مَآ أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَمَن يُؤْمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ يَهْدِ قَلْبَهُۥ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ 11
Translations
No disaster strikes except by permission of Allāh. And whoever believes in Allāh - He will guide his heart. And Allāh is Knowing of all things.
Transliteration
Ma asaba min musibatin illa bi-idhni-llah. Wa man yu'min bi-llahi yahdi qalbahu. Wa-llahu bi-kulli shay'in alim.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes that no calamity or affliction befalls anyone except by the permission of Allah, emphasizing divine sovereignty and the absence of randomness in creation. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari note that the second part teaches a profound spiritual remedy: whoever believes in Allah during trials, Allah will guide their heart toward acceptance, patience, and wisdom. Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that true faith manifests in the believer's heart being guided toward understanding that all affairs are in Allah's hands, leading to peace and submission.
Revelation Context
Surah At-Taghabun was revealed in Medina during a period of trials and social discord among the Muslim community. The ayah appears in the context of addressing believers regarding trials and losses in this life, reminding them that such experiences test and refine faith rather than occurring by chance or malice alone.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'No calamity befalls except by the permission of Allah. Whoever believes in Allah, He guides his heart' (Tirmidhi). Also related is the hadith: 'The greatest reward comes with the greatest trial. When Allah loves a people, He tests them' (Tirmidhi).
Themes
Key Lesson
When facing hardship, a believer should recognize it comes from Allah's wisdom and respond with increased faith, which brings divine guidance to the heart and inner peace. This perspective transforms suffering from meaningless pain into a purposeful trial that strengthens the soul's connection to Allah.