ﲎ ﲏ ﲐ ﲑ ﲒ ﲓ ﲔ ﲕ ﲖ ﲗ ﲘ ﲙ ﲚ ﲛ ﲜ ﲝ ﲞ ﲟ ﲠ ﲡ ﲢ ﲣ ﲤ ﲥ ﲦ ﲧ ﲨ ﲩ
And when affliction touches man, he calls upon Us, whether lying on his side or sitting or standing; but when We remove from him his affliction, he continues [in disobedience] as if he had never called upon Us to [remove] an affliction that touched him. Thus is made pleasing to the transgressors that which they have been doing
Tafsir
Verse range: 10:12
{لجنبه} (On his side): This is in the position of a state (ḥāl), evidenced by the two subsequent states being conjoined to it. That is: "He calls upon Us while lying on his side, {or sitting, or standing}."
If you ask: What is the benefit of mentioning these specific states? I reply: The meaning is that the afflicted person does not cease calling out; he does not slacken in his supplication until the harm is removed from him. He calls upon Us in all his states: whether he is lying down—incapable of rising, weak, and unable to move—or sitting—unable to stand—or standing—unable to walk. He remains in a state of agitation until he is fully relieved, granted complete health, and restored to his full state of well-being.
It is also possible that the intent is to categorize the afflicted: some are in a more severe state, such as the bedridden; others are in a lighter state, such as those able to sit; and others are able to stand. Yet, all of them are in need of supplication and the warding off of calamity.
{مر} (He passed on): That is, he continued on his previous path from before the harm touched him, and he forgot the state of distress. Or, he passed away from the position of supplication and humility, never returning to it, as if he had no prior commitment to it.
{كأن لم يدعنا} (As if he had not called upon Us): It is as if he had not called upon Us. The nūn is lightened, and the pronoun of the matter (ḍamīr al-sha’n) is omitted. As the poet said: As if his two breasts were two small boxes.
{كذلك} (Thus): Like that embellishment, {it was made fair-seeming to the transgressors}. Satan made it fair-seeming through his whispering, or God did so by abandoning them and leaving them to themselves, {what they used to do} of turning away from the Reminder and following their desires.
{And We destroyed the generations before you when they did wrong, and their messengers came to them with clear proofs, but they were not to believe. Thus do We recompense the criminal people. Then We made you successors in the earth after them, that We might see how you act.}
