Al-Isra: (11) And man calls out for evil...

In this verse, there are several discussions:

First Discussion: The Connection (Nathm)

The connection here is that after God revealed the Qur'an to man and honored him with this great blessing and complete dignity, man might turn away from adhering to its laws and returning to its clear guidance, and instead rush toward what brings no benefit. This is why it is said: {And man calls out for evil just as he calls out for good}.

Second Discussion: The Meaning of Man Calling Out for Evil

There are differing opinions on the intended meaning of man calling out for evil:

First Opinion: It refers to Nadr ibn al-Harith. When he said, "O Allah, if this is the truth from You..." (Al-Anfal: 32), God answered his prayer by striking down his neck. Some people then used to say, "Bring us the punishment of God," or "When is this promise, if you are truthful?" They did this out of ignorance and the belief that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was lying about what he said.

Second Opinion: It means that in moments of distress, man curses himself, his family, his children, and his wealth. If his call for evil were answered just as his call for good is answered, he would perish. It is narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) handed a captive over to Sawdah bint Zam'ah. The captive began groaning at night. She asked him why he was groaning, and he complained of the pain of his fetters, so she loosened them for him. When she slept, he freed his hand and escaped. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) was informed, he prayed, "O Allah, cut off her hand." Sawdah raised her hand, expecting God to cut it off. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then said, "I asked God to make my prayer against anyone among my family who does not deserve punishment a mercy, because I am human, and I get angry as you get angry. So, let Sawdah put her hand down."

Third Opinion (My View): It is possible that the meaning is that man may exaggerate in his supplication seeking something he believes contains good for him, even though that thing is the source of his evil and harm. He exaggerates in seeking it due to his ignorance of the true nature of that thing. He undertakes such an action because he is hasty, deceived by the outward appearances of matters, and does not investigate their realities and secrets.

Fourth Discussion: The Orthography of {وَيَدْعُ} (And he calls out)

The standard grammatical form requires the inclusion of the wāw (و) in {وَيَدْعُ} (wa yad'u). However, it was omitted in the Uthmanic script (Mus'haf) because it is not pronounced. As for why it was omitted in writing but not in meaning, it is because it is in the nominative case (raf') position. Similar examples include: {سَنَدْعُ الزَّبَانِيَةَ} (We will call the stern angels) (Al-'Alaq: 18), {وَسَوْفَ يُؤْتِ اللَّهُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ} (And God will give the believers) (An-Nisa: 146), {وَيَوْمَ يُنَادِيهِمْ * الْمُنَادِ} (And the Day He will call them: The Caller) (Qaf: 41), and {فَمَا تُغْنِ النُّذُرُ} (Then what use are the warnings?) (Al-Qamar: 5). If the wāw and yā' were included, it would still be correct, according to Al-Farra'.

I say that this omission indicates that God has preserved this Glorious Qur'an from distortion and alteration. The inclusion of the yā' and wāw in most Qur'anic words and their omission in these specific instances demonstrate that this Qur'an was transmitted exactly as heard, and no one altered it based on their own understanding or intellectual capacity.

Then God Almighty said: {And man was ever hasty}

Regarding this "man" (al-insān), there are two views:

First Opinion: It refers to Adam (peace be upon him). This is because when the spirit reached his navel, he looked at his body and admired it. He tried to stand up but could not. This is the meaning of {And man was ever hasty}.

Second Opinion: It is a reference to the human species in general, as no human being is free from hastiness. If he were to abandon it, abandoning hastiness would be better for him in both religion and worldly affairs.

I say: Even if the intended meaning is the first opinion (Adam), the ultimate purpose reverts to the second opinion. If we take "man" to mean Adam, the progenitor of humanity, and he was characterized by this hastiness, then this trait must be an inherent characteristic of the entire species. Thus, the intended meaning returns to the second opinion. And God knows best.

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