Quran Verses about Calamity and affliction

وَمَآ أَصَٰبَكُمۡ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡتَقَى ٱلۡجَمۡعَانِ فَبِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِ وَلِيَعۡلَمَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ١٦٦

Wa mā aṣābakum yawmal-taqal-jamʿāni fabiʾidhnillāhi waliyaʿlamal-muʾminīn.

And what struck you on the day the two armies met [at Uḥud] was by permission of Allāh that He might make evident the [true] believers

أَيۡنَمَا تَكُونُواْ يُدۡرِككُّمُ ٱلۡمَوۡتُ وَلَوۡ كُنتُمۡ فِي بُرُوجٖ مُّشَيَّدَةٖۗ وَإِن تُصِبۡهُمۡ حَسَنَةٞ يَقُولُواْ هَٰذِهِۦ مِنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِۖ وَإِن تُصِبۡهُمۡ سَيِّئَةٞ يَقُولُواْ هَٰذِهِۦ مِنۡ عِندِكَۚ قُلۡ كُلّٞ مِّنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِۖ فَمَالِ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ لَا يَكَادُونَ يَفۡقَهُونَ حَدِيثٗا ٧٨

Aynamā takūnū yudrikkumul-mawtu wa law kuntum fī burūjim mushayyadah, wa in tuṣibhum ḥasanatuy yaqūlū hādhihī min ʿindillāh, wa in tuṣibhum sayyiʾatuy yaqūlū hādhihī min ʿindik, qul kullum min ʿindillāh, famāli hāʾulāʾil-qawmi lā yakādūna yafqahūna ḥadīthā.

Wherever you may be, death will overtake you, even if you should be within towers of lofty construction. But if good comes to them, they say, "This is from Allāh"; and if evil befalls them, they say,¹ "This is from you." Say, "All [things] are from Allāh." So what is [the matter] with those people that they can hardly understand any statement?

قُل لَّن يُصِيبَنَآ إِلَّا مَا كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَنَا هُوَ مَوۡلَىٰنَاۚ وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَلۡيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ ٥١

Qul lay yuṣībanā illā mā kataballāhu lanā huwa mawlānā, wa ʿalallāhi falyatawakkalil-muʾminūn.

Say, "Never will we be struck except by what Allāh has decreed for us; He is our protector." And upon Allāh let the believers rely.

مَآ أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٖ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا فِيٓ أَنفُسِكُمۡ إِلَّا فِي كِتَٰبٖ مِّن قَبۡلِ أَن نَّبۡرَأَهَآۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرٞ ٢٢

Mā aṣāba mim muṣībatin fil-arḍi wa lā fī anfusikum illā fī kitābim min qabli an nabraʾahā, inna dhālika ʿalallāhi yasīr.

No disaster strikes upon the earth or among yourselves except that it is in a register¹ before We bring it into being - indeed that, for Allāh, is easy -

لِّكَيۡلَا تَأۡسَوۡاْ عَلَىٰ مَا فَاتَكُمۡ وَلَا تَفۡرَحُواْ بِمَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمۡۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخۡتَالٖ فَخُورٍ ٢٣

Likaylā taʾsaw ʿalā mā fātakum wa lā tafraḥū bimā ātākum, wallāhu lā yuḥibbu kulla mukhtālin fakhūr.

In order that you not despair over what has eluded you and not exult [in pride] over what He has given you. And Allāh does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful -

مَآ أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِۗ وَمَن يُؤۡمِنۢ بِٱللَّهِ يَهۡدِ قَلۡبَهُۥۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ عَلِيمٞ ١١

Mā aṣāba mim muṣībatin illā biʾidhnillāh, wa may yuʾmim billāhi yahdi qalbah, wallāhu bikulli shayʾin ʿalīm.

No disaster strikes except by permission of Allāh. And whoever believes in Allāh - He will guide his heart. And Allāh is Knowing of all things.

أَوَلَمَّآ أَصَٰبَتۡكُم مُّصِيبَةٞ قَدۡ أَصَبۡتُم مِّثۡلَيۡهَا قُلۡتُمۡ أَنَّىٰ هَٰذَاۖ قُلۡ هُوَ مِنۡ عِندِ أَنفُسِكُمۡۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدِيرٞ ١٦٥

Awalammā aṣābatkum muṣībatun qad aṣabtum mithlayhā qultum annā hādhā, qul huwa min ʿindi anfusikum, innallāha ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīr.

Why [is it that] when a [single] disaster struck you [on the day of Uḥud], although you had struck [the enemy in the battle of Badr] with one twice as great, you said, "From where is this?" Say, "It is from yourselves [i.e., due to your sin]." Indeed, Allāh is over all things competent.

فَكَيۡفَ إِذَآ أَصَٰبَتۡهُم مُّصِيبَةُۢ بِمَا قَدَّمَتۡ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ ثُمَّ جَآءُوكَ يَحۡلِفُونَ بِٱللَّهِ إِنۡ أَرَدۡنَآ إِلَّآ إِحۡسَٰنٗا وَتَوۡفِيقًا ٦٢

Fakayfa idhā aṣābathum muṣībatum bimā qaddamat aydīhim thumma jāʾūka yaḥlifūna billāhi in aradnā illā iḥsānaw wa tawfīqā.

So how [will it be] when disaster strikes them because of what their hands have put forth and then they come to you swearing by Allāh, "We intended nothing but good conduct and accommodation."

مَّآ أَصَابَكَ مِنۡ حَسَنَةٖ فَمِنَ ٱللَّهِۖ وَمَآ أَصَابَكَ مِن سَيِّئَةٖ فَمِن نَّفۡسِكَۚ وَأَرۡسَلۡنَٰكَ لِلنَّاسِ رَسُولٗاۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ شَهِيدٗا ٧٩

Mā aṣābaka min ḥasanatin faminallāh, wa mā aṣābaka min sayyiʾatin famin nafsik, wa arsalnāka lin-nāsi rasūlā, wa kafā billāhi shahīdā.

What comes to you of good is from Allāh, but what comes to you of evil, [O man], is from yourself.¹ And We have sent you, [O Muḥammad], to the people as a messenger, and sufficient is Allāh as Witness.²

وَلَوۡلَآ أَن تُصِيبَهُم مُّصِيبَةُۢ بِمَا قَدَّمَتۡ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ فَيَقُولُواْ رَبَّنَا لَوۡلَآ أَرۡسَلۡتَ إِلَيۡنَا رَسُولٗا فَنَتَّبِعَ ءَايَٰتِكَ وَنَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ٤٧

Wa lawlā an tuṣībahum muṣībatum bimā qaddamat aydīhim fayaqūlū rabbanā lawlā arsalta ilaynā rasūlan fanattabiʿa āyātika wa nakūna minal-muʾminīn.

And if not that a disaster should strike them for what their hands put forth [of sins] and they would say, "Our Lord, why did You not send us a messenger so we could have followed Your verses and been among the believers?"...¹

ظَهَرَ ٱلۡفَسَادُ فِي ٱلۡبَرِّ وَٱلۡبَحۡرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتۡ أَيۡدِي ٱلنَّاسِ لِيُذِيقَهُم بَعۡضَ ٱلَّذِي عَمِلُواْ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَرۡجِعُونَ ٤١

Ẓaharal-fasādu fil-barri wal-baḥri bimā kasabat aydin-nāsi liyudhīqahum baʿḍal-ladhī ʿamilū laʿallahum yarjiʿūn.

Corruption has appeared throughout the land and sea by [reason of] what the hands of people have earned so He [i.e., Allāh] may let them taste part of [the consequence of] what they have done that perhaps they will return [to righteousness].

وَمَآ أَصَٰبَكُم مِّن مُّصِيبَةٖ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتۡ أَيۡدِيكُمۡ وَيَعۡفُواْ عَن كَثِيرٖ ٣٠

Wa mā aṣābakum mim muṣībatin fabimā kasabat aydīkum wa yaʿfū ʿan kathīr.

And whatever strikes you of disaster - it is for what your hands have earned; but He pardons much.

وَلَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَآ إِلَىٰٓ أُمَمٖ مِّن قَبۡلِكَ فَأَخَذۡنَٰهُم بِٱلۡبَأۡسَآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَضَرَّعُونَ ٤٢

Wa laqad arsalnā ilā umamim min qablika fa akhadhnāhum bil-baʾsāʾi waḍ-ḍarrāʾi laʿallahum yataḍarraʿūn.

And We have already sent [messengers] to nations before you, [O Muḥammad]; then We seized them with poverty and hardship that perhaps they might humble themselves [to Us].

وَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَا فِي قَرۡيَةٖ مِّن نَّبِيٍّ إِلَّآ أَخَذۡنَآ أَهۡلَهَا بِٱلۡبَأۡسَآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَضَّرَّعُونَ ٩٤

Wa mā arsalnā fī qaryatim min nabiyyin illā akhadhnā ahlahā bil-baʾsāʾi waḍ-ḍarrāʾi laʿallahum yaḍḍarraʿūn.

And We sent to no city a prophet [who was denied] except that We seized its people with poverty and hardship that they might humble themselves [to Allāh].

وَلَقَدۡ أَخَذۡنَآ ءَالَ فِرۡعَوۡنَ بِٱلسِّنِينَ وَنَقۡصٖ مِّنَ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَذَّكَّرُونَ ١٣٠

Wa laqad akhadhnā āla firʿawna bis-sinīna wa naqṣim minath-thamarāti laʿallahum yadhdhakkarūn.

And We certainly seized¹ the people of Pharaoh with years of famine and a deficiency in fruits that perhaps they would be reminded.

وَلَنُذِيقَنَّهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡعَذَابِ ٱلۡأَدۡنَىٰ دُونَ ٱلۡعَذَابِ ٱلۡأَكۡبَرِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَرۡجِعُونَ ٢١

Wa lanudhīqannahum minal-ʿadhābil-adnā dūnal-ʿadhābil-akbari laʿallahum yarjiʿūn.

And We will surely let them taste the nearer punishment¹ short of the greater punishment that perhaps they will return [i.e., repent].

وَلَنَبۡلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيۡءٖ مِّنَ ٱلۡخَوۡفِ وَٱلۡجُوعِ وَنَقۡصٖ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡوَٰلِ وَٱلۡأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ ١٥٥

Wa lanabluwannakum bishayʾim minal-khawfi wal-jūʿi wa naqṣim minal-amwāli wal-anfusi wath-thamarāt, wa bashshiriṣ-ṣābirīn.

And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient,

ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَٰبَتۡهُم مُّصِيبَةٞ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيۡهِ رَٰجِعُونَ ١٥٦

Al-ladhīna idhā aṣābathum muṣībatun qālū innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rājiʿūn.

Who, when disaster strikes them, say, "Indeed we belong to Allāh, and indeed to Him we will return."

أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ صَلَوَٰتٞ مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡ وَرَحۡمَةٞۖ وَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُهۡتَدُونَ ١٥٧

Ulāʾika ʿalayhim ṣalawātum mir rabbihim wa raḥmah, wa ulāʾika humul-muhtadūn.

Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided.

۞ إِذۡ تُصۡعِدُونَ وَلَا تَلۡوُۥنَ عَلَىٰٓ أَحَدٖ وَٱلرَّسُولُ يَدۡعُوكُمۡ فِيٓ أُخۡرَىٰكُمۡ فَأَثَٰبَكُمۡ غَمَّۢا بِغَمّٖ لِّكَيۡلَا تَحۡزَنُواْ عَلَىٰ مَا فَاتَكُمۡ وَلَا مَآ أَصَٰبَكُمۡۗ وَٱللَّهُ خَبِيرُۢ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ ١٥٣

Idh tuṣʿidūna wa lā talwūna ʿalā aḥadiw war-rasūlu yadʿūkum fī ukhrākum fa athābakum ghammam bighammil likaylā taḥzanū ʿalā mā fātakum wa lā mā aṣābakum, wallāhu khabīrum bimā taʿmalūn.

[Remember] when you [fled and] climbed [the mountain] without looking aside at anyone while the Messenger was calling you from behind. So Allāh repaid you with distress upon distress so you would not grieve for that which had escaped you [of victory and spoils of war] or [for] that which had befallen you [of injury and death]. And Allāh is [fully] Aware of what you do.

قَالَ بَلۡ سَوَّلَتۡ لَكُمۡ أَنفُسُكُمۡ أَمۡرٗاۖ فَصَبۡرٞ جَمِيلٌۖ عَسَى ٱللَّهُ أَن يَأۡتِيَنِي بِهِمۡ جَمِيعًاۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ ٨٣

Qāla bal sawwalat lakum anfusukum amrā, faṣabrun jamīl, ʿasallāhu ay yaʾtiyanī bihim jamīʿā, innahū huwal-ʿalīmul-ḥakīm.

[Jacob] said, "Rather, your souls have enticed you to something, so patience is most fitting. Perhaps Allāh will bring them to me all together. Indeed, it is He who is the Knowing, the Wise."

قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أَشۡكُواْ بَثِّي وَحُزۡنِيٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَأَعۡلَمُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ ٨٦

Qāla innamā ashkū baththī wa ḥuznī ilallāhi wa aʿlamu minallāhi mā lā taʿlamūn.

He said, "I only complain of my suffering and my grief to Allāh, and I know from Allāh that which you do not know.

ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ ٱللَّهُ وَجِلَتۡ قُلُوبُهُمۡ وَٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ عَلَىٰ مَآ أَصَابَهُمۡ وَٱلۡمُقِيمِي ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَمِمَّا رَزَقۡنَٰهُمۡ يُنفِقُونَ ٣٥

Al-ladhīna idhā dhukirallāhu wajilat qulūbuhum waṣ-ṣābirīna ʿalā mā aṣābahum wal-muqīmiṣ-ṣalāti wa mimmā razaqnāhum yunfiqūn.

Who, when Allāh is mentioned, their hearts are fearful, and [to] the patient over what has afflicted them, and the establishers of prayer and those who spend from what We have provided them.

وَإِذَا مَسَّ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ ٱلضُّرُّ دَعَانَا لِجَنۢبِهِۦٓ أَوۡ قَاعِدًا أَوۡ قَآئِمٗا فَلَمَّا كَشَفۡنَا عَنۡهُ ضُرَّهُۥ مَرَّ كَأَن لَّمۡ يَدۡعُنَآ إِلَىٰ ضُرّٖ مَّسَّهُۥۚ كَذَٰلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِلۡمُسۡرِفِينَ مَا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ ١٢

Wa idhā massal-insānaḍ-ḍurru daʿānā lijanbihī aw qāʿidan aw qāʾiman falammā kashafnā ʿanhu ḍurrahū marra kaʾal lam yadʿunā ilā ḍurrim massah, kadhālika zuyyina lil-musrifīna mā kānū yaʿmalūn.

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.

وَإِذَآ أَذَقۡنَا ٱلنَّاسَ رَحۡمَةٗ فَرِحُواْ بِهَاۖ وَإِن تُصِبۡهُمۡ سَيِّئَةُۢ بِمَا قَدَّمَتۡ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ إِذَا هُمۡ يَقۡنَطُونَ ٣٦

Wa idhā adhaqnan-nāsa raḥmatan fariḥū bihā, wa in tuṣibhum sayyiʾatum bimā qaddamat aydīhim idhā hum yaqnaṭūn.

And when We let the people taste mercy, they rejoice therein, but if evil afflicts them for what their hands have put forth, immediately they despair.

۞ إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا ١٩

Innal-insāna khuliqa halūʿā.

Indeed, mankind was created anxious:

إِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ جَزُوعٗا ٢٠

Idhā massahush-sharru jazūʿā.

When evil touches him, impatient,

وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلۡخَيۡرُ مَنُوعًا ٢١

Wa idhā massahul-khayru manūʿā.

And when good touches him, withholding [of it],

إِن تَمۡسَسۡكُمۡ حَسَنَةٞ تَسُؤۡهُمۡ وَإِن تُصِبۡكُمۡ سَيِّئَةٞ يَفۡرَحُواْ بِهَاۖ وَإِن تَصۡبِرُواْ وَتَتَّقُواْ لَا يَضُرُّكُمۡ كَيۡدُهُمۡ شَيۡـًٔاۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا يَعۡمَلُونَ مُحِيطٞ ١٢٠

In tamsaskum ḥasanatun tasuʾhum wa in tuṣibkum sayyiʾatuy yafraḥū bihā, wa in taṣbirū watattaqū lā yaḍurrukum kayduhum shayʾā, innallāha bimā yaʿmalūna muḥīṭ.

If good touches you, it distresses them; but if harm strikes you, they rejoice at it. And if you are patient and fear Allāh, their plot will not harm you at all. Indeed, Allāh is encompassing of what they do.

وَإِنَّ مِنكُمۡ لَمَن لَّيُبَطِّئَنَّ فَإِنۡ أَصَٰبَتۡكُم مُّصِيبَةٞ قَالَ قَدۡ أَنۡعَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيَّ إِذۡ لَمۡ أَكُن مَّعَهُمۡ شَهِيدٗا ٧٢

Wa inna minkum lamal layubaṭṭiʾanna fa in aṣābatkum muṣībatun qāla qad anʿamallāhu ʿalayya idh lam akum maʿahum shahīdā.

And indeed, there is among you he who lingers behind; and if disaster strikes you, he says, "Allāh has favored me in that I was not present with them."

وَلَئِنۡ أَصَٰبَكُمۡ فَضۡلٞ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ لَيَقُولَنَّ كَأَن لَّمۡ تَكُنۢ بَيۡنَكُمۡ وَبَيۡنَهُۥ مَوَدَّةٞ يَٰلَيۡتَنِي كُنتُ مَعَهُمۡ فَأَفُوزَ فَوۡزًا عَظِيمٗا ٧٣

Wa laʾin aṣābakum faḍlum minallāhi layaqūlanna kaʾal lam takum baynakum wa baynahū mawaddatuy yālaytanī kuntu maʿahum fa afūza fawzan ʿaẓīmā.

But if bounty comes to you from Allāh, he will surely say, as if [i.e., showing that] there had never been between you and him any affection, "Oh, I wish I had been with them so I could have attained a great attainment."¹

إِن تُصِبۡكَ حَسَنَةٞ تَسُؤۡهُمۡۖ وَإِن تُصِبۡكَ مُصِيبَةٞ يَقُولُواْ قَدۡ أَخَذۡنَآ أَمۡرَنَا مِن قَبۡلُ وَيَتَوَلَّواْ وَّهُمۡ فَرِحُونَ ٥٠

In tuṣibka ḥasanatun tasuʾhum, wa in tuṣibka muṣībatuy yaqūlū qad akhadhnā amranā min qablu wa yatawallaw wa hum fariḥūn.

If good befalls you, it distresses them; but if disaster strikes you, they say, "We took our matter [in hand] before,"¹ and turn away while they are rejoicing.