قال الله تعالى: {حَتَّىٰ إِذَا فَرِحُوا بِمَا أُوتُوا أَخَذْنَاهُم بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُم مُّبْلِسُونَ} (الأنعام: ٤٤)

Allah, Most High says, {Until, in the midst of their enjoyment of our gifts, on a sudden We called then to account, when lot They were plunged in despair!} (AI-An'am: 44)

هذا يعني أن العذاب يقع فجأة وهم غافلون. قال الحسن: من نُعِّم وهو غافل عن قضاء الله فهو غافل، ومن ابتُلي وهو غافل عن بلاء الله فهو غافل أيضاً. ثم تلا الآية السابقة وقال: هؤلاء يُمهَلون ويُملى لهم حتى إذا أعطوا كل ما يحتاجون إليه أُخذوا بغتة.

This means that the punishment occurs suddenly while they are heedless. AI-Hasan said, whoever is blessed but unaware of Allah's decision he is heedless, and whoever is afflicted but unaware of Allah's trials is also heedless. Then he read the above Ayah and said, these people are put into devising as they got all what they need and then taken suddenly.

عن عقبة بن عامر رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله ﷺ: {إذا رأيتَ الله يعطي العبدَ من الدنيا ما يحب وهو مقيمٌ على معاصيه، فإنما ذلك استدراج} ثم تلا: {فَلَمَّا نَسُوا مَا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا فَرِحُوا بِمَا أُوتُوا أَخَذْنَاهُم بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُم مُّبْلِسُونَ} [الأنعام: 44].1

'Uqbah Ibn Amir (may Allah please him) related that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, {Whenever a sinful servant attains whatever he wants you should realize that he is drawn on little by little." Then he reads, "But when they forgot the warning they had received, We opened to them the gates of all (good) things, until in the midst of their enjoyment of our gifts, on a sudden We called them to account, when lot They were plunged in despair.} (AI-An'am 44)1

روي أنه: «لَمَّا دُبِّرَ إِبْلِيسُ (الشيطان) الذي كان ملَكًا، بكى جبريلُ وميكائيلُ، فسأل اللهُ: لماذا بكيتما؟ قالا: يا ربِّ، لا نأمن من مكرك. فقال: ليكنْ أمنُكما مِن مكري قائمًا». وروت عائشةُ رضي الله عنها أن النبيَّ ﷺ كان يكثر أن يقول: «يا مقلِّبَ القلوبِ، ثبِّتْ قلبي على دينك». فقيل له: يا رسولَ الله، أتخشى (أن نرتدَّ)؟ فقال: «إن القلوبَ بين أصبعين من أصابع الله، يقلِّبها كيف يشاء». ﷺ

It is narrated that, "When Iblis (Satan) who was an angel -was devised, Gabriel and Mika'il burst weeping and Allah asked them, why did you weep? They answered, 0 Lord we cannot feel secure from Your devising. Hence, Allah said, "keep on feeling in secure from My Devising." `Aishah related that the Prophet used to regularly say, “0 changer of hearts! Make our hearts firm in Thy faith. He was asked, O Messenger of Allah! Do you fear (that we may convert) He said, people's hearts are between two fingers of Allah's who changes it whenever He likes. “2

إنَّ أحدَكم ليعمَلُ بعملِ أهلِ الجنَّةِ حتى ما يكونُ بينَه وبينَها إلَّا ذراعٌ، فيسبِقُ عليه الكتابُ فيعمَلُ بعملِ أهلِ النَّارِ فيدخُلُها.3

"Verily one of you behaves like the people of Paradise until there is but an arm's length between him and it, and that which has been written overtakes him and so he behaves like the people of the Hell-Fire and thus he enters it.”3

إِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ لَيَعْمَلُ بِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ النَّارِ حَتَّى مَا يَكُونُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهَا إِلَّا ذِرَاعٌ، فَيَسْبِقُ عَلَيْهِ الْكِتَابُ، فَيَعْمَلُ بِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ فَيَدْخُلُهَا. وَإِنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالْخَوَاتِيمِ ﷺ4

"Verily one of you behaves like the people of Hell-fire until there is but an arm's length between him and it, and that which has been written overtakes him and so he behaves like the people of Paradise and thus he enters it. Works are only judged by the end.”4

كان هناك رجل مصري متدين يذهب بانتظام إلى المسجد ليؤذّن ويصلي فيه بنفسه. وذات يوم صعد المئذنة ليؤذّن كعادته. وكانت المئذنة مجاورة لبيت يملكه رجل نصراني.

Once, there was a devout Egyptian man who went regularly to the mosque to perform the call to prayer and to perform the prayer himself. One day, he ascended the minaret to call to prayer as usual. The minaret was juxtaposed to a house belonging to a Christian man.

عندما ألقى نظرة إلى داخل البيت رأى امرأةً جميلةً جدًّا. كان مفتونًا بها إلى حدٍّ جعله يغفل عن نداء الصلاة، فذهب إليها. فسألته المرأة: ماذا تريد؟ فقال: لا أريد شيئًا سوى أنتِ.

When he cast a glance into the house he saw a very beautiful woman. He was so fascinated that he neglected the call to prayer and went to her. The woman asked him, what do you want? He said, nothing but you.

قالت: "ما كان لي أن أفعل أي فاحشة." قال: "فماذا عن الزواج؟" قالت: "لكنك مسلم، وأبي سيرفضك." قال: "سأعتنق المسيحية." قالت: "بذلك سأتزوجك." فامتثل وتنصّر ليتزوجها. ما إن تزوجها حتى سقط عن الأرض، حيث كان يُفترض أن يقوم بعمل ما، ومات. فواأسفاه، لا هو بقي مؤمنًا، ولا هو تمتع بالمرأة.

She said, "I could not do any indecency." He said, "What about marriage?" She replied, "But you are a Muslim and my father will reject you." He said, "1 '11 convert to Christianity." In doing so, I'll marry you, she replied. Accordingly, be converted to Christianity to marry her. No sooner did he marry her than he fell down from the floor, where he was supposed to do something and died. Alas, neither did he remain a believer nor did he enjoy the woman.

عن سالم بن عبد الله أن رسول الله ﷺ كان كثيراً ما يحلف فيقول: «لا، ومُقلِّبِ القلوب».1

Salim Ibn Abdullah related that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) would frequently swear by saying, "No, by the changer of the hearts.”1

هذا يعني أنّ الله يقلّب قلب الإنسان أسرع من الريح ولكن بطريقة مختلفة: الموافقة والمخالفة، والرضا والكراهية وغير ذلك. قال الله تعالى: {وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَحُولُ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَأَنَّهُ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ} (الأنفال: 24)

This means that Allah changes one's heart faster than the wind but in different way! Agreement, disagreement, willingness and hatred etc. Allah says, {And know that Allah cometh in between a man and his heart, and that it is He to whom ye shall (all) be gathered} (AI-Anfal: 24)

قال مجاهد: إن الله يحول بين المرء وقلبه، كما في قول الله تعالى: {إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَذِكْرَىٰ لِمَن كَانَ لَهُ قَلْبٌ أَوْ أَلْقَى السَّمْعَ وَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ} (ق: 37)

Mujahid comments that Allah comes in between one's mind and his own hand as stated in Allah's saying, {Verily in this is a message for any that has a heart and understanding or who gives ear and is a witness.} (Qaf: 37)

أي: صاحب العقل. رَوَتْ عائشةُ (رضي الله عنها) أنّ النبيَّ ﷺ كان يقول: «يا مُقَلِّبَ القلوب! ثَبِّتْ قلبي على دينك». فقلتُ: يا رسولَ الله، إني أراك تُكثر هذا الدعاء! أتخاف؟ فقال: «وكيف لا آمَنُ وقلوبُ بني آدم بين إصبعين من أصابع الله، يُقلِّبها كيف يشاء؛ فمن شاء أقام، ومن شاء أزاغ». لذلك ينبغي ألّا يغترَّ المرءُ بإيمانه، أو صلاته، أو صيامه، أو أيِّ عبادةٍ يقوم بها؛ فإنّ هذه الأعمال كلَّها مرهونةٌ بمشيئة الله ونِعَمِه الواسعة، وهو قادرٌ أن يسلبك تلك النِّعَم.

i.e. he who has mind. `Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) related that the Prophet (pbuh) would always say, "0 Changer of hearts! Make my heart firm in thy faith. I asked, 0 Messenger of Allah, I think that you make this supplication much! Do you fear? He said, how could I be secure while the people's hearts are between the two fingers of Allah, Who changes it whenever He likes. Thus, if He wants to change one's heart, He does." Therefore, you should not be deluded by your own faith, prayer, fasting or whatever you do of acts of worship. This is because all of these works refer to Allah's will and his plentiful bounties and He can strip you of such blessings.