He said to his companion, conversing with him, ‘Do you disbelieve in He who created you from dust, then from a drop of fluid, and then formed you into a man?’
But as for me, He is Allah, my Lord, and I do not worship any one besides my Lord.
Why did you not say, when you entered your garden, ‘This is what Allah has willed, and there is no power except by Allah’s help’? Although you see that I have less wealth and children than you.
It may be that my Lord will give me something better than your garden, and will send upon it torment from heaven, so it will become a slippery, plantless land, or its water will sink into the ground, so you will never be able to seek it out. [Surah al-Kahf: 37-41]
Tafsir
Admonition & Warning
The following ayat present what the believing man said to the owner of the two gardens, who was ungrateful to Allah’s blessings on him.
He said to his companion, conversing with him, ‘Do you disbelieve in He who created you from dust, then from a drop of fluid, and then formed you into a man? [37]
The poor believing man replied to the owner of the two gardens, who denied resurrection on the Day of Judgment, and was ungrateful to Allah, who granted him the wealth he was enjoying. He said, ‘Do you disbelieve in Allah, who created Adam, your first father, from dust, and then created you by means of sexual reproduction, and formed you into a man in the best form?
Do you disbelieve in He who created you from dust, then from a drop of fluid, and then formed you into a man?
The interrogation indicates disapproval and astonishment. That is because knowing that Allah is the Creator necessitates worshipping Him alone sincerely and thanking Him for His blessings. In another ayah, Allah says,
How do you disbelieve in Allah, seeing that you were dead, then He gave you life, then He will cause you to die, then He will bring you back to life, and then you will be returned to Him? [Surah al-Baqarah: 28]
How could you disbelieve in Allah though proofs denoting His existence are clear, and self-evident? There is no created being but knows that he was nothing, and then was created, and his existence does not depend on any other created being because it is created just like him. Therefore, it becomes clear that there is a Creator, Allah, who created everything.
Then, the righteous man courageously declares his position.
But as for me, He is Allah, my Lord, and I do not worship any one besides my Lord. [38]
O disbeliever! While you have disbelieved in Allah, who created you and formed you into a man, I will never disbelieve in Allah. I believe in Him and worship Him alone.
In this manner, the glory of faith powerfully emerges. It does not care for wealth, supporters, nor pride. It also does not declare the truth hesitatingly, nor does it try to flatter the companion at the expense of the truth. In this manner, the believing man believes that he is noble before prestige and wealth, and that attaining Allah’s reward is better than all worldly life enjoyments. He believes that Allah’s bounty is great. He also believes that Allah’s wrath against the arrogant people is also great, and will imminently befall them.
The believer guided his disbelieving fellow to what he should say when entering his gardens.
Why did you not say, when you entered your garden, ‘This is what Allah has willed, and there is no power except by Allah’s help’? Although you see that I have less wealth and children than you. [39]
This is exhortation and admonition. The believer said to the owner of the gardens, ‘When you entered your garden, looked at, and admired it, why you did not thank Allah for His blessings, and the wealth and offspring that He granted to you. Why did you not say, ‘This is what Allah has willed for me, and I have no power except by Allah’s help?’’
Some of the righteous predecessors said, ‘If one admires anything of his condition, health, or wealth, he should say, ‘This is what Allah has willed for me, and I have no power except by Allah’s help.’
The believer wants to teach the owner of the two gardens how to react to Allah’s blessings by attributing them to their giver, Allah. That is because a person enjoying a blessing does not play any role in obtaining it; rather, Allah is its giver. Gardens and orchard, how do they come? They grow on the land that Allah created. When the person cultivates it with a plow, Allah has granted him this blessing. Allah also has granted him the power he uses to work, and He may take it at any time. This will render the person weak and unable to do anything. Hence, all blessings come from Allah.
After exhorting and admonishing the owner of the gardens, the righteous believer replied to the conceit and pride of his fellow.
It may be that my Lord will give me something better than your garden, and will send upon it torment from heaven, so it will become a slippery, plantless land, or its water will sink into the ground, so you will never be able to seek it out. [40-41]
O conceited one! Although I have less wealth and offspring than yours, I hope that Allah, the Omnipotent, will give me something that better than your garden, and will send upon it torment on your garden, so it will be slippery, plantless ground. It may be that Allah will make water in your garden sink into the ground, so you will never be able to seek it out. No one can give you water but Allah.
In other words, the disbeliever’s garden will become useless. It will be destroyed by either heavenly torment or a calamity.
Then the ayat conclude the story of the owner of the two gardens by mentioning the evil end that the conceited, ungrateful owner of the gardens suffered.
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