Surah 16. An-Nahl

As for anyone who denies God after having once attained to faith - and this, to be sure, does not apply to¹³³ one who does it under duress, the while his heart remains true to his faith,¹³⁴ but [only to] him who willingly opens up his heart to a denial of the truth -: upon all such [falls] God's condemnation, and tremendous suffering awaits them:

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "except" - but the Arabic construction of the sentence that follows makes it necessary to render the simple particle illa in the manner adopted by me ("and this, to be sure, does not apply to...", etc.).

Lit., "one who is coerced, the while his heart is at rest in [his] faith". This relates to believers who, under torture or threat of death, ostensibly "recant" in order to save themselves. Although the Qur'an makes it clear in several places that martyrdom in the cause of faith is highly meritorious, "God does not burden any human being with more than he is well able to bear" (cf. 2:233 and {286}, 6:152 , 7:42 , 23:62 , and many other Qur'anic statements to the same effect).

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 open his breast to unbelief, shall incur the wrath of Allah and shall be sternly punished.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Whoso disbelieveth in Allah after his belief save him who is forced thereto and whose heart is still content with Faith but whoso findeth ease in disbelief: On them is wrath from Allah. Theirs will be an awful doom.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

all this, because they hold this world's life in greater esteem than the life to come, and because God does not bestow His guidance upon people who deny the truth.

  - Mohammad Asad

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.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

That is because they have chosen the life of the world rather than the Hereafter, and because Allah guideth not the disbelieving folk.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

They whose hearts and whose hearing and whose sight God has sealed - it is they, they who are heedless!¹³⁵

  - Mohammad Asad

Sc., "of what is good and what is bad for them". - For an explanation of God's "sealing" the hearts of those who are bent on denying the truth, see 2:7 and the corresponding note.

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

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Such are they whose hearts and ears and eyes Allah hath sealed. And such are the heedless.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Truly it is they, they who in the life to come shall be the losers!

  - Mohammad Asad

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

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Assuredly in the Hereafter they are the losers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And yet, behold, thy Sustainer [grants His forgiveness] unto those who forsake the domain of evil after having succumbed to its temptation,¹³⁶ and who thenceforth strive hard [in God's cause] and are patient in adversity: behold, after such [repentance] thy Sustainer is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace!

  - Mohammad Asad

For an explanation of the concept of fitnah (appearing here in the verbal form futinu) and of my rendering it as "temptation to evil", see surah {8}, note [25]. As regards the expression alladhlna hajaru in its spiritual connotation, see surah {2}, note [203] and surah {4}, note [124].

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.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Then lo! thy Lord--for those who become fugitives after they had been persecuted, and then fought and were steadfast--lo! thy Lord afterward is (for them) indeed Forgiving, Merciful,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[Be conscious, then, of] the Day when every human being shall come to plead for himself [alone] and every human being shall be repaid in full for whatever he has done, and none shall be wronged.

  - Mohammad Asad

On the Day of Judgement 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.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

On the Day when every soul will come pleading for itself, and every soul will be repaid what it did, and they will not be wronged.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

AND GOD propounds [to you] a parable: [Imagine] a town which was [once] secure and at ease, with its sustenance coming to it abundantly from all quarters, and which thereupon blasphemously refused to show gratitude for God's blessings: and therefore God caused it to taste the all-embracing misery¹³⁷ of hunger and fear in result of all [the evil] that its people had so persistently wrought.¹³⁸

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "the garment" (libas) - idiomatically used in classical Arabic to describe the utmost degree of misfortune which "envelops man like a garment" (Taj al-'Arus, with specific reference to the above verse).

This parable is meant to show that deliberate ingratitude for the manifold blessings which God bestows upon man - in other words, a deliberate refusal to submit to His guidance - is bound, in the long run and in the context of aggregate social life, to have disastrous consequences not only in the hereafter but in this world as well, inasmuch as no society may expect to live in security and ease unless it conforms to the ethical and social standards inherent in the concept of man's "bond with God" (as explained in surah {2}, note [19]).

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.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Allah coineth a similitude: a township that dwelt secure and well content, its provision coming to it in abundance from every side, but it disbelieved in Allah's favors, so Allah made it experience the garb of dearth and fear because of what they used to do.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And indeed, there had come unto them an apostle from among themselves - but they gave him the lie; and therefore suffering overwhelmed them while they were thus doing wrong [to themselves].

  - Mohammad Asad

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

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And verily there had come unto them a messenger from among them, but they had denied him, and So the torment seized them while they were wrong-doers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

AND SO, partake of all the lawful, good things which God has provided for you as sustenance, and render thanks unto God for His blessings, if it is [truly] Him that you worship.¹³⁹

  - Mohammad Asad

It is this call to gratitude that provides a connection between the present passage and the foregoing parable of the ungrateful town and, thus, with the opening passages (verses {1-15}) of this surah.

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.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

So eat of the lawful and good food which Allah hath provided for you, and thank the bounty of your Lord if it is Him ye serve.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

He has forbidden to you only carrion, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that over which any name other than God's has been invoked; but if one is driven [to it] by necessity - neither coveting it nor exceeding his immediate need - verily, God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.¹⁴⁰

  - Mohammad Asad

It is to be noted that the above two verses are almost identical with {2:172-173}, and ought, therefore, to be read in conjunction with the whole passage of which those two verses form a part - namely, {2:168-173}. Cf. also {6: 145}.

He has only forbidden you to eat carrion (meat of dead a body), blood, pork, and that over which any name other than Allah 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.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

He hath forbidden for you only carrion and blood and swine-flesh and that which hath been immolated in the name of any other than Allah; but he who is driven thereto, neither craving nor transgressing, lo! then Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Hence, do not utter falsehoods by letting your tongues determine [at your own discretion], "This is lawful and that is forbidden", thus attributing your own lying inventions to God:¹⁴¹ for, behold, they who attribute their own lying inventions to God will never attain to a happy state!

  - Mohammad Asad

Regarding the very important problem of an arbitrary determination, based on subjective preferences, of what is to be considered ethically right or wrong, see surah {2}. note [137].

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.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And speak not, concerning that which your own tongues qualify (as clean or unclean), the falsehood: "This is lawful, and this is forbidden," so that ye invent a lie against Allah. Lo! those who invent a lie against Allah will not succeed.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

A brief enjoyment [may be theirs in this world] - but grievous suffering awaits them [in the life to come]!

  - Mohammad Asad

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

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

A brief enjoyment (will be theirs); and theirs a painful doom.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And [only] unto those who followed the Jewish faith did We forbid all that We have mentioned to thee ere this;¹⁴² and no wrong did We do to them, but it was they who persistently wronged themselves.

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., in {6: 146}, revealed shortly before the present surah. The conjunctive particle "And" at the beginning of this sentence establishes a connection with the precept laid down in verse {114} above, "partake of all the lawful, good things which God has provided for you as sustenance": the implication being (as in 6:145 ) that none of the really good and wholesome things have been forbidden to the believer, and that the many dietary prohibitions and restrictions imposed on the Jews were imposed on them alone in punishment of their persistent sinning (cf. 3:93 ).

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.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And unto those who are Jews We have forbidden that which We have already related unto thee. And We wronged them not, but they were wont to wrong themselves.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And once again:¹⁴³ Behold, thy Sustainer [shows mercy] to those who do evil out of ignorance and afterwards repent and live righteously: behold, after such [repentance] thy Sustainer is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.

  - Mohammad Asad

For this rendering of thumma, see surah {6}, note [31].

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

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Then lo! thy Lord for those who do evil in ignorance and afterward repent and amend--lo! (for them) thy Lord is afterward indeed Forgiving, Merciful.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

VERILY, Abraham was a man who combined within himself all virtues,¹⁴⁴ devoutly obeying God's will, turning away from all that is false,¹⁴⁵ and not being of those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God:

  - Mohammad Asad

This is one of the many meanings of the term ummah and, to my mind, the one most appropriate in the above context. - The mention of Abraham at this place contains a subtle allusion to verse {118}, where the Jews are spoken of: for, the latter claim to be "the chosen people" on account of their descent from Abraham, whereas the Qur'an consistently rejects all claims to a special status by virtue of one's descent. Moreover, the Qur'an states in many places that whereas this particular ancestor of the Hebrews - and, by the way, of most of the Arab tribes as well - was a personification of all that is good and upright, so that "God exalted him with His love" ( 4:125 ), his Jewish descendants always tended to rebel against God and, thus, "persistently wronged themselves".

For an explanation of this rendering of the term hanif, see surah {2}, note [110].

In fact Ibrahim (Abraham) was a nation in himself, an upright man obedient to Allah, and he was not of the mushrikin.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lo! Abraham was a nation obedient to Allah, by nature upright, and he was not of the idolaters;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall