any town a prophet without afflicting its people with hardship and suffering, so that they might humble themselves.”
“Then We replaced adversity with prosperity until they flourished and said, ‘Our forefathers too experienced adversity and ease.’ So We seized them suddenly, while they were unaware.”
And the Most High says:
“When good came their way, they said, ‘This is ours.’ But when misfortune befell them, they regarded Moses and those with him as ill omens.”
This was the attitude of Pharaoh and his chiefs towards Moses and those with him, just like the attitude of the disbelievers, hypocrites, and wrongdoers towards Muhammad and his Companions. When blessings and good fortune came their way, they said, “This is ours,” or, “This is from Allah.” But when punishment and misfortune befell them, they regarded the Prophet and the believers as ill omens and said, “This is because of their sins.” Yet these things befell them only because of their own sins, not the sins of the believers.
He, glorified is He, mentions this when describing those who shrink from jihad and blame the believers for engaging in it. When victory or something similar comes their way, they say, “This is from Allah.” But when an ordeal befalls them, they say, “This is from the one who brought us commands, prohibitions, and jihad.” Allah Most High says:
“O you who believe, take your precautions,”
up to His words:
“And among you are certainly those who hang back,”
and then:
“Have you not seen those who were told, ‘Restrain your hands, establish prayer, and give zakah’? Then, when fighting was prescribed for them, a group of them feared people as they feared Allah, or even more, and said, ‘Our Lord, why have You prescribed fighting for us?’”
up to His words:
“Wherever you may be, death will overtake you, even if you are in lofty fortified towers. If something good befalls them”—
meaning these censured people—
“they say, ‘This is from Allah’; but if misfortune befalls them, they say, ‘This is from you.’”
That is, because of what you command and forbid.