16. An-Nahl

If a settlement of human beings is in a good condition and is well provided for, God raises one of His subjects from among them, who calls them to the Truth. Under these circumstances, either these people accept the truth and become deserving of more blessings from God, or they do not do so and then they are subjected to different types of affliction. These afflictions are not a punishment from God, but God’s warnings. Their purpose is to awaken the people so that their sensitivity becomes keener and they become willing to give a positive response to the call of the preacher of truth. If such warnings are not effective, then after the conclusion of the dayee’s work the second stage comes: the destruction of that community. This is so that after reaching the world of the Hereafter, they face eternal punishment for their rejection of God’s messenger.

If a settlement of human beings is in a good condition and is well provided for, God raises one of His subjects from among them, who calls them to the Truth. Under these circumstances, either these people accept the truth and become deserving of more blessings from God, or they do not do so and then they are subjected to different types of affliction. These afflictions are not a punishment from God, but God’s warnings. Their purpose is to awaken the people so that their sensitivity becomes keener and they become willing to give a positive response to the call of the preacher of truth. If such warnings are not effective, then after the conclusion of the dayee’s work the second stage comes: the destruction of that community. This is so that after reaching the world of the Hereafter, they face eternal punishment for their rejection of God’s messenger.

This verse relates to things which are eaten from day to day out of the eatable things created by God. All things are permissible (halal) with just a few exceptions. However, the ancient polytheists prohibited for themselves many things which were permissible. On the contrary, atheists have treated many things prohibited by God as being permissible for themselves. Both these approaches negate the spirit, which is intended to be developed in man through the bounties of food. Food is the most important of all man’s needs. It is a need which is experienced morning and evening. God desires that, whenever a man uses food, he should eat it considering it as a gift from God and he should be grateful to Him for it. But man has reversed the whole matter. In the ancient polytheistic period, they attributed these foods to false gods and in this way made it the means of remembering false gods instead of the one and only God. In the atheistic modern period, man having made the whole matter subject to his personal tastes, those things prohibited by God have been treated as permissible by him. This has resulted in the things created by God becoming mere foodstuffs to cater to his tastes at the dining table. If, under compulsion, anyone goes against the law of God regarding food, he should do it with a sense of shame and not with arrogance. In that way his mentality will be uncorrupted.

This verse relates to things which are eaten from day to day out of the eatable things created by God. All things are permissible (halal) with just a few exceptions. However, the ancient polytheists prohibited for themselves many things which were permissible. On the contrary, atheists have treated many things prohibited by God as being permissible for themselves. Both these approaches negate the spirit, which is intended to be developed in man through the bounties of food. Food is the most important of all man’s needs. It is a need which is experienced morning and evening. God desires that, whenever a man uses food, he should eat it considering it as a gift from God and he should be grateful to Him for it. But man has reversed the whole matter. In the ancient polytheistic period, they attributed these foods to false gods and in this way made it the means of remembering false gods instead of the one and only God. In the atheistic modern period, man having made the whole matter subject to his personal tastes, those things prohibited by God have been treated as permissible by him. This has resulted in the things created by God becoming mere foodstuffs to cater to his tastes at the dining table. If, under compulsion, anyone goes against the law of God regarding food, he should do it with a sense of shame and not with arrogance. In that way his mentality will be uncorrupted.

When feelings of arrogance and prejudice add up to evil, the individual in question will not be ready to steer clear of it, though many arguments may be advanced to prove his actions wrong. But there is another kind of evil which arises due to stupidity. A man sometimes errs due to his lack of knowledge or to his being dominated by his own desires. Such a man generally exhibits no bravado. When his mistake is made clear by argument, he immediately turns back and sets himself on the right path once again. There is no question of pardon for the first category of people. But as for the second category, there is the good news that God will extend His grace to them because He is truly merciful on this subject.

When feelings of arrogance and prejudice add up to evil, the individual in question will not be ready to steer clear of it, though many arguments may be advanced to prove his actions wrong. But there is another kind of evil which arises due to stupidity. A man sometimes errs due to his lack of knowledge or to his being dominated by his own desires. Such a man generally exhibits no bravado. When his mistake is made clear by argument, he immediately turns back and sets himself on the right path once again. There is no question of pardon for the first category of people. But as for the second category, there is the good news that God will extend His grace to them because He is truly merciful on this subject.

When feelings of arrogance and prejudice add up to evil, the individual in question will not be ready to steer clear of it, though many arguments may be advanced to prove his actions wrong. But there is another kind of evil which arises due to stupidity. A man sometimes errs due to his lack of knowledge or to his being dominated by his own desires. Such a man generally exhibits no bravado. When his mistake is made clear by argument, he immediately turns back and sets himself on the right path once again. There is no question of pardon for the first category of people. But as for the second category, there is the good news that God will extend His grace to them because He is truly merciful on this subject.

When feelings of arrogance and prejudice add up to evil, the individual in question will not be ready to steer clear of it, though many arguments may be advanced to prove his actions wrong. But there is another kind of evil which arises due to stupidity. A man sometimes errs due to his lack of knowledge or to his being dominated by his own desires. Such a man generally exhibits no bravado. When his mistake is made clear by argument, he immediately turns back and sets himself on the right path once again. There is no question of pardon for the first category of people. But as for the second category, there is the good news that God will extend His grace to them because He is truly merciful on this subject.

Literally ‘Abraham was a community’. This means that Abraham combined within himself all virtues.