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wa-ʾidhā ʾanʿamnā ʿalā l-ʾinsāni ʾaʿraḍa wa-naʾā bi-jānibihī wa-ʾidhā massahu sh-sharru kāna yaʾūsan
When We bless man, he is disregardful and turns aside; but when an ill befalls him, he is despondent.
— Ali Quli Qarai
17Al-Isrā’الإسراءVerse 83 of 111
The Night Journey17. Al-Isrā’الإسراء
Al Isrā’
The Night Journey
MeccanVerse 83 of 111
Surah Isra’ – Verses 83 - 84
83. “And when We bestow favour on man, he turns away and (proudly) withdraws aside; and when any evil afflicts him, he is in despair.”
84. “Say: ‘Every one acts according to his own mould, but your Lord knows best as who is best guided to the way.”
When We bestow Our blessings on man, he turns a blind eye to them as if it were not him who has prayed and appealed to Us, distancing himself from performing what is his due in face of Our blessings and is not grateful to Us , and he also turns away from the bounty of the Qur’an. Muj ahid says that it means: he alienates himself from Us, hence, he gets involved in arrogance and egotism. The verse says:
“And when We bestow favour on man, he turns away and (proudly) withdraws aside…”
But, as soon as he is caught in the midst of poverty and sorrow, he loses his patience and becomes desperate, while, a believer is not so, for he is always in a state of hope and activity. Hence, the verse refers to those who are not believers though it appears to be general. The reason as to why such diseases and calamities are called ‘evil’ is that these are regarded as evil from the viewpoint of a pagan, for a pagan does not expect any reward in exchange for them.
Moreover, the human nature detests them. Otherwise, such diseases and catastrophes are, in fact, expediencies, and appropriate in their own context. Thus, the Qur’an declares in the next verse that: O! Muhammad: Tell them: A believer and a pagan both act according to their own disposition and manner. The believers who seek cures from the Qur’anic verses and attain blessings are on the opposite side of those oppressors who do not obtain anything from it except losses.
There are also some incapacious ones who are arrogant once they are affluent, but become desperate when they are in difficulties. They all act according to their own characteristics which have been formed in them as a result of their education and habitual training, thus directing man’s activities. The verse says:
“…and when any evil afflicts him, he is in despair.”
“Say: ‘Every one acts according to his own mould…”
In the midst of all this, the Lord is observant of the state of everyone. Certainly, your Lord knows best those whose paths are better and from the point of guidance are more fruitful. The verse says:
“…but your Lord knows best as who is best guided to the way.”
Let us turn to two concluding points: The Qur’anic phrase /na’ abij anibihi/ signifies following one’s own egotistic desires who is self-centered and turns his shoulder round. The Arabic term /šakilihi/ means shaping and forming of one’s spiritual state which comes about as a result of one’s heredity, education and social culture.