وَإِذَآ أَنْعَمْنَا عَلَى ٱلْإِنسَـٰنِ أَعْرَضَ وَنَـَٔا بِجَانِبِهِۦ ۖ وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ كَانَ يَـُٔوسًا 83
Translations
And when We bestow favor upon man [i.e., the disbeliever], he turns away and distances himself; and when evil touches him, he is ever despairing.
Transliteration
Wa-idha an'amna 'ala al-insani a'rada wa-na'a bi-janibihi, wa-idha massahu al-sharru kana ya'usa
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the inherent weakness and ingratitude of human nature: when blessed with favors from Allah, man turns away in arrogance and pride, but when afflicted with hardship, he falls into despair and hopelessness. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, this depicts how humans oscillate between two extremes—forgetfulness of divine blessings and loss of faith during trials—reflecting a fundamental spiritual imbalance unless guided by divine wisdom and gratitude.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Isra, revealed in Mecca during a period of persecution against the early Muslim community. It appears in a section addressing human nature and behavior patterns, serving as a general description of mankind's tendency toward ingratitude and despair rather than describing any specific historical incident. The surah's broader context emphasizes the consequences of such behavior and the importance of steadfastness.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Muslim (2999) records a hadith where the Prophet (peace be upon him) warned against despair, stating that no disease is worse than despair. Additionally, Sahih Bukhari (5641) contains teachings about gratitude and patience, emphasizing that believers should maintain balance in both states of ease and hardship.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to cultivate consistent gratitude during times of blessing and steadfast patience during trials, recognizing that these oscillations between pride and despair are natural human weaknesses that require conscious spiritual discipline and reliance upon Allah to overcome.