Surah 16. An-Nahl

And when they who were wont to ascribe divinity to beings other than God behold [on Judgment Day] those beings to whom they were wont to ascribe a share in His divinity,¹⁰² they will exclaim: "O our Sustainer! These are the beings to whom we ascribed a share in Thy divinity, and whom we were wont to invoke instead of Thee!"¹⁰³ - whereupon [those beings] will fling at them the retort: "Behold, you have indeed been lying [to yourselves]!"¹⁰⁴

  - Mohammad Asad

Cf. 6:22 and the corresponding note [15].

The Qur'an states in many places that every sinner who dies without repentance will be endowed on Judgment Day with a clear, objectified vision of his sins, every one of which will have assumed for him the status of an independent reality bearing witness against him and forcing him to acknowledge his now irremediable guilt. It is to be remembered in this connection that the Qur'an describes every act of sinning - whether it be an offence against the concept of God's oneness and uniqueness or a wrong done to any of His creatures - as, primarily, one's "wronging oneself" or "sinning against oneself".

Cf. {6:23-24} and the corresponding notes [16] and [17].

When the mushrikin see their deities whom they associated with Allah, they will say: "Our Rabb! 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!"

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And when those who ascribed partners to Allah behold those partners of theirs, they will say: Our Lord! these are our partners unto whom we used to cry instead of Thee. But they will fling to them the saying: Lo! ye verily are liars!

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And on that Day will they [who had thus been sinning, belatedly] proffer their surrender to God; and all their false imagery will have forsaken them.

  - Mohammad Asad

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

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And they proffer unto Allah submission on that day, and all that they used to invent hath failed them.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Upon all who were bent on denying the truth and who turned others away from the path of God will We heap suffering upon suffering in return for all the corruption that they wrought:

  - Mohammad Asad

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

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

For those who disbelieve and debar (men) from the way of Allah, We add doom to doom because they wrought corruption.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

for one Day We shall raise up within every community a witness against them from among themselves.¹⁰⁵ And thee [too, O Prophet,] have We brought forth to bear witness regarding those [whom thy message may have reached],¹⁰⁶ inasmuch as We have bestowed from on high upon thee, step by step, this divine writ, to make everything clear,¹⁰⁷ and to provide guidance and grace and a glad tiding unto all who have surrendered themselves to God.

  - Mohammad Asad

See note [100] above.

Although the Arabian contemporaries of the Prophet were, naturally, the first to whom his revelation was conveyed - a fact that gave a particular weight to the manner in which they responded to it - the Qur'anic message as such is addressed to all mankind (see in this connection, in particular, 7:158 and 21:107 , as well as the corresponding notes).

I.e., everything that pertains to the knowledge of good and evil, in both the individual and social senses of these terms. - Regarding my rendering of nazzalna, it should be borne in mind that this particular grammatical form is often used in the Qur'an to bring out the fact that it was revealed gradually ("step by step") over a considerable period of time, and not in one piece.

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.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And (bethink you of) the day when We raise in every nation a witness against them of their own folk, and We bring thee (Muhammad) as a witness against these. And We reveal the Scripture unto thee as an exposition of all things, and a guidance and a mercy and good tidings for those who have surrendered (to Allah).

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

BEHOLD, God enjoins justice, and the doing of good, and generosity towards [one's] fellow-men;¹⁰⁸ and He forbids all that is shameful and all that runs counter to reason,¹⁰⁹ as well as envy; [and] He exhorts you [repeatedly] so that you might bear [all this] in mind.

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "the giving to [one's] kinsfolk (dhu'l-qurba)". The latter term usually denotes "relatives", either by blood or by marriage; but since it occurs here in the context of a comprehensive ethical exhortation, it obviously alludes to man's "kinsfolk" in the widest sense of the term, namely, to his "fellow-men".

The term al-munkar (rendered by me in other places as "that which is wrong") has here its original meaning of "that which the mind [or the moral sense] rejects", respectively "ought to reject". Zamakshari is more specific, and explains this term as signifying in the above context "that which [men's] intellects disown" or "declare to be untrue" (ma tunkiruhu al-'uqul): in other words, all that runs counter to reason and good sense (which, obviously, must not be confused with that which is beyond man's comprehension). This eminently convincing explanation relates not merely to intellectually unacceptable propositions (in the abstract sense of the term) but also to grossly unreasonable and, therefore, reprehensible actions or attitudes and is, thus, fully in tune with the rational approach of the Qur'an to questions of ethics as well as with its insistence on reasonableness and moderation in man's behaviour. Hence my rendering of al-munkar, in this and in similar instances, as "all that runs counter to reason".

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.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lo! Allah enjoineth justice and kindness, and giving to kinsfolk, and forbiddeth lewdness and abomination and wickedness. He exhorteth you in order that ye may take heed.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And be true to your bond with God whenever you bind yourselves by a pledge,¹¹⁰ and do not break [your] oaths after having [freely] confirmed them¹¹¹ and having called upon God to be witness to your good faith:¹¹² behold, God knows all that you do.

  - Mohammad Asad

Regarding the expression "bond with God" ('ahd Allah), see surah {2}, note [19]. The clause "whenever you bind yourselves by a pledge" has a twofold meaning: in the first instance (as in 13:20 ) it refers to the spiritual, moral and social obligations arising from one's faith in God; and, secondly, it applies to all pledges or promises given by one person to another - for, as Razi points out, every pledge given by man to man represents, in its essence, a pledge to God. It is to this second aspect of man's "bond with God" that the sequence refers.

I.e., as distinct from oaths "uttered without thought" (see 2:225 ).

Lit., "and having made God [or "named God as"] your guarantor (kafil)".

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.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Fulfill the covenant of Allah when ye have covenanted, and break not your oaths after the asseveration of them, and after ye have made Allah surety over you. Lo! Allah knoweth what ye do.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Hence, be not like her who breaks and completely untwists the yarn which she [herself] has spun and made strong - [be not like this by] using your oaths as a means of deceiving one another,¹¹³ simply because some of you may be more powerful than others.¹¹⁴ By all this, God but puts you to a test - and [He does it] so that on Resurrection Day He might make clear unto you all that on which you were wont to differ.¹¹⁵

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "as a [means of] deception (dakhalan) among yourselves".

Lit., "because there are people (ummah) more powerful than [other] people": relating to declarations and false promises made out of fear.

As is evident from the preceding passage as well as from the sequence, the differences alluded to here relate to ethical and moral values, regarding the truth and relevance of which people of various communities and persuasions hold most divergent views. See also surah {2}, note [94].

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.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And be not like unto her who unravelleth the thread, after she hath made it strong, to thin filaments, making your oaths a deceit between you because of a nation being more numerous than (another) nation. Allah only trieth you thereby, and He verily will explain to you on the Day of Resurrection that wherein ye differed.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

For, had God so willed, He could surely have made you all one single community;¹¹⁶ however, He lets go astray him that wills [to go astray], and guides aright him that wills [to be guided];¹¹⁷ and you will surely be called to account for all that you ever did!¹¹⁸

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., bound by mutually agreed-upon moral values. See in this connection 10:19 and the corresponding notes, especially note [29]. For an elucidation of the concept of ummah wahidah ("one single community") and its further implications, see surah {2}, notes [197] and [198].

Or: "He lets go astray whomever He wills, and guides aright whomever He wills". Regarding the problem of free will versus predestination, seemingly implied in the concept of God's "letting man go [or "causing him to go"] astray" or, alternatively, "guiding him aright", see surah {14}, note [4].

Alluding to the erroneous idea that man's good or evil actions - and therefore also his propensities and resulting attitudes - are "predetermined" by God and not really an outcome of free choice, Zamakhshari rounds off his views on this problem (quoted by me in surah {14}, note [4]) in these words: "If [it were true that] God compels [men] to go astray or, alternatively, to follow His guidance - why should He have postulated their deeds as something for which they will be held responsible?"

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.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Had Allah willed He could have made you (all) one nation, but He sendeth whom He will astray and guideth whom He will, and ye will indeed be asked of what ye used to do.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And do not use your oaths as a means of deceiving one another - or else [your] foot will slip after having been firm,¹¹⁹ and then you will have to taste the evil [consequences]¹²⁰ of your having turned away from the path of God, with tremendous suffering awaiting you [in the life to come].

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., "you will offend against God after having attained to faith", seeing that - as has been pointed out in note [110] above - every pledge given by man to man is synonymous with a pledge to God.

I.e., in this world (Tabari, Zamakhshari, Baydawi), inasmuch as the breaking of pledges unavoidably leads to a gradual disappearance of all mutual trust and, thus, to the decomposition of the social fabric.

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.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Make not your oaths a deceit between you, lest a foot should slip after being firmly planted and ye should taste evil forasmuch as ye debarred (men) from the way of Allah, and yours should be an awful doom.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Hence, do not barter away your bond with God for a trifling gain! Verily, that which is with God is by far the best for you, if you but knew it:

  - Mohammad Asad

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.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And purchase not a small gain at the price of Allah's covenant. Lo! that which Allah hath is better for you, if ye did but know.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

all that is with you is bound to come to an end, whereas that which is with God is everlasting. And most certainly shall We grant unto those who are patient in adversity their reward in accordance with the best that they ever did.

  - Mohammad Asad

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.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

That which ye have wasteth away, and that which Allah hath remaineth. And verily We shall pay those who are steadfast a recompense in proportion to the best of what they used to do.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

As for anyone - be it man or woman - who does righteous deeds, and is a believer withal - him shall We most certainly cause to live a good life;¹²¹ and most certainly shall We grant unto such as these their reward in accordance with the best that they ever did.

  - Mohammad Asad

This may relate either to life in this world - inasmuch as a true believer invariably finds happiness in his God-consciousness - or to the happiness which awaits him in the hereafter, or to both.

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.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Whosoever doeth right, whether male or female, and is a believer, him verily We shall quicken with good life, and We shall pay them a recompense in proportion to the best of what they used to do.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

NOW whenever thou happen to read this Qur'an, seek refuge with God from Satan, the accursed.¹²²

  - Mohammad Asad

The present passage (verses {98-105}) evidently connects with the broad ethical exhortation given in verse {90} above and, thus, with the statement (in verse {89}) that the Qur'an is meant "to make everything clear and to provide guidance and grace and a glad tiding unto all who have surrendered themselves to God" - which, in its turn, implies that the Qur'an is the ultimate source of all God-willed ethical and moral values, and thus an unchanging criterion of good and evil. But since man is always, by virtue of his nature, prone to question the very validity of the moral standards established through revelation, the believer is now called upon to seek, whenever he reads or meditates on this divine writ, God's spiritual aid against the whisperings of what the Qur'an describes as "Satan, the accursed" - that is, all the evil forces, both within man's own soul and within his social environment, which tend to undermine his moral convictions and to lead him away from God.

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

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And when thou recitest the Quran, seek refuge in Allah from Satan the outcast.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Behold, he has no power over those who have attained to faith and in their Sustainer place their trust:

  - Mohammad Asad

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

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lo! he hath no power over those who believe and put trust in their Lord.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

he has power only over those who are willing to follow him,¹²³ and who [thus] ascribe to him a share in God's divinity.¹²⁴

  - Mohammad Asad

Or: "who make him their master". Cf. in this connection {14: 22} and the corresponding note [31].

I.e., inasmuch as they pay an almost worshipful reverence to such blandishments as wealth, power, social position, etc.

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

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

His power is only over those who make a friend of him, and those who ascribe partners unto Him (Allah).

  - Marmaduke Pickthall