Quran Universe
18:54

وَلَقَدۡ صَرَّفۡنَا فِي هَٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ لِلنَّاسِ مِن كُلِّ مَثَلٖۚ وَكَانَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ أَكۡثَرَ شَيۡءٖ جَدَلٗا

Walaqad sarrafna fee hatha alqurani lilnnasi min kulli mathalin wakana alinsanu akthara shayin jadalan

And We have certainly diversified in this Qur'an for the people from every [kind of] example; but man has ever been, most of anything, [prone to] dispute.

Word by word
  1. وَلَقَدۡAnd certainly
  2. صَرَّفۡنَاWe have explained
  3. فِيin
  4. هَٰذَاthis
  5. ٱلۡقُرۡءَانِthe Quran
  6. لِلنَّاسِfor mankind
  7. مِنof
  8. كُلِّevery
  9. مَثَلٖۚexample
  10. وَكَانَBut is
  11. ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُthe man
  12. أَكۡثَرَ(in) most
  13. شَيۡءٖthings
  14. جَدَلٗاquarrelsome
Al-Kahf · 18:54Makkah

Every example given, and still we argue most.

The human habit of debating the truth

What was given
every kind of exampleclear details
but man is
most quarrelsomeof all things
How we respond
a clever excuseIf Allah wills, He'll wake us
just get upand act on it

Allah has explained matters clearly, yet man is very quarrelsome and opposes truth with falsehood. Ali reported the Prophet ﷺ visited him and Fatimah at night and asked if they would pray. Ali replied that their souls were in Allah's Hand. The Prophet ﷺ walked away slapping his thigh and reciting this verse.

The alarm for Fajr goes off and your mind instantly builds a case: I am tired, Allah is merciful, I will make it up. You are arguing with the reminder instead of answering it.

I have good reasons for not doing it right now.

Sometimes my reasons are just me arguing with a clear reminder.

Try this

The next time you catch yourself arguing against a good deed today, stop debating and do it.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

And indeed We have given every kind of example in this Qur'an for mankind. But, man is ever more quarrelsome than anything (54)

Examples put forth in the Qur'an

Allah says, 'In this Qur'an, We have explained to mankind and given clear details of matters so that they will not stray from the truth or be misled from the path of guidance. Despite this explanation, man is very quarrelsome and opposes truth with falsehood,' except for those whom Allah guides to the path of salvation. Imam Ahmad recorded that 'Ali bin Abi Talib said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to visit him and Fatimah, the daughter of Allah's Messenger at night, and said,

أَلَا تُصَلِّيَانِ؟

(Are you not going to pray?) I said, "O Messenger of Allah, our souls are in the Hand of Allah. If He wills to wake us, He will wake us." When I said that, he went away without returning. Then I heard him as he was walking away, slapping his thigh and saying,

وَكَانَ الْإِنسَانُ أَكْثَرَ شَيْءٍ جَدَلًا

(But, man is ever more quarrelsome than anything.)" It was also recorded in the Two Sahihs.