Surah Fussilat (41) — Ayah 49

(Ayah 49) ➊ { لَا يَسْـَٔمُ الْاِنْسَانُ …:} From here, a very bad effect of disbelief, polytheism, and denial of the Resurrection on human nature has been mentioned. By {’’ الْاِنْسَانُ ‘‘} is meant the common human being who is devoid of the wealth of faith and conviction; this weakness has been placed in him by nature. After faith in monotheism, prophethood, and the Hereafter, the cure for this weakness is found, and the stronger the faith, the more purified he becomes from this weakness, as it is said: «اِنَّ الْاِنْسَانَ خُلِقَ هَلُوْعًا (19) اِذَا مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ جَزُوْعًا (20) وَّ اِذَا مَسَّهُ الْخَيْرُ مَنُوْعًا (21) اِلَّا الْمُصَلِّيْنَ (22) الَّذِيْنَ هُمْ عَلٰى صَلَاتِهِمْ دَآىِٕمُوْنَ ...... اُولٰٓىِٕكَ فِيْ جَنّٰتٍ مُّكْرَمُوْنَ » [ المعارج : ۱۹ تا ۳۵ ] "Indeed, man has been created anxious. When evil touches him, he is greatly distressed. And when good touches him, he is withholding. Except for those who pray. Those who are constant in their prayer... These are the ones who will be honored in gardens." See also the commentary of Surah Hud (9 to 11).

➋ By { مِنْ دُعَآءِ الْخَيْرِ: ’’ الْخَيْرِ ‘‘} is meant worldly good, which includes wealth, children, honor, health, and strength—all of it. By {’’ دُعَآءِ ‘‘} is meant the seeking of good, that is, man neither tires nor wearies of seeking worldly good, whether he needs it or not. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: [ لَوْ كَانَ لاِبْنِ آدَمَ وَادِيَانِ مِنْ مَّالٍ لاَبْتَغٰی ثَالِثًا، وَ لاَ يَمْلَأُ جَوْفَ ابْنِ آدَمَ إِلاَّ التُّرَابُ، وَ يَتُوْبُ اللّٰهُ عَلٰی مَنْ تَابَ ] [بخاري، الرقاق، باب ما یتقی من فتنۃ المال : ۶۴۳۶ ] "If the son of Adam had two valleys of wealth, he would seek a third, and nothing fills the belly of the son of Adam except dust, and Allah turns with mercy to him who repents."

➌ {وَ اِنْ مَّسَّهُ الشَّرُّ فَيَـُٔوْسٌ قَنُوْطٌ: ’’مَسَّ يَمَسُّ‘‘} (s) to touch. {’’ فَيَـُٔوْسٌ ‘‘ ’’يَئِسَ يَيْئَسُ يَأْسًا ‘‘} (s, h) is an intensive form, meaning very hopeless. {’’ قَنُوْطٌ ‘‘ ’’قَنِطَ يَقْنَطُ قَنُوْطًا‘‘} (s, n) is an intensive form, meaning very hopeless. Some commentators have said that {’’ فَيَـُٔوْسٌ ‘‘} and {’’ قَنُوْطٌ ‘‘} both have the same meaning; for emphasis, {’’ فَيَـُٔوْسٌ ‘‘} is brought after {’’ قَنُوْطٌ ‘‘}, and some have said there is a difference in meaning between the two. Abu Hayyan said: {’’يَأْسٌ‘‘} is the state of the heart, that a person's heart becomes empty of hope for good, and {’’قَنُوْطٌ‘‘} is when the signs of hopelessness also appear on his face and body. Obviously, this difference is when both words come together; otherwise, both "yās" and "qunūt" mean hopelessness of both heart and body, just as is the case with faith and Islam. From the word {’’مَسٌّ‘‘} (to touch), it is understood that the disbeliever is so faint-hearted that merely being touched by evil, he loses hope to the utmost extent. The believer is not like this; this is only the state of the disbeliever, as it is said: « اِنَّهٗ لَا يَايْـَٔسُ مِنْ رَّوْحِ اللّٰهِ اِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْكٰفِرُوْنَ » [یوسف : ۸۷ ] "Indeed, none despairs of the mercy of Allah except the disbelieving people."