English - Chapter 16 - An-Nahl

Allah’s commandment has come, so do not seek to hurry it on. Glory be to Him and Exalted be He above the shirk (associating other gods with Allah) that they practice

He sends down His angels with inspiration of His Command to whom He pleases of His servants, saying: "Warn the people that there is no one else worthy of worship except Me, therefore fear Me

He has created the heavens and the earth to manifest the Truth; Exalted be He above the shirk that they practice

He created man from a drop of semen, yet he is an open contender

He created cattle, which provide you clothing, food, and other benefits

How pleasant they look to you when you bring them home in the evening and drive them to pasture in the morning

They carry your heavy loads to far-off towns that you could not otherwise reach without painful toil; indeed your Lord is Kind and Merciful

He has also created horses, mules, and donkeys for you to ride and put on show, and He has created other things which are beyond your knowledge

It is up to Allah to show the Right Way, when there exist some crooked ways. If Allah wanted He could have guided you all

It is He Who sends down water from the sky, which provides drinking water for you and brings forth fodder to pasture your cattle

With it He grows for you crops, olives, date-palms, grapes, and every kind of fruit: surely there is a great sign in this for those who think

He has subjected to your service the night and the day, the sun and the moon: and likewise the stars also serve you by His command: surely there are signs in this for people who use their common sense

In the Earth He has created things of different colors: surely there is a sign in this for those who want to learn a lesson

It is He Who has subjected the sea to your service, that you may eat fresh meat therefrom and that you may bring out of it ornaments to wear; and you see that ships plough their course through it. He has done all this so that you may seek His bounty and so that you may pay thanks to Him

He has set mountains on the earth - lest it should move away with you. He also made rivers and roads so that you may find your way

and likewise made landmarks and the stars for your guidance

Is then, He, Who has created all this, like one who cannot create? Why don’t you understand

and Allah knows what you conceal and what you reveal

Those whom they invoke besides Allah have created nothing, but are themselves created

They are dead, not living; they do not even know when they will be raised to life again

Your God is One God; as for those who do not believe in the hereafter, they have faithless hearts and are puffed up with arrogance

Allah surely knows what they conceal and what they reveal; certainly He does not love the arrogant

When they are asked: "What is it, that your Lord has revealed?" They say: "Fictitious stories of the ancients

Let them bear their own burden in full and that of those whom they have misled in their ignorance. Alas! Evil is the responsibility they are taking

Those before them also plotted against the Truth, but Allah shook their edifice through its foundation, and its roof caved in on them; and the torment came at them from where they did not even suspect

Then on the Day of Judgment He will humiliate them and say: "Where are those deities you associated with Me concerning whom you used to dispute with the true believers?" Those who have been given knowledge will say: "Today there will be shame and sorrow for the unbelievers

those whom the angels cause to die while they were still engaged in doing injustice to their own souls. At the time of death they offer submission, saying: "We were not doing anything wrong." The angels will reply: "O Yea! How dare you deny! Certainly Allah is aware of what you were doing

Now go ahead and enter the gates of Hell, there you will abide forever." In fact, very awful will be the abode of the arrogant

On the other hand when the righteous people are asked: " What is it that your Lord has revealed?" They say: "That which is the best." Good is the reward for such righteous people in this world and the home of the hereafter will be even better. How splendid will be the home for the righteous

Gardens of Eden will they enter, beneath which rivers flow, having therein all that they wish to have. Thus shall Allah reward the righteous

such pious people the angels cause to die, saying: "Peace be upon you! Enter the paradise because of the good deeds you have done

Are these unbelievers waiting for the angels to come down to take their lives or the commandment of your Lord to come to pass for their doom? So did those who went before them. It was not Allah who was unjust to them, but they were unjust to themselves

At the end, the evil results of their deeds overtook them, and the very scourge at which they mocked, hemmed them in

The pagans say: "If Allah wanted, neither we nor our forefathers would have worshipped any one else but Him, nor made anything unlawful without His will." Such excuses were put forward also by those who went before them. Yet Messengers have no more responsibility than to convey the Message clearly

No doubt We raised in every nation a Messenger, saying: "Serve Allah and keep away from Taghut (Satanic forces)." After that, Allah guided some of them while deviation proved true against the others. So travel through the earth and see what was the end of those who denied Our Message

No matter how eager you may be for their guidance, you should know that Allah does not guide those whom He let go astray and such people will have no helpers

They solemnly swear their strongest oaths by Allah: "Allah will never raise the dead to life." Why not? It is a promise which He has made binding on Himself, though most among mankind may not know it

It will be fulfilled so that He may manifest to them the Truth about which they differ, and so that the rejecters of Truth may know that they were indeed liars

As for its possibility, when We intend to do anything which We want, We need only say, "Be," and it is

For those who migrated for the sake of Allah after persecution, We will certainly provide them a good abode in this life and the reward of the hereafter will be much greater, if they but knew what a happy end awaits

those who bear ills with patience and put their trust in their Lord

The Messengers We sent before you, O Muhammad, and to whom We revealed Our Message, were also human beings. You (O people of Mecca), may ask those who have the Reminder (The people of the Book), if you don’t know this fact yourself

We sent those Messengers with clear signs and scriptures; and now We have sent down the reminder to you (O Muhammad), so that you may explain clearly to mankind as to what was sent to them so that they may think about it

Do those who plot evil deeds feel secure that Allah will not cave in the earth beneath them or that the scourge will not come to them from directions that they did not suspect

Or that He may not seize them in the course of their journey leaving no way for their escape

Or that He may seize them after alerting them about the danger? Yet your Lord is Beneficent, Merciful

Do they not see how every object that Allah has created casts its shadow right and left, prostrating itself to Allah in all humility

To Allah prostrate all the creatures of the heavens and the earth, including the angels; and they are not arrogant

they fear their Lord Who is above them, and they do whatever they are commanded to do

Allah has commanded: "You shall not worship two gods: there exists only One God, I am the One Whom you should fear

To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth and His Deen (laws or ways of life) is followed in the universe - would you then fear any one other than Allah

Whatever blessings you enjoy are from Allah, and when touched by distress, He is the One to Whom you cry for help

Yet no sooner does He relieve you from the distress than some of you begin to associate others with Him

as if to show their ingratitude for the favors that We bestow on them! Enjoy yourselves; soon you will come to know the consequences

They set aside a portion of what We have provided them with, for those deities about whom they know nothing. By Allah! You shall most certainly be questioned about the lies you fabricate

They ascribe daughters to Allah - Glory be to Him! But for themselves, they would like to have what they desire (sons)

Whenever the news of a female child is announced to any one of them, his face darkens and he chokes with inward gloom

He hides himself from his people because of the bad news he has heard, asking himself whether he should retain her with disgrace or bury her in the dust. Beware! Evil is the Judgment they make about Allah

Those who do not believe in the hereafter set an evil example, while Allah applies the highest example, for He is the Mighty, the Wise

If Allah were to punish mankind for its wrongdoing, He would not leave even an animal around the wrongdoers, but He gives them respite for an appointed time. But when their appointed time comes, they can neither stay behind for a moment nor can they go before it

They attribute to Allah what they themselves hate. Their tongues mouth the lie that they will have a good reward. Let there be no doubt: the only thing they will have is hell, and they will be sent ahead of the others

By Allah! We sent Messengers before you (O Muhammad) to other nations; but Satan made their deeds seem fair to them so they did not believe, he is their patron today, and they shall have a painful punishment

We have revealed to you the Book (The Qur'an) so that you may clearly explain to them the reality of those things in which they differ - it is a guidance and blessing for those people who believe

Allah sends down water from the sky, and with it gives life to the land after it has been dead (this Qur'an is being sent to serve the same purpose). Surely in this example there is a sign for those who listen

Surely there is a lesson for you in cattle. We give you to drink of what is in their bellies, between bowels and blood - pure milk - pleasant for those who drink it

Likewise in the fruits of the date-palm and the grapes, from which you derive intoxicants and wholesome food, certainly there is a sign for those people who use their common sense

Behold! Your Lord inspired the bees to build their hives in the mountains, in the trees, and in anything which men may build for beekeeping

and feed on every kind of fruit and follow the smooth ways of your Lord. From its belly comes forth a syrup of different colors, which contains a healing for mankind. Certainly in this there is a sign for those who think

Allah is the One Who created you, then He causes you to die; there are some amongst you whose lives are prolonged to an abject old age so that they know nothing after having known much. In fact Allah is the All-Knowing, Almighty

Allah has made some of you excel in sustenance over the others; those who are so favored, do not give away their sustenance to their slaves so as to make them their equals. How can you think that Allah will allow other deities to be His equals? Would they refuse to acknowledge the favors of Allah

It is Allah Who has made for you mates from your own species and He is the One Who gives you sons and grandsons through those wives, and provides for you good things to eat: will they then, after knowing all that, believe that falsehood and disbelieve Allah’s favors

They worship those deities other than Allah, who neither provide them anything for sustenance from the heavens or the earth, nor have any power to do so

Therefore, compare none with Allah. Surely Allah knows and you do not know

Allah gives you another example of two men: one of them is a slave, the property of the other, and has no power over anything; and the other man is one on whom We have bestowed Our bounty, from which he freely spends secretly and openly. Ask them: "Are those two men equal?" Praise be to Allah - most of them do not understand this simple thing

Well! Allah gives you another example of two men: one of them is dumb and has no ability to do anything - a burden on his master whenever he sends him on an errand, he does nothing useful. Can he be equal to the one who executes orders properly and follows the directions in a Right Way

Allah Alone has knowledge of the unseen things of the Heavens and the Earth. As for the taking place of the Hour of Judgment, it will be like a twinkling of an eye or even quicker: surely Allah has power over everything

Allah brought you forth from the wombs of your mothers when you knew nothing, and He gave you hearing, sight and intelligence so that you may give thanks to Him

Do they not see the birds, that wing their flight in the air towards the sky? Who holds them up but Allah? Surely in this there are signs for the true believers

Allah has made your homes the place for your rest, and animal skins for tents like houses so that you may find them light when you travel and easy to pitch when you stop; while from their wool, fur, and hair He provides you household items and articles of convenience for your prescribed term of life

Allah has provided you shades from the sun out of what He has created. He has granted you resorts in the mountains, has granted you garments to protect yourselves from heat; and coats of armor to protect you during your wars. Thus He completes his favors to you, so that you may become Muslims

If they still give no heed to you O Muhammad, you need not worry, for your duty is only to convey the message clearly

They recognize the favors of Allah, yet they deny them; most of them are ungrateful disbelievers

Do they realize what will happen on that Day when We shall call a witness from every nation? Then the unbelievers will neither be allowed to put forward any excuse nor will they receive any favor

When the wrongdoers face the punishment, it will neither be lightened for them nor will they be granted a delay

When the pagans see their deities whom they associated with Allah, they will say: "Our Lord! Here are our ‘associate gods’ whom we used to invoke besides You." At this their deities will toss their statement back at them saying: "You are liars

They shall tender their submission to Allah that Day: and the gods of their own inventions will leave them in the lurch

As for those who disbelieve and debar others from the Way of Allah, We shall punish them all the more for their misdeeds

O Muhammad, warn them about that Day when We shall call a witness from every nation to testify against it, and We shall call you O Muhammad to testify against your people: that is why We have sent down to you this Book (The Qur'an) to explain everything - a guide, a blessing and good news for Muslims

Allah commands doing justice, doing good to others, and giving to near relatives, and He forbids indecency, wickedness, and rebellion: He admonishes you so that you may take heed

Fulfill the covenant of Allah when you have pledged to do so, and do not break your oaths after you have sworn them; for swearing in His name you have made Allah your surety; surely Allah has knowledge of all your actions

Do not behave like that woman who had spun her yarn strongly and then had herself broken it into pieces; nor take your oaths for mutual deceit so that one people may take undue advantage over the other, for Allah puts you to trial by these oaths; and on the Day of Judgment He will certainly reveal to you the truth about which you differed

If Allah wanted, He could have made you all one nation, but He lets go astray whom He wants and guides whom He pleases: but most certainly you will be questioned about all your actions

O believers! Do not take oaths to deceive each other, lest your foot slip after being firmly fixed upon guidance; and taste the evil consequences for debarring others from the Way of Allah and incur a mighty punishment

Do not sell the covenant of Allah for a petty price. Certainly Allah’s reward is far better than all your gain, if you but knew it

Whatever is with you is transitory and what is with Allah is everlasting. We will certainly reward those who are patient according to the noblest of their deeds

Whoever does righteous deeds, whether male or female, provided he is a believer, We shall surely grant him a new life, a life that is good, and We will certainly reward such people according to the noblest of their deeds in the hereafter

When you recite The Qur'an, seek Allah’s protection from the accursed Satan

surely he has no authority over those who believe and put their trust in their Lord

His authority is only over those who befriend him and commit shirk by his temptation

When We substitute one verse in favor of another to elaborate with different examples - and Allah knows best what He reveals in stages - they say: "You are but a forger." The fact is that most of them do not understand

Say, "The Holy Spirit (Gabriel) has brought it down piecemeal intact from your Lord to strengthen the faith of the believers, and to give guidance and good news to the Muslims

We know very well what they say about you, O Muhammad: "A certain man teaches him." But the man they allude to speaks a foreign language while this (The Qur'an) is in eloquent Arabic

In fact, Allah does not show guidance to those who do not believe in His revelations and they will have a painful punishment

Surely those who do not believe in the revelations of Allah, are the ones who forge the falsehood and they are the ones who are liars

Anyone who is forced to deny faith after its acceptance, while his heart remains loyal to the faith, shall be absolved; but any who denies faith willingly after its acceptance and opens his breast to unbelief, shall incur the wrath of Allah and shall be sternly punished

This is because such people love the life of this world more than the hereafter, and that Allah does not guide those who knowingly reject faith

Such are those whose hearts, ears and eyes are sealed by Allah; and they are the ones who are heedless

There is no doubt that in the hereafter they will be the losers

On the other hand, Allah is most surely forgiving and compassionate towards those who had to leave their homes after being persecuted because of their faith, struggled hard and remained steadfastly patient

On the Day of Judgment every soul will come pleading for itself and every soul will be paid in full for what it has done, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly

Allah gives you an example of a town which was enjoying security and peace, receiving its provisions in abundance from every quarter, but it became ungrateful to the favors of Allah. As a result, Allah made its residents taste the consequences of their doings, through inflicting upon them misfortunes of hunger and fear

A Messenger was sent to them from among themselves, but they denied him; so the punishment overtook them because they were wrongdoers

So eat of the good and lawful things which Allah has provided for you; and be grateful to Allah for His favors, if you are sincere in His worship

He has only forbidden you to eat carrion (meat of a dead body), blood, pork, and that over which any name other than Allah's has been invoked. But if one is forced by necessity, intending neither to break the Divine Law nor to transgress limits, then surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful

You shall not falsely declare with your tongues: "This is lawful, and that is forbidden," in order to ascribe false things to Allah, for those who forge lies against Allah will never prosper

Brief is their enjoyment of this life, and they shall have a painful punishment

To the Jews, We prohibited those things which We have already mentioned to you, and it was not We Who imposed the hardships on them but they imposed those hardships on themselves

Yet your Lord is forgiving and merciful towards those who do something wrong through ignorance, but later repent and mend their ways

In fact Abraham was a nation in himself, an upright man obedient to Allah, and he was not of the pagans

He was always grateful for the favors of Allah, Who chose him and guided him to the Right Way

We gave him a good life in this world, and in the hereafter he will be among the righteous

And now We have revealed to you Our will, saying: "Follow the faith of Abraham the upright, he was not of the pagans

As for the Sabbath, it was ordained for those who differed about its observance. Surely your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Judgment about that over which they differ

Call people to the Way of your Lord with wisdom and best advice, and reason with them, if you have to, in the most courteous manner: for your Lord knows best who strays from His Way and He knows best who is rightly guided

If you have to retaliate, let your retaliation be commensurate with the wrong which was done to you; but if you endure with patience, the best reward indeed is for those who endure with patience

Be patient - for your patience is not but with the help of Allah - do not grieve over them and do not distress yourself because of their plots

for Allah is with those who fear Him and adopt the righteous attitude