Puffed up in times of riches and harbours bad suspicion when facing trials

In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Allah [The Most High] said:

فَأَمَّا الْإِنسَانُ إِذَا مَا ابْتَلَاهُ رَبُّهُ فَأَكْرَمَهُ وَنَعَّمَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَكْرَمَنِ
وَأَمَّا إِذَا مَا ابْتَلَاهُ فَقَدَرَ عَلَيْهِ رِزْقَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَهَانَنِ

As for man, when his Lord tries him by giving him honour and gifts, then he says [puffed up]: “My Lord has honoured me”. But when He tries him, by straitening his means of life, he says: “My Lord has humiliated me!” [89:15-16]

When tried with richness and wealth, and given in abundance, he says that his lord has honoured him due to what he has been given. And when afflicted with poverty, he says that his lord has degraded him. However, this view of his is incorrect; rather he should praise Allah in both circumstances-in times of poverty and richness. [1]

The human is ignorant and unjust. He has no knowledge of the final outcomes of events. He thinks that the situation in which he finds himself is to continue and will never cease. He thinks that the kind treatment and blessings he receives from Allah in the worldly life is an indication that he is honoured by Allah, and that he is one close to Him. However, not everyone who receives Allah’s blessings in this worldly life is one honoured by Allah, and not everyone whom Allah afflicts with poverty is one humiliated by Allah; rather riches and poverty, scarcity and abundance are a trial and a test by way of which Allah makes known those who will show gratitude and those who will exercise patience. [2]

[1] An Excerpt from Zad Al-Nasir Fee Ilmit Tafsir by Imam Ibn Al-Jawzi, may Allah have mercy upon him.

[2] An Excerpt from ‘Tayseer Al-Kareem Ar-Rahmaan Fee Tafseer Kalaam Al-Mannaan by Imam As-Sadi, may Allah have mercy upon him.