Intermediate
Al-Alaq
Surah: Al-Alaq (6)
Man Transgresses When He Considers Himself Self-Sufficient — The Wealth That Blinds
إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ لَيَطۡغَىٰٓ أَن رَّءَاهُ ٱسۡتَغۡنَىٰٓ
— العلق الآية 6
Verses: "No! Indeed, man transgresses (6) because he sees himself self-sufficient (7) Indeed, to your Lord is the return"
Reflection:
After commanding reading and learning, the surah warns about knowledge coupled with blinding wealth: when a person sees himself self-sufficient — through wealth, knowledge, or status — he transgresses. Learning without humility corrupts its possessor.
"Because he sees himself self-sufficient": Merely the perception — not actual pure wealth — is the cause of transgression. One instilled with the delusion that he is complete and self-sufficient is more dangerous than one who acknowledges his need.
"Indeed, to your Lord is the return": The response comes brief and decisive — no matter how sufficient you consider yourself, the return is to Him. Neither kingdom nor wealth crosses into the afterlife.
Al-Sadi said: "Transgression: exceeding the limit in disobedience and oppression — its cause is self-sufficiency, which deludes a person into thinking he needs neither Allah nor fears His punishment."
Lesson: Beware of psychological self-sufficiency — when you feel you do not need Allah because you have achieved what you wanted, that is the beginning of transgression.
Reflection:
After commanding reading and learning, the surah warns about knowledge coupled with blinding wealth: when a person sees himself self-sufficient — through wealth, knowledge, or status — he transgresses. Learning without humility corrupts its possessor.
"Because he sees himself self-sufficient": Merely the perception — not actual pure wealth — is the cause of transgression. One instilled with the delusion that he is complete and self-sufficient is more dangerous than one who acknowledges his need.
"Indeed, to your Lord is the return": The response comes brief and decisive — no matter how sufficient you consider yourself, the return is to Him. Neither kingdom nor wealth crosses into the afterlife.
Al-Sadi said: "Transgression: exceeding the limit in disobedience and oppression — its cause is self-sufficiency, which deludes a person into thinking he needs neither Allah nor fears His punishment."
Lesson: Beware of psychological self-sufficiency — when you feel you do not need Allah because you have achieved what you wanted, that is the beginning of transgression.
Source: Al-Sadi, Taysir Al-Karim; Ibn Kathir (8/450)
Test Yourself
What does Surah Al-Alaq identify as the cause of transgression?
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