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ʾa-yaḥsabūna ʾannamā numidduhum bihī min mālin wa-banīna
Do they suppose that whatever aid We provide them in regard to wealth and children [is because]
— Ali Quli Qarai
23Al-Mu’minūnالمؤمنونVerse 55 of 118
The Believers23. Al-Mu’minūnالمؤمنون
Al Mu’minūn
The Believers
MeccanVerse 55 of 118
Surah al-Mu’minun - Verses 55-56
55. “Do they think that what We aid them with wealth and children, ”
56. “We are hasting unto them of good things? Nay, they do not perceive.”
Evaluating oneself and others only on the basis of wealth and offspring indicates a lack of common sense.
(“...Nay, they do not perceive.”)
The previous verses talked about the danger of being doctrinally and ideologically obstinate and bigoted. Those obstinate groups and parties who have these tendencies are obsessively attached to their ideas, get a great deal of pleasure from the thought of their ascription to their particular belief system and close their minds to any attempt at investigation and inquiry into other religions. These latter two verses mention a part of other aspects of their self-conceit where the Qur’an says:
“Do they think that what We aid them with wealth and children, ”
“We are hasting unto them of good things?...”
Do they think that having a great deal of property and offspring are proofs of the rightfulness of their belief and a sign of their spiritual greatness and closeness to Allah? No, it is not like that, as the verse announces:
“...Nay, they do not perceive.”
They are not aware that their very wealth and children are in fact a kind of punishment and chastisement or a means of trial and the beginning of the retribution for them. They are ignorant to the possibility that Allah might be giving them all kinds of blessings and favours in abundance so that the chastisement to come will be more painful for them. It is a fact that if the doors of grace are closed to man, he will be more able to suffer troubles and deprivations, but this is not the case when he is used to a life of comfort and luxury for then the smallest deprivation can be very excruciating for him.
Moreover, this abundance of blessings usually thickens the veils of ignorance and conceit before the eyes of the evil and arrogant persons to the extent that they cannot return to the Path of Truth. The Arabic word /numiddu/ is derived from the word /imdad/ and /madd/ which means to make the deficiency of something perfect, or to prevent something from ending.