(22–24) “No calamity befalls the earth or yourselves except that it is recorded in a Book before We bring it into being. That is surely easy for Allah. * This is so that you may neither grieve over what has escaped you nor exult over what He has given you. Allah does not love any conceited boaster— * those who are stingy and urge others to be stingy. Whoever turns away should know that Allah alone is the Self-Sufficient, the Praiseworthy.”
Allah Most High informs us of the all-encompassing nature of His decree and predestination: “No calamity befalls the earth or yourselves.” This encompasses everything that befalls creation, whether favorable or adverse. All of it, great and small, has been recorded in the Preserved Tablet. This is a tremendous matter that minds cannot fully comprehend and before which the hearts of people of understanding are left astounded; yet it is easy for Allah.
Allah informed His servants of this so that this principle would become firmly established within them and they would view whatever good or evil befalls them in its light. Thus, they should neither sorrow nor grieve over whatever has escaped them of that to which their souls aspired and for which they longed, knowing that it was recorded in the Preserved Tablet and was bound to take effect and occur, with no means of averting it. Nor should they exult in what Allah has given them with arrogant and wanton pride, knowing that they did not attain it through their own power and strength, but only through Allah’s grace and favor. They should instead occupy themselves with thanking the One who bestowed blessings and warded off afflictions. Hence He says: “Allah does not love any conceited boaster.” That is, anyone who is arrogant, harsh, coarse, self-admiring, and boastful of Allah’s blessings, attributing them to himself and allowing them to lead him into transgression and distract him. As He, Exalted is He, says: “Then, when We grant him a blessing from Us, he says, ‘I was given it only because of knowledge.’ Rather, it is a test.”
“Those who are stingy and urge others to be stingy.” That is, they combine two blameworthy traits, either one of which is evil enough in itself: stinginess, which is the withholding of obligatory rights, and instructing others to be stingy. Their own stinginess is not enough for them; they also instruct others to act likewise and encourage them toward this blameworthy trait by both their words and their deeds. This stems from their rejection of obedience to their Lord and their turning away from it.
“Whoever turns away” from obedience to Allah harms only himself and cannot harm Allah in the least, for “Allah alone is the Self-Sufficient, the Praiseworthy.” His self-sufficiency is intrinsic to His essence, and to Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. He is the One who enriches His servants and grants them contentment. He is the Praiseworthy, to whom belong every beautiful name, every perfect attribute, and every gracious act, for all of which He deserves to be praised, extolled, and magnified.