Verses 80–87
16. An-Nahl · The Bee
Makkan128 verses
وَٱللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنۢ بُيُوتِكُمْ سَكَنًۭا وَجَعَلَ لَكُم مِّن جُلُودِ ٱلْأَنْعَٰمِ بُيُوتًۭا تَسْتَخِفُّونَهَا يَوْمَ ظَعْنِكُمْ وَيَوْمَ إِقَامَتِكُمْ ۙ وَمِنْ أَصْوَافِهَا وَأَوْبَارِهَا وَأَشْعَارِهَآ أَثَٰثًۭا وَمَتَٰعًا إِلَىٰ حِينٍۢ
16:80It is Allah who has made your homes as a place of rest for you and He made for you homes out of the skins of the cattle which you find portable on the day of your shifting and on the day of your halt, and out of their wool, fur and hair [He has appointed] furniture and wares [enduring] for a while.1
وَٱللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّمَّا خَلَقَ ظِلَٰلًۭا وَجَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْجِبَالِ أَكْنَٰنًۭا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ سَرَٰبِيلَ تَقِيكُمُ ٱلْحَرَّ وَسَرَٰبِيلَ تَقِيكُم بَأْسَكُمْ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُتِمُّ نِعْمَتَهُۥ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُسْلِمُونَ
16:81It is Allah who made for you the shade from what He has created, and made for you retreats in the mountains, and made for you garments that protect you from heat, and garments that protect you from your [mutual] violence. That is how He completes His blessing upon you so that you may submit [to Him].2
فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ ٱلْبَلَٰغُ ٱلْمُبِينُ
16:82But if they turn their backs [on you], your duty is only to communicate in clear terms.
يَعْرِفُونَ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُنكِرُونَهَا وَأَكْثَرُهُمُ ٱلْكَٰفِرُونَ
16:83They recognize the blessing of Allah and then deny it, and most of them are faithless.*
وَيَوْمَ نَبْعَثُ مِن كُلِّ أُمَّةٍۢ شَهِيدًۭا ثُمَّ لَا يُؤْذَنُ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَلَا هُمْ يُسْتَعْتَبُونَ
16:84The day We shall raise a witness from every nation, the faithless will not be permitted [to speak], nor will they be asked to propitiate [Allah].3
وَإِذَا رَءَا ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ ٱلْعَذَابَ فَلَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمْ وَلَا هُمْ يُنظَرُونَ
16:85And when the wrongdoers sight the punishment, it shall not be lightened for them, nor will they be granted any respite.
وَإِذَا رَءَا ٱلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا۟ شُرَكَآءَهُمْ قَالُوا۟ رَبَّنَا هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ شُرَكَآؤُنَا ٱلَّذِينَ كُنَّا نَدْعُوا۟ مِن دُونِكَ ۖ فَأَلْقَوْا۟ إِلَيْهِمُ ٱلْقَوْلَ إِنَّكُمْ لَكَٰذِبُونَ
16:86When the polytheists sight their partners, they will say, ‘Our Lord! These are our partners whom we used to invoke besides You.’ But they will retort to them, ‘You are indeed liars!’
وَأَلْقَوْا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ ٱلسَّلَمَ ۖ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يَفْتَرُونَ
16:87They will submit to Allah on that day, and what they used to fabricate will forsake them.4
Tafsir
Commentary on this passage
Verse 86
1.Allah has not settled men pardonable who are benefited with encamping and people who are the dwellers of ordinary houses or wearing ordinary cloths and do not agree with whatever they arc obtaining subsistence from Allah and say these favours are from their gods, then how will Allah forgive them who have got enormous wealth of petrol and besides being rich do not believe in the favour of Allah and believe in their gods and denied the grandeur of Allah openly?
2.The scene of the Resurrection Day will be dreadful when the polytheists will tum to their gods holding them responsible while their gods will deny them and blame them and reply why did they make them associates of Allah. We were not worthy to become an associate. It was their ignorance and foolishness. What is our fault?
Footnotes
Explanations of words and phrases in these verses
- 1
Sakana - To remain still, Za‘na - Journey, soof-wool, wabar - the hair of camel, Sha’ara - hair of goats, Athaath - Household goods, Mataa’ - That which benefits, Zalaal - Plural of zil (shadow). Aknaan - The Plural of kun - where man can get shelter. Sarabeel - Plural of sarbaal - That is a shirt or a dress. Baas - severity - Meaning war or combat dress an armour etc.
- 2
This ‘Har’ denotes heat as well as cold. Heat is mentioned because the Arabian dresses are generally used to protect the wearer from heat.
Benefit
The use of Thumma in the 83rd ayat indicates that the recognition of bounty prevents denial but other organs continue to commit acts of deviation. Finally man is overpowered by them and he begins to deny, Just as they have denied prophethood and Imamat. It has also resulted from political and materialistic factors.
- 3
It means that they would not be given a chance even to satisfy Allah by their words or actions.
- 4
Silm - Obedience and following.