﴿وَمَآ أَصَـبَكُمْ مِّن مُّصِيبَةٍ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ﴾

(And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned.) means, `whatever disasters happen to you, O mankind, are because of sins that you have committed in the past.'

﴿وَيَعْفُواْ عَن كَثِيرٍ﴾

(And He pardons much.) means, of sins; `He does not punish you for them, rather He forgives you.'

﴿وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ اللَّهُ النَّاسَ بِمَا كَسَبُواْ مَا تَرَكَ عَلَى ظَهْرِهَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ﴾

(And if Allah were to punish men for that which they earned, He would not leave a moving creature on the surface of the earth) (35:45). According to a Sahih Hadith:

«وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ مَا يُصِيبُ الْمُؤْمِنَ مِنْ نَصَبٍ وَلَا وَصَبٍ وَلَا هَمَ وَلَا حَزَنٍ إِلَّا كَفَّرَ اللهُ عَنْهُ بِهَا مِنْ خَطَايَاهُ، حَتْى الشَّوْكَةِ يُشَاكُهَا»

(By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, no believer is stricken with fatigue, exhaustion, worry or grief, but Allah will forgive him for some of his sins thereby -- even a thorn which pricks him.) Imam Ahmad recorded that Mu`awiyah bin Abi Sufyan, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah say:

«مَا مِنْ شَيْءٍ يُصِيبُ الْمُؤْمِنَ فِي جَسَدِهِ يُؤْذِيهِ إِلَّا كَفَّرَ اللهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهُ بِهِ مِنْ سَيِّئَاتِه»

(No physical harm befalls a believer, but Allah will expiate for some of his sins because of it.)'' Imam Ahmad also recorded that `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, "The Messenger of Allah said:

«إِذَا كَثُرَتْ ذُنُوبُ الْعَبْدِ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ مَا يُكَفِّرُهَا، ابْتَلَاهُ اللهُ تَعَالَى بِالْحَزَنِ لِيُكَفِّرَهَا»

(If a person commits many sins and has nothing that will expiate for them, Allah will test him with some grief that will expiate for them.)''

﴿وَمِنْ ءَايَـتِهِ الْجَوَارِ فِى الْبَحْرِ كَالاٌّعْلَـمِ - إِن يَشَأْ يُسْكِنِ الرِّيحَ فَيَظْلَلْنَ رَوَاكِدَ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لاّيَـتٍ لِّكُلِّ صَبَّارٍ شَكُورٍ - أَوْ يُوبِقْهُنَّ بِمَا كَسَبُوا وَيَعْفُ عَن كَثِيرٍ - وَيَعْلَمَ الَّذِينَ يُجَـدِلُونَ فِى ءَايَـتِنَا مَا لَهُمْ مِّن مَّحِيصٍ ﴾

(32. And among His signs are the ships in the sea like mountains.) (33. If He wills, He causes the wind to cease, then they would become motionless on the surface (of the sea). Verily, in this are signs for everyone patient and grateful.) (34. Or He may destroy them because of that which their (people) have earned. And He pardons much.) (35. And those who dispute as regards Our Ayat may know that there is no place of refuge for them.)