yet lives comfortably in his home, for Allah has placed blessing in his wealth—while another person may possess more wealth than he does, yet lack such blessing? At times, you sense that Allah has blessed something for you such that it remains with you for a long time.

“And protect me from the evil of what You have decreed …”

His saying, “And protect me from the evil of what You have decreed,” means that what Allah has decreed may be good or may be evil. Whatever accords with a person and his natural disposition is good, while whatever does not accord with him is evil. Health, strength, knowledge, wealth, righteous children, and the like are good; whereas illness, ignorance, weakness, unrighteous children, and the like are evil, because they do not accord with a person.

In the words, “what You have decreed,” mā means “that which”; that is, “that which You have decreed.” It may also be a verbal noun, meaning: “the evil of Your decree.”

What is intended is His decree in the sense of that which He decrees, for Allah’s decree in the sense of His act is entirely good, even if what is decreed is evil, because it is only willed for a tremendous wisdom. Illness, for example: a person may not recognize the value of Allah’s blessing of health until he becomes ill. Illness may bring him to repent and return to Allah, and make him realize his own state: that he is weak and in need of Allah. This differs from the case of a person who remains healthy and well, for he may forget the value of this blessing and become boastful, as Allah, Most High, says:

“And if We give man a taste of mercy from Us, then withdraw it from him, he is surely despairing and ungrateful. But if We give him a taste of favor after hardship has touched him, he will surely say, ‘The misfortunes have left me.’ Indeed, he is exultant and boastful.” [Surat Hud]

If someone were to ask: How can we reconcile his saying, “Protect me from the evil of what You have decreed”