Az-Zumar: 38

Ayah

Word by Word

وَلَئِن

And if

سَأَلۡتَهُم

you ask them

مَّنۡ

who

خَلَقَ

created

ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ

the heavens

وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ

and the earth

لَيَقُولُنَّ

Surely, they will say

ٱللَّهُۚ

Allah

قُلۡ

Say

أَفَرَءَيۡتُم

Then do you see

مَّا

what

تَدۡعُونَ

you invoke

مِن

besides

دُونِ

besides

ٱللَّهِ

Allah

إِنۡ

أَرَادَنِيَ

Allah intended for me

ٱللَّهُ

Allah intended for me

بِضُرٍّ

harm

هَلۡ

are

هُنَّ

they

كَٰشِفَٰتُ

removers

ضُرِّهِۦٓ

(of) harm (from) Him

أَوۡ

أَرَادَنِي

if He intended for me

بِرَحۡمَةٍ

mercy

هَلۡ

are

هُنَّ

they

مُمۡسِكَٰتُ

withholders

رَحۡمَتِهِۦۚ

(of) His mercy

قُلۡ

Say

حَسۡبِيَ

Sufficient (is) Allah for me

ٱللَّهُۖ

Sufficient (is) Allah for me

عَلَيۡهِ

upon Him

يَتَوَكَّلُ

put trust

ٱلۡمُتَوَكِّلُونَ

those who trust

Translation

If indeed thou ask them who it is that created the heavens and the earth, they would be sure to say, "Allah". Say: "See ye then? the things that ye invoke besides Allah,- can they, if Allah wills some Penalty for me, remove His Penalty?- Or if He wills some Grace for me, can they keep back his Grace?" Say: "Sufficient is Allah for me! In Him trust those who put their trust."

Tafsir

The Punishment of the Disbelievers and Liars, and the Reward of the Sincere Believers

The idolators uttered lies against Allah and said that there were other gods besides Him and claimed that the angels were the daughters of Allah and that Allah had a son -- glorified be He far above all that they say.

Moreover, they rejected the truth when it came to them on the lips of the Messengers (peace and blessings be upon them all).

Allah says:

فَمَنۡ أَظۡلَمُ مِمَّن كَذَبَ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَكَذَّبَ بِالصِّدۡقِ إِذۡ جَاءهُ

Then, who does more wrong than one who utters a lie against Allah, and denies the truth when it comes to him!

meaning, there is no one who does more wrong than such a person, because he combines the two aspects of falsehood, disbelief in Allah and disbelief in the Messenger of Allah. They made false claims and rejected the truth, Allah threatened them:

أَلَيۡسَ فِي جَهَنَّمَ مَثۡوًى لِّلۡكَافِرِينَ

Is there not in Hell an abode for the disbelievers!

Who are the deniers and rejecters?

Then Allah says

وَالَّذِي جَاء بِالصِّدۡقِ وَصَدَّقَ بِهِ

And he who has brought the truth and (those who) believed therein,

Mujahid, Qatadah, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and Ibn Zayd said,

The one who brought the truth was the Messenger.

Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said:

وَالَّذِي جَاء بِالصِّدۡقِ

(And he who has brought the truth), means the Messenger of Allah.

وَصَدَّقَ بِه

(and (those who) believed therein) means the Muslims.

أُوۡلَيِكَ هُمُ الۡمُتَّقُونَ

they are those who have Taqwa.

Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said,

They fear and shun Shirk.

لَهُم مَّا يَشَاءونَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ

They shall have all that they will desire with their Lord.

means, in Paradise; whatever they ask for they will have.

...

ذَلِكَ جَزَاء الۡمُحۡسِنِينَ

لِيُكَفِّرَ اللَّهُ عَنۡهُمۡ أَسۡوَأَ الَّذِي عَمِلُوا وَيَجۡزِيَهُمۡ أَجۡرَهُم بِأَحۡسَنِ الَّذِي كَانُوا يَعۡمَلُون

That is the reward of doers of good. So that Allah may expiate from them the evil of what they did and give them the reward, according to the best of what they used to do.

This is like the Ayah:

أُوۡلَـيِكَ الَّذِينَ نَتَقَبَّلُ عَنۡهُمۡ أَحۡسَنَ مَا عَمِلُواۡ وَنَتَجَاوَزُ عَن سَيۡيَـتِهِمۡ فِى أَصۡحَـبِ الۡجَنَّةِ وَعۡدَ الصِّدۡقِ الَّذِى كَانُواۡ يُوعَدُونَ

They are those from whom We shall accept the best of their deeds and overlook their evil deeds. (They shall be) among the dwellers of Paradise, a promise of truth, which they have been promised. (46:16)

Allah is Sufficient for His Servant

Allah says:

أَلَيۡسَ اللَّهُ بِكَافٍ عَبۡدَهُ

Is not Allah Sufficient for His servant?

Some of them read it His servants.

It means that Allah is Sufficient for the one who worships Him and relies upon Him.

وَيُخَوِّفُونَكَ بِالَّذِينَ مِن دُونِهِ

Yet they try to frighten you with those besides Him!

means, the idolators tried to scare the Messenger of Allah with their idols and gods which they called upon besides Allah out of ignorance and misguidance.

Allah says:

وَمَن يُضۡلِلِ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِنۡ هَادٍ

وَمَن يَهۡدِ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِن مُّضِلٍّ أَلَيۡسَ اللَّهُ بِعَزِيزٍ ذِي انتِقَامٍ

And whom Allah sends astray, for him there will be no guide. And whomsoever Allah guides, for him there will be no misleader.

Is not Allah Almighty, Possessor of Retribution?

meaning, whoever relies on Him and turns to Him, will never be forsaken, for He is the Almighty Who cannot be overwhelmed by another, and there is none more severe than Him in exacting retribution on those who disbelieve in Him, associate others in worship with Him and resist His Messenger.

The Idolators admit that Allah is the Sole Creator because their gods are incapable

Allah says,

وَلَيِن سَأَلۡتَهُم مَّنۡ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالاَۡرۡضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ

And verily, if you ask them:Who created the heavens and the earth? Surely, they will say:Allah.

means, the idolators used to recognize that Allah was the Creator of all things, but despite that they still worshipped others besides Him, others who had no power to bring benefit or cause harm.

Allah said:

قُلۡ أَفَرَأَيۡتُم مَّا تَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ إِنۡ أَرَادَنِيَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ هَلۡ هُنَّ كَاشِفَاتُ ضُرِّهِ أَوۡ أَرَادَنِي بِرَحۡمَةٍ هَلۡ هُنَّ مُمۡسِكَاتُ رَحۡمَتِهِ

Say:

Tell me then, the things that you invoke besides Allah -- if Allah intended some harm for me, could they remove His harm Or if He (Allah) intended some mercy for me, could they withhold His mercy?

meaning, they cannot do any of that at all.

Here Ibn Abi Hatim recorded a narration from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, attributing it to the Prophet:

احۡفَظِ اللهَ يَحۡفَظۡكَ

احۡفَظِ اللهَ تَجِدۡهُ تُجَاهَكَ

تَعَرَّفۡ إِلَى اللهِ فِي الرَّخَاءِ يَعۡرِفۡكَ فِي الشِّدَّةِ

إِذَا سَأَلۡتَ فَاسۡأَلِ اللهَ

وَإِذَا اسۡتَعَنۡتَ فَاسۡتَعِنۡ بِاللهِ وَاعۡلَمۡ أَنَّ الاۡإُمَّةَ لَوِ اجۡتَمَعُوا عَلى أَنۡ يَضُرُّوكَ بِشَيۡءٍ لَمۡ يَكۡتُبۡهُ اللهُ عَلَيۡكَ لَمۡ يَضُرُّوكَ وَلَوِ اجۡتَمَعُوا عَلى أَنۡ يَنۡفَعُوكَ بِشَيۡءٍ لَمۡ يَكۡتُبۡهُ اللهُ لَكَ لَمۡ يَنۡفَعُوكَ جَفَّتِ الصُّحُفُ وَرُفِعَتِ الاۡإَقۡلَإمُ

وَاعۡمَلۡ للهِ بِالشُّكۡرِ فِي الۡيَقِينِ وَاعۡلَمۡ أَنَّ فِي الصَّبۡرِ عَلى مَا تَكۡرَهُ خَيۡرًا كَثِيرًا

وَأَنَّ النَّصۡرَ مَعَ الصَّبۡرِ وَأَنَّ الۡفَرَجَ مَعَ الۡكَرۡبِ وَأَنَّ مَعَ الۡعُسۡرِ يُسۡرًا

Be mindful of Allah and He will protect you;

be mindful of Allah and you will find Him ever with you.

Turn to Allah in times of ease and He will turn to you in times of difficulty.

If you ask anyone for anything, then ask Allah;

if you seek help from anyone, then seek help from Allah. Know that even if the entire nation were to come together to do you some harm that Allah has not decreed for you, they will never be able to harm you, and if they were to come together to do you some good that Allah has not decreed for you, they will never be able to do that. The pages have dried and the pens have been lifted.

Strive for the sake of Allah with thankfulness and firm conviction, and know that in patiently persevering with regard to something that you dislike there is much goodness.

Victory comes with patience, a way out comes from difficulty and with hardship comes ease.

قُلۡ حَسۡبِيَ اللَّهُ

Say:Sufficient for me is Allah...

means, `Allah is enough for me.'

عَلَيۡهِ يَتَوَكَّلُ الۡمُتَوَكِّلُونَ

in Him those who trust must put their trust.

As He mention in other Ayah;

عَلَيۡهِ تَوَكَّلۡتُ وَعَلَيۡهِ فَلۡيَتَوَكَّلِ الۡمُتَوَكِّلُونَ

In Him I put my trust, and let all those that trust, put their trust in Him. (12:67)

This is like what Hud, peace be upon him, said to his people:

إِن نَّقُولُ إِلاَّ اعۡتَرَاكَ بَعۡضُ ءَالِهَتِنَا بِسُوءٍ قَالَ إِنِّى أُشۡهِدُ اللَّهِ وَاشۡهَدُواۡ أَنِّى بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تُشۡرِكُونَ

مِن دُونِهِ فَكِيدُونِى جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ لَا تُنظِرُونِ

إِنِّى تَوَكَّلۡتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ رَبِّى وَرَبِّكُمۡ مَّا مِن دَابَّةٍ إِلاَّ هُوَ ءاخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهَأ إِنَّ رَبِّى عَلَى صِرَطٍ مُّسۡتَقِيمٍ

All that we say is that some of our gods have seized you with evil.

He said:I call Allah to witness and bear you witness that I am free from that which you ascribe as partners in worship, with Him. So plot against me, all of you, and give me no respite. I put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord! There is not a moving creature but He has the grasp of its forelock. Verily, my Lord is on the straight path. (11:54-56)

قُلۡ يَا قَوۡمِ اعۡمَلُوا عَلَى مَكَانَتِكُمۡ

Say:

O My people! Work according to your way...

This is a threat and a warning.

إِنِّي عَامِلٌ

I am working,

means, `according to my way.'

فَسَوۡفَ تَعۡلَمُونَ

Then you will come to know.

means, you will learn the consequences

مَن يَأۡتِيهِ عَذَابٌ يُخۡزِيهِ

To whom comes a disgracing torment,

means, in this world,

وَيَحِلُّ عَلَيۡهِ عَذَابٌ مُّقِيمٌ

and on whom descends an everlasting torment.

means, ongoing and eternal, with no escape, which will come on the Day of Resurrection.

We seek refuge with Allah from that

Allah says, addressing His Messenger Muhammad:

إِنَّا أَنزَلۡنَا عَلَيۡكَ الۡكِتَابَ

Verily, We have sent down to you the Book, (meaning, the Qur'an).

لِلنَّاسِ بِالۡحَقِّ

for mankind in truth.

means, for all of creation, mankind and Jinn, so that he may warn them therewith.

فَمَنِ اهۡتَدَى فَلِنَفۡسِهِ

So, whosoever accepts the guidance, it is only for himself;

means, the benefit of that will return to him.

وَمَن ضَلَّ فَإِنَّمَا يَضِلُّ عَلَيۡهَا

and whosoever goes astray, he goes astray only for his (own) loss.

means, the consequences of that will return to him.

وَمَا أَنتَ عَلَيۡهِم بِوَكِيلٍ

And you are not a trustee over them.

means, `you are not responsible for guiding them.'

إِنَّمَأ أَنتَ نَذِيرٌ وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ وَكِيلٌ

But you are only a warner. And Allah is a Trustee over all things. (11:12)

فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيۡكَ الۡبَلَـغُ وَعَلَيۡنَا الۡحِسَابُ

your duty is only to convey and on Us is the reckoning. (13:40)

Allah is the One Who causes Death and gives Life

Then Allah tells us that He is in control of all things and does as He wills. He causes men to die (the greater death) when He sends the angels to take men's souls from their bodies, and He causes them to die a lesser death when they sleep.

Allah says:

وَهُوَ الَّذِى يَتَوَفَّـكُم بِالَّيۡلِ وَيَعۡلَمُ مَا جَرَحۡتُم بِالنَّهَارِ ثُمَّ يَبۡعَثُكُمۡ فِيهِ لِيُقۡضَى أَجَلٌ مّسَمًّى ثُمَّ إِلَيۡهِ مَرۡجِعُكُمۡ ثُمَّ يُنَبِّيُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ

وَهُوَ الۡقَاهِرُ فَوۡقَ عِبَادِهِ وَيُرۡسِلُ عَلَيۡكُم حَفَظَةً حَتَّى إِذَا جَأءَ أَحَدَكُمُ الۡمَوۡتُ تَوَفَّتۡهُ رُسُلُنَا وَهُمۡ لَا يُفَرِّطُونَ

It is He, Who takes your souls by night (when you are asleep), and has knowledge of all that you have done by day, then He raises (wakes) you up again that a term appointed be fulfilled, then (in the end) unto Him will be your return. Then He will inform you of that which you used to do.

He is the Irresistible, over His servants, and He sends guardians (angels guarding and writing all of one's good and bad deeds) over you, until when death approaches one of you, Our messengers (angels) take his soul, and they never neglect their duty. (6:60-61)

Here Allah mentions the two deaths,

the lesser death then the greater death after it;

in this Ayah He mentions the greater then the lesser. Allah says

اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الاَۡنفُسَ حِينَ مَوۡتِهَا وَالَّتِي لَمۡ تَمُتۡ فِي مَنَامِهَا فَيُمۡسِكُ الَّتِي قَضَى عَلَيۡهَا الۡمَوۡتَ وَيُرۡسِلُ الاُۡخۡرَى إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى

It is Allah Who takes away the souls at the time of their death, and those that die not during their sleep. He keeps those (souls) for which He has ordained death and sends the rest for a term appointed.

This indicates that they (the souls) meet in the higher realm, as was stated in the Hadith attributed to the Prophet which was narrated by Ibn Mandah and others.

In the Two Sahihs of Al-Bukhari and Muslim, it is reported that Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said:

إِذَا أَوَى أَحَدُكُمۡ إِلى فِرَاشِهِ فَلۡيَنۡفُضۡهُ بِدَاخِلَةِ إِزَارِهِ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَدۡرِي مَا خَلَفَهُ عَلَيۡهِ ثُمَّ لِيَقُلۡ

بِاسۡمِكَ رَبِّي وَضَعۡتُ جَنۡبِي وَبِكَ أَرۡفَعُهُ إِنۡ أَمۡسَكۡتَ نَفۡسِي فَارۡحَمۡهَا وَإِنۡ أَرۡسَلۡتَهَا فَاحۡفَظۡهَا بِمَا تَحۡفَظُ بِهِ عِبَادَكَ الصَّالِحِين

When anyone of you goes to bed, let him brush down the bed with his garment, for he does not know what has come on his bed since he left it. Then let him say,

In Your Name, O Lord, I lay down my side and in Your Name I raise it up; if You take my soul, have mercy on it, and if You send it back, protect it with that which You protect Your righteous servants.

فَيُمۡسِكُ الَّتِي قَضَى عَلَيۡهَا الۡمَوۡتَ

(He keeps those (souls) for which He has ordained death),

means, those which have died, and He returns the others back for an appointed term.

As-Suddi said,

For the rest of their lives.

Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said,

He keeps the souls of the dead and sends back the souls of the living, and He does not make any mistakes.

إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَايَاتٍ لِّقَوۡمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ

Verily, in this are signs for a people who think deeply.

There is no Intercession except with Allah, and how the Idolators are filled with Disgust when Allah is mentioned alone

Allah says,

أَمِ اتَّخَذُوا مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ شُفَعَاء قُلۡ أَوَلَوۡ كَانُوا لَا يَمۡلِكُونَ شَيۡيًا وَلَا يَعۡقِلُونَ

قُل لِّلَّهِ الشَّفَاعَةُ جَمِيعًا

Have they taken as intercessors besides Allah?

Say:Even if they have power over nothing whatever and have no intelligence!

Say:To Allah belongs all intercession.

Allah condemns the idolators for taking intercessors besides Allah, namely the idols and false gods whom they have taken on the basis of their own whims, with no evidence or proof. These idols are not able to do anything; they have no minds with which to think, and they cannot hear or see. They are inanimate and are much worse off than animals.

Then Allah says:

`Say -- O Muhammad -- to these people who claim that those whom they have taken as intercessors with Allah, that intercession is of no avail except for the one with whom Allah is pleased and to whom He has granted permission to intercede. The whole matter rests with Him.'

مَن ذَا الَّذِى يَشۡفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلاَّ بِإِذۡنِهِ

Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His permission! (2:255)

لَّهُ مُلۡكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالاَۡرۡضِ

His is the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth.

means, He is the One Who is in control of all that.

ثُمَّ إِلَيۡهِ تُرۡجَعُونَ

Then to Him you shall be brought back.

means, `on the Day of Resurrection, then He will judge between you with His justice, and He will reward or punish each person according to his deeds.'

Then Allah condemns the idolators further

وَإِذَا ذُكِرَ اللَّهُ وَحۡدَهُ

And when Allah Alone is mentioned,

means, when it is said there is no (true) God except Allah Alone,

اشۡمَأَزَّتۡ قُلُوبُ الَّذِينَ لَا يُوۡمِنُونَ بِالاۡخِرَةِ

the hearts of those who believe not in the Hereafter are filled with disgust.

Mujahid said,

Their hearts are filled with disgust means they recoil in horror.

This is like the Ayah:

إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُواۡ إِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمۡ لَا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ يَسۡتَكۡبِرُونَ

Truly, when it was said to them:La ilaha illa Allah, they puffed themselves up with pride. (37:35)

which means, they were too proud to follow it. Their hearts could not accept anything good, and whoever cannot accept good will accept evil.

Allah says:

وَإِذَا ذُكِرَ الَّذِينَ مِن دُونِهِ

and when those besides Him are mentioned,

meaning, the idols and false gods --

this was the view of Mujahid --

إِذَا هُمۡ يَسۡتَبۡشِرُونَ

behold, they rejoice!

means, they feel happy

How to supplicate After condemning the idolators for their love of Shirk and their hatred of Tawhid,

Allah then says:

قُلِ اللَّهُمَّ فَاطِرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالاَۡرۡضِ عَالِمَ الۡغَيۡبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ

Say:

O Allah! Creator of the heavens and the earth! All-Knower of the unseen and the seen!...

meaning, `call you upon Allah Alone with no partner or associate, Who has created the heavens and the earth and originated them,' i.e., made them like nothing that ever before existed.

عَالِمَ الۡغَيۡبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ

(All-Knower of the unseen and the seen!),

means, what is secret and what is open.

أَنتَ تَحۡكُمُ بَيۡنَ عِبَادِكَ فِي مَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخۡتَلِفُونَ

You will judge between your servants about that wherein they used to differ.

means, in this world;

`You will judge between them on the Day when they are resurrected and brought forth from their graves.'

In his Sahih, Muslim recorded that Abu Salamah bin Abdur-Rahman said,

I asked A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, how the Messenger of Allah started his prayer when he stood up to pray at night.

She said, may Allah be pleased with her:`When the Messenger of Allah stood up to pray at night, he would start his prayer with the words:

اللۡهُمَّ رَبَّ جِبۡرِيلَ وَمِيكَايِيلَ وَإِسۡرَافِيلَ فَاطِرَ السَّموَاتِ وَالاَۡرۡضِ عَالِمَ الۡغَيۡبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ أَنۡتَ تَحۡكُمُ بَيۡنَ عِبَادِكَ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخۡتَلِفُونَ اهۡدِنِي لِمَا اخۡتُلِفَ فِيهِ مِنَ الۡحَقِّ بِإِذۡنِكَ إِنَّكَ تَهۡدِي مَنۡ تَشَاءُ إِلى صِرَاطٍ مُسۡتَقِيم

O Allah, Lord of Jibril, Mika'il and Israfil, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the unseen and the seen, You will judge between Your servants concerning that wherein they differ. Guide me with regard to that wherein there is dispute concerning the truth by Your leave, for You guide whomsoever You will to the straight path.

No Ransom will be accepted on the Day of Resurrection

Allah says,

وَلَوۡ أَنَّ لِلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا

And those who did wrong, (means, the idolators).

مَا فِي الاۡاَرۡضِ جَمِيعًا وَمِثۡلَهُ مَعَهُ

if they had all that is in earth and therewith as much again,

لَاافۡتَدَوۡا بِهِ مِن سُوءِ الۡعَذَابِ

they verily, would offer it to ransom themselves therewith from the evil torment;

means, that which Allah has decreed for them on the Day of Resurrection. But the ransom will not be accepted from them, even if it were to be an earth-full of gold as He mentioned elsewhere (3:91).

يَوۡمَ الۡقِيَامَةِ

on the Day of Resurrection,

Then Allah says:

وَبَدَا لَهُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ مَا لَمۡ يَكُونُوا يَحۡتَسِبُونَ

and there will become apparent to them from Allah what they had not been reckoning.

which means, when they come to realize what Allah's punishment for them will be, which they had never before imagined

وَبَدَا لَهُمۡ سَيِّيَاتُ مَا كَسَبُوا

And the evils of that which they earned will become apparent to them,

means, they will see the punishment for the forbidden actions and sins which they committed in this world.

وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُوا بِهِ يَسۡتَهۡزِيُون

and that which they used to mock at will encircle them.

means, the punishment which they used to make fun of in this world will encompass them

How Man changes when He is blessed after suffering Harm

Allah tells,

فَإِذَا مَسَّ الاۡإِنسَانَ ضُرٌّ دَعَانَا ثُمَّ إِذَا خَوَّلۡنَاهُ نِعۡمَةً مِّنَّا قَالَ

When harm touches man, he calls to Us (for help); then when We have changed it into a favor from Us, he says:

Allah tells us how man, when he is suffering from harm, prays to Allah, turning to Him in repentance and calling upon Him, but when He makes things easy for him, he transgresses and commits sins.

إِنَّمَا أُوتِيتُهُ عَلَى عِلۡمٍ

Only because of knowledge I obtained it.

means, `because Allah knows that I deserve it; if it were not for the fact that Allah regards me as special, He would not have given me this.'

Qatadah said,

Because I know that I deserve it.

Allah says:

بَلۡ هِيَ فِتۡنَةٌ

Nay, it is only a trial,

meaning, `the matter is not as he claims; on the contrary, We have blessed him with this as a test to see whether he will be obedient or disobedient -- although We have prior knowledge of that.'

In fact, it is a trial.

وَلَكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ

but most of them know not!

So they say what they say and claim what they claim

قَدۡ قَالَهَا الَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡ

Verily, those before them said it,

means, the previous nations who came before said the same things and made the same claims,

فَمَا أَغۡنَى عَنۡهُم مَّا كَانُوا يَكۡسِبُونَ

yet (all) that they had earned availed them not.

means, what they said was not right and all that they had gathered did not save them

فَأَصَابَهُمۡ سَيِّيَاتُ مَا كَسَبُوا وَالَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنۡ هَوُلَاأء

So, the evil results of that which they earned overtook them. And those who did wrong of these...

means, the people who are addressed here,

سَيُصِيبُهُمۡ سَيِّيَاتُ مَا كَسَبُوا

will also be overtaken by the evil results (torment) for that which they earned;

just as happened to those earlier peoples.

وَمَا هُم بِمُعۡجِزِينَ

and they will never be able to escape.

This is like the Ayah in which Allah tells us how Qarun reacted when his people told him:

لَا تَفۡرَحۡ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الۡفَرِحِينَ

وَابۡتَغِ فِيمَأ ءَاتَاكَ اللَّهُ الدَّارَ الاٌّخِرَةَ وَلَا تَنسَ نَصِيبَكَ مِنَ الدُّنۡيَا وَأَحۡسِن كَمَأ أَحۡسَنَ اللَّهُ إِلَيۡكَ وَلَا تَبۡغِ الۡفَسَادَ فِى الاٌّرۡضِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الۡمُفۡسِدِينَ

قَالَ إِنَّمَأ أُوتِيتُهُ عَلَى عِلۡمٍ عِندِى أَوَلَمۡ يَعۡلَمۡ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدۡ أَهۡلَكَ مِن قَبۡلِهِ مِنَ الۡقُرُونِ مَنۡ هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنۡهُ قُوَّةً وَأَكۡثَرُ جَمۡعاً وَلَا يُسۡأَلُ عَن ذُنُوبِهِمُ الۡمُجۡرِمُونَ

Do not exult, verily, Allah likes not those who exult.

But seek, with that (wealth) which Allah has bestowed on you, the home of the Hereafter, and forget not your portion of lawful enjoyment in this world; and do good as Allah has been good to you, and seek not mischief in the land. Verily, Allah likes not the corrupters.

He said:This has been given to me only because of the knowledge I possess.

Did he not know that Allah had destroyed before him generations, men who were stronger than him in might and greater in the amount (of riches) they had collected? But the criminals will not be questioned (immediately) of their sins. (28:76-78)

And Allah says:

وَقَالُواۡ نَحۡنُ أَكۡثَـرُ أَمۡوَلاً وَأَوۡلَـداً وَمَا نَحۡنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ

And they say:We are more in wealth and in children, and we are not going to be punished. (34:35)

أَوَلَمۡ يَعۡلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَبۡسُطُ الرِّزۡقَ لِمَن يَشَاء وَيَقۡدِرُ

Do they not know that Allah expands the provision for whom He wills, and straitens it.

means, He gives plenty to some and restricts the provision for others.

إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَايَاتٍ لِّقَوۡمٍ يُوۡمِنُونَ

Verily, in this are signs for the folk who believe!

means, there is a lesson and proof.