Tafsir of Fussilat 41:49-50

{From calling for good} Meaning: seeking abundance in wealth and blessings. Ibn Mas‘ud recited: "From calling for good."

{But if evil touches him} Meaning: hardship and poverty.

{Then he is despairing, despondent} Exaggeration is employed here in two ways: through the morphological form fa‘ūl (intensive), and through the repetition (of the meaning). Qunūṭ (despondency) is when the signs of despair appear upon a person, causing them to shrink and become broken-spirited. That is: he severs hope from the grace and mercy of Allah. This is the attribute of the disbeliever, as evidenced by the Almighty’s saying: {O my sons, go and find out about Joseph and his brother and despair not of the mercy of Allah} (Yusuf: 87).

{He says, "This is for me"} Meaning: This is a right that has reached me because I deserved it due to the goodness, merit, and righteous deeds I possess. Or: "This is mine and will not depart from me." Similar to this is the Almighty’s saying: {But when good came to them, they said, "This is ours"} (Al-A‘raf: 131).

{And I do not think the Hour will be established} {We assume only assumption, and we are not convinced} (Al-Jathiya: 32). He means: I do not think it will ever occur.

{And if I should be brought back to my Lord, indeed, there will be for me with Him the best} Meaning: the best state of honor and blessing, measuring the affairs of the Hereafter by the affairs of this world.

It is said by some: The disbeliever has two wishes. He says in this world: "If I am returned to my Lord, indeed, I will have the best with Him." And he says in the Hereafter: "Oh, I wish I were dust." It is also said that this was revealed regarding Al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah.

{Then We will surely inform those who disbelieved about what they did} We will inform them of the reality of the deeds they performed, which necessitate punishment. We will show them the opposite of what they believed—that they deserved honor and proximity to Allah for those deeds. {And We will approach what they have done of deeds and make them as dust dispersed} (Al-Furqan: 23). This is because they used to spend their wealth to be seen by people, seeking pride and arrogance, nothing else. They used to think that their state was the cause of their wealth and health, and that they were entitled to it.

{And when We bestow favor upon man, he turns away and distances himself; but when evil touches him, then he is full of extensive supplication.}