Quran Universe
7:182

وَٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا سَنَسۡتَدۡرِجُهُم مِّنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ

Waallatheena kaththaboo biayatina sanastadrijuhum min haythu la yaAAlamoona

But those who deny Our signs - We will progressively lead them [to destruction] from where they do not know.

Word by word
  1. وَٱلَّذِينَBut those who
  2. كَذَّبُواْdenied
  3. بِـَٔايَٰتِنَاOur Signs
  4. سَنَسۡتَدۡرِجُهُمWe will gradually lead them
  5. مِّنۡfrom
  6. حَيۡثُwhere
  7. لَاnot
  8. يَعۡلَمُونَthey know
Al-A'raf · 7:182Makkah

Step by step, led on from where they do not notice.

When ease becomes a trap

The gradual path
deny the signsrefuse the reminder
then
doors openmoney, ease, success
they think
we are finewhile being drawn on
What ease means
Allah is pleasedlook how well I am doing
it may be a testcheck the heart

Those who reject Allah's signs are led on gradually from where they do not perceive. Ibn Kathir explains: the doors of provision are opened for them, and they are deceived into thinking they are on the right path. He cites 6:44, where the gates of everything opened just before the end.

You stopped praying months ago, and since then work has gone great: the promotion, the bonus, the new flat. It is tempting to think it does not matter. Success while far from Allah is not a sign of His approval.

If life is going well, I must be doing something right.

Ease while I ignore Allah may be drawing me further away, step by step.

Try this

On your next good day, check yourself: am I closer to Allah than last month, or further?

Related6:446:45
Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Those who reject Our Ayat, We shall gradually seize them with punishment in ways they perceive not (182)And I respite them; certainly My plan is strong.) Allah sai (183)

وَالَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُم مِّنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

(Those who reject Our Ayat, We shall gradually seize them in ways they perceive not) meaning, the doors of provisions will be opened for them and also the means of livelihood, in this life. They will be deceived by all this and think that they are on the correct path. Allah said in another instance,

فَلَمَّا نَسُوا مَا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا فَرِحُوا بِمَا أُوتُوا أَخَذْنَاهُم بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُم مُّبْلِسُونَ - فَقُطِعَ دَابِرُ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

(So, when they forgot (the warning) with which they had been reminded, We opened for them the gates of every (pleasant) thing, until in the midst of their enjoyment in that which they were given, all of a sudden, We took them (in punishment), and lo! They were plunged into destruction with deep regrets and sorrow. So the root of the people who did wrong was cut off. And all the praises and thanks are to Allah, the Lord of all that exists.)[6:44-45]. Allah said here,

وَأُمْلِي لَهُمْ

(And I respite them) prolong what they are in,

إِنَّ كَيْدِي مَتِينٌ

(certainly My plan is strong) and perfect.