إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ لِرَبِّهِۦ لَكَنُودٌ 6
Translations
Indeed mankind, to his Lord, is ungrateful.
Transliteration
Inna al-insana li-rabbihi la-kanud
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms that humanity is inherently ungrateful and denies the blessings of their Lord. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi interpret 'kanud' (كنود) as one who is stingy, ungrateful, and forgetful of divine favors, highlighting the natural human tendency toward ingratitude unless guided by faith and remembrance. The ayah serves as a profound reminder that without conscious effort to recognize and appreciate Allah's blessings, humans are prone to denial and miserliness in gratitude.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-'Adiyat is a Meccan surah that employs vivid imagery of horses galloping at night to introduce themes of human nature and accountability. This particular ayah appears in the middle of the surah as part of its central message about humanity's forgetfulness and ingratitude toward divine blessings, establishing a contrast between the obedience of creation and the rebellion of human hearts.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best charity is when one is in need yet gives, and the worst ingratitude is when one forgets Allah's blessings.' (Related in meaning to teachings on gratitude in Tirmidhi). Also relevant: 'Whoever is not grateful to people is not grateful to Allah' (Sunan Abu Dawud 4811), emphasizing that ingratitude manifests in all relationships.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah calls believers to cultivate conscious gratitude and remembrance of Allah's blessings in daily life, recognizing that ingratitude is a fundamental human weakness that must be actively countered through reflection, prayer, and appreciation. It serves as a humbling reminder that without divine guidance and deliberate effort, we naturally tend toward forgetfulness and denial of the countless favors bestowed upon us.