Tafsir of Al-A'raf 7:130

{بِالسِّنِينَ} By the years of drought. "Al-Sana" (the year) is among the nouns that have become dominant [in usage for a specific meaning], like "al-dābbah" (the beast) and "al-najm" (the star) and the like. They have derived from it, saying: "asnata al-qawm" (the people suffered a year of drought), meaning they were afflicted with drought.

Ibn ʿAbbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said: As for the years [of drought], they were for their Bedouins and livestock owners, while the shortage of fruits was in their cities.

Kaʿb said: A time will come upon people when a palm tree will bear only a single date.

{لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ} So that they may be reminded and become aware that this is due to their persistence in disbelief and their denial of the signs of Allah. This is because people, in times of hardship, are more humble in their demeanor, more yielding in their disposition, and softer in their hearts.

It is said: Pharaoh lived for four hundred years and did not experience any adversity for three hundred and twenty years. Had he been afflicted during that period with pain, hunger, or fever, he would not have claimed divinity.

{فَإِذَا جَاءَتْهُمُ الْحَسَنَةُ قَالُوا لَنَا هَذِهِ وَإِنْ تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَطَّيَّرُوا بِمُوسَى وَمَنْ مَعَهُ أَلَا إِنَّمَا طَائِرُهُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ}