Al-Qur'an Surah Yunus Verse 12

Mufti Taqi Usmani

When man is afflicted by a hardship, he prays to Us (at all times), when reclining or sitting or standing. But when We remove his hardship, he just takes his way as though he had never prayed to Us in any hardship that afflicted him. This is how their deeds appear beautified to the transgressors.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Whenever someone is touched by hardship, they cry out to Us, whether lying on their side, sitting, or standing. But when We relieve their hardship, they return to their old ways as if they had never cried to Us to remove any hardship! This is how the misdeeds of the transgressors have been made appealing to them.

Ruwwad Translation Center

When hardship befalls man, he calls upon Us, whether lying on his side, sitting or standing. But when We remove his hardship, he turns a blind eye as though he had never called upon Us to remove his hardship. This is how the misdeeds of the transgressors are made appealing to them.

A. J. Arberry

When affliction visits a man, he calls Us on his side, or sitting, or standing; but when We have removed his affliction from him, he passes on, as if he never called Us to an affliction that visited him. So decked out fair to the prodigal is that they have been doing.

Abdul Haleem

When trouble befalls man he cries out to Us, whether lying on his side, sitting, or standing, but as soon as We relieve him of his trouble he goes on his way as if he had never cried out to Us to remove his trouble. In this way the deeds of such heedless people are made attractive to them.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And when harm toucheth man, he calleth us on his side, or sitting or standing; then when We have removed his harm from him, he passeth on as though he had never called Us to a harm that touched him. In this wise is made fairseeming unto the extravagant that which they have been working.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

When trouble toucheth a man, He crieth unto Us (in all postures)- lying down on his side, or sitting, or standing. But when We have solved his trouble, he passeth on his way as if he had never cried to Us for a trouble that touched him! thus do the deeds of transgressors seem fair in their eyes!

Abul Ala Maududi

And (such is man that) when an affliction befalls him, he cries out to Us, reclining and sitting and standing. But no sooner than We have removed his affliction, he passes on as though he had never cried out to Us to remove his affliction. Thus it is that the misdeeds of the transgressors are made fair-seeming to them.

Ahmed Ali

When man is afflicted with adversity he calls to Us, whether lying on his side, or sitting or standing. But when We take away his troubles, he moves away, as though he had never called to Us in affliction. In the same way, attractive have been made their deeds to the prodigals.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And when some hardship reaches man he prays to Us, while reclining and sitting and standing; and when We remove his hardship, he goes away as if he had never prayed to Us because of any hardship; this is how the deeds of the transgressors are made seeming good to them.

Ali Quli Qarai

When distress befalls man, he supplicates Us, [lying] on his side, sitting, or standing; but when We remove his distress, he passes on as if he had never supplicated Us concerning the distress that had befallen him. What they have been doing is thus presented as decorous to the transgressors.

Ali Ünal

When affliction befalls (such) a person, he invokes Us (in every situation), lying down on his side or sitting or standing; but when We remove his affliction from him, he goes his way as if he had never invoked us for an affliction that befell him. So to those wasteful ones (who have wasted their God-given faculties and committed excesses) are the things they have been doing decked out to be appealing.

Amatul Rahman Omar

When a person is in a certain affliction he calls on Us (lying) on his sides, or sitting or standing; but when We remove his affliction he passes on (with his face turned away) as if he had never called on Us for (the removal of) the affliction that befell him. Thus it is that their (base) doings are made fair seeming to these extravagant.

English Literal

And if the human (was) touched (by) the harm he called Us to his side or sitting or standing , so when We removed/uncovered from him his harm, he passed as if/though he did not call Us to harm (that) touched him,as/like that (it) was decorated/beautified to the spoilers/neglecters what they were making/doing .

Faridul Haque

And when some hardship reaches man he prays to Us, while reclining and sitting and standing; and when We remove his hardship, he goes away as if he had never prayed to Us because of any hardship; this is how the deeds of the transgressors are made seeming good to them.

Hamid S. Aziz

And if Allah should hasten for men the evil they earn, as they would fain hasten on the good, their respite would surely have expired. But We suffer those who look not for (or expect not) the meeting with Us to wander blindly on in their rebellion.

Hilali & Khan

And when harm touches man, he invokes Us, lying down on his side, or sitting or standing. But when We have removed his harm from him, he passes on his way as if he had never invoked Us for a harm that touched him! Thus it seems fair to the Musrifunthat which they used to do.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And if Allah were to hasten for men the (consequences of) evil, as they would hasten on the good, their doom would certainly have been decreed for them. But We leave those alone, who have no hope of meeting with Us, in their inordinacy, blindly wandering on.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And when affliction touches a man, he calls on Us, whether lying on his side or sitting or standing; but when We remove his affliction from him, he passes on as though he had never called on Us on account of an affliction that touched him; thus that which they do is made fair-seeming to the extravagant.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And if misfortune touch a man he crieth unto Us, (while reclining) on his side, or sitting or standing, but when We have relieved him of the misfortune he goeth his way as though he had not cried unto Us because of a misfortune that afflicted him. Thus is what they do made (seeming) fair unto the prodigal.

Muhammad Sarwar

When the human being is affected by hardship, he starts to pray while lying on his side, sitting or standing, but when We relieve him from hardship, he starts to act as though he had never prayed to Us to save him from the misfortune. This is how transgressors' deeds are made attractive to them.

Qaribullah & Darwish

When affliction befalls a man, he supplicates to Us (lying) on his side, sitting or standing. But as soon as We relieve him from his affliction, he continues (in the same way), as though he never supplicated to Us when harm touched him. So it is, that which the sinners were doing seem fairly decorated to them.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And when harm touches man, he invokes Us, lying on his side, or sitting or standing. But when We have removed his harm from him, he passes on as if he had never invoked Us for a harm that touched him! Thus it is made fair seeming to the wasteful that which they used to do.

Wahiduddin Khan

Whenever any trouble befalls a person, he prays to Us all the time, lying on his side, sitting or standing; but when We remove his trouble, he goes on his way as if he had never prayed to Us for the removal of his trouble. Thus it is that the doings of the transgressors are made to look fair to them.

Talal Itani

Whenever adversity touches the human being, he prays to Us—reclining on his side, or sitting, or standing. But when We have relieved his adversity from him, he goes away, as though he had never called on Us for trouble that had afflicted him. Thus the deeds of the transgressors appear good to them.

Tafsir jalalayn

If misfortune, illness or poverty, should befall a, disbelieving, man, he calls upon Us on his side, that is, lying down, or sitting or standing, in other words, in every state; but when We have relieved him of his misfortune, he passes on, in his unbelief, as if (ka-an is softened, its subject omitted, in other words [read as] ka-annahu) he had never called upon Us because of a misfortune that befell him. So, in the same way that supplication during misfortune and abstention [from supplication] in times of comfort were adorned for him, is adorned for the prodigal, the idolaters, that which they do.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Man remembers Allah at Times of Adversity and forgets Him at Times of Prosperity

Allah says;

وَإِذَا مَسَّ الاِنسَانَ الضُّرُّ دَعَانَا لِجَنبِهِ أَوْ قَاعِدًا أَوْ قَأيِمًا فَلَمَّا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُ ضُرَّهُ


And when harm touches man, he invokes Us, lying on his side, or sitting or standing. But when We have removed his harm from him,

Allah tells us about man and how he becomes annoyed and worried when he is touched with distress.

وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ فَذُو دُعَأءٍ عَرِيضٍ

but when evil touches him, then he has recourse to long supplications. (41;51)

`Long supplications' also means many supplications.

When man suffers adversity he becomes worried and anxious. So he supplicates more. He prays to Allah to lift and remove the adversity. He prays while standing, sitting or laying down. When Allah removes his adversity and lifts his distress, he turns away and becomes arrogant. He goes on as if nothing were wrong with him before.

مَرَّ كَأَن لَّمْ يَدْعُنَا إِلَى ضُرٍّ مَّسَّهُ

He passes on as if he had never invoked Us for a harm that touched him!

Allah then criticized and condemned those who have these qualities or act this way, so He said;

كَذَلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِلْمُسْرِفِينَ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ



Thus it is made fair seeming to the wasteful that which they used to do.

But those on whom Allah has bestowed good guidance and support are an exception.

إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ صَبَرُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّـلِحَاتِ

Except those who have patience believe and do righteous good deeds. (11;11)

The Prophet said;

عَجَبًا لاَِمْرِ الْمُوْمِنِ لَا يَقْضِي اللهُ لَهُ قَضَاءً إِلاَّ كَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ وَلَيْسَ ذَلِكَ لاَِحَدٍ إِلاَّ لِلْمُوْمِن

إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرَّاءُ فَصَبَرَ كَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ

وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ سَرَّاءُ فَشَكَرَ كَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ

How wonderful is the case of a believer; there is good for him in everything and this is not the case with anyone except a believer.

If prosperity attends him, he expresses gratitude to Allah, and that is good for him.

And if adversity befalls him, he endures it patiently and that is also good for him.