Surah Ibrahim (14) — Ayah 34

(Ayah34) ➊ {وَ اٰتٰىكُمْ مِّنْ كُلِّ مَا سَاَلْتُمُوْهُ :} That is, all this and much more was given to you without your asking. Moreover, from what you did ask for, He gave you as much as He willed. { ’’ مِنْ ‘‘ } is for partiality. One interpretation is that whatever you asked for, either by word or by state, that is, whatever your condition required for living in this world and whatever your need could have been, He gave you as much of it as He willed.

➋ {وَ اِنْ تَعُدُّوْا نِعْمَتَ اللّٰهِ لَا تُحْصُوْهَا :} That is, you will not be able to count (His blessings) even briefly, let alone count the unlimited blessings, so think, how can you ever be grateful enough to Him. (Shawkani) {’’ كَفَّارٌ ‘‘} Very ungrateful. {’’اَحْصٰي يُحْصِيْ اِحْصَاءً‘‘} (from the verb form If'al) To count, because {’’اَلْحَصٰي‘‘} means pebble, and the Arabs used to count with pebbles, and obviously, only limited counting can be done with pebbles.

➌ { اِنَّ الْاِنْسَانَ لَظَلُوْمٌ كَفَّارٌ:} There are so many favors of Allah upon man, and they continue at every moment, yet when a little hardship befalls him, he becomes ungrateful. {’’ لَظَلُوْمٌ ‘‘} refers to this, or in {’’ الْاِنْسَانَ ‘‘} the alif-lam is for the specific, and the meaning is the disbelieving human, that he gives Allah’s right to others, that is, by worshipping others besides Allah, he is committing a great injustice. It is said: «{ اِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيْمٌ }» [لقمان : ۱۳ ] “Indeed, shirk is surely a great injustice.” Because the meaning of injustice is {’’ وَضْعُ الشَّيْءِ فِيْ غَيْرِ مَحَلِّهِ‘‘} to put something in a place other than its own. So the disbelieving human, while using Allah’s blessings, neither worships Him nor obeys Him, rather he counts Allah’s favors as the favors of the creation; sometimes he calls someone the one who fills his lap, sometimes someone the giver, sometimes someone the helper, sometimes someone the remover of difficulties. {’’ الْاِنْسَانَ ‘‘} refers here to the disbelieving human, and the proof is also the beginning of this series of verses, where it is said: «{ اَلَمْ تَرَ اِلَى الَّذِيْنَ بَدَّلُوْا نِعْمَتَ اللّٰهِ كُفْرًا وَّ اَحَلُّوْا قَوْمَهُمْ دَارَ الْبَوَارِ (28) جَهَنَّمَ يَصْلَوْنَهَا وَ بِئْسَ الْقَرَارُ }» [ إبراہیم : ۲۸، ۲۹ ] “Have you not seen those who exchanged the favor of Allah for disbelief and led their people to the house of ruin, Hell, in which they will enter, and what an evil resting place it is.” This is his tremendous ingratitude. O disbelieving human! Alas for your disbelief and ingratitude. If only you had acknowledged the favor of your real Giver and Helper, and thanked only Him:

You have hopes from idols, and despair from God;
Tell me, what else is disbelief?

34. 1. That is, He has provided all the things you need, which you ask from Him, He gives those as well, and those which you do not ask for, but He knows that they are your needs, He gives those as well. In short, He provides you with all the facilities to live your life.

34. 2. That is, Allah's blessings are countless; no one can enumerate them. Let alone anyone being able to fulfill the right of gratitude for these blessings. In one narration, the saying of Hazrat Dawud (عليه السلام) is quoted. He said, "O Lord! How can I thank You, when gratitude itself is a blessing from You upon me?" Allah Ta'ala said, "O Dawud, now you have thanked Me when you have admitted that, O Allah, I am unable to thank You for Your blessings." (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

34. 3. Due to negligence in expressing gratitude for Allah's blessings, a person commits injustice and unfairness to his own soul. Especially the disbeliever, who is completely heedless of Allah.

The tafsir of this ayah is included with the following verse(s).