Al-Qur'an Surah Az-Zumar Verse 49

Mufti Taqi Usmani

When man is visited by a trouble, he prays to Us, but when, after that, We favor him with some blessing from Us, he says, “This is given to me because of (my) knowledge.” No, but this is a trial, yet most of them do not know.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

When one is touched with hardship, they cry out to Us ˹alone˺. Then when We shower Our blessings upon them, they say, “I have been granted all this only because of ˹my˺ knowledge.” Not at all! It is ˹no more than˺ a test. But most of them do not know.

Ruwwad Translation Center

When adversity befalls man, he cries out to Us. Then when We grant him a favor from Us, he says, “I have been granted this only because of my knowledge.” It is rather a test, but most of them do not know.

A. J. Arberry

When some affliction visits a man, he calls unto Us; then, when We confer on him a blessing from Us, he says, 'I was given it only because of a knowledge.' Nay, it is a trial, but most of them do not know it.

Abdul Haleem

When man suffers some affliction, he cries out to Us, but when We favour him with Our blessing, he says, ‘All this has been given to me because of my knowledge’- it is only a test, though most of them do not know it.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

When hurt toucheth a man he calleth on us, and thereafter, when We have changed it Unto a favour from Us, he saith: have been given itso only by force of my knowledge. Aye! it is a trial, but most of them know not.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Now, when trouble touches man, he cries to Us; But when We bestow a favour upon him as from Ourselves, he says, "This has been given to me because of a certain knowledge (I have)!" Nay, but this is but a trial, but most of them understand not!

Abul Ala Maududi

When an affliction befalls man, he cries out to Us; but when We grant him a favour from Us, he says: “I have been granted this on account of my knowledge.” Nay; this (favour) is a test; but most of them do not know.

Ahmed Ali

When a man is in trouble, he prays to God; but when We bestow a favour on him he says: "It has come to me through my acumen." In fact, this is an illusion, but most men do not know.

Ahmed Raza Khan

So when some hardship reaches man, he prays to Us; then later when We bestow a favour upon him, he says, “I obtained this only because of some knowledge”; in fact it is a test, but most of them do not have any knowledge.

Ali Quli Qarai

When distress befalls man, he supplicates Us. Then, when We grant him a blessing from Us, he says, ‘I was given it by virtue of [my] knowledge.’ Indeed, it is a test, but most of them do not know.

Ali Ünal

When an affliction befalls human he calls upon Us (to save him). Then, when We (from sheer grace) have bestowed a favor upon him from Us, he says: "I have been given this only by virtue of a certain knowledge that I have." No, indeed. Rather, this (favor bestowed on human) is a trial, but most of them do not know.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And when harm afflicts a human being he calls upon Us. But when We confer Our favour on him he says, `I have been given this only on account of (my own) knowledge. It is not right, it is only a trial, yet most people do not know.

English Literal

So if harm touched the human/mankind he called Us, then if We gave him generously/granted him a blessing/goodness from Us, he said: "But/truly I got it on knowledge." But it is a test/allurement , and but most of them do not know.

Faridul Haque

So when some hardship reaches man, he prays to Us; then later when We bestow a favour upon him, he says, “I obtained this only because of some knowledge”; in fact it is a test, but most of them do not have any knowledge.

Hamid S. Aziz

Now when harm afflicts a man he calls upon Us; then, when We give him a favour from Us, he says, "I have been given it only by means of knowledge." Nay, it is a trial, but most of them know not.

Hilali & Khan

When harm touches man, he calls to Us (for help), then when We have (rescued him from that harm and) changed it into a favour from Us, he says: "Only because of knowledge (that I possess) I obtained it." Nay, it is only a trial, but most of them know not!

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And the evil of what they wrought will become plain to them, and that which they mocked at will beset them.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

So when harm afflicts a man he calls upon Us; then, when We give him a favor from Us, he says: I have been given it only by means of knowledge. Nay, it is a trial, but most of them do not know.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Now when hurt toucheth a man he crieth unto Us, and afterward when We have granted him a boon from Us, he saith: Only by force of knowledge I obtained it. Nay, but it is a test. But most of them know not.

Muhammad Sarwar

When the human being is afflicted with hardship, he cries out to us for help. When We grant him a favor, he says, "I knew that I deserved it." In fact, it is only a test for him, but most people do not know this.

Qaribullah & Darwish

When an affliction befalls a human he calls upon Us, but when We confer Our Favor on him, he says: 'I have only been given it on account of knowledge. 'Rather, it is but a trial, yet most do not know.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

When harm touches man, he calls to Us (for help); then when We have changed it into a favor from Us, he says: "Only because of knowledge I obtained it." Nay, it is only a trial, but most of them know not!

Wahiduddin Khan

When affliction befalls man, he appeals to Us; but when We bestow a favour upon him he says, "All this has been given to me because of my own knowledge." By no means! It is a trial: yet most of them do not realize it.

Talal Itani

When adversity touches the human being, he calls on Us. But then, when We favor him with a blessing from Us, he says, “I have attained this by virtue of my knowledge.” However, it is a test, but most of them do not know.

Tafsir jalalayn

So when some distress befalls man (al-insn, here a generic), he supplicates Us. Then, when We bestow on him a grace from Us, he says, `I was given it merely by force of knowledge', from God that I was deserving of it. Nay, but it, this saying, is a trial, a test by which servants are tested. But most of them do not know, that such bestowal [of grace] is a way of drawing [them] on and a test [of their faith].

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

How Man changes when He is blessed after suffering Harm

Allah tells,

فَإِذَا مَسَّ الاْإِنسَانَ ضُرٌّ دَعَانَا ثُمَّ إِذَا خَوَّلْنَاهُ نِعْمَةً 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 عِلْمٍ

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;

بَلْ هِيَ فِتْنَةٌ

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 أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ



but most of them know not!

So they say what they say and claim what they claim