وَضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًا قَرْيَةً كَانَتْ ءَامِنَةً مُّطْمَئِنَّةً يَأْتِيهَا رِزْقُهَا رَغَدًا مِّن كُلِّ مَكَانٍ فَكَفَرَتْ بِأَنْعُمِ ٱللَّهِ فَأَذَٰقَهَا ٱللَّهُ لِبَاسَ ٱلْجُوعِ وَٱلْخَوْفِ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَصْنَعُونَ 112
Translations
And Allāh presents an example: a city [i.e., Makkah] which was safe and secure, its provision coming to it in abundance from every location, but it denied the favors of Allāh. So Allāh made it taste the envelopment of hunger and fear for what they had been doing.
Transliteration
Wa-dharaba Allahu mathalan qaryatan kanat aminatan mutmainatan yateeha rizquh ragadan min kulli makan fakafarat bi-anumi Allahi faathaqaha Allahu libasa al-ju'i wa-al-khawf bima kanu yasna'un
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah presents a parable of a city that enjoyed complete security, peace, and abundant provision from all directions, yet its inhabitants rejected God's blessings through ingratitude and disobedience. As a consequence, Allah subjected them to the garment (covering/experience) of hunger and fear as divine punishment for their actions. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir interpret this as a universal principle demonstrating that material comfort without gratitude and obedience leads to destruction, while Al-Tabari emphasizes that the city represents any community that turns away from Allah's guidance despite receiving His favors.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan period of Surah An-Nahl and serves to illustrate divine principles of reward and punishment. The broader context of Surah An-Nahl emphasizes the signs of Allah in creation and the consequences of rejecting His guidance. While no specific asbab al-nuzul (occasion of revelation) is definitively recorded, scholars suggest it may reference historical cities like Iram Dhul-Qadas or serve as a universal moral lesson applicable to any ungrateful society.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best among you to my family' (Tirmidhi 3895), relating to gratitude and proper conduct. Additionally, the hadith about the three whose supplication is not rejected includes 'the fasting person until he breaks his fast' (Tirmidhi 1675), emphasizing that righteousness prevents punishment.
Themes
Key Lesson
Gratitude for blessings is not merely emotional but must be expressed through obedience and righteousness; without it, even material abundance cannot provide true security or peace. Modern believers should recognize that societal problems—poverty, insecurity, conflict—often stem from collective ingratitude and turning away from divine guidance, and that restoration requires sincere repentance and reform.