﴿ ثُمَّ بَدَّلْنَا مَكَانَ ٱلسَّيِّئَةِ ٱلْحَسَنَةَ حَتَّىٰ عَفَوا۟ وَّقَالُوا۟ قَدْ مَسَّ ءَابَآءَنَا ٱلضَّرَّآءُ وَٱلسَّرَّآءُ فَأَخَذْنَٰهُم بَغْتَةًۭ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ ﴾

“then We transformed the affliction into ease of life, so that they throve and said [to themselves], "Misfortune and hardship befell our forefathers as well -whereupon We took them to task, all of a sudden, without their being aware [of what was coming].”

Then We gave them in place of evil, good, until they multiplied�[He said]:[The fact that] they multiplied does not signify a pardon (ʿafw) in the essential [meaning of that word]. God, Exalted is He, has said: Indulge [people] with forgiveness (ʿafw) [7:199], which[actually] means, �[Take] the surplus (faḍl) of their wealth which is a deposit from God in their keeping, because God most High has purchased it from them.� And ⸢the believer⸣ possesses neither his soul nor his wealth.He was asked, �Where is [the believer�s] soul?� He replied:It has been placed under contract with God, Exalted is He. He said: Indeed God has purchased from the believers their lives and their possessions, promising them Paradise in return. [9:111]His words, Exalted is He: