Tafheem ul Quran

Surah 30 Ar-Rum, Ayat 33-36

وَاِذَا مَسَّ النَّاسَ ضُرٌّ دَعَوۡا رَبَّهُمۡ مُّنِيۡبِيۡنَ اِلَيۡهِ ثُمَّ اِذَاۤ اَذَاقَهُمۡ مِّنۡهُ رَحۡمَةً اِذَا فَرِيۡقٌ مِّنۡهُمۡ بِرَبِّهِمۡ يُشۡرِكُوۡنَۙ‏  ﴿30:33﴾ لِيَكۡفُرُوۡا بِمَاۤ اٰتَيۡنٰهُمۡ​ؕ فَتَمَتَّعُوۡا فَسَوۡفَ تَعۡلَمُوۡنَ‏  ﴿30:34﴾ اَمۡ اَنۡزَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ سُلۡطٰنًا فَهُوَ يَتَكَلَّمُ بِمَا كَانُوۡا بِهٖ يُشۡرِكُوۡنَ‏ ﴿30:35﴾ وَاِذَاۤ اَذَقۡنَا النَّاسَ رَحۡمَةً فَرِحُوۡا بِهَاؕ​ وَاِنۡ تُصِبۡهُمۡ سَيِّئَةٌ ۢ بِمَا قَدَّمَتۡ اَيۡدِيۡهِمۡ اِذَا هُمۡ يَقۡنَطُوۡنَ‏ ﴿30:36﴾

(30:33) (Such are human beings) that when any misfortune befalls them, they cry to their Lord, penitently turning to Him.52 But no sooner that He lets them have a taste of His Mercy than some of them begin associating others with their Lord in His Divinity53 (30:34) so that they may show ingratitude to Us for the favours We had bestowed upon them. So, enjoy yourselves a while; but then you shall soon come to know. (30:35) Have We sent down any sanction which provides support to their associating others with Allah in His Divinity?54 (30:36) When We make people have a taste of Our Mercy, they exult in it; and when any misfortune befalls them in consequence of their deeds, then lo and behold, they despair.55

Notes

52. This is a clear proof of the fact that in the depths of their heart there still exists an evidence of Tauhid. Whenever the hopes start crumbling, their hearts cry out from within that the real Ruler of the universe is its Master and His help alone can improve their lot.

53. That is, they again start presenting offerings before other deities, and claiming that their misfortune has been removed through the help and grace of such and such a saint and shrine.

54. That is, what authority have do they have to say that the calamities are not averted by God but by the so called saint? Does common sense approve of it? Or, is there any divine Book which says that Allah has delegated His powers to such and such saints, and that they should now be invoked by the people to help them out of difficulties?

55. In the preceding verse the man has been censured for his ignorance, folly and ingratitude. In this verse, he has been censured for puerility and meanness. When a person attains a little wealth and power and respect, and he sees that his business has started flourishing, he forgets that he has been given all this by Allah. He exults at his success and is so puffed up and conceited that he has neither any regard left for Allah nor for the people. But as soon as good luck deserts him, he loses heart and a single stroke of ill-luck so disheartens and frustrates him that he is prepared to do any mean thing, even commit suicide.