"And every human being—We have fastened his fate (ta'irahu) to his neck." Al-Hasan said: It means his deeds. Muhammad said: The meaning is: We have bound to him his share of good and evil. The share of good and evil is called 'ta'ir' (literally: bird/omen) because of the Arab saying: 'His omen (ta'ir) has turned to good fortune' or 'it has turned to evil.' The Arabs say regarding everything that becomes binding upon a person: 'It has become fastened to his neck,' and 'this is upon my neck until I fulfill it.' Thus, God addressed them in terms of what they use in their own speech.
﴿وَكُلَّ إِنْسَانٍ أَلْزَمْنَاهُ طَائِرَهُ فِي عُنُقه﴾ قَالَ الْحَسَنُ: يَعْنِي: عَمَلَهُ. قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ: الْمَعْنَى: أَلْزَمْنَاهُ حَظَّهُ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ وَالشَّرِّ، وَإِنَّمَا قِيلَ لِلْحَظِّ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ وَالشَّرِّ: طَائِرٌ؛ لِقَوْلِ الْعَرَبِ: جَرَى لَهُ طَائِرٌ بِالْيُمْنِ، وَجَرَى بِالشَّرِّ، وَالْعَرَبُ تَقُولُ لِكُلِّ مَا لَزِمَ الْإِنْسَانَ: قَدْ لَزِمَ عُنُقَهُ، وَهَذَا لَكَ فِي عُنُقِي حَتَّى أخرج مِنْهُ؛ (ل ١٨٣) فخاطبهم الله بِمَا يستعملونه.
