Al-An'am (The Cattle): (53) And thus We have tried some of them by others...

Issues Discussed Here:

It is established in this verse that everyone is tested by their counterpart.

1. The Test for the Chiefs of the Disbelievers: The wealthy leaders among the disbelievers envied the poor Companions because the latter were early adopters and swift in accepting Islam. They felt that if they converted, they would be obliged to follow and acknowledge the subservience of these poor, miserable people, which was difficult for them to accept.
   • This is similar to His saying: {Is it to him among us that Allah has singled out?} (Al-Qamar: 25) and {If only the Qur'an had been sent down to one of the two great men of the two towns} (Al-Ahqaf: 11).

2. The Test for the Poor Companions: The poor Companions observed those disbelievers enjoying comfort, pleasure, abundance, ease, and prosperity. They wondered how these blessings came to those people while they remained in hardship, constriction, and scarcity.

3. The Divine Response: Allah said: {And thus We have tried some of them by others}.
   • One group sees the other group as superior in religious standing.
   • The other group sees the first group as superior in worldly standing.
   • They would then question: "Are these the ones whom Allah has favored over us?"

4. The Position of the Verifiers (Muhaqqiqūn): The true scholars know that everything Allah does is true, just, wise, and correct, and it is not subject to objection—either by the judgment of the Owner (as our companions [Ashā'irites] hold) or according to what serves the public interest (as the Mu'tazilites hold).
   • Therefore, they remain patient during affliction and thankful during times of ease and blessings. Regarding them, Allah says: {Is not Allah most knowing of those who are grateful?}

Our companions (Ashā'irites) use this verse as evidence in the issue of the creation of actions, from two perspectives:

1. The First Argument: His saying {And thus We have tried some of them by others} explicitly states that the casting of this trial/temptation (fitna) comes from Allah. The intended meaning of this fitna is their objection to Allah for making those poor people leaders in religion. Objecting to Allah is disbelief (kufr), which indicates that Allah is the Creator of disbelief.

2. The Second Argument: Allah recounts their statement: {Are these the ones whom Allah has favored over us?} The phrase {favored over us} means Allah favored them with faith in Allah and following the Messenger. This indicates that these matters (faith) originate only from Allah. If the servant were the creator of faith, then Allah would not have favored the servant with this faith; rather, the servant would have favored himself with it.

Thus, this verse serves as proof for our position on this issue from these two angles.

The Response of the Jubbā'ī: He argued that the fitna in obligation (taklīf) is what necessitates severity. We did this so that they might say, "Are these people?"—meaning, one group asking another in inquiry, not in denial: "Are these the ones whom Allah has favored with faith?"

The Response of Al-Ka'bī: He argued that {And thus We have tried some of them by others} was so that they might be patient or thankful. The consequence of their affair was that they said, {Are these the ones whom Allah has favored over us?}, similar to His saying: {So Pharaoh's people picked him up, [as an enemy and a source of grief] for him} (Al-Qasas: 8).

The Refutation of Both Responses: They are turning away from the apparent meaning without evidence, especially since rational proof supports the apparent meaning. This is because witnessing these circumstances naturally provokes arrogance (anfah), and arrogance leads to disobedience and persistence in disbelief. Since the cause of the cause is also a cause, the obligation [for Allah to create the disbelief] is established. And Allah knows best.

There are several ways to understand how some were tested by others:

1. First Way: Wealth and poverty were the causes that brought about this testing, as we mentioned in the story of Noah (peace be upon him), and as stated in the story of the people of Salih: {And the arrogant ones among his people said to those who were deemed weak, "Indeed, we have disbelieved in that which you have believed"} (Al-A'raf: 76).

2. Second Way: The trial of the noble by the lowly.

3. Third Way: The trial of the intelligent by the simple-minded.

In summary, attributes of perfection are varied and unequal; they never gather in a single person. Rather, they are distributed among creation. Since attributes of perfection are intrinsically desirable, everyone envies their counterpart for the perfections Allah has bestowed upon them.

However, whoever knows the secret of Allah in decree and predestination is content with their own portion, refrains from criticizing creation, and lives a good life in this world and the Hereafter. And Allah knows best.

Hishām ibn al-Ḥakam argued that Allah does not know the particulars except when they occur. He used this verse as proof, because iftitān (testing/trying) is examination and trial, which is only valid for seeking knowledge and receiving an answer. This response has been given multiple times previously.

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