An-Naml · Makki · ayah 73 of 93

An-Naml 27:73

وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَشْكُرُونَ

“And indeed, your Lord is the possessor of bounty for the people, but most of them are not grateful."”

Saheeh International

Essence

They dared Him to hurry the punishment; He answered with more days and more bread, and most of them never noticed it was a gift.

A reflection

He answered their dare with another day

Read this ayah where it stands. Two ayat earlier, people mocked the Messenger: "when is this promise, if you are truthful?" They were daring Allah to punish them. Then comes this: "Your Lord is the possessor of bounty over the people."

The commentators explain what that bounty is, right here. It is that He did not rush the punishment they demanded. He let them keep breathing, eating, trading and sleeping. Their dare was answered with another day, and then another.

Set that beside the human ego. Picture a colleague who mocks you once in a meeting, in front of others. Many of us carry that one remark for years. We replay it, rehearse replies, and quietly wait for a chance to settle the score. Our pride cannot let a single insult pass without some response.

Now consider the One who was mocked to His face, by people living on His provision, breathing His air. He held every power to answer at once. Instead He kept the rain falling on their fields. The disproportion is staggering. The greater the power, the more patient the response.

That should humble us twice. It humbles our touchiness. The Lord of all creation does not rush to punish those who defy Him. Who are we to nurse a grudge over a slight? And it humbles our sense of safety. Much of what we call "getting away with it" is simply His faḍl, the overflow of a generosity we did not earn.

The ayah begins with emphasis, inna and the la- of certainty. It is said as a fact to be held firmly, especially when the mockery is loudest.

The full entry has 5 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.