16. An-Nahl

The Bee · Meccan · 128 ayahs

سُورَةُ النَّحۡلِ

Reading Tafsir al-Jalalayn by Jalal al-Din al-Mahalli & Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti

Ayahs 71–80 of 128

وَٱللَّهُ فَضَّلَ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍۢ فِى ٱلرِّزْقِ ۚ فَمَا ٱلَّذِينَ فُضِّلُوا۟ بِرَآدِّى رِزْقِهِمْ عَلَىٰ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُهُمْ فَهُمْ فِيهِ سَوَآءٌ ۚ أَفَبِنِعْمَةِ ٱللَّهِ يَجْحَدُونَ

And Allah has favored some of you over others in provision. But those who were favored would not hand over their provision to those whom their right hands possess so they would be equal to them therein. Then is it the favor of Allah they reject?

And God has favoured some of you above others in respect of provision thus some of you are poor some are rich some owners others are owned. Now those who have been more favoured namely the masters would not hand over their provision to those slaves whom their right hands possess that is they would not assign that wealth and other things which We have given them as something to be shared equally between them and their slaves so that they that is the slaves and their masters become equal partners in respect thereof. The meaning is they do not have partners from among their slaves in respect of their wealth so how can they make certain of God’s servants partners of His? Is it then the grace of God that they deny? that they reject when they ascribe partners to Him?

An-Nahl 16:71Listen in Qur'an →

وَٱللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًۭا وَجَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَزْوَٰجِكُم بَنِينَ وَحَفَدَةًۭ وَرَزَقَكُم مِّنَ ٱلطَّيِّبَٰتِ ۚ أَفَبِٱلْبَٰطِلِ يُؤْمِنُونَ وَبِنِعْمَتِ ٱللَّهِ هُمْ يَكْفُرُونَ

And Allah has made for you from yourselves mates and has made for you from your mates sons and grandchildren and has provided for you from the good things. Then in falsehood do they believe and in the favor of Allah they disbelieve?

And God made for you mates from your own selves thus He created Eve from Adam’s rib and created all mankind from the seminal fluids of men and women and made for you from your mates children and grandchildren and He provided you with the good things of all kinds of fruits seeds and animals. Is it then in falsehood in the idol that they believe and in the grace of God that they disbelieve? when they associate others with God?

An-Nahl 16:72Listen in Qur'an →

وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَمْلِكُ لَهُمْ رِزْقًۭا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ شَيْـًۭٔا وَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ

And they worship besides Allah that which does not possess for them [the power of] provision from the heavens and the earth at all, and [in fact], they are unable.

And they worship besides God that is other than Him what has no power to give them any sort of provision from the heavens such as water and the earth such as plants shay’an ‘anything’ is a substitute for rizqan ‘provision’ nor do they have the capacity nor are they able to do anything — and these are the idols.

An-Nahl 16:73Listen in Qur'an →

فَلَا تَضْرِبُوا۟ لِلَّهِ ٱلْأَمْثَالَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

So do not assert similarities to Allah. Indeed, Allah knows and you do not know.

So do not strike any similitude for God do not ascribe to God likenesses and then associate them with Him in power. Truly God knows that there is nothing like Him and you do not know this.

An-Nahl 16:74Listen in Qur'an →

۞ ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًا عَبْدًۭا مَّمْلُوكًۭا لَّا يَقْدِرُ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍۢ وَمَن رَّزَقْنَٰهُ مِنَّا رِزْقًا حَسَنًۭا فَهُوَ يُنفِقُ مِنْهُ سِرًّۭا وَجَهْرًا ۖ هَلْ يَسْتَوُۥنَ ۚ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ۚ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

Allah presents an example: a slave [who is] owned and unable to do a thing and he to whom We have provided from Us good provision, so he spends from it secretly and publicly. Can they be equal? Praise to Allah! But most of them do not know.

God strikes a similitude mathalan this is substituted by the following ‘abdan mamlūkan a slave who is a chattel mamlūkan an adjective to distinguish him this type of slave from a free man who is the servant of God alone having no power over anything since he has no mastery and one on whom man is an indefinite noun adjectivally qualified in other words a free man We have bestowed a fair provision from Us such that he spends thereof secretly and openly that is disposing of it as he wishes the first similitude is for the idols while the second is His exalted be He. Are they equal? the powerless slaves and the dispensing free men? No. Praise belongs to God alone. But most of them that is the people of Mecca do not know the chastisement they will come to and so they associate others with God.

An-Nahl 16:75Listen in Qur'an →

وَضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًۭا رَّجُلَيْنِ أَحَدُهُمَآ أَبْكَمُ لَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍۢ وَهُوَ كَلٌّ عَلَىٰ مَوْلَىٰهُ أَيْنَمَا يُوَجِّههُّ لَا يَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ ۖ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى هُوَ وَمَن يَأْمُرُ بِٱلْعَدْلِ ۙ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍۢ مُّسْتَقِيمٍۢ

And Allah presents an example of two men, one of them dumb and unable to do a thing, while he is a burden to his guardian. Wherever he directs him, he brings no good. Is he equal to one who commands justice, while he is on a straight path?

And God strikes a similitude mathalan this is substituted by the following rajulayn two men one of whom is dumb from birth having no power over anything as he cannot understand nor be understood and who is a liability burdensome to his master — the legal guardian of his affairs — wherever he directs him he does not bring therefrom any good he does not succeed and this is the similitude of the disbeliever. Is he that is the dumb one mentioned equal to one who enjoins justice that is to one who is able to speak of benefit to people since he enjoins it justice and encourages others to it and follows a path a way that is straight? — this being the second man the believer — No he is not equal to him. It is also said that this last similitude is a similitude of God while the similitude of the dumb one is of the idols so that the preceding verse contains the similitude of the disbeliever and the believer.

An-Nahl 16:76Listen in Qur'an →

وَلِلَّهِ غَيْبُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ وَمَآ أَمْرُ ٱلسَّاعَةِ إِلَّا كَلَمْحِ ٱلْبَصَرِ أَوْ هُوَ أَقْرَبُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌۭ

And to Allah belongs the unseen [aspects] of the heavens and the earth. And the command for the Hour is not but as a glance of the eye or even nearer. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent.

And to God belongs the Unseen of the heavens and the earth in other words the knowledge of what is hidden in them. And the matter of the Hour is but as the twinkling of an eye or it is even nearer since it takes place as a result of the words ‘Be’ and it is kun fa-yakūn. Truly God has power over all things.

An-Nahl 16:77Listen in Qur'an →

وَٱللَّهُ أَخْرَجَكُم مِّنۢ بُطُونِ أُمَّهَٰتِكُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ شَيْـًۭٔا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلسَّمْعَ وَٱلْأَبْصَٰرَ وَٱلْأَفْـِٔدَةَ ۙ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

And Allah has extracted you from the wombs of your mothers not knowing a thing, and He made for you hearing and vision and intellect that perhaps you would be grateful.

And God brought you forth from the bellies of your mothers while you did not know anything the statement lā ta‘lamūna shay’an ‘while you did not know anything’ is a circumstantial qualifier and He gave you hearing and sight and hearts that perhaps you might give thanks to Him for this gift and become believers.

An-Nahl 16:78Listen in Qur'an →

أَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ إِلَى ٱلطَّيْرِ مُسَخَّرَٰتٍۢ فِى جَوِّ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَا يُمْسِكُهُنَّ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ ۗ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَٰتٍۢ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يُؤْمِنُونَ

Do they not see the birds controlled in the atmosphere of the sky? None holds them up except Allah. Indeed in that are signs for a people who believe.

Have they not observed the birds how they are made subservient disposed to be able to fly in the air of heaven? that is in the air between the heaven and the earth. Nothing holds them when they draw in their wings or open them lest they fall except God by His power. Indeed in that there are signs for a people who believe the signs which are that they have been created in a way that enables them to fly as well as the creation of the air in such a way that it allows for flight and the holding of them up in the air so that they do not fall.

An-Nahl 16:79Listen in Qur'an →

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

And Allah has made for you from your homes a place of rest and made for you from the hides of the animals tents which you find light on your day of travel and your day of encampment; and from their wool, fur and hair is furnishing and enjoyment for a time.

And it is God Who has made for you your homes as a place of rest a place that you can inhabit and He has made for you out of the skins of the cattle homes such as tents and pavilions which you find light to carry on the day of your migration your travel and on the day of your halting; and of their wool that is the sheep’s and their fur that is the camels’ and their hair that is the goats’ He has made for you furniture chattels such as rugs and blankets and wares for you to use for a while until they perish.

An-Nahl 16:80Listen in Qur'an →

Commentary: Tafsir al-Jalalayn by Jalal al-Din al-Mahalli & Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti. Qur'an text and translation via AlQuran Cloud.