Surah 16. An-Nahl

or that He will not take them to task [suddenly] in the midst of their comings and goings,⁵¹ without their being able to elude [Him],

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., in the midst of their habitual occupations. My interpolation of the word "suddenly" is warranted by the reference, in the next verse, to the alternative of gradual decay.

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

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Or that He will not seize them while they go about 'their day', for then they will have no escape?

  - Mustafa Khattab

Or that He will not seize them in their going to and fro so that there be no escape for them?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Or that He may not call them to account in the midst of their goings to and fro without a chance of their frustrating Him? ²⁰⁷²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

(3) Or the punishment may come to people away from their homes and humble them in their pride. It so happened to Abu Jahl, who came exulting in his pride to the Battle of Badr (A.H. 2). His army was three times the size of the Muslim army from Madinah. But it suffered a crushing defeat, and he himself was ignominiously slain.

or take them to task through slow decay?⁵² And yet, behold, your Sustainer is most compassionate, a dispenser of grace!⁵³

  - Mohammad Asad

One of the meanings of takhawwuf is "gradual diminution" or "decay" or "slow destruction" (Lisan al-'Arab, art. khawafa; thus also Tabari and Zamakhshari); in the above context, the term has obviously both a social and a moral connotation: a gradual disintegration of all ethical values, of power, of civic cohesion, of happiness and, finally, of life itself.

Sc., "seeing that He offers you guidance through His prophets, and gives you time to reflect and mend your ways before you do irreparable harm to yourselves".

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

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Or that He will not destroy them gradually? But your Lord is truly Ever Gracious, Most Merciful.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Or that He will not seize them with a gradual wasting? Lo! thy Lord is indeed Full of Pity, Merciful!

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Or that He may not call them to account by a process of slow wastage--for thy Lord is indeed full of kindness and mercy. ²⁰⁷³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

(4) Or, as often happens, the punishment comes slowly and imperceptibly, the power of the enemies of Allah being wasted gradually, until it is extinguished. This happened to the Makkans during the eight years of the Prophet's exile. The conquest of Makkah was bloodless, because the power of the enemy had gradually vanished. The Prophet was thus able to show the unexampled generosity and clemency which he showed on that occasion, for two of Allah's attributes are expressed in the titles "Full of kindness" (Ra-uf) and "Full of mercy" (Rahim).

HAVE, THEN, they [who deny the truth] never considered any of the things that God has created⁵⁴ - [how] their shadows turn right and left, prostrating themselves before God and utterly submissive [to His will]?⁵⁵

  - Mohammad Asad

In view of the separate mention, in the next verse, of animals and angels, the "things" referred to here apparently denote inanimate objects and perhaps also living organisms like plants.

Lit., "and they are utterly lowly" or "submissive". The "prostration" referred to in this and the next verse is obviously a symbolism expressing the intrinsic subjection of all created beings and things to God's will. See also 13:15 and the corresponding notes [33] and [34].

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

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Have they not considered how the shadows of everything Allah has created incline to the right and the left 'as the sun moves', totally submitting to Allah in all humility?

  - Mustafa Khattab

Have they not observed all thing that Allah hath created, how their shadows incline to the right and to the left, making prostration unto Allah, and they are lowly?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Do they not look at Allah's creation (even) among (inanimate) things how their (very) shadows turn round from the right and the left prostrating themselves to Allah and that in the humblest manner? ²⁰⁷⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

I take "things" here to be inanimate things, for the next verse speaks of living, "moving creatures" and angels. By a metaphor even such inanimate things are spoken of as recognising Allah and humbly worshipping Him. Even their shadows turn round from right and left according to the light from above, and they humbly prostrate themselves on the ground to celebrate the praises of Allah.

For, before God prostrates itself all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth - every beast that moves, and the angels:⁵⁶ [even] these do not bear themselves with false pride:

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., the lowest as well as the highest. The term dabbah denotes any sentient, corporeal being capable of spontaneous movement, and is contrasted here with the noncorporeal, spiritual beings designated as "angels" (Razi).

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

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And to Allah 'alone' bows down 'in submission'¹ whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth of living creatures, as do the angels- who are not too proud 'to do so'.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 lit., prostrates.

And unto Allah maketh prostration whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth of living creatures, and the angels (also), and they are not proud.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And to Allah doth obeisance all that is in the heavens and on earth whether moving (living) creatures or the angels: for none are arrogant (before their Lord). ²⁰⁷⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Moving creatures, i.e., living creatures, "All that is in the heavens or earth," includes every created thing. And created things are mentioned in three classes: inanimate things, ordinary living things, and angels. Even the highest angels are not arrogant; they bow down and serve their Lord, and so does all Creation.

they fear their Sustainer high above them, and do whatever they are bidden to do.⁵⁷

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., they must, by virtue of their nature, obey the impulses implanted in them by God and are, therefore, incapable of what is described as "sinning". Man, however, is fundamentally different in this respect. In contrast with the natural sinlessness of "every beast that moves, and the angels", man is endowed with free will in the moral sense of this term: he can choose between right and wrong - and therefore he can, and often does, sin. But even while he sins he is subject to the universal law of cause and effect instituted by God and referred to in the Qur'an as sunnat Allah ("God's way"): hence the Qur'anic statement that "before God prostrate themselves, willingly or unwillingly, all [things and beings] that are in the heavens and on earth" ( 13:15 ).

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

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They¹ fear their Lord above them, and do whatever they are commanded.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 The angels.

They fear their Lord above them, and do what they are bidden.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

They all revere their Lord high above them and they do all that they are commanded. ²⁰⁷⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Allah is so high above the highest of His creatures, that they all look up to him in awe and reverence. And they joyfully do their duty in serving Him. This is the meaning of the "fear of the Lord."

And God has said: "Do not take to worshipping two [or more] deities.⁵⁸ He is the One and Only God: hence, of Me, of Me alone stand in awe!"⁵⁹

  - Mohammad Asad

The double dual in ilahayn ithnayn ("two deities") serves to emphasize the prohibition of worshipping "more than one deity" - i.e., anything but the One God.

This is a striking example of the fluctuation to which personal pronouns are subjected in the Qur'an whenever they refer to God. As already pointed out in my Foreword, note [2], as well as in other places, such abrupt changes of pronoun ("He", "I", "We", "Us", "Me", etc.) indicate that God is limitless and, therefore, beyond the range of definition implied in the use of "personal" pronouns.

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

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And Allah has said, 'Do not take two gods. There is only One God. So be in awe of Me 'alone'.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Allah hath said: Choose not two gods. There is only One God. So of Me, Me only, be in awe.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Allah has said: "Take not (for worship) two gods: for He is just One Allah: then fear Me (and Me alone)." ²⁰⁷⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The ancient Persians believed in two powers in the Universe, one good and the other evil. The Pagan Arabs also had pairs of deities: e.g., Jibr (Sorcery) and Tagut (Evil), referred to in iv. 51, n. 573, or the idols on Safa and Marwa referred to in n. 160 to ii. 158: their names were Isaf and Naila.

And His is all that is in the heavens and on earth, and to Him [alone] obedience is always due: will you, then, pay reverence to aught but Him?

  - Mohammad Asad

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?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth, and to Him 'alone' is the everlasting devotion. Will you then fear any other than Allah?

  - Mustafa Khattab

Unto Him belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and the earth, and religion is His for ever. Will ye then fear any other than Allah?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and on earth and to Him is duty due always: then will ye fear other than Allah? ²⁰⁷⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Pagans might have a glimmering of the One True God, but they had also a haunting fear of malevolent Powers of Evil. They are told that such fears are groundless. Evil has no power over those who trust in Allah: xv. 42. The only fear they should have is that of the Wrath of Allah. To the righteous all good things come from Allah, and they have no fear in their hearts.

For, whatever good thing comes to you, comes from God; and whenever harm befalls you, it is unto Him that you cry for help⁶⁰ -

  - Mohammad Asad

Cf. {6:40-41}.

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

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Whatever blessings you have are from Allah. Then whenever hardship touches you, to Him 'alone' you cry 'for help'.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And whatever of comfort ye enjoy, it is from Allah. Then, when misfortune reacheth you, unto Him ye cry for help.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And ye have no good thing but is from Allah: and moreover when ye are touched by distress unto Him ye cry with groans; ²⁰⁷⁹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Which shows that the natural tendency of man is to seek Allah, the only Power which can truly relieve distress.

yet as soon as He has removed the harm from you, lo! some of you [begin to] ascribe to other powers a share in their Sustainer's divinity,⁶¹

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "associate [other powers] with their Sustainer": i.e., by attributing the change in their "luck" to what they regard as "extraneous" factors and influences, they invest the latter, as it were, with divine qualities and powers.

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

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Then as soon as He removes the hardship from you, a group of you associates 'others' with their Lord 'in worship',

  - Mustafa Khattab

And afterward, when He hath rid you of the misfortune, behold! a set of you attribute partners to their Lord,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Yet when He removes the distress from you behold! some of you turn to other gods to join with their Lord

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

[as if] to prove their ingratitude for all that We have granted them! Enjoy, then, your [brief] life: but in time you will come to know [the truth]!

  - Mohammad Asad

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

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

only returning Our favours with ingratitude. So enjoy yourselves, for you will soon know.

  - Mustafa Khattab

So as to deny that which We have given them. Then enjoy life (while ye may), for ye will come to know.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

(As if) to show their ingratitude for the favors We have bestowed on them! Then enjoy (your brief day); but soon will ye know (your folly)!

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

As it is, they ascribe - out of what We provide for them as sustenance - a share unto things of which they know nothing.⁶² By God, you shall most certainly be called to account for all your false imagery!

  - Mohammad Asad

According to most of the classical commentators, this relates to the custom of the pagan Arabs - mentioned in 6:136 - to dedicate a part of their agricultural produce and cattle to their deities; and because those deities were mere figments of imagination, they are described here as "things of which they know nothing". However, as I have pointed out in note [120] on 6:136 , the above statement bears a much wider, more general meaning: it connects directly with the three preceding verses of this surah - namely, with the attribution of a share (nasib) in God's creativeness - and thus of a decisive influence on one's life - to "causes" or "powers" other than Him. This view has also been advanced by Razi (with a specific reference to astrological speculations) in the concluding sentence of his commentary on the above verse.

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.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And they 'even' assign to those 'idols'- who know nothing- a share of what We have provided for them. By Allah! You will certainly be questioned about whatever 'lies' you used to fabricate 'against Allah'.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And they assign a portion of that which We have given them unto what they know not. By Allah! but ye will indeed be asked concerning (all) that ye used to invent.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And they (even assign to things they do not know a portion out of that which we have bestowed for their sustenance! By Allah ye shall certainly be called to account for your false inventions. ^{2080 2081}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Idols and fictitious gods are certainly things of which they have no knowledge, idols being lifeless things of whose life or doings no knowledge is possible, and fictitious gods being but figments of their imagination.

Cf. vi. 136-140, 142-144, and v. 103. The Pagans, in assigning and dedicating some of their children, or some of their cattle, or some of the produce of their fields, to their false gods as sharers with the true Supreme God, made themselves doubly ridiculous; first, because every good thing that they valued was given to them by Allah, and how could they patronisingly assign to Him a share of His own gifts?-and secondly, because they brought in other gods as sharers, who had no existence whatever! Besides, the cattle and produce was given for their physical sustenance and the children for their social and spiritual sustenance, and how can they, poor creatures, give sustenance to Allah?

And [thus, too,] they ascribe daughters unto God, who is limitless in His glory⁶³ - whereas for themselves [they would choose, if they could, only] what they desire:⁶⁴

  - Mohammad Asad

The pre-Islamic Arabs believed that the goddesses Al-Lat, Al-'Uzza and Manat (see note [13] on {53:19-20}), as well as the angels, whom they conceived as females, were "God's daughters". As against this, the Qur'an states that God is utterly remote from every imperfection (subhanahu), complete in Himself, and therefore free from the incompleteness inherent in the concept of "progeny" as an extension of one's own being (cf. 6:100 and the corresponding notes [87] and [88]). - This parenthetic passage, comprising verses {57-59}, is explained in note [66] below.

Namely, only male issue, because the pre-lslamic Arabs regarded daughters as no more than a necessary evil.

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

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And they attribute 'angels as' daughters to Allah- glory be to Him!- the opposite of what they desire for themselves.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And they assign unto Allah daughters. Be He glorified! and unto themselves what they desire;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And they assign daughters for Allah! Glory be to Him! and for themselves (sons the issue) they desire! ²⁰⁸²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Some of the Pagan Arabs called angels the daughters of Allah. In their own life they hated to have daughters, as explained in the next two verses. They practised female infanticide. In their state of perpetual war sons were a source of strength to them; daughters only made them subject to humiliating raids!

for, whenever any of them is given the glad tiding of [the birth of] a girl,⁶⁵ his face darkens, and he is filled with suppressed anger,

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., a tiding that should have been regarded as a happy one, since the sex of the child ought to make no difference to parental love.

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

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Whenever one of them is given the good news of a baby girl, his face grows gloomy, as he suppresses his rage.

  - Mustafa Khattab

When if one of them receiveth tidings of the birth of a female, his face remaineth darkened, and he is wroth inwardly.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

When news is brought to one of them of (the birth of) a female (child) his face darkens and he is filled with inward grief!

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

avoiding all people because of the [alleged] evil of the glad tiding which he has received, [and debating within himself:] Shall he keep this [child] despite the contempt [which he feels for it] - or shall he bury it in the dust? Oh, evil indeed is whatever they decide!⁶⁶

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., either of these alternatives is evil: to keep the child as an object of perpetual contempt, or to bury it alive, as was frequently done by the pagan Arabs. - This passage, containing as it does an utter condemnation of men's attitude towards women in pre-Islamic Arabia, has - as is always the case with Qur'anic references to historical events or customs - a meaning that goes far beyond this specific social phenomenon and the resulting infanticide. It would seem that the pivotal point of the whole passage is the sentence, "for themselves [they would choose, if they could, only] what they desire": that is to say, while they are only too ready to associate with God ideas which are repugnant to themselves (for instance, female progeny, which they themselves despise), they are unwilling to accept the concept of man's ultimate responsibility to Him, because such a concept militates against their own hedonistic inclinations by obliging them to impose a moral discipline on themselves. And because they rebel against the idea of ultimate moral responsibility, they instinctively reject the idea of resurrection and of life after bodily death; and since they deny, by implication, God's power to resurrect the dead, they deny His omnipotence and, consequently, begin to "ascribe divinity" - i.e., a genuinely causative function - to all manner of imaginary forces, beings or influences: and so, by means of a parenthetic reference to pre-Islamic Arabian beliefs and customs, the discourse returns full circle to the concept of God's oneness, uniqueness and omnipotence, around which the whole of the Qur'an revolves.

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 judgement they make about Allah.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

He hides himself from the people because of the bad news he has received. Should he keep her in disgrace, or bury her 'alive' in the ground? Evil indeed is their judgment!¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Some pagan Arabs used to bury their infant daughters alive for fear of shame or poverty. This practice was condemned and abolished by Islam. See 6:151 and 81:8-9.

He hideth himself from the folk because of the evil of that whereof he hath bad tidings, (asking himself): Shall he keep it in contempt, or bury it beneath the dust. Verily evil is their judgment.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

With shame does he hide himself from his people because of the bad news he has had! Shall he retain it on (sufferance and) contempt or bury it in the dust? Ah! what an evil (choice) they decide on! ^{2083 2084 2085}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"It", in this and the following clause, refers grammatically to the "news" (ma bushshira bihi). In meaning it refers to the "female child"-by the figure of speech known as metonymy.

Cf. lxxxi- 8-9. The practice of female infanticide is condemned in scathing terms. Female children used to be buried alive by the Pagan Arabs.

It was an evil choice to decide on. Either alternative-to keep the poor girl as a thing of sufferance and contempt, bringing disgrace on the family, or to get rid of it by burying it alive-was cruel and indefensible.

[Thus it is that] the attribute of evil applies to all who do not believe in the life to come⁶⁷ - whereas unto God applies the attribute of all that is most sublime: for He alone is almighty, truly wise!

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., inasmuch as they deny, by implication, man's ultimate responsibility before God. According to Zamakhshari and Razi, the term mathal (lit., "example" or "parable") has here and in the next clause the connotation of sifah ("attribute").

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.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

To those who disbelieve in the Hereafter belong all evil qualities, whereas to Allah belong the finest attributes. And He is the Almighty, All-Wise.

  - Mustafa Khattab

For those who believe not in the Hereafter is an evil similitude, and Allah's is the Sublime Similitude. He is the Mighty, the Wise.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

To those who believe not in the Hereafter applies the similitude of evil: to Allah applies the highest similitude: for He is the Exalted in Power Full of Wisdom. ²⁰⁸⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The word mathal ordinarily denotes a similitude, but in the context of the present verse, especially with reference to Allah, it signifies His sublime attributes rather than a similitude. Cf. xxx. 27.