Tafseer of The Groups · Az-Zumar · 39:49
And when adversity touches man, he calls upon Us; then when We bestow on him a favor from Us, he says, "I have only been given it because of [my] knowledge." Rather, it is a trial, but most of them do not know.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of His statement, exalted is His mention: En wanneer de mens tegenspoed treft, roept hij Ons aan; maar wanneer Wij hem daarna een gunst van Onzentwege schenken, zegt hij: dit is mij slechts gegeven vanwege kennis. Neen, het is een beproeving, maar de meesten van hen weten het niet (39:49).
The Exalted, praised is His mention, says: and when affliction and hardship befall man, he calls upon Us and seeks help from Us against the evil that has befallen him. Thumma idhā khawwalnāhu niʿmatan minnā (then, when We bestow upon him a favor from Us). He says: then, when We grant him relief from the evil in which he was, by exchanging for him the evil for prosperity and ease, and sickness for health and well-being, he says: that which has been given to me of prosperity and ease in livelihood, and of health in body and well-being, has been given to me only "on account of knowledge with me" — that is to say: on account of Allah's knowledge that I am worthy of it, because of my excellence and His good pleasure in my conduct. "ʿindī" means: according to what is with me, as one says: "you are doing well in this matter, according to what is with me," that is to say: according to what I suppose and think.
And in accordance with what we have said about this, the people of interpretation (ahl al-taʾwīl) have spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His statement thumma idhā khawwalnāhu niʿmatan minnā up to ʿalā ʿilmin "ʿindī" (on account of knowledge with me), that is to say: on account of good with me.
Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us — both — on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His statement idhā khawwalnāhu niʿmatan minnā, he said: We have given it to him.
And His statement ūtītuhu ʿalā ʿilmin: that is to say, on account of an honorable rank He has given it to me.
And His statement bal hiya fitnatun (nay, it is a trial). The Exalted, praised is His mention, says: nay, Our bestowal of that favor upon them, after the evil in which they were, is a trial (fitna) for them — that is to say, a visitation by which We have tested them, and a testing by which We have tried them. Wa-lākinna aktharahum (but most of them), on account of their ignorance and their poor discernment, lā yaʿlamūna (do not know), for what reason it has been given to them.
And in accordance with what we have said about this, the people of interpretation have spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda bal hiya fitnatun: that is to say, a visitation.