Transliteration:( Wa izaaa an'amnaa 'alal insaani a'rada wa na-aa bijaani bihee wa izaa massahush sharru fazoo du'aaa'in 'areed )
"And when We bless a human being, he turns away [142] withdrawing aside, and when evil befalls him, then he offers long prayers [143]."
The term ‘man’ here refers to the disbeliever or ungrateful person. When such a person is blessed by Allah with ease, comfort, or worldly bounties, he turns away from Allah — meaning he forgets his Creator, becomes arrogant, and indulges in sin.
The phrase "withdrawing aside" indicates distancing oneself from gratitude and remembrance of Allah. It reflects a state where, despite intelligence or knowledge, a person fails to understand or appreciate Allah due to heedlessness and pride.
This verse criticizes the common attitude of only turning to Allah in times of difficulty or hardship. The person who neglects to remember or thank Allah in times of prosperity but then prays long and earnestly when faced with calamities is exhibiting a behavior disliked by Allah.
The censure is not of prayer itself, but rather of the inconsistency and selective remembrance — ignoring Allah in good times yet calling out in distress. This hypocritical approach to worship is a trait of the ungrateful and disbelieving.
The tafsir of Surah Fussilat verse 51 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Fussilat ayat 49 which provides the complete commentary from verse 49 through 51.
(41:51) When We bestow Our favour upon man, he turns away and waxes proud;[67] but when a misfortune touches him, he is full of supplication.[68]
67. That is, he turns away from Our obedience and worship, and thinks it is below his dignity to bow to Us.
68. For other verses on this subject, see (Surah Younus, Ayat 12); (Surah Bani Israil, Ayat 83); (Surah Ar-Room, Ayat 33-36); (Surah Az-Zumar, Ayat 8-9), (Surah Az-Zumar, Ayat 49) and the E.Ns.
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