(49–52) “Whenever adversity touches man, he calls upon Us. Then, when We bestow upon him a blessing from Us, he says, ‘I was given it only because of knowledge.’ Rather, it is a trial, but most of them do not know. Those before them said the same thing, but all that they had earned was of no benefit to them. Thus, the evil consequences of what they had earned befell them. And the wrongdoers among these people will likewise be overtaken by the evil consequences of what they earn, and they cannot escape. Do they not know that Allah grants abundant provision to whomever He wills and restricts it? Surely in that are signs for people who believe.”

Allah, Exalted is He, describes the condition and nature of man: when adversity touches him—whether illness, hardship, or anguish—“he calls upon Us,” pleading insistently for relief from what has befallen him. “Then, when We bestow upon him a blessing from Us,” removing his affliction and relieving his hardship, he returns to disbelief in his Lord and denies His favor. He “says, ‘I was given it only because of knowledge’”—that is, because Allah knows that I am worthy and deserving of it, since I am honored in His sight; or because of my own knowledge of the means by which it may be acquired.

Allah says: “Rather, it is a trial” by which Allah tests His servants, to distinguish those who thank Him from those who deny Him. “But most of them do not know.” Hence, they regard a trial as a gift and confuse unqualified good with something that may be a cause of either good or evil.

Allah says: “Those before them said the same thing”—namely, “I was given it only because of knowledge.” These words have continued to be passed down among the deniers: they neither acknowledge their Lord’s blessing nor recognize His right over them. They persisted in this way until they were destroyed, and “all that they had earned was of no benefit to them” when the punishment came upon them.

“Thus, the evil consequences of what they had earned befell them.” Here, “evil consequences” means punishments, because they distress and grieve a person. “And the wrongdoers among these people will likewise be overtaken by the evil consequences of what they earn.” They are no better than those who preceded them, nor has any immunity been written for them in the scriptures.

Having mentioned that they were deluded by wealth and ignorantly claimed that it indicated its possessor’s favorable standing, Allah informs them that His provision does not indicate this. He “grants abundant provision to whomever He wills” among His servants, whether righteous or wicked, “and restricts it”—that is, He restricts provision for whomever He wills, whether righteous or wicked. His provision is shared among all creation, whereas He singles out the best of creation for faith and righteous deeds.

“Surely in that are signs for people who believe”—that is, in the expansion and restriction of provision, for they know that this ultimately proceeds from wisdom and mercy, and that He knows best the condition of His servants. He may restrict their provision out of kindness toward them, because if He were to grant it to them abundantly, they might transgress throughout the land. In doing so, Allah safeguards the soundness of their religion, which is the foundation of their happiness and success. And Allah knows best.