Verses 103–111
16. An-Nahl · The Bee
Makkan128 verses
وَلَقَدْ نَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّمَا يُعَلِّمُهُۥ بَشَرٌۭ ۗ لِّسَانُ ٱلَّذِى يُلْحِدُونَ إِلَيْهِ أَعْجَمِىٌّۭ وَهَٰذَا لِسَانٌ عَرَبِىٌّۭ مُّبِينٌ
16:103We certainly know that they say, ‘It is only a human that instructs him.’ The language of him to whom they refer is non-Arabic, while this is a clear Arabic language.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِـَٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ لَا يَهْدِيهِمُ ٱللَّهُ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
16:104Indeed those who do not believe in the signs of Allah—Allah shall not guide them and there is a painful punishment for them.
إِنَّمَا يَفْتَرِى ٱلْكَذِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِـَٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْكَٰذِبُونَ
16:105Only those fabricate lies who do not believe in the signs of Allah, and it is they who are the liars.2
مَن كَفَرَ بِٱللَّهِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ إِيمَٰنِهِۦٓ إِلَّا مَنْ أُكْرِهَ وَقَلْبُهُۥ مُطْمَئِنٌّۢ بِٱلْإِيمَٰنِ وَلَٰكِن مَّن شَرَحَ بِٱلْكُفْرِ صَدْرًۭا فَعَلَيْهِمْ غَضَبٌۭ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌۭ
16:106Excepting someone who is compelled [to recant his faith] while his heart is at rest in it, those who disbelieve in Allah after [affirming] their faith and open up their breasts to unfaith, Allah’s wrath shall be upon them and there is a great punishment for them.
ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمُ ٱسْتَحَبُّوا۟ ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا عَلَى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ
16:107That, because they preferred the life of the world to the Hereafter and that Allah does not guide the faithless lot.
أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ طَبَعَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَسَمْعِهِمْ وَأَبْصَٰرِهِمْ ۖ وَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْغَٰفِلُونَ
16:108They are the ones Allah has set a seal on their hearts, their hearing and their sight, and it is they who are the heedless.
لَا جَرَمَ أَنَّهُمْ فِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ هُمُ ٱلْخَٰسِرُونَ
16:109Undoubtedly, they are the ones who will be the losers in the Hereafter.
ثُمَّ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لِلَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا۟ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا فُتِنُوا۟ ثُمَّ جَٰهَدُوا۟ وَصَبَرُوٓا۟ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهَا لَغَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ
16:110Thereafter your Lord will indeed be forgiving and merciful to those who migrated after they were persecuted, waged jihad and remained steadfast.
۞ يَوْمَ تَأْتِى كُلُّ نَفْسٍۢ تُجَٰدِلُ عَن نَّفْسِهَا وَتُوَفَّىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍۢ مَّا عَمِلَتْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ
16:111The day [will come] when every soul will come pleading for itself and every soul will be recompensed fully for what it has done, and they will not be wronged.
Tafsir
Commentary on this passage
Verse 106
1.Fakhruddin Razi has mentioned this incident in his Tafseer Kabir that in the beginning the Polytheists harassed the Muslims, Ammar, Yasir, Sumayya, Soheb, Bilal. Habab and Muslim and others too much and killed Yasir and Sumayya and compelled Ammar to recite the creed of infidelity. He became frustrated and recited the creed. This incident became famous among the companions that Ammar has become an infidel. When the Prophet (s.a.) learnt this he said Ammar is a Muslim from top to bottom and faith is in his every vein. When Ammar came weeping to the Holy Prophet (s.a. w.s.). he said: If they force you again repeat the same words as the Almighty has revealed this Ayat for you. This blessed Ayat is a proof of legality of Taqaiyyah and after this to make fun of Taqaiyyah and to call it concealment of truth is ignorance or ridicule of Islam.
Verse 110
2.This Ayat is for companions who did not migrate and also became of the same view as the infidels and when they realised they repented for it and also migrated. Now since Jehad was also included in their migration, which is a proof of their sincerity; Allah forgave them.
Footnotes
Explanations of words and phrases in these verses
Benefit
According to Sayyid Qutub in 1954 a seminar was held in Russia to raise objections against the Quran. This seminar concluded with the statement that to compose Quran is beyond the capacity of Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) or the Arabs. It has been written with the help of other people because it is impossible to make such a comprehensive composition. “The enemy was a cause of goodness” (Persian Proverb).
- 1
Ajami is a non-Arab person. Ajami is one whose language is not clear, even though he might be an Arab. The infidels alleged that a Roman used to come and teach the Holy Quran to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.). It is obvious that he was Ajami as well as Aajami. While the Holy Quran is a masterpiece of eloquence and a clear miracle.
- 2
The limiting word indicates that the scandal mongers are accursed. In the hereafter their consequences shall be similar to the infidels.
- *
That is why it is mentioned in the traditions that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) was asked if a Muslim can ever lie? He said that it was not possible. After this he recited this holy ayat. Which shows that if one lies one is not a Muslim.
However, it should be clear that Quran has distinguished between the circumstances and that is the best proof for legality of Taqaiyya. Taqaiyya is not only permitted in religion it is a logical course of action and sometimes it becomes necessary.