Ah one particular theme that keeps coming up in the Quran when Allah mentions الأنسان
and that is when good things happen what's our reaction ?
and when bad things happen what's our reaction?
Okay there are two kinds of reactions will talk about that.
But essentially our reaction to good and bad.
Good things happen in your life. How do you react?
Bad things happen in your life. How do you react?
Keep in mind that our weaknesses have already been mentioned.
The ones that came with us. في كبد من عجل هلوع But that's already there.
Keeping that in mind, How do most human beings fail when they are tested with good or bad?
Because both of those are tests.
Allah says
[12:يونس] {وَإِذَا مَسَّ الْإِنسَانَ الضُّرُّ دَعَانَا لِجَنبِهِ أَوْ قَاعِدًا أَوْ قَائِمًا}
[12:يونس] {فَلَمَّا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُ ضُرَّهُ مَرَّ كَأَن لَّمْ يَدْعُنَا إِلَىٰ ضُرٍّ مَّسَّهُ ۚ}
[12:يونس] {كَذَٰلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِلْمُسْرِفِينَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ}
when the human being harm touches the human being.
When tough times hit you, when difficulty hits you, when a challenge hits you,
Allah says he calls on me lying on his side, or sitting, up or standing,
like no matter what you're doing ya Allah please just relief ya Allah just end this problem
ya Allah please make it make you know make my dad better
or make my child better or give me health again
ya Allah solve this legal problem, solve this financial problem, solve this health problem.
whatever problem it is you're constantly asking Allah
ya Allah, I want this I need this I need this I need I need relief relief relief always and Allah says
[12:يونس] {فَلَمَّا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُ ضُرَّهُ}
and as soon as we alleviate that that harm that was hitting him
[12:يونس] {مَرَّ كَأَن لَّمْ يَدْعُنَا إِلَىٰ ضُرٍّ مَّسَّهُ ۚ}
he walks around like he was never hit with any difficulty that was killing, him that was hitting him
he walks hey you are pretty now I'm I'm fine I'm fine I'm good
as if all those duas all that humility to Allah disappeared,
and so did your relationship and connection with Allah no need for Dua now I'm good now
I mean duas were bad times not for good times. That's one kind of reaction
[9:هود] {وَلَئِنْ أَذَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ مِنَّا رَحْمَةً ثُمَّ نَزَعْنَاهَا}
another reaction when we make the human being taste some of our mercy, that comes only from us
some good times some relief some happiness you enjoy it just a little bit then we take it away
[9:هود] {ثُمَّ نَزَعْنَاهَا}
Allah is saying that good time that came to you you're not entitled to it
my health your health, my money your money, my house.
whatever I have whatever loved ones I have
the people in my life the things in my life and my own being
are not my property Allah gave them out of a mercy only from him not because I earned them
and so, he pulls back some of what is actually his not mine I wasn't entitled to it
but when he does
[9:هود] {إِنَّهُ لَيَئُوسٌ كَفُورٌ}
he becomes Completely void of hope.
Extremely depressed.
Nothing is good in my life.
What do you mean good? Why should I be happy? I have no reason to be happy.
You know what happened to me? You know what I've been through?
And you're constantly focused on the negative
and then as a result because you're so depressed and focused on the negative.
You can't be grateful, and that's why there is a logical progression كَفُورٌ
extremely ungrateful in denial that anything good is happening.
You know don't give me a lecture about how I need to be grateful.
I don't want to hear it.
[83:الاسراء] {وَإِذَا أَنْعَمْنَا عَلَى الْإِنسَانِ أَعْرَضَ وَنَأَىٰ بِجَانِبِهِ ۖ}
Then another kind of reaction Allah says when we shower the human being with favor, and luxury, and comfort.
He just starts ignoring us.
أَعْرَضَ He just ignored us.
و وَنَأَىٰ بِجَانِبِهِ ۖ And turns to his side like this is like
when times are good. Man I made some good investments.
It turned out pretty good. No no credit to Allah.
Allah says I gave you this and you don't even turn back to me.
You just turn away like it's all you.
[83:الاسراء] {وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ كَانَ يَئُوسًا}
And when harm hits him
when tough times come completely void of all hope.
[8:الزمر] {وَإِذَا مَسَّ الْإِنسَانَ ضُرٌّ دَعَا رَبَّهُ مُنِيبًا إِلَيْهِ}
When the harm comes to him, he starts turning back to God and starts praying to his master
[8:الزمر] {ثُمَّ إِذَا خَوَّلَهُ نِعْمَةً مِّنْهُ نَسِيَ مَا كَانَ يَدْعُو إِلَيْهِ}
and when he wraps him around with luxury and favour,
then he forgets everything he was calling to God for
and who he was calling to من قبل
[8:الزمر] {وَجَعَلَ لِلَّهِ أَندَادًا ۚ}
and not only that he puts other entities besides Allah to compete with,
and that doesn't just mean he worships other than Allah,
it actually means he starts loving other than Allah, obsessing with other than Allah,
all the time that used to go in Dua now it goes to himself,
or into his pleasures, or into something else
other things took down competitive space with Allah in his heart
that's what it's referring to
[8:الزمر] {لِّيُضِلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِ ۚ}
so not only is he himself misguided
he misguides others from Allah's path Allah says
[8:الزمر] {قُلْ تَمَتَّعْ بِكُفْرِكَ قَلِيلًا ۖ}
this is really important to understand.
Allah in this ayah describing essentially a believer.
A believer who when he goes or she goes through hard times
makes Dua to Allah. When they make Dua to Allah,
other people see them making Dua to Allah and what are they inspired to do?
Also make Dua to Allah. When you see someone in difficulty making Dua to Allah,
you are inspired to come closer to Allah also.
They become a kind of role model for you.
When difficulty comes to them and they forget about dua.
And forget about Allah and when Allah gives them good times and they forget about Allah
and they completely lose the path of Dua and lose humility towards Allah
then not only are they themselves misguided
didn't other people look at them as role models
they because they inspired themselves to learn Dua from them
and now when they're gone off the deep end then others go off the
{لِيُضِلَّ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۖ}
Allah says
[8:الزمر] {قُلْ تَمَتَّعْ بِكُفْرِكَ قَلِيلًا ۖ}
you better enjoy your ingratitude just a little more
because you're from the people of hell is very
allah is very angry with people like that.
May Allah protect us from being from them.
[49:الزمر] {فَإِذَا مَسَّ الْإِنسَانَ ضُرٌّ دَعَانَا ثُمَّ إِذَا خَوَّلْنَاهُ نِعْمَةً مِّنَّا قَالَ إِنَّمَا أُوتِيتُهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ ۚ}
He says, when when harm comes, he makes dua to us, when I wrap him around,
when we we cover him completely and envelop him in favor,
he says, all of this favor came to me because of knowledge I have.
I was given all this because I'm a genius. That's why.
[49:الزمر] {بَلْ هِيَ فِتْنَةٌ}
It is nothing but a trial. You earn nothing in life because you're so smart.
All of it was just a test.
[49:الزمر] {وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ}
Most of them don't even know.
[49:فصلت] {لَّا يَسْأَمُ الْإِنسَانُ مِن دُعَاءِ الْخَيْرِ}
there's another human tendency. Some people they love Asking Allah for good things.
Love, that's the only relationship they have with Allah.
I'm making Dua to Allah that I get that outfit.
I'm making Dua to Allah I get those sneakers.
I make Dua to Allah that you know
what's that new Nintendo thing that came out? The switch. Switch for Eid even before Eid.
Ya Allah make it Eid sooner. Good night Eids
Making Dua to Allah for stuff. All the time Dua to Allah for stuff
and you say hey, is that the only stuff you make Dua to Allah for?
Yo, what? I'm supposed to ask Allah, right? I'm being religious.
You're religiously materialistic. Like right
you're just asking Allah for stuff and stuff and stuff and stuff
and you know when you ask Allah for things like
Ya Allah pass me in the test Allah pass me in the test and then you fail
only thing you ever asked Allah for was Dunya related
and does Allah always give you Dunya when you ask for it no
so you don't get it then what happens
[49:فصلت] {وَإِن مَّسَّهُ الشَّرُّ فَيَئُوسٌ قَنُوطٌ}
and as soon as Allah because you're going to only ask him for worldly things
and he won't give you then you become void of hope
completely depressed what's the point of dua anyway
I made dua and I still failed you know I made dua and I still
I didn't you know I didn't achieve what I was hoping to achieve
So if I'm what's the point of Dua now? I tried it.
It doesn't work for me. As a matter of fact things are much
better when I don't. I feel happier. I know how you feel happy.
I get you. But this is another tendency we have. This is again our loss.
[51:فصلت] ذَا أَنْعَمْنَا عَلَى الْإِنسَانِ أَعْرَضَ وَنَأَىٰ} بِجَانِبِهِ}
[51:فصلت] {إِذَا مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ فَذُو دُعَاءٍ عَرِيضٍ}
another tendency. He says when we give the human being favour.
He ignores. He turns away like life is good. Who needs God?
I've literally met people who said, I have a good job,
I'm healthy, I have a car, I have career, I'm happy with my family,
I look good, I feel good, I have good money and whatever
why do I need religion? Why do I need him? I have everything I need.
I mean religion is for people who need it. I don't need it.
Allah says when I shower him with favor, he ignores me.
Turns to his side. And then Allah says
[51:فصلت] {إِذَا مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ}
and then another kind of person when harm hits them.
[51:فصلت] {ذُو دُعَاءٍ عَرِيضٍ}
then he makes longest elaborate non-stop duas.
Now he's put in his place so he comes back to Allah and starts making dua.
Like Allah is describing the hypocrisy of it.
This is the kind of person when good times will come again.
What's going to happen again? Well I needed religion for that time.
I can go back to my old state now. You know.
[48:الشورى] {فَإِنْ أَعْرَضُوا فَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيظًا ۖ}
[48:الشورى] {إِنْ عَلَيْكَ إِلَّا الْبَلَاغُ ۗ وَإِنَّا إِذَا أَذَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ مِنَّا رَحْمَةً فَرِحَ بِهَا ۖ}
[48:الشورى] {وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ فَإِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ كَفُورٌ}
Allah tells his prophet -صلى الله عليهم و سلم- if they ignore you, turn away from you.
We haven't sent you to guard over them or watch over them.
Your only job is to communicate a message and if we make human beings taste any mercy from us,
any even little bit, they get overjoyed.
[48:الشورى] {فَرِحَ بِهَا}
Temporary happiness and as soon as some calamity hits them because of their own sins
because of what they've done themselves,
human beings then just tend to be extremely ungrateful.
All the good Allah has ever given them forgotten.
And of course this is the tendency that we talked about previously in a previous discussion in Surat Al-Fajr
[15:الفجر] {إِذَا مَا ابْتَلَاهُ رَبُّهُ فَأَكْرَمَهُ وَنَعَّمَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَكْرَمَنِ}
[16:الفجر] {إِذَا مَا ابْتَلاهُ فَقَدَرَ عَلَيْهِ رِزْقَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَهَانَنِ}
that when Allah gives him good he says Allah is really good to me.
You know why Allah I know Allah has honored me. Look at all the stuff he gave me.
Look at all the stuff I have.
This is an indication Allah loves me. Well take some of those things away
he says God doesn't love me man. God hates me.
Look at what he look at what he put me through.
[16:الفجر] {رَبِّي أَهَانَنِ}
You know some things are taken away from you and you're like Allah yeah
I don't know what he has against me but he just loves putting me through misery
he just loves humiliating me
if this was the attitude of prophets, can you imagine what would -نوح -عليه السلام say about Allah everyday
for 950 years would he say رَبِّي أَكْرَمَنِ or رَبِّي أَهَانَنِ
one of the most noble messengers of Allah is insulted made fun of spit on
everyday for generations is he anybody had the right to say
Allah hates me, Allah is just putting me through a hard time, he loves humiliating me.
It would have been someone like نوح -عليه السلام-
he, Allah will describe was one of أولو العزم من الرسل one of the great resolved messengers,
one of the most honored messengers.
Why is it that your difficulty and mine that people put us in or we put or ourselves in is translated until Allah put me in this?
Allah humiliated me. You know, and the only way Allah is good to me is if my worldly life becomes better.
That's the, that's the only way for me to know Allah is good to me.
In other words, we've become materialist even in our relationship with Allah.
This relationship is supposed to be spiritual
and in itself has become you know based on material parameters.