Tafsir of Fussilat 41:51

"And when We bestow favor upon man, he turns away and distances himself..."

This is another manifestation of human tyranny. When God touches him with a blessing, he becomes insolent due to that blessing, as if he had never encountered misery at all. Thus, he forgets the Bestower and turns away from thanking Him.

{ ونأى بجانبه } (And he distances himself): Meaning he goes off with his own self, acting arrogantly and haughtily.

"But when evil touches him, he is full of extensive supplication." He begins to beseech and implore. The term "extensive" (‘arīd) is metaphorically applied to the frequency and continuity of his supplication. This is a term usually reserved for physical bodies, just as "length" is metaphorically applied to it, and "thickness" is used to describe the intensity of punishment.

Note on recitation: It is read as wa-na’a bi-jānibihi with imāla (inclination) of the alif and a kasra under the nūn for the sake of phonetic harmony (ittibā‘), similar to the transformation of rā’a into ra’i.

Question: Clarify for me the meaning of His saying: { ونأى بجانبه }?

Answer: There are two interpretations:

1. The side (jānib) is used in place of the self (nafs): As we mentioned regarding His saying: “For what I neglected in the side (jamb) of Allah” (Az-Zumar: 56). The place or direction of a thing is treated as the thing itself. From this is the poet’s saying: "And I warded off from him the place of the wolf," meaning: I warded off the wolf itself. Also: "For he who fears the standing (maqām) of his Lord," and the scribes’ usage: "I attended the presence of so-and-so and his assembly," or "I wrote to his direction and his noble side," meaning his person and essence. It is as if He said: "He distanced himself," similar to how they say of an arrogant person: "He went off with his own self," or "Pride took him in every direction," or "Pride swept him away."

2. The side (jānib) refers to the flank (‘itf): This is an expression for turning away and shunning, as they say: "He folded his flank" (meaning he turned away) or "He turned away with his corner."

{ Say, "Have you considered: if it is from Allah and you disbelieved in it, who is more astray than one who is in far dissension?" }