Allah’s favor; so thank Him, and He will grant you more. This evil comes from your sins; so seek His forgiveness, and He will ward it off from you. Allah Most High says:

“But Allah would not punish them while you were among them, nor would Allah punish them while they seek forgiveness.”

And He says:

“Alif Lām Rā. A Book whose verses have been perfected, then explained in detail, from One who is All-Wise, All-Aware.”

“Worship none but Allah. Indeed, I am a warner and a bearer of glad tidings to you from Him.”

“And seek your Lord’s forgiveness, then repent to Him. He will grant you a good life until an appointed time and give every person of merit his due reward.”

When a sinner seeks his Lord’s forgiveness for his sin, he follows the example of the blessed among the prophets and believers, such as Adam and others. But if he persists and invokes divine decree as an excuse, he follows the example of the wretched, such as Satan and those who follow him in error.

Thus, His statement that misfortune comes from a person himself because of his sins—after stating that everything is from Allah—draws attention to seeking forgiveness and repenting, and to seeking refuge in Allah from the evil of one’s own soul and deeds. This supplication is to be made morning and evening and at bedtime, as in the report: “The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) instructed Abū Bakr al-Siddīq, the best of this nation, to do this, teaching him to say, ‘O Allah, Originator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the unseen and the seen, I seek refuge in You from the evil of my own soul