سُوْرَةُ الزُّمَرِ
Surah Az-Zumar (39) — Ayah 49
فَإِذَا مَسَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ ضُرٌّ دَعَانَا ثُمَّ إِذَا خَوَّلْنَـٰهُ نِعْمَةً مِّنَّا قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أُوتِيتُهُۥ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍۭ ۚ بَلْ هِىَ فِتْنَةٌ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿49﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
When harm touches man, he calls to Us (for help); then when We have (rescued him from that harm and) changed it into a favour from Us, he says: "Only because of knowledge (that I possess) I obtained it." Nay, it is only a trial, but most of them know not!
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَإِذَا
fa-idhā
So when
مَسَّ
massa
touches
ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ
l-insāna
[the] man
ضُرٌّۭ
ḍurrun
adversity
دَعَانَا
daʿānā
he calls upon Us
ثُمَّ
thumma
then
إِذَا
idhā
when
خَوَّلْنَـٰهُ
khawwalnāhu
We bestow (on) him
نِعْمَةًۭ
niʿ'matan
a favor
مِّنَّا
minnā
from Us
قَالَ
qāla
he says
إِنَّمَآ
innamā
Only
أُوتِيتُهُۥ
ūtītuhu
I have been given it
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
for
عِلْمٍۭ ۚ
ʿil'min
knowledge
بَلْ
bal
Nay
هِىَ
hiya
it
فِتْنَةٌۭ
fit'natun
(is) a trial
وَلَـٰكِنَّ
walākinna
but
أَكْثَرَهُمْ
aktharahum
most of them
لَا
lā
(do) not
يَعْلَمُونَ
yaʿlamūna
know
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
49. When harm touches man, he calls upon Us; then when We bestow a favor upon him from Us, he says, "I have been given this only because of knowledge [66] (and experience)." No, it is but a trial [67], but most of them do not know.
[65] That is, in times of prosperity, they exalt the status of their deities and diminish that of Allah. But when calamity befalls them, they call upon Allah alone, and those deities whose status they used to magnify do not avail them in times of distress.
[66] This sentence can have three meanings. First, that the abundance of wealth and riches that I have received was already known to Allah and written in my destiny. Second, that Allah knew my capability, and logic dictated that I should receive this wealth and riches. Third, that whatever I have received, I have received according to my knowledge, my experience, and my capability.
[67]
The Trial of Wealth is Very Severe. Distribution of the Jizyah from Bahrain:
This world is a place of trial, and in this world, every person is being tested in every condition and at all times. Among the things by which a person is tested, one of the most important is the abundance of wealth and riches. How great a trial this is for a person can be gauged from the following hadiths:
1. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent Sayyiduna Abu Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah ؓ to bring the jizyah from Bahrain. When Abu Ubaidah ؓ returned with the jizyah, more people than usual attended the morning prayer the next day, and as soon as the prayer ended, they came before the Prophet ﷺ (in hope of receiving something). The Prophet ﷺ, understanding the situation, smiled and said: "Rejoice and hope for happiness (meaning, you will surely receive money)." Then he said: "By Allah! I do not fear your poverty, but I fear that the abundance of worldly goods will be bestowed upon you as it was bestowed upon those before you, and you will get engrossed in it as they did, and this abundance of wealth will distract you from the Hereafter just as it distracted them." [بخاری۔ کتاب الرقاق۔ باب مایحذر من زھرۃ الدنیا والتنافس فیھا]
2. The Prophet ﷺ said: "By Allah! I do not fear that you will commit shirk after me, but I fear that you will become enamored with the world."
3. He ﷺ also said: "Every ummah has a trial, and the trial of my ummah is wealth." [ترمذی۔ بحوالہ مشکوۃ۔ کتاب الرقاق۔ دوسری فصل]
[65] That is, in times of prosperity, they exalt the status of their deities and diminish that of Allah. But when calamity befalls them, they call upon Allah alone, and those deities whose status they used to magnify do not avail them in times of distress.
[66] This sentence can have three meanings. First, that the abundance of wealth and riches that I have received was already known to Allah and written in my destiny. Second, that Allah knew my capability, and logic dictated that I should receive this wealth and riches. Third, that whatever I have received, I have received according to my knowledge, my experience, and my capability.
[67]
The Trial of Wealth is Very Severe. Distribution of the Jizyah from Bahrain:
This world is a place of trial, and in this world, every person is being tested in every condition and at all times. Among the things by which a person is tested, one of the most important is the abundance of wealth and riches. How great a trial this is for a person can be gauged from the following hadiths:
1. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent Sayyiduna Abu Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah ؓ to bring the jizyah from Bahrain. When Abu Ubaidah ؓ returned with the jizyah, more people than usual attended the morning prayer the next day, and as soon as the prayer ended, they came before the Prophet ﷺ (in hope of receiving something). The Prophet ﷺ, understanding the situation, smiled and said: "Rejoice and hope for happiness (meaning, you will surely receive money)." Then he said: "By Allah! I do not fear your poverty, but I fear that the abundance of worldly goods will be bestowed upon you as it was bestowed upon those before you, and you will get engrossed in it as they did, and this abundance of wealth will distract you from the Hereafter just as it distracted them." [بخاری۔ کتاب الرقاق۔ باب مایحذر من زھرۃ الدنیا والتنافس فیھا]
2. The Prophet ﷺ said: "By Allah! I do not fear that you will commit shirk after me, but I fear that you will become enamored with the world."
3. He ﷺ also said: "Every ummah has a trial, and the trial of my ummah is wealth." [ترمذی۔ بحوالہ مشکوۃ۔ کتاب الرقاق۔ دوسری فصل]
