An-Nahl 16:9
The Bee · Juz 14 · Page 268
وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ قَصۡدُ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَمِنۡهَا جَآئِرٞۚ وَلَوۡ شَآءَ لَهَدَىٰكُمۡ أَجۡمَعِينَ ٩
And upon Allāh1 is the direction of the [right] way, and among them [i.e., the various paths] are those deviating. And if He willed, He could have guided you all.
1 translator’s note
- Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) has taken it upon Himself to guide man to the right path. The meaning has also been interpreted as "To Allāh..." ↩
Tafsir · in English
Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
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Commentary on 16:9
Generally, of the various highways the traveller has to choose from, there is a recognized route by which he can go straight to his destination. But, running parallel with, or connecting to each highway, there are always many lanes and by-ways. If the traveller chooses to drive along one of the latter, thinking he is on the right road, he will never reach his destination, but will stray many miles to the right or left of it. The same is true of reaching God. God has already shown man which way will lead to Him. This is the way of the Unity of God (tawhid) and the fear of God (taqwa). One who follows this path will reach God and one who goes another way will be lost by the wayside; he will never be able to reach his Lord. Everything in the world treads the path fixed by God. Had God so wished, man also would have been compelled to follow the path fixed by God. But the scheme of the creation of man is different from that of the creation of other things. Other things are required only to follow a regulatory discipline. But in the case of man, what is required is voluntary obedience to this discipline. The result of there being this opportunity to voluntarily submit to regulation is that while one person will take the right path, another will leave it and become lost on paths of his own devising.
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16:7
وَتَحۡمِلُ أَثۡقَالَكُمۡ إِلَىٰ بَلَدٖ لَّمۡ تَكُونُواْ بَٰلِغِيهِ إِلَّا بِشِقِّ ٱلۡأَنفُسِۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكُمۡ لَرَءُوفٞ رَّحِيمٞ ٧
And they carry your loads to a land you could not have reached except with difficulty to yourselves. Indeed, your Lord is Kind and Merciful.
16:8
وَٱلۡخَيۡلَ وَٱلۡبِغَالَ وَٱلۡحَمِيرَ لِتَرۡكَبُوهَا وَزِينَةٗۚ وَيَخۡلُقُ مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ ٨
And [He created] the horses, mules and donkeys for you to ride and [as] adornment. And He creates that which you do not know.
16:9
وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ قَصۡدُ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَمِنۡهَا جَآئِرٞۚ وَلَوۡ شَآءَ لَهَدَىٰكُمۡ أَجۡمَعِينَ ٩
And upon Allāh1 is the direction of the [right] way, and among them [i.e., the various paths] are those deviating. And if He willed, He could have guided you all.
1 translator’s note
- Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) has taken it upon Himself to guide man to the right path. The meaning has also been interpreted as "To Allāh..." ↩
16:10
هُوَ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَنزَلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءٗۖ لَّكُم مِّنۡهُ شَرَابٞ وَمِنۡهُ شَجَرٞ فِيهِ تُسِيمُونَ ١٠
It is He who sends down rain from the sky; from it is drink and from it is foliage in which you pasture [animals].
16:11
يُنۢبِتُ لَكُم بِهِ ٱلزَّرۡعَ وَٱلزَّيۡتُونَ وَٱلنَّخِيلَ وَٱلۡأَعۡنَٰبَ وَمِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَةٗ لِّقَوۡمٖ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ١١
He causes to grow for you thereby the crops, olives, palm trees, grapevines, and of all the fruits. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who give thought.
16:12
وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ ٱلَّيۡلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ وَٱلشَّمۡسَ وَٱلۡقَمَرَۖ وَٱلنُّجُومُ مُسَخَّرَٰتُۢ بِأَمۡرِهِۦٓۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّقَوۡمٖ يَعۡقِلُونَ ١٢
And He has subjected for you the night and day and the sun and moon, and the stars are subjected by His command. Indeed in that are signs for a people who reason.
16:13
وَمَا ذَرَأَ لَكُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مُخۡتَلِفًا أَلۡوَٰنُهُۥٓۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَةٗ لِّقَوۡمٖ يَذَّكَّرُونَ ١٣
And [He has subjected] whatever He multiplied for you on the earth of varying colors. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who remember.
16:14
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِي سَخَّرَ ٱلۡبَحۡرَ لِتَأۡكُلُواْ مِنۡهُ لَحۡمٗا طَرِيّٗا وَتَسۡتَخۡرِجُواْ مِنۡهُ حِلۡيَةٗ تَلۡبَسُونَهَاۖ وَتَرَى ٱلۡفُلۡكَ مَوَاخِرَ فِيهِ وَلِتَبۡتَغُواْ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦ وَلَعَلَّكُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ ١٤
And it is He who subjected the sea for you to eat from it tender meat and to extract from it ornaments which you wear. And you see the ships plowing through it, and [He subjected it] that you may seek of His bounty; and perhaps you will be grateful.