وَلَئِنْ أَذَقْنَـٰهُ نَعْمَآءَ بَعْدَ ضَرَّآءَ مَسَّتْهُ لَيَقُولَنَّ ذَهَبَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتُ عَنِّىٓ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَفَرِحٌ فَخُورٌ 10
Translations
But if We give him a taste of favor after hardship has touched him, he will surely say, "Bad times have left me." Indeed, he is exultant and boastful -
Transliteration
Wa-la-in adhaaqnahu na'ima-an ba'da darraa-in massat-hu la-yaqulanna dhahaba as-sayyi-atu 'annee. Innahu la-fariḥun fakhurun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the ungrateful nature of human beings who, when granted blessings after hardship, attribute the removal of their afflictions solely to themselves and become arrogant and boastful. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari note that this reflects humanity's tendency to forget Allah's grace during times of ease, becoming preoccupied with worldly prosperity while forgetting the divine source of all blessings. The ayah emphasizes that such individuals fail to recognize Allah's role in their relief and instead succumb to pride and vanity.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Hud, a Meccan surah that extensively discusses the nature of human character and the responses of different peoples to prophetic messages. The broader context addresses the variability of human behavior—how people's responses to trials and blessings reveal their true spiritual condition. This particular ayah illustrates one negative response type: those who lack gratitude and become arrogant when blessed.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The greatest ayah in the Quran is Ayat al-Kursi' (Sahih Muslim), though more directly related is the hadith in Tirmidhi where the Prophet warned against ingratitude: 'Whoever is not grateful for little will not be grateful for much.' Also relevant is the hadith on human nature: 'Man is created hasty' (Sahih al-Bukhari 4695), showing humanity's quick shifts between states.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us to maintain sincere gratitude to Allah during times of ease, recognizing that all blessings come from Him alone, and to guard against arrogance and self-attribution of success. It serves as a reminder that true wisdom lies in acknowledging our dependence on Allah's mercy in both difficult and prosperous times.