Surah Ash-Shura (42) — Ayah 48

(Ayah 48) ➊ { فَاِنْ اَعْرَضُوْا فَمَاۤ اَرْسَلْنٰكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيْظًا:} In the previous verse, the disbelievers were addressed and told to accept their Lord’s call as soon as possible before the Day of Resurrection. Now, to console the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in case they persist in disbelief, you (peace be upon him) are addressed and told that if they turn away from your call, We have not made you their guardian and responsible person that you must make them believe at all costs, nor will you be questioned as to why these people did not believe.
➋ { اِنْ عَلَيْكَ اِلَّا الْبَلٰغُ:} Your duty is only to convey (the message), which you have already fulfilled. In these words, there is a certificate for the Prophet (peace be upon him) that you have truly conveyed the message and have fulfilled your responsibility.
➌ {وَ اِنَّاۤ اِذَاۤ اَذَقْنَا الْاِنْسَانَ مِنَّا رَحْمَةً فَرِحَ بِهَا:} In this verse, you are consoled that this behavior of the disbelievers is not only with you but they behave the same way with Us. Remember, all the blessings of the world, no matter how great, are nothing more than a taste compared to the Hereafter. Then in {’’ رَحْمَةً ‘‘}, the tanween is also for indefiniteness and reduction. It is said, man is so petty that when We let him taste even a little mercy, he becomes arrogant and goes out of bounds, forgetting Us and considering himself everything. Here, the attribution of tasting the blessing is made to Allah, because blessing is only Allah’s gift, it is not given due to anyone’s entitlement, and the word {’’ اِذَاۤ ‘‘} (when) is used, because in the world, mercy is given to every human being.
➍ {وَ اِنْ تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌۢ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ اَيْدِيْهِمْ … :} And if, as a result of their own deeds, any evil or calamity befalls them, then surely man is very ungrateful; then he does not remember any of Our blessings, rather, because of this one calamity, he outright denies all Our blessings. Just as a husband does favors to his wife all his life, then if something happens against her temperament, she says: [ مَا رَأَيْتُ مِنْكَ خَيْرًا قَطُّ ] [ بخاري، الإیمان، باب کفران العشیر و کفر دون کفر : ۲۹ ] “I have never seen any good from you.” Here, the attribution of evil is not made to Allah, although everything is from Allah, because its cause is their evil deeds, and the word {’’ اِنْ ‘‘} (if) is used, which implies the possibility of calamity occurring or not, because compared to mercy, the calamities that befall man are very few.
➎ In this verse, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is consoled by mentioning the commission of something even greater than the disbelievers’ turning away from your call, that those who behave like this with their Master, what will they not do to you, as in another place, the treatment of the Jews with Musa (peace be upon him) is mentioned to console you (peace be upon him). See Surah An-Nisa (153).
➏ Here, by {’’ الْاِنْسَانَ ‘‘}, some commentators have taken the disbelieving human being as meant, because a believer does not behave like this, and some have said, the meaning is that man is inherently like this, but as one progresses in faith and righteous deeds, one gets rid of this trait, and with the perfection of faith, one becomes completely free from it, and patience in calamity and gratitude in blessing become his nature, both of which are good for him, but the disbeliever remains as he is. Similarly, in the state of weak faith, the effect of this bad trait remains, as it is said: « اِنَّ الْاِنْسَانَ خُلِقَ هَلُوْعًا (19) اِذَا مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ جَزُوْعًا (20) وَّ اِذَا مَسَّهُ الْخَيْرُ مَنُوْعًا (21) اِلَّا الْمُصَلِّيْنَ … اُولٰٓىِٕكَ فِيْ جَنّٰتٍ مُّكْرَمُوْنَ» [ المعارج : ۱۹ تا ۳۵ ] “Indeed, man was created anxious. When evil touches him, he is fretful. And when good touches him, he withholds. Except those who pray... These are the ones who will be honored in gardens.” This second opinion seems better.

48. 1 That is, abundance of means of sustenance, health and well-being, abundance of children, status and position, etc.

48. 2 That is, he expresses arrogance and pride, otherwise being happy over Allah's blessings or expressing them is not a disliked matter, but it should be as a mention of blessings and gratitude, not as pride, showing off, or arrogance.

48. 3 Lack of wealth, illness, deprivation of children, etc.

But if they turn away, then We have not sent you as a guardian [68] over them. Your duty is only to convey (the message). And when We let man taste mercy from Us, he exults in it; but if harm befalls them because of what their hands have sent forth, then surely man is ungrateful.

[68] That is, We have not placed this responsibility upon you that you must necessarily bring them to the right path. Nor will you be questioned about this.

[69]
A Worldly Person Never Turns to Allah in Any Circumstance:

In fact, the direct addressees of such verses were the Quraysh of Makkah. But the style of the Quran is such that, while mentioning the weaknesses of the addressee, it does not address them directly so that instead of reforming themselves, they do not become even more obstinate. In this regard, in this verse, the nature of a common worldly person is described: when good days come upon him, he becomes arrogant and does not care about anyone. And when bad days come—and these bad days also come as a result of his own evil deeds—at that time he starts blaming his Lord and forgets all those blessings of Allah which He had granted him during times of prosperity. In this way, neither prosperity helps him in his reformation, nor can adversity bring him to the right path; in any circumstance, his nature is not inclined to turn towards Allah.