه"، بالنعمة، "فأكرمه"، بالمال، "ونعمه"، بما وسع عليه، "فيقول ربي أكرمن"، بما أعطاني.
فَأَمَّا الْإِنْسَانُ إِذَا مَا ابْتَلَاهُ رَبُّهُ فَأَكْرَمَهُ وَنَعَّمَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَكْرَمَنِ (15) { لبالمرصاد * فَأَمَّا الإنسان إِذَا مَا ابتلاه رَبُّهُ فَأَكْرَمَهُ وَنَعَّمَهُ فَيَقُولُ ربى أَكْرَمَنِ * وَأَمَّآ إِذَا مَا } { أَهَانَنِ } .دلت الفاء على أن الكلام الواقع بعدها متصل بما قبلها ومتفرع عليه لا محالة .ودلت ( أمّا ) على معنى : مهما يكن من شيء ، وذلك أصل معناها ومقتضى استعمالِها ، فقوي بها ارتباط جوابها بما قبلها وقبْلَ الفاء المتصلة بها ، فَلاح ذلك برقاً وامضاً ، وانجلى بلمعة ما كان غامضاً ، إذ كان تفريع ما بعد هذه الفاء على ما قبلها خفياً ، فلنبينه بياناً جليّاً ، ذلك أن الكلام السابق اشتمل على وصف ما كانت تتمتع به الأمم الممثَّل بها مما أنعم الله عليها به من النعم ، وهم لاهون عن دعوة رُسُل الله ، ومعرضون عن طلب مرضاة ربهم ، مقتحمون المناكر التي نُهوا عنها ، بطرون بالنعمة ، معجَبون بعظمتهم فعقب ذكر ما كانوا عليه وما جازاهم الله به عليه من عذاب في الدنيا ، باستخلاص العِبرة وهو تذكير المشركين بأن حالهم مماثل لحال أولئك تَرفاً وطغياناً وبطراً ، وتنبيهُهم على خطاهم إذْ كانت لهم من حال الترف والنعمة شبهةٌ توهَّموا بها أن الله جعلهم محل كرامة ، فحسبوا أن إنذار الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم إياهم بالعذاب ليس بصدق لأنه يخالف ما هو واقع لهم من النعمة ، فتوهموا أنّ فعل الله بهم أدلّ على كرامتهم عنده مما يخبر به الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم أن الله أمرهم بخلاف ما هم عليه ، ونفوا أن يَكون بعد هذا العالم عالم آخر يضاده ، وقصروا عطاء الله على ما عليه عباده في هذه الحياة الدنيا ، فكان هذا الوهَم مُسوِّلاً لهم التذكيب بما أنذروا به من وعيد ، وبما يسر المؤمنون من ثواب في الآخرة ، فحصروا جزاء الخير في الثروة والنعمة وقصروا جزاء السوء على الخصاصة وقَتْر الرزق . وقد تكرر في القرآن التعرض لإِبطال ذلك كقوله : { أيحسبون أنما نمدهم به من مال وبنين نسارع لهم في الخيرات بل لا يشعرون } [ المؤمنون : 55 ، 56 ] .
يخبر تعالى عن طبيعة الإنسان من حيث هو، وأنه جاهل ظالم، لا علم له بالعواقب، يظن الحالة التي تقع فيه تستمر ولا تزول، ويظن أن إكرام الله في الدنيا وإنعامه عليه يدل على كرامته عنده وقربه منه.
قوله تعالى : فأما الإنسان يعني الكافر . قال ابن عباس : يريد عتبة بن ربيعة وأبا حذيفة بن المغيرة . وقيل : أمية بن خلف . وقيل : أبي بن خلف .إذا ما ابتلاه ربه أي امتحنه واختبره بالنعمة . و ( ما ) : زائدة صلة . فأكرمه بالمال . ونعمه بما أوسع عليه . فيقول ربي أكرمني فيفرح بذلك ولا يحمده .
Man passes through two sets of circumstances in the world—sometimes finding or receiving things and sometimes losing them. Both eventualities, meant to gauge human reactions to different conditions, are for the purpose of putting man to the test. If the individual starts to boast when he receives something and acts negatively when things are taken away from him, he has failed the test.
Wealth and Poverty are no Signs of One's Acceptance or Rejection
فَأَمَّا الْإِنسَانُ إِذَا مَا ابْتَلَاهُ رَبُّهُ فَأَكْرَمَهُ وَنَعَّمَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَكْرَمَنِ ۔ وَأَمَّا إِذَا مَا ابْتَلَاهُ فَقَدَرَ عَلَيْهِ رِزْقَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَهَانَنِ (As for man, when his Lord tests him, and thus gives him honour and bounties, he says, "My Lord has honoured me. But when he tests him, and thus straitens his provision for him, he says, "My Lord has disgraced me...89:15-16). The word 'man' here primarily refers to an 'unbelieving man' who may form any thought about Allah as he feels like, but in its general sense, the word may include a Muslim as well who has the same thought as an unbeliever. When Allah gives abundant wealth and good health to such people, the devil puts into their head two false ideas. First, they succumb to their baser instincts; they become haughty and arrogant; and they think that the wealth and health is the result of their superior intellect, personal capability, efforts and achievement. Secondly, they think that they are enjoying a favourable status with Allah. If they did not enjoy the favourable position with Him, they would not have been granted such an abundance of wealth. By the same token, if Allah curtails their sustenance i.e. they suffer some degree of poverty, they regard it as a curse from Allah, and complain that He is humiliating or dishonouring them, while they deserved honour and respect. The unbelievers and idolaters do hold such thoughts and ideas, as the Qur'an has pointed out on many occasions, but it is regrettable that many Muslims nowadays fall into similar ideas. Allah refutes man's belief by the expression کَلَّا Kalla 'No/never!' The matter is not as he claims. Wealth does not indicate acceptance of a man by Allah, nor does poverty indicate rejection. [ For indeed Allah gives wealth to those whom He loves and those whom He does not love. Likewise, He withholds sustenance /wealth from those whom He loves and those whom He does not love.] Often the matter is quite the contrary. Fir'aun (the Pharaoh) claimed godhead and lordship, yet he never suffered from any headache. Some of Prophets (علیہم السلام) were sliced, by enemies, into two pieces with a saw. The Holy Prophet ﷺ is reported to have said that the poor refugees will enter Paradise forty years before the wealthy muhajirs (Immigrants). [ Imam Muslim رحمۃ علیہ has transmitted it from ` Abdullah Ibn Umar ؓ - Mazhari ]. In another narration, the Holy Prophet ﷺ is reported to have said that whomever Allah loves, He keeps him away from the worldly luxuries as people keep away their sickly patients from water. [ Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it on the authority of Qatadah Ibn Nu` man Mazhari ].
(As for man) the disbelieving man, in reference here to Ubayy Ibn Khalaf; and it is also said: Umayyah Ibn Khalaf, (whenever his Lord trieth him) whenever his Lord tests him with wealth, richness or means of living (by honouring him) by giving him abundant wealth, (and is gracious unto him) and expands for him his means of living, (he saith: My Lord honoureth me) by giving me wealth and means of living.
And as for man, whenever his Lord tries him with honour and blessings, he says, �My Lord has honoured me.�He said:This means, there will be among the believers one who, when his Lord tests him with blessings, says, �My Lord has honoured me in the abundance (saʿa) and provision (rizq) that He has given me.� However, this is really a way of leaving him to degenerate further (istidrāj), and a source of delusion (ightirār). Indeed, Ḥasan once said, �The servant remains in a good state as long as he is aware of that which corrupts his works. Among them [God�s servants] is he whose [action] is made to appear beautiful to him, and among them is he who has been dominated by lust (shahwa).
Wealth and Poverty are both a Test and Honor or Disgrace for the Servant
Allah refutes man in his belief that if Allah gives Him abundant provisions to test him with it, it is out of His honor for him. But this is not the case, rather it is a trial and a test, as Allah says,
أَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّمَا نُمِدُّهُمْ بِهِ مِن مَّالٍ وَبَنِينَ - نُسَارِعُ لَهُمْ فِى الْخَيْرَتِ بَل لاَّ يَشْعُرُونَ
(Do they think that in wealth and children with which We enlarge them. We hasten unto them with good things. Nay, but they perceive not.) (23:55-56) Likewise, from another angle, if Allah tests him and tries him by curtailing his sustenance, he believes that is because Allah is humiliating him. As Allah says,
كَلاَّ
(But no!) meaning, the matter is not as he claims, neither in this nor in that. For indeed Allah gives wealth to those whom He loves as well as those whom He does not love. Likewise, He withholds sustenance from those whom He loves and those whom He does not love. The point is that Allah should be obeyed in either circumstance. If one is wealthy, he should thank Allah for that, and if he is poor, he should exercise patience.
From the Evil that the Servant does regarding Wealth
Allah said,
بَل لاَّ تُكْرِمُونَ الْيَتِيمَ-
(But you treat not the orphans with kindness and generosity!) This contains the command to honor him (the orphan). Abu Dawud recorded from Sahl bin Sa`id that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«أَنَا وَكَافِلُ الْيَتِيمِ كَهَاتَيْنِ فِي الْجَنَّة»
(The guardian of the orphan and I will be like these two in Paradise.) And he put his two fingers together - the middle finger and the index finger.
وَلاَ تَحَاضُّونَ عَلَى طَعَامِ الْمِسْكِينِ-
(And urge not one another on the feeding of the Miskin!) meaning, they do not command that the poor and the needy be treated with kindness, nor do they encourage each other to do so.
وَتَأْكُلُونَ التُّرَاثَ
(And you devour the Turath) meaning, the inheritance.
أَكْلاً لَّمّاً
(devouring with greed.) meaning, however they can get it, whether lawful or forbidden.
وَتُحِبُّونَ الْمَالَ حُبّاً جَمّاً
(And you love wealth with love Jamma.) meaning, in abundance. This increases some of them in their wickedness.