(211) “Ask the Children of Israel how many clear signs We gave them. Whoever exchanges Allah’s blessing after it has come to him—Allah is indeed severe in punishment.”

Allah Most High says: “Ask the Children of Israel how many clear signs We gave them”—signs pointing to the truth and to the truthfulness of the messengers. They became certain of them and recognized them, yet failed to give thanks for this blessing as they were required to do.

Rather, they rejected it and exchanged Allah’s blessing for disbelief. They therefore deserved to have Allah send down His punishment upon them and deprive them of His reward. Allah Most High calls ingratitude for a blessing an exchange of that blessing because when Allah grants someone a religious or worldly blessing, but he neither gives thanks for it nor fulfills its due, it fades and disappears from him and is replaced by disbelief and sins. Disbelief thus takes the place of the blessing. As for one who thanks Allah Most High and fulfills its due, the blessing remains and continues, and Allah grants him even more of it.