Allah tells us about man's haste and how he sometimes prays against himself
or his children or his wealth, praying for something bad to happen for them, or
for them to die or be destroyed, invoking curses, etc. If Allah were to answer
his prayer, he would be destroyed because of it, as Allah says:
[وَلَوْ يُعَجِّلُ
اللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ الشَّرَّ]
(And were Allah to hasten for mankind the evil...) [10:11] This is how it was
interpreted by Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and Qatadah. We have already discussed the
Hadith:
«لَا تَدْعُوا عَلَى
أَنْفُسِكُمْ، وَلَا عَلَى أَمْوَالِكُمْ أَنْ تُوَافِقُوا مِنَ اللهِ سَاعَةَ
إِجَابَةٍ يَسْتَجِيبُ فِيهَا»
(Do not pray against yourselves or your wealth, for that might coincide with
a time when Allah answers prayers.) What makes the son of Adam do that is his
anxiety and haste. Allah says:
[وَكَانَ الإِنْسَـنُ
عَجُولاً]
(And man is ever hasty.) Salman Al-Farisi and Ibn `Abbas mentioned the story
of Adam, when he wanted to get up before his soul reached his feet. When his
soul was breathed into him, it entered his body from his head downwards. When it
reached his brain he sneezed, and said, "Al-Hamdu Lillah'' (praise be to Allah),
and Allah said, "May your Lord have mercy on you, O Adam.'' When it reached his
eyes, he opened them, and when it reached his body and limbs he started to stare
at them in wonder. He wanted to get up before it reached his feet, but he could
not. He said, "O Lord, make it happen before night comes.''
[وَجَعَلْنَا
الَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ ءَايَتَيْنِ فَمَحَوْنَآ ءَايَةَ الَّيْلِ وَجَعَلْنَآ
ءَايَةَ النَّهَارِ مُبْصِرَةً لِتَبْتَغُواْ فَضْلاً مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ
وَلِتَعْلَمُواْ عَدَدَ السِّنِينَ وَالْحِسَابَ وَكُلَّ شَىْءٍ فَصَّلْنَاهُ
تَفْصِيلاً ]
(12. And We have appointed the night and the day as two Ayat (signs). Then,
We have obliterated the sign of the night (with darkness) while We have made the
sign of the day illuminating, that you may seek bounty from your Lord, and that
you may know the number of the years and to count (periods of time). And We have
explained everything (in detail) with full explanation.)