Bad Weather Friends
[17:67] If you are afflicted in the middle of the sea, you forget your idols and sincerely implore Him alone. But as soon as He saves you to the shore, you revert. Indeed, the human being is unappreciative.
[17:68] Have you guaranteed that He will not cause the land, on shore, to swallow you? Or, that He will not send upon you a tempest, then you find no protector?
[17:69] Have you guaranteed that He will not return you to the sea another time, then send upon you a storm that drowns you because of your disbelief? Once this happens, we will not give you another chance.
[17:70] We have honored the children of Adam, and provided them with rides on land and in the sea. We provided for them good provisions, and we gave them greater advantages than many of our creatures.
[17:71] The day will come when we summon every people, together with their record. As for those who are given a record of righteousness, they will read their record and will not suffer the least injustice.
[17:72] As for those who are blind in this life, they will be blind in the Hereafter; even a lot worse.
Bad Weather Friends
[41:49] The human being never tires of imploring for good things. And when adversity befalls him, he turns despondent, desperate. [41:50] And when we bless him after suffering some adversity, he says, “This belongs to me. I do not believe that the Hour will ever come to pass. Even if I am returned to my Lord, I will find at Him better things.” Most certainly, we will inform the disbelievers of all their works, and will commit them to severe retribution. [41:51] When we bless the human being, he turns away, and drifts farther and farther away, and when he suffers any affliction, he implores loudly. [41:52] Proclaim: “What if this is truly from GOD, then you decide to reject it? Who are farther astray than those who decide to oppose this?”
Fair Weather Friends
[29:10] Among the people there are those who say, “We believe in GOD,” but as soon as they suffer any hardship because of GOD, they equate the people’s persecution with GOD’s retribution. But if blessings from your Lord come your way, they say, “We were with you.” Is GOD not fully aware of the people’s innermost thoughts? [29:11] GOD will most certainly distinguish those who believe, and He will most certainly expose the hypocrites. [29:12] Those who disbelieved said to those who believed, “If you follow our way, we will be responsible for your sins.” Not true; they cannot bear any of their sins. They are liars. [29:13] In fact, they will carry their own sins, in addition to loads of other people’s sins for which they were responsible. Most certainly, they will be asked on the Day of Resurrection about their false claims.
[43:13] As you rest on top of them, you shall appreciate such a blessing from your Lord, and say, “Glory be to the One who subdued this for us. We could not have controlled them by ourselves. [43:14] “We ultimately return to our Lord.”
[31:32] When violent waves surround them, they implore GOD, sincerely devoting their prayers to Him alone. But as soon as He saves them to the shore, some of them revert. None discards our revelations except those who are betrayers, unappreciative. [31:33] O people, you shall reverence your Lord, and fear a day when a father cannot help his own child, nor a child can help his father. Certainly, GOD’s promise is truth. Therefore, do not be distracted by this life; do not be distracted from GOD by mere illusions.
Bad Weather Friends
[30:33] When adversity afflicts the people, they turn to their Lord, totally devoting themselves to Him. But then, as soon as He showers them with mercy, some of them revert to idol worship. [30:34] Let them be unappreciative of what we have given them. Enjoy temporarily; you will surely find out. [30:35] Have we given them authorization that justifies their idolatry? [30:36] When we bestow mercy upon the people, they rejoice therein. But when adversity befalls them, as a consequence of their own works, they become despondent. [30:37] Do they not realize that GOD increases the provision for whomever He wills, or reduces it? These should be lessons for people who believe.
[30:51] Had we sent upon them instead a yellow sandstorm, they would have continued to disbelieve.
[39:8] When the human being is afflicted, he implores his Lord, sincerely devoted to Him. But as soon as He blesses him, he forgets his previous imploring, sets up idols to rank with GOD and to divert others from His path. Say, “Enjoy your disbelief temporarily; you have incurred the hellfire.” [39:9] Is it not better to be one of those who meditate in the night, prostrating and staying up, being aware of the Hereafter, and seeking the mercy of their Lord? Say, “Are those who know equal to those who do not know?” Only those who possess intelligence will take heed.
Rebellious Humans
[10:21] When we bestow mercy upon the people, after adversity had afflicted them, they immediately scheme against our revelations! Say, “GOD’s scheming is far more effective. For our messengers are recording everything you scheme.” [10:22] He is the One who moves you across the land and sea. You get onto the ships, and they sail smoothly in nice breeze. Then, while rejoicing therein, violent wind blows, and the waves surround them from every side. This is when they implore GOD, sincerely devoting their prayers to Him alone: “If You only save us this time, we will be eternally appreciative.” [10:23] But as soon as He saves them, they transgress on earth, and oppose the truth. O people, your transgression is only to the detriment of your own souls. You remain preoccupied with this worldly life, then to us is your ultimate return, then we inform you of everything you had done. [10:24] The analogy of this worldly life is like this: we send down water from the sky to produce with it all kinds of plants from the earth, and to provide food for the people and the animals. Then, just as the earth is perfectly adorned, and its people think that they are in control thereof, our judgment comes by night or by day,* leaving it completely barren, as if nothing existed the previous day. We thus explain the revelations for people who reflect.
Re-arrange Your Priorities
[29:64] This worldly life is no more than vanity and play, while the abode of the Hereafter is the real life, if they only knew. [29:65] When they ride on a ship, they implore GOD, devoting their prayers to Him. But as soon as He saves them to the shore, they revert to idolatry. [29:66] Let them disbelieve in what we have given them, and let them enjoy temporarily; they will surely find out.
[6:65] Say, “He is certainly able to pour upon you retribution from above you, or from beneath your feet. Or He can divide you into factions and have you taste each others’ tyranny. Note how we explain the revelations, that they may understand.”
[17:21] Note how we preferred some people above others (in this life). The differences in the Hereafter are far greater and far more significant.
The Tyrants’ Inevitable Fate
[28:81] We then caused the earth to swallow him and his mansion. No army could have helped him against GOD; he was not destined to be a winner. [28:82] Those who were envious of him the day before said, “Now we realize that GOD is the One who provides for whomever He chooses from among His servants, and withholds. If it were not for GOD’s grace towards us, He could have caused the earth to swallow us too. We now realize that the disbelievers never succeed.”
Exile From God: Total Darkness
[24:40] Another allegory is that of being in total darkness in the midst of a violent ocean, with waves upon waves, in addition to thick fog. Darkness upon darkness—if he looked at his own hand, he could barely see it. Whomever GOD deprives of light, will have no light. [24:41] Do you not realize that everyone in the heavens and the earth glorifies GOD, even the birds as they fly in a column? Each knows its prayer and its glorification. GOD is fully aware of everything they do. [24:42] To GOD belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth, and to GOD is the final destiny. [24:43] Do you not realize that GOD drives the clouds, then gathers them together, then piles them on each other, then you see the rain coming out of them? He sends down from the sky loads of snow to cover whomever He wills, while diverting it from whomever He wills. The brightness of the snow almost blinds the eyes. [24:44] GOD controls the night and day. This should be a lesson for those who possess eyes. [24:45] And GOD created every living creature from water. Some of them walk on their bellies, some walk on two legs, and some walk on four. GOD creates whatever He wills. GOD is Omnipotent.
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