In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Allaah [The Exalted] said:

وَإِذا مَسَّ الإِنسانَ الضُّرُّ دَعانا لِجَنبِهِ أَو قاعِدًا أَو قائِمًا فَلَمّا كَشَفنا عَنهُ ضُرَّهُ مَرَّ كَأَن لَم يَدعُنا إِلىٰ ضُرٍّ مَسَّهُ ۚ كَذٰلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِلمُسرِفينَ ما كانوا يَعمَلونَ

And when harm touches the human being, he invokes Us, lying down on his side, or sitting or standing. But when We have removed his harm from him, he passes on his way as if he had never invoked Us for a harm that touched him! Thus it seems fair to the Musrifun that which they used to do. [Surah Yunus. Aayah 12]

وَلَئِن أَذَقنَا الإِنسانَ مِنّا رَحمَةً ثُمَّ نَزَعناها مِنهُ إِنَّهُ لَيَئوسٌ كَفورٌ
وَلَئِن أَذَقناهُ نَعماءَ بَعدَ ضَرّاءَ مَسَّتهُ لَيَقولَنَّ ذَهَبَ السَّيِّئَاتُ عَنّي ۚ إِنَّهُ لَفَرِحٌ فَخورٌ
إِلَّا الَّذينَ صَبَروا وَعَمِلُوا الصّالِحاتِ أُولٰئِكَ لَهُم مَغفِرَةٌ وَأَجرٌ كَبيرٌ

And if We give the human being a taste of Mercy from Us, and then withdraw it from him, verily! He is despairing, ungrateful. But if We let him taste good (favour) after evil (poverty and harm) has touched him, he is sure to say: “Ills have departed from me.” Surely, he is exultant, and boastful (ungrateful to Allah). Except those who show patience and do righteous good deeds, those: theirs will be forgiveness and a great reward (Paradise). [Surah Hud. Aayaat 9-11]

[خَلَقَ الإِنسانَ مِن نُطفَةٍ فَإِذا هُوَ خَصيمٌ مُبينٌ – He has created man from Nutfah (mixed drops of male and female sexual discharge), then behold, this same (man) becomes an open opponent]. [Surah An-Nahl. Aayah 4]

[وَيَدعُ الإِنسانُ بِالشَّرِّ دُعاءَهُ بِالخَيرِ ۖ وَكانَ الإِنسانُ عَجولًا – And man invokes (Allah) for evil as he invokes (Allah) for good and man is ever hasty [i.e., if he is angry with somebody, he invokes (saying): “O Allah! Curse him, etc.” and that one should not do, but one should be patient]. [Surah Al-Israa. Aayah 11]

[وَإِذا مَسَّكُمُ الضُّرُّ فِي البَحرِ ضَلَّ مَن تَدعونَ إِلّا إِيّاهُ ۖ فَلَمّا نَجّاكُم إِلَى البَرِّ أَعرَضتُم ۚ وَكانَ الإِنسانُ كَفورًا – And when harm touches you upon the sea, those that you call upon besides Him vanish from you except Him (Allah Alone). But when He brings you safely to land, you turn away (from Him). And the human being is ever ungrateful]. [Surah Al-Israa. Aayah 67]

[وَإِذا أَنعَمنا عَلَى الإِنسانِ أَعرَضَ وَنَأىٰ بِجانِبِهِ ۖ وَإِذا مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ كانَ يَئوسًا – And when We bestow Our Grace on the human being (the disbeliever), he turns away and becomes arrogant, far away from the Right Path. And when evil touches him he is in great despair]. [Surah Al-Israa. Aayah 83]

[قُل لَو أَنتُم تَملِكونَ خَزائِنَ رَحمَةِ رَبّي إِذًا لَأَمسَكتُم خَشيَةَ الإِنفاقِ ۚ وَكانَ الإِنسانُ قَتورًا – Say (to the disbelievers): “If you possessed the treasure of the Mercy of my Lord (wealth, money, provision, etc.), then you would surely hold back (from spending) for fear of (being exhausted), and man is ever miserly!”] [Surah Al-Israa. Aayah 100]

[وَلَقَد صَرَّفنا في هٰذَا القُرآنِ لِلنّاسِ مِن كُلِّ مَثَلٍ ۚ وَكانَ الإِنسانُ أَكثَرَ شَيءٍ جَدَلًا – And indeed We have put forth every kind of example in this Qur’an, for mankind. But, man is ever more quarrelsome than anything]. [Surah Al-Kahf. Aayah 54]
[أَوَلا يَذكُرُ الإِنسانُ أَنّا خَلَقناهُ مِن قَبلُ وَلَم يَكُ شَيئًا – Does not the human being remember that We created him before, while he was nothing?] [Surah Maryam. Aayah 67]

[وَهُوَ الَّذي أَحياكُم ثُمَّ يُميتُكُم ثُمَّ يُحييكُم ۗ إِنَّ الإِنسانَ لَكَفورٌ – It is He, Who gave you life, and then will cause you to die, and will again give you life (on the Day of Resurrection). Verily! Man is indeed an ingrate]. [Surah Al-Hajj. Aayah 66]

[فَإِذا مَسَّ الإِنسانَ ضُرٌّ دَعانا ثُمَّ إِذا خَوَّلناهُ نِعمَةً مِنّا قالَ إِنَّما أوتيتُهُ عَلىٰ عِلمٍ ۚ بَل هِيَ فِتنَةٌ وَلٰكِنَّ أَكثَرَهُم لا يَعلَمونَ – And when some hurt touches the human being, he cries to his Lord (Allah Alone), turning to Him in repentance, but when He bestows a favour upon him from Himself, he forgets that for which he cried for before, and he sets up rivals to Allah, in order to mislead others from His Path. Say: “Take pleasure in your disbelief for a while: surely, you are (one) of the dwellers of the Fire!”] [Surah Az-Zumar. Aayah 49]

لا يَسأَمُ الإِنسانُ مِن دُعاءِ الخَيرِ وَإِن مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ فَيَئوسٌ قَنوطٌ
وَلَئِن أَذَقناهُ رَحمَةً مِنّا مِن بَعدِ ضَرّاءَ مَسَّتهُ لَيَقولَنَّ هٰذا لي وَما أَظُنُّ السّاعَةَ قائِمَةً وَلَئِن رُجِعتُ إِلىٰ رَبّي إِنَّ لي عِندَهُ لَلحُسنىٰ ۚ فَلَنُنَبِّئَنَّ الَّذينَ كَفَروا بِما عَمِلوا وَلَنُذيقَنَّهُم مِن عَذابٍ غَليظٍ
وَإِذا أَنعَمنا عَلَى الإِنسانِ أَعرَضَ وَنَأىٰ بِجانِبِهِ وَإِذا مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ فَذو دُعاءٍ عَريضٍ

The human being (the disbeliever) does not get tired of asking good (things from Allah), but if an evil touches him, then he gives up all hope and is lost in despair. And truly, if We give him a taste of mercy from us, after some adversity (severe poverty or disease, etc.) has touched him, he is sure to say: “This is for me (due to my merit), I think not that the Hour will be established. But if I am brought back to my Lord, Surely, there will be for me the best (wealth, etc.) with Him. Then, We verily, will show to the disbelievers what they have done and We shall make them taste a severe torment. And when We show favour to man, he withdraws and turns away, but when evil touches him, then he has recourse to long supplications. [Surah Fussilat. Aayaat 49-51]

Some Forget Their State of Affairs When They First Entered This Worldly Life

Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said: Allaah brought the servant out of his mother’s womb whilst he knew nothing- neither able to do anything nor own anything; neither able to give nor take; neither able to harm nor benefit. This state of neediness until he reached a more perfect state is something witnessed and tangible for everyone (to see), and it is well known that this is the very essence of the human being and he remains upon that state. He does not move from this state and enters into a state of Lordship – a state in which he becomes absolutely self-sufficient and not need of anyone and anything; rather he does not cease being a slave, a needy one to his Rabb [Allaah the Creator, All-Provider and the Only One Who Controls and Sustains Everything] and His Faatir [Allaah, The Originator and Creator of Everything]. However, after the human being was granted blessings, shown mercy, granted the means to reach a more perfect state, and Allaah -out of His Perfect Kindness and Generosity- granted him apparent blessings [i.e. to recognise the Messengers who were sent with Islamic Monotheism, granted him the lawful pleasures of this world, including health, good looks, etc.] and the hidden blessings [i.e. granted him the innate disposition to recognise his Lord when the Messenger calls him to Eemaan, and granted him knowledge, wisdom, guidance for doing righteous deeds, and also the pleasures and delights of the Hereafter in Paradise, etc.], granted him hearing, sight and a heart, and taught him [i.e. gave him the means to knowledge], granted him ability, subjugated things to him, granted him [the desire and enthusiasm to pursue what is beneficial, and take action], enabled him to receive the service of those of his kind [i.e. gave him authority over other humans], subjugated to him horses and camels, gave him the ability to capture the animals in the sea, drop birds from the sky, subjugate wild animals, dig wells [irrigate water etc], plant trees, dig the earth, learn how to build, acquire the things that are of benefit to him, guard against and protect himself from that which is harmful to him; then the Miskeen [i.e. this absolutely poor, dependent human being] thinks that he has a share of authority and claims – for himself – a kingship [or authority] similar to that of Allaah [Glorified be Allaah and free is Allaah from all imperfections, partners, co-equals, similarities etc], and begins to see himself in a manner other than what he was at first, forgets his [prior] state of non-existence, poverty and neediness, until he becomes as if he was not that poor and needy thing. (1)

Imaam Al-Aajuree [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said, “If some said, ‘Clarify the ugly traits of the soul for me’. It is said to him: They are traits that may have already settled in the soul and it does not love to be separated from them. They are numerous traits and if a person examines his soul he might find them as well. Indeed, it is a soul that follows [evil or excess] desires and is engaged in the [evil or excess] pleasures of the worldly life. Has prolonged hope for that which is shot lived and does not show little concern for a lifespan that will inevitably come to an end. It has a fervent desire to love this worldly life and when it loves it [by preferring it over the afterlife], the heart becomes hard and turns away from an abode whose bliss will never come to an end [i.e. paradise]. It loves traits which it knows will harm it tomorrow. It laughs and rejoices, enjoys itself with that which its Lord has forbidden. It grieves – morning and evening – for that which was not decreed for it of those things it hopes for from the worldly life. It is a soul facilitated with ease to seek after the [good] things of the worldly life. It finds enjoyment in falling short in good deeds which its Lord calls to [or commands]. It has a desire to spend wealth in obedience to Allaah, but Satan threatens it with poverty, so it inclines towards that which Satan calls to. Allaah promises it forgiveness and bounty, but it neither has certainty about it nor pleased with it. It has firm hope in the promises of the people, but reluctant when the threat of its Lord reaches it. It pleases the people at the expense of Allaah’s anger and hesitates to please its Lord. Allaah calls it to have patience during calamities – a means of consolation and means to solace, but it does not accept. It pretends in the presence of the people that it fulfils obligations, but fulfils little of that which Allaah obligates on it. It abandons disobedience after being able to do so out of being shy of the people, but has little shyness whilst Allaah [The Most Great] watches it. It gives little thanks to the innumerable blessings of Allaah. It utilises the blessings of Allaah [The Most Generous] – day and night – as an aid to disobey Him. It finds it easy to sit with idle people, but finds it difficult to sit with the scholars. It obeys [or follows] a deceiver, but disobeys the most sincere advisers. It hastens to evil desires, but delays repentance today and tomorrow. Whoever realises these traits in his soul and other than them, he should hasten to discipline it through good behaviour in order to return it to that which is more worthy regarding fear of Allaah [The Mighty and Majestic]- in private and public – having great regret, refrain from the repugnant traits which he knows for sure is with him and continue upon rectification throughout his lifespan’”. And Allaah is the Bestower of this affair. (2)

We ask Allaah: [يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ أَسْتَغيثُ أَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِيَ كُلَّهُ وَلاَ تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ – O Ever Living! O The Self Subsisting, Upon Whom Everything Depends! By Your mercy I seek assistance; rectify for me all of my affairs and do not leave me to myself, even for the blink of an eye]. (3) Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said, “This is where those forsaken have been forsaken and those granted well-being have been granted well-being. The forsaken one is veiled from his reality- he forgets himself- forgets his poverty (in the presence of Allaah), his need of (Allaah) and his (state of absolute dependence on his Lord for all his means of subsistence), therefore he transgresses all bounds [in crimes, sins, disbelief etc], becomes insolent and thus deserves a wretched end. The most perfect [person] is that one who is more perfect in his servitude [to Allaah], the greatest in his acknowledgement of his poverty, dependence and neediness [in the presence of Allaah]. He never [considers himself] self-sufficient in the presence of his Lord in the twinkling of an eye. And that is why among the supplications of the Prophet [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] is that he is used to say: ‘Rectify for me all of my affairs and neither leave me to myself, even for the blink of an eye, nor to anyone among your creation’. And he used to supplicate saying: [يَا مُقَلِّبَ ٱلْقُلُوبَ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي عَلَى دِينِكَ – O Turner of the hearts! Keep my heart firm upon Your Religion]. He knew [with absolute certainty] that his heart is in the control of Allaah’s [The Mighty and Majestic] Hand and he has no control over it, and that Allaah alternates it (i.e. alternates it from one state to another) how He pleases. (4)

The Balance: Character And Its Appropriate Limits or Boundaries: https://salaficentre.com/2020/04/13/character-and-its-appropriate-limits-or-boundaries-by-imaam-ibnul-qayyim-rahimahullaah/

[Ref 1: An Excerpt from Tareequl Hijratayn. Pages 9-10. slightly paraphrased]

[Ref 2: An Excerpt from Adabun Nufoos, page 3]

[Ref 3: Imaam Albaani declared it Hasan in Silsilah As-Saheehah Number 227]

[Ref 4: An Excerpt from ‘Tareequl Hijratayn pages 25-26]