16. An-Nahl

And those who emigrated for God’s cause to establish His religion after they had been wronged through harm those from among the people of Mecca — these were the Prophet s and his Companions — truly We shall lodge them in this world in a goodly lodging namely Medina and the reward of the Hereafter that is Paradise is surely greater grander did they but know that is the disbelievers — or those who stayed behind and did not emigrate — did they but know the honour that belongs to emigrants they would have followed them.

They are those who endure the harm inflicted by the idolaters and endure the emigration in order to make manifest the religion and put their trust in their Lord so that He provides for them whence they do not reckon.

We sent them with clear signs bi’l-bayyināt is semantically connected to an omitted verb namely We sent them with clear arguments and the Books and We have revealed to you the Remembrance the Qur’ān that you may make clear to mankind what has been revealed to them therein in the way of what is lawful and unlawful and that perhaps they might reflect upon this and take heed.

Do they feel secure those who have schemed evil schemes against the Prophet s at the Council Assembly schemes such as detaining him killing him or banishing him as mentioned in sūrat al-Anfāl Q. 830 that God will not cause the earth to swallow them as God did with Qārūn Q. 2881 or that the chastisement will not come upon them whence they are not aware of? that is in a way which would not occur to them. Indeed they were destroyed at Badr even though they had never anticipated it.

Or that He will not seize them in their going to and fro during their travels for commerce whereupon they will not be able to escape? whereupon they will not be able to elude the chastisement.

Or that He will not seize them amid growing fear? amid a gradual diminishing of their numbers little by little until all are destroyed ‘alā takhawwufin is a circumstantial qualifier referring to the subject of the verb God or the object. Indeed then your Lord is Gentle Merciful insofar as He does not hasten for them their punishment.

Or have they not observed the things which God has created which cast a shadow such as trees or a mountain how their shadows incline to the right and to the left shamā’il is the plural of shimāl in other words towards both sides at the beginning of the day and at its end prostrating to God sujjadan is a circumstantial qualifier that is to say subservient to Him with respect to what is required of them and how they the shadows are subject? humbled they the shadows are likened to rational beings in this description.

And to God prostrates whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth of living creatures that is of every single thing that moves thereupon; in other words to Him it everything is subservient in terms of what is required of it — most of what is given by way of example is non-rational since these are the more numerous — and the angels also prostrate — these are singled out for mention because of their merit — and they are not arrogant they do not disdain to worship Him.

They that is the angels fear yakhāfūna is a circumstantial qualifier referring to the person governing the verb yastakbirūna ‘they are not arrogant’ their Lord from above them min fawqihim is a circumstantial qualifier referring to the suffixed pronoun -hum of fawqihim in other words they fear their Lord being High above them with the power to subjugate and they do what they are commanded to do.