The Ayah:

وَعَسَى أَنْ تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئاً وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ وَعَسَى أَنْ تُحِبُّوا شَيْئاً وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتُمْ لا تَعْلَمُونَ. {البقرة: 216}

“But perhaps you may dislike something and it is good for you; and perhaps you may like something and it is bad for you. And Allah knows, while you know not.” [2:216]

قال الشيخ ابن سعدي رحمه الله في تفسير الآية:

الغالب على العبد المؤمن، أنه إذا أحب أمرا من الأمور، فقيض الله له من الأسباب ما يصرفه عنه أنه خير له، فالأوفق له في ذلك، أن يشكر الله، ويجعل الخير في الواقع، لأنه يعلم أن الله تعالى أرحم بالعبد من نفسه، وأقدر على مصلحة عبده منه، وأعلم بمصلحته منه كما قال تعالى: وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتُمْ لا تَعْلَمُونَ. فاللائق بكم أن تتمشوا مع أقداره، سواء سرتكم أو ساءتكم.

In the tafseer of the ayah, al-Imam as-Sa’di rahimahullah mentions that a person may want something to occur yet Allaah may decree what diverts him from it being that Allaah knows it is not good for him and [it being] that which is not the most suitable for the person.

Note: So true. A person may exert so much effort in attaining something from the worldly life, however finds obstacles and barriers and that which hinders him from attaining it. This may be mainly that Allah knows from the person that is not good for him. And Allah knows best.

Allaah says:

ومن يؤمن بالله يهد قلبه

“And whoever believes in Allah – He will guide his heart” [64:11]

Mentioned by

AbdulFattaah Bin Uthman
Abu Fajr