Surah 16. An-Nahl

GOD'S JUDGMENT is [bound to] come: do not, therefore, call for its speedy advent!¹ Limitless is He in His glory and sublimely exalted above anything to which men may ascribe a share in His divinity!

  - Mohammad Asad

Regarding this allusion to the incredulous inquiry of the unbelievers, see {6:57-58}, 8:32 and {10:50-51}, as well as the corresponding notes.

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!

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

The commandment of Allah will come to pass, so seek not ye to hasten it. Glorified and Exalted be He above all that they associate (with Him).

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

He causes the angels to descend with this divine inspiration,² [bestowed] at His behest upon whomever He wills of His servants: "Warn [all human beings] that there is no deity save Me: be, therefore, conscious of Me!"

  - Mohammad Asad

The term ruh (lit., "spirit", "soul" or "breath of life") is often used in the Qur'an in the sense of "inspiration" - and, more particularly, "divine inspiration" - since, as Zamakhshari points out in connection with the above verse as well as with the first sentence of 42:52 , "it gives life to hearts that were [as] dead in their ignorance, and has in religion the same function as a soul has in a body". A very similar explanation is given by Razi in the same context. The earliest instance in which the term ruh has been used in this particular sense is 97:4 .

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."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

He sendeth down the angels with the Spirit of His command unto whom He will of His bondmen, (saying): Warn mankind that there is no god save Me, so keep your duty unto Me.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

He has created the heavens and the earth in accordance with [an inner] truth;³ sublimely exalted is He above anything to which men may ascribe a share in His divinity!⁴

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., in accordance with a meaning and a purpose known only to Him. See also 10:5 and, in particular, the corresponding note [11].

This repetition of part of verse {1} is meant to stress the uniqueness of God's creative powers.

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

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

He hath created the heavens and the earth with truth. High be He exalted above all that they associate (with Him).

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

He creates man out of a [mere] drop of sperm: and lo! this same being shows himself endowed with the power to think and to argue!⁵

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "he becomes an open contender in argument (khasim)". According to Zamakhshari and Razi, the above phrase is liable to two interpretations. In the words of Zamakhshari, "one interpretation is that after having been a [mere] drop of sperm, a particle of matter without consciousness or motion, man becomes highly articulate (mintiq), able to argue on his own [for or against a proposition], courageously facing disputes, and clearly formulating his arguments: [and herein lies] an indication of God's creative power. The other [interpretation] is that man is [prone to become] a contender in argument against his Sustainer, refusing to acknowledge his [very] Creator." Razi, on his part, gives his unqualified support to the first of these two interpretations, "because the above verses are meant to stress the evidence of the existence of a wise Creator, and not the fact of men's insolence and their proneness to blasphemy and ingratitude". However, in view of {36:77-78} (revealed at a considerably earlier period), I am of the opinion that the above two interpretations are not mutually exclusive but, rather, complementary, inasmuch as this passage is meant to bring out man's unique quality as a rational being - a quality that may lead him to great heights of achievement, but may equally well lead him utterly astray: hence my free rendering of this profound, elliptic phrase.

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

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

He hath created man from a drop of fluid, yet behold! he is an open opponent.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And He creates cattle: you derive warmth from them, and [various other] uses; and from them you obtain food;

  - Mohammad Asad

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

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And the cattle hath He created, whence ye have warm clothing and uses, and whereof ye eat.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall