بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
An-Nahl 16:3
The Bee · Juz 14 · Page 267
خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ بِٱلۡحَقِّۚ تَعَٰلَىٰ عَمَّا يُشۡرِكُونَ ٣
He created the heavens and earth in truth. High is He above what they associate with Him.
Tafsir · in English
Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
Change
Commentary on 16:1–3
The reality of religion is that man should apprehend the Being of God and His workmanship in the universe so intensely and realistically that the Being of the one God should become everything for him; man should fear only Him and on Him alone, should he build up his hopes. The one God should be the entire focus of his heart and mind. This is what constitutes the act of making God the object of worship (ilah) and amounts to praying to Him. All the prophets came into the world in order to bring about this condition. Those who prove to have this sense of submission to God will be treated as successful on Judgement Day, but those who go against this will be left without hope. For the general people, this decision will be taken on Doomsday (Judgement Day), but for the addressees of the prophet, it starts in this world itself. There is perfect unity in the universe and at the same time, there also is perfect meaningfulness. Unity in the universe makes it unwarranted for anyone to make somebody other than the one God the centre of his attention. And it is the natural consequence of its meaningfulness that it should meet a meaningful end. In this way, the system governing the universe provides arguments in favour of both the unity of God (tawhid) and the existence of the Hereafter.
Page 267
15:91
ٱلَّذِينَ جَعَلُواْ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ عِضِينَ ٩١
Who have made the Qur’ān into portions.1
1 translator’s note
- Accepting part and rejecting part according to their own inclinations. ↩
15:92
فَوَرَبِّكَ لَنَسۡـَٔلَنَّهُمۡ أَجۡمَعِينَ ٩٢
So by your Lord, We will surely question them all
15:93
عَمَّا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ ٩٣
About what they used to do.
15:94
فَٱصۡدَعۡ بِمَا تُؤۡمَرُ وَأَعۡرِضۡ عَنِ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ ٩٤
Then declare what you are commanded1 and turn away from the polytheists.2
15:95
إِنَّا كَفَيۡنَٰكَ ٱلۡمُسۡتَهۡزِءِينَ ٩٥
Indeed, We are sufficient for you against the mockers
15:96
ٱلَّذِينَ يَجۡعَلُونَ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا ءَاخَرَۚ فَسَوۡفَ يَعۡلَمُونَ ٩٦
Who make [equal] with Allāh another deity. But they are going to know.
15:97
وَلَقَدۡ نَعۡلَمُ أَنَّكَ يَضِيقُ صَدۡرُكَ بِمَا يَقُولُونَ ٩٧
And We already know that your breast is constrained by what they say.
15:98
فَسَبِّحۡ بِحَمۡدِ رَبِّكَ وَكُن مِّنَ ٱلسَّٰجِدِينَ ٩٨
So exalt [Allāh] with praise of your Lord and be of those who prostrate [to Him].
15:99
وَٱعۡبُدۡ رَبَّكَ حَتَّىٰ يَأۡتِيَكَ ٱلۡيَقِينُ ٩٩
And worship your Lord until there comes to you the certainty [i.e., death].
سورة النحل
An-Nahl
The Bee · Meccan · 128 ayahs
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
16:1
أَتَىٰٓ أَمۡرُ ٱللَّهِ فَلَا تَسۡتَعۡجِلُوهُۚ سُبۡحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ عَمَّا يُشۡرِكُونَ ١
The command of Allāh is coming,1 so be not impatient for it. Exalted is He and high above what they associate with Him.
1 translator’s note
- Literally, "has come," indicating the certainty and nearness of the Last Hour. ↩
16:2
يُنَزِّلُ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةَ بِٱلرُّوحِ مِنۡ أَمۡرِهِۦ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنۡ عِبَادِهِۦٓ أَنۡ أَنذِرُوٓاْ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۠ فَٱتَّقُونِ ٢
He sends down the angels, with the inspiration [i.e., revelation] of His command, upon whom He wills of His servants, [telling them], "Warn that there is no deity except Me; so fear Me."
16:3
خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ بِٱلۡحَقِّۚ تَعَٰلَىٰ عَمَّا يُشۡرِكُونَ ٣
He created the heavens and earth in truth. High is He above what they associate with Him.
16:4
خَلَقَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مِن نُّطۡفَةٖ فَإِذَا هُوَ خَصِيمٞ مُّبِينٞ ٤
He created man from a sperm-drop; then at once1 he is a clear adversary.
1 translator’s note
- As soon as he becomes strong and independent. ↩
16:5
وَٱلۡأَنۡعَٰمَ خَلَقَهَاۖ لَكُمۡ فِيهَا دِفۡءٞ وَمَنَٰفِعُ وَمِنۡهَا تَأۡكُلُونَ ٥
And the grazing livestock He has created for you; in them is warmth1 and [numerous] benefits, and from them you eat.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., in clothing, tents, furnishings, etc. ↩
16:6
وَلَكُمۡ فِيهَا جَمَالٌ حِينَ تُرِيحُونَ وَحِينَ تَسۡرَحُونَ ٦
And for you in them is [the enjoyment of] beauty when you bring them in [for the evening] and when you send them out [to pasture].