THOSE WHO WERE UNGRATEFUL WERE AFFLICTED (VERSE NO. 112 - 114)

      This chapter is that of the bounties of Allah, either physical or spiritual. In the above verse we read the result of ingratitude for God's sustenance through an expressive similitude:ِ

      ``And Allah has struck a parable; that of a town which was secure and sure. Its sustenance coming to it in abundance from every where....''

      The inhabitants of the town, at length, became thankless ignoring the true source of the bounties; while their Messenger had told them all about the truth which they falsified.

      Therefore, you Muslims, be not ungrateful like them, and give thanks to Allah who is the true source of all bounties:ِ

      ``Then eat of the sustenance that Allah has provided for you, lawful and clean, and be thankful.''

      Being thankless to Allah's sustenance, may include eating and drinking unlawfuls, such as, the flesh of swine, or the alcoholic beverages; wasting or misusing, refusing to give alms-tax, (ZAKÄT) which is a rightful share of the poor and the needy in the other's wealth, and falsely ascribing to Allah any prohibition, or making superstitious taboos.

IS THAT A SIMILITUDE OR NARRATIVE?

      The parable may be taken in general, but because the verbs in the verse are all in the past tense it might be that the similitude refers to an event that has happened in the past.

      Some commentators see here a reference to the city of Mecca, as a land which cannot produce food and fruit for being mountainous all around, where its sustenance comes from other places. But in the history of Mecca such an event has not been recorded.

      Hazrat Imam Sadiq (AS) was of opinion that the immediate reference here is to an Israelite group who were living in abundance, and through their thanklessness were seized by famine and misery.

      On the other hand the history of Mankind is full of such incidents that a nation, or a group of people, or a town, lived in abundance; and when they bacame thankless to God's bounty, they tasted hunger and terror after security and abundant supplies.