16. Sūrat al-Naḥl (2/3)

١٦۔ سُورَةُ النَّحْل ص ٢

The Bee (Meccan)

quran:16:51

And Allah has said, "Do not take for yourselves two deities. He is but one God, so fear only Me."  

And God has said: ‘Do not choose two gods (ithnayn is for emphasis). Truly there is only One God — He has added this ˹statement˺ to affirm ˹His˺ Divinity and Oneness — so be in awe of Me ˹alone˺’: fear Me, to the exclusion of anyone else — herein is a shift from the third person ˹to the first˺.
القرآن:١٦:٥١

وَقَالَ اللَّهُ لَا تَتَّخِذُوا إِلَٰهَيْنِ اثْنَيْنِ ۖ إِنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ ۖ فَإِيَّايَ فَارْهَبُونِ  

{وقال الله لا تتخذوا إلهين اثنين} تأكيد {إنما هو إله واحد} أتى به لإثبات الإلهية والوحدانية {فإياي فارهبون} خافون دون غيري وفيه التفات عن الغيبة.
quran:16:52

And to Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth, and to Him is ˹due˺ worship constantly. Then is it other than Allah that you fear?  

And to Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth, as possessions, creatures and servants. And to Him belongs the religion, the obedience, that endures, the ˹one˺ everlasting (wāsiban, is a circumstantial qualifier referring to al-dīn, ‘the religion’, and is operated by the sense of the adverbial clause). Will you then fear any other than God?, when He is the True God, other than Whom there is no god (the interrogative is a ˹statement of˺ rejection and rebuke).
القرآن:١٦:٥٢

وَلَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَلَهُ الدِّينُ وَاصِبًا ۚ أَفَغَيْرَ اللَّهِ تَتَّقُونَ  

{وله ما في السماوات والأرض} ملكاً وخلقاً وعبيداً {وله الدين} الطاعة {واصباً} دائماً حال من الدين والعامل فيه معنى الظرف {أفغير الله تتقون} وهو الإله الحق ولا إله غيره والاستفهام للإنكار والتوبيخ.
quran:16:53

And whatever you have of favor - it is from Allah. Then when adversity touches you, to Him you cry for help.  

Whatever grace you have, it is from God, none but He brings it (mā, ‘whatever’, is either a conditional or relative ˹particle˺). Then when misfortune, poverty or illness, befalls you, to Him you cry for help, ˹to Him˺ you raise your voices with pleas for help and supplications, and you do not call upon any other than Him.
القرآن:١٦:٥٣

وَمَا بِكُمْ مِنْ نِعْمَةٍ فَمِنَ اللَّهِ ۖ ثُمَّ إِذَا مَسَّكُمُ الضُّرُّ فَإِلَيْهِ تَجْأَرُونَ  

{وما بكم من نعمة فمن الله} لا يأتي بها غيره و"ما" شرطية أو موصولة {ثم إذا مسكم} أصابكم {الضر} الفقر والمرض {فإليه تجأرون} ترفعون أصواتكم بالاستغاثة والدعاء ولا تدعون غيره.
quran:16:54

Then when He removes the adversity from you, at once a party of you associates others with their Lord  

Then when He has rid you of the misfortune, behold, a group of you attribute partners to their Lord,
القرآن:١٦:٥٤

ثُمَّ إِذَا كَشَفَ الضُّرَّ عَنْكُمْ إِذَا فَرِيقٌ مِنْكُمْ بِرَبِّهِمْ يُشْرِكُونَ  

{ثم إذا كشف الضر عنكم إذا فريق منكم بربهم يشركون}.
quran:16:55

So they will deny what We have given them. Then enjoy yourselves, for you are going to know.  

in order to deny that, grace, which We have given them. So enjoy, that consent of yours to worship idols (an imperative meant as a threat): for soon you shall know, the consequence of this.
القرآن:١٦:٥٥

لِيَكْفُرُوا بِمَا آتَيْنَاهُمْ ۚ فَتَمَتَّعُوا ۖ فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ  

{ليكفروا بما آتيناهم} من النعمة {فتمتعوا} باجتماعكم على عبادة الأصنام أمر تهديد {فسوف تعلمون} عاقبة ذلك.
quran:16:56

And they assign to what they do not know a portion of that which We have provided them. By Allah, you will surely be questioned about what you used to invent.  

And they, that is, the idolaters, assign, to what they do not know, that they cause harm and cannot benefit ˹them˺ — namely, the idols — a portion of that which We have provided them with, of crops and cattle, saying that ‘this is for God and this is for our partners’. By God, you will indeed be questioned (a questioning of rebuke; there is a shift herein from the third ˹to the second˺ person) about what you used to fabricate, against God, such as ˹claiming˺ that He commanded you to ˹do˺ this.
القرآن:١٦:٥٦

وَيَجْعَلُونَ لِمَا لَا يَعْلَمُونَ نَصِيبًا مِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ ۗ تَاللَّهِ لَتُسْأَلُنَّ عَمَّا كُنْتُمْ تَفْتَرُونَ  

{ويجعلون} أي المشركون {لما لا يعلمون} أنها تضر ولا تنفع وهي الأصنام {نصيباً مما رزقناهم} من الحرث والأنعام بقولهم هذا لله لشركائنا {تالله لتسألن} سؤال توبيخ وفيه التفات عن الغيبة {عما كنتم تفترون} على الله من أنه أمركم بذلك.
quran:16:57

And they attribute to Allah daughters - exalted is He - and for them is what they desire.  

And they assign to God daughters, by claiming that the angels are the daughters of God — Be He glorified! — a declaration that He is ˹exalted˺ above that which they claim — while they will have what they desire, namely, sons (the status of this sentence is either independent ˹nominative˺, or that of an ˹accusative˺ object of ˹the verb˺ yaj‘alūna, ‘they assign’). The meaning is that to Him they assign daughters, to whom they are averse, when ˹in any case˺ He is ˹exalted˺ beyond having offspring, while to themselves they assign sons, of their own choosing, so that the best is theirs exclusively — like where God says, Now, ask them: are daughters to be for your Lord, while sons are to be for them? ˹Q. 37:149˺.
القرآن:١٦:٥٧

وَيَجْعَلُونَ لِلَّهِ الْبَنَاتِ سُبْحَانَهُ ۙ وَلَهُمْ مَا يَشْتَهُونَ  

(ويجعلون لله البنات) بقولهم الملائكة بنات الله (سبحانه) تنزيهاً له عما زعموا (ولهم ما يشتهون) ـه أي البنون والجملة في محل رفع أو نصب بيجعل، المعنى يجعلون له البنات التي يكرهونها وهو منزه عن الولد ويجعلون لهم الأبناء الذين يختارونهم فيختصون بالأسنى كقوله "" فاستفتهم ألربك البنات ولهم البنون "".
quran:16:58

And when one of them is informed of ˹the birth of˺ a female, his face becomes dark, and he suppresses grief.  

And when one of them is given the tidings of a girl, that will be born to him, his face becomes darkened, transformed like that of one ˹suddenly˺ struck by grief, and he chokes inwardly, filled with anguish: so how is it that daughters are attributed to Him, exalted be He?
القرآن:١٦:٥٨

وَإِذَا بُشِّرَ أَحَدُهُمْ بِالْأُنْثَىٰ ظَلَّ وَجْهُهُ مُسْوَدًّا وَهُوَ كَظِيمٌ  

{وإذا بُشّر أحدهم بالأنثى} تولد له {ظل} صار {وجهه مسوداً} متغيراً تغير مغتَمّ {وهو كظيم} ممتلئ غمًّا فكيف تنسب البنات إليه تعالى.
quran:16:59

He hides himself from the people because of the ill of which he has been informed. Should he keep it in humiliation or bury it in the ground? Unquestionably, evil is what they decide.  

He hides, disappearing, from people, that is, ˹from˺ his people, out of distress at the tidings given to him, fearing mockery, unsure what to do with it ˹the newborn˺: shall he retain it — refrain from killing it — in humiliation, ˹enduring˺ shame and disgrace, or trample into the dust, by burying it alive. Verily wretched is what they judge, ˹evil is˺ this judgement of theirs, in which they ascribe to their Creator ˹that His are the˺ daughters, who have such a ˹lowly˺ status in their eyes.
القرآن:١٦:٥٩

يَتَوَارَىٰ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ مِنْ سُوءِ مَا بُشِّرَ بِهِ ۚ أَيُمْسِكُهُ عَلَىٰ هُونٍ أَمْ يَدُسُّهُ فِي التُّرَابِ ۗ أَلَا سَاءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ  

{يتوارى} يختفي {من القوم} أي قومه {من سوء ما بشر به} خوفاً من التعيير متردداً فيما يفعل به {أيمسكه} يتركه بلا قتل {على هون} هوان وذل {أم يدسه في التراب} بأن يئده {ألا ساء} بئس {ما يحكمون} حكمهم هذا حيث نسبوا لخالقهم البنات اللاتي هن عندهم بهذا المحل.
quran:16:60

For those who do not believe in the Hereafter is the description of evil; and for Allah is the highest attribute. And He is Exalted in Might, the Wise.  

For those who do not believe in the Hereafter, namely, ˹for˺ the disbelievers, there is an evil description, in other words, ˹theirs is˺ the most evil attribute, meaning, the most vile, which is their burying alive of ˹newborn˺ girls, despite the fact that they are needed for the purposes of marriage; and the loftiest description belongs to God, ˹His is˺ the attribute most sublime, namely, that there is no god except Him. And He is the Mighty, in His kingdom, the Wise, in His creation.
القرآن:١٦:٦٠

لِلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ مَثَلُ السَّوْءِ ۖ وَلِلَّهِ الْمَثَلُ الْأَعْلَىٰ ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ  

{للذين لا يؤمنون بالآخرة} أي الكفار {مثل السَّوء} أي الصفة السوأى بمعنى القبيحة وهي وأدهم البنات مع احتياجهم إليهن للنكاح {ولله المثل الأعلى} الصفة العليا وهو أنه لا إله إلا هو {وهو العزيز} في ملكه {الحكيم} في خلقه.
quran:16:61

And if Allah were to impose blame on the people for their wrongdoing, He would not have left upon the earth any creature, but He defers them for a specified term. And when their term has come, they will not remain behind an hour, nor will they precede ˹it˺.  

And if God were to take mankind to task for their wrongdoing, ˹wrongdoing˺ through acts of disobedience, He would not leave upon it, that is, ˹upon˺ the earth, any living being, any single ˹living˺ thing moving upon it; but He gives them respite until an appointed term; and when their term comes they will not defer, from it, by a single hour nor advance, it.
القرآن:١٦:٦١

وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ اللَّهُ النَّاسَ بِظُلْمِهِمْ مَا تَرَكَ عَلَيْهَا مِنْ دَابَّةٍ وَلَٰكِنْ يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى ۖ فَإِذَا جَاءَ أَجَلُهُمْ لَا يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ سَاعَةً ۖ وَلَا يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ  

{ولو يؤاخذ الله الناس بظلمهم} بالمعاصي {ما ترك عليها} أي الأرض {من دابة} نسمة تدب عليها {ولكن يؤخرهم إلى أجل مسمى فإذا جاء أجلهم لا يستأخرون} عنه {ساعة ولا يستقدمون} عليه.
quran:16:62

And they attribute to Allah that which they dislike, and their tongues assert the lie that they will have the best ˹from Him˺. Assuredly, they will have the Fire, and they will be ˹therein˺ neglected.  

Still, they assign to God what they dislike, for themselves — such as daughters, partners in power, and the mistreatment of messengers. And their tongues, despite this, relate, tell, the lie, which is, that theirs will be the best reward, with God, namely, Paradise, as He ˹God˺ states ˹in their words elsewhere˺: ‘And in case I am returned to my Lord, I will indeed have the best reward with Him’ ˹Q. 41:50˺. But God, exalted be He, says: Without any doubt — verily — theirs shall be the Fire and they shall be abandoned therein, or ˹it, mufratūn, means that˺ they shall be foremost in ˹entering˺ it (a variant reading ˹for mufratūn˺ has mufritūn, meaning that ‘they transgress the bounds’).
القرآن:١٦:٦٢

وَيَجْعَلُونَ لِلَّهِ مَا يَكْرَهُونَ وَتَصِفُ أَلْسِنَتُهُمُ الْكَذِبَ أَنَّ لَهُمُ الْحُسْنَىٰ ۖ لَا جَرَمَ أَنَّ لَهُمُ النَّارَ وَأَنَّهُمْ مُفْرَطُونَ  

{ويجعلون لله ما يكرهون} لأنفسهم من البنات والشريك في الرياسة وإهانة الرسل {وتصف} تقول {ألسنتهم} مع ذلك {الكذب} وهو {أن لهم الحسنى} عند الله أي الجنة لقوله: (ولئن رجعت إلى ربي إن لي عنده للحسنى) {لا جرم} حقا {أن لهم النار وأنهم مفرطون} متروكون فيها أو مقدمون إليها وفي قراءة بكسر الراء أي متجاوزون الحد.
quran:16:63

By Allah, We did certainly send ˹messengers˺ to nations before you, but Satan made their deeds attractive to them. And he is the disbelievers' ally today ˹as well˺, and they will have a painful punishment.  

By God, We verily sent to communities before you, messengers. But Satan adorned for them their deeds, ˹their˺ evil ˹deeds˺, so that they considered them to be good ˹deeds˺ and therefore they denied the messengers. So he is their patron, the guardian of their affairs, today, that is, ˹now˺ in this world, and for them there will be a painful chastisement, in the Hereafter. It is also said that by al-yawm, ‘today’, is meant the Day of Resurrection, narrating the events as though they are taking place ˹now˺. In other words, they have no guardian other than him ˹in other words, Satan˺, and as he is incapable of helping himself, how could he possibly help them?
القرآن:١٦:٦٣

تَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَىٰ أُمَمٍ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ فَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ فَهُوَ وَلِيُّهُمُ الْيَوْمَ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ  

{تالله لقد أرسلنا إلى أمم من قبلك} رسلاً {فزين لهم الشيطان أعمالهم} السيئة فرأوها حسنة فكذبوا الرسل {فهو وليهم} متولي أمورهم {اليوم} أي في الدنيا {ولهم عذاب أليم} مؤلم في الآخرة وقيل المراد باليوم يوم القيامة على حكاية الحال الآتية لا ولي لهم غيره وهو عاجز عن نصر نفسه فكيف ينصرهم.
quran:16:64

And We have not revealed to you the Book, ˹O Muhammad˺, except for you to make clear to them that wherein they have differed and as guidance and mercy for a people who believe.  

And We have not revealed to you, O Muhammad (s), the Book, the Qur’ān, except ˹for the purpose˺ that you may make clear to them, to mankind, that wherein they differ, in the matter of religion, and as a guidance (wa-hudan is a supplement to wa-li-tubayyina, ‘and that you may make clear’) and as a mercy for a people who believe, in it.
القرآن:١٦:٦٤

وَمَا أَنْزَلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ إِلَّا لِتُبَيِّنَ لَهُمُ الَّذِي اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ ۙ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ  

{وما أنزلنا عليك} يا محمد {الكتاب} القرآن {إلا لتبين لهم الذي اختلفوا فيه} من أمر الدين {وهدى} عطف على لتبين {ورحمة لقوم يؤمنون} به.
quran:16:65

And Allah has sent down rain from the sky and given life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who listen.  

And God sends down water from the heaven and therewith revives the earth, with plants, after its death, ˹after˺ its drying up. Surely in that, which is mentioned, there is a sign, indicating the ˹truth of the˺ Resurrection, for a people who listen, listening and then reflecting.
القرآن:١٦:٦٥

وَاللَّهُ أَنْزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَحْيَا بِهِ الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَةً لِقَوْمٍ يَسْمَعُونَ  

{والله أنزل من السماء ماء فأحيا به الأرض} بالنبات {بعد موتها} يبسها {إن في ذلك} المذكور {لآية} دالة على البعث {لقوم يسمعون} سماع تدبر.
quran:16:66

And indeed, for you in grazing livestock is a lesson. We give you drink from what is in their bellies - between excretion and blood - pure milk, palatable to drinkers.  

And truly for you there is in the cattle a lesson, an example to learn from. We give you to drink — ˹this introduces˺ the explanation of the ‘lesson’ — of that which is in their bellies, the cattle’s ˹bellies˺, from (min indicates a new subject and is semantically connected to nusqīkum, ‘We give you to drink’) between the refuse, the intestinal waste, and the blood, pure milk, uncontaminated by either the refuse or the blood, neither in its taste, odour or colour, even though it ˹the milk˺ is ˹situated˺ between the two, palatable to drinkers, easily passing down their throats, not causing any choking.
القرآن:١٦:٦٦

وَإِنَّ لَكُمْ فِي الْأَنْعَامِ لَعِبْرَةً ۖ نُسْقِيكُمْ مِمَّا فِي بُطُونِهِ مِنْ بَيْنِ فَرْثٍ وَدَمٍ لَبَنًا خَالِصًا سَائِغًا لِلشَّارِبِينَ  

{وإن لكم في الأنعام لعبرة} اعتبار {نسقيكم} بيان للعبرة {مما في بطونه} أي الأنعام {من} للابتداء متعلقة بنسقيكم {بين فرث} ثفل الكرش {ودمٍ لبناً خالصاً} لا يشوبه شيء من الفرث والدم من طعم أو ريح أو لون أو بينهما {سائغاًً للشاربين} سهل المرور في حلقهم لا يغص به.
quran:16:67

And from the fruits of the palm trees and grapevines you take intoxicant and good provision. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who reason.  

And of the fruits of date-palms and vines, ˹comes forth˺ a fruit, from which you draw an intoxicant, a wine that intoxicates — it ˹the wine˺ is referred to by the verbal noun ˹sakaran, ‘intoxicant’˺, and this ˹verse˺ came before it was prohibited — and goodly provision, such as dates, raisins, vinegar, and molasses. Surely in that, which is mentioned, there is a sign, indicating His power, exalted be He, for a people who understand, ˹a people who˺ reflect.
القرآن:١٦:٦٧

وَمِنْ ثَمَرَاتِ النَّخِيلِ وَالْأَعْنَابِ تَتَّخِذُونَ مِنْهُ سَكَرًا وَرِزْقًا حَسَنًا ۗ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَةً لِقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ  

{ومن ثمرات النخيل والأعناب} ثمر {تتخذون منه سكراً} خمراً يسكِر سميت بالمصدر وهذا قبل تحريمها {ورزقاً حسناً} كالتمر والزبيب والخل والدبس {إن في ذلك} المذكور {لآية} دالة على قدرته تعالى {لقوم يعقلون} يتدبرون.
quran:16:68

And your Lord inspired to the bee, "Take for yourself among the mountains, houses, and among the trees and ˹in˺ that which they construct.  

And your Lord revealed to the bee, a revealing ˹effected˺ through inspiration, ˹saying˺ (an, ‘that’, is either explicative or relates to the verbal noun): ‘Choose among the hills habitations, to which you can resort, and among the trees, ˹also˺ habitations, and among the trellises which they raise, that is, the places which humans build for you — for otherwise it ˹the bee˺ would not resort to these ˹places˺.
القرآن:١٦:٦٨

وَأَوْحَىٰ رَبُّكَ إِلَى النَّحْلِ أَنِ اتَّخِذِي مِنَ الْجِبَالِ بُيُوتًا وَمِنَ الشَّجَرِ وَمِمَّا يَعْرِشُونَ  

{وأوحى ربك إلى النحل} وحي إلهام {أن} مفسرة أو مصدرية {اتخذي من الجبال بيوتاً} تأوين إليها {ومن الشجر} بيوتًا {ومما يعرشون} أي الناس يبنون لك من الأماكن وإلا لم تأو إليها.
quran:16:69

Then eat from all the fruits and follow the ways of your Lord laid down ˹for you˺." There emerges from their bellies a drink, varying in colors, in which there is healing for people. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who give thought.  

Then eat from every ˹kind of˺ fruit, and follow, enter, the ways of your Lord, ˹follow˺ His paths in seeking pastures, ˹ways˺ made easily accessible’ (dhululan is the plural of dhalūl, and is a circumstantial qualifier referring to al-subul, ‘the ways’, in other words, ˹those paths˺ disposed for you, such that they pose no difficulty for you, even if it should be rough ˹terrain˺, and ˹such that˺ you would not lose your way when returning therefrom, even if it be far away; it ˹dhululan˺ is also said to be ˹a circumstantial qualifier˺ referring to the person of ˹the pronominal suffix of˺ fa’slukī, ‘you follow’, meaning ˹in this case˺ ˹follow those paths˺ in compliance with what is required of you). There comes forth from their bellies a drink, namely, honey, of diverse hues, wherein is a cure for mankind, from ˹all˺ ailments; it is also said ˹that it means that it is a cure only˺ for some ˹ailments˺, as indicated by the indefinite ˹noun˺ shifā’un, ‘a cure’; or ˹that it is a cure˺ for all ˹ailments˺ when supplemented with some other ˹remedy˺; or without these ˹other remedies˺ but with the resolve (niyya) ˹to get better˺. The Prophet (s) used to prescribe it for anyone suffering from stomach pains, as reported by the two Shaykhs ˹Bukhārī and Muslim˺. Surely in that there is a sign for a people who reflect, upon God’s handiwork, exalted be He.
القرآن:١٦:٦٩

ثُمَّ كُلِي مِنْ كُلِّ الثَّمَرَاتِ فَاسْلُكِي سُبُلَ رَبِّكِ ذُلُلًا ۚ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ بُطُونِهَا شَرَابٌ مُخْتَلِفٌ أَلْوَانُهُ فِيهِ شِفَاءٌ لِلنَّاسِ ۗ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَةً لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ  

{ثم كلي من كل الثمرات فاسلكي} ادخلي {سبل ربك} طرقه في طلب المرعى {ذللا} جمع ذلول حال من السبل أي مسخرة لك فلا تعسر عليك وإن توعرت ولا تضلي على العود منها وإن بعدت، وقيل من الضمير في اسلكي أي منقادة لما يراد منك {يخرج من بطونها شراب} هو العسل {مختلف ألوانه فيه شفاء للناس} من الأوجاع قيل لبعضها كما دل عليه تنكير شفاء أو لكلها بضميمته إلى غيره وبدونها بنيته وقد أمر به ﷺ من استطلق عليه بطنه رواه الشيخان {إن في ذلك لآية لقوم يتفكرون} في صنعه تعالى.
quran:16:70

And Allah created you; then He will take you in death. And among you is he who is reversed to the most decrepit ˹old˺ age so that he will not know, after ˹having had˺ knowledge, a thing. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Competent.  

And God has created you, when you were nothing, then He takes you ˹in death˺, when your terms ˹of life˺ are concluded; and there are some among you who are relegated to the most abject stage of life, that is, the most diminished, because of old-age and senility, so that he knows nothing after ˹having possessed˺ some knowledge. ‘Ikrima said, ‘Whoever recites the Qur’ān will not come to such a predicament’. God is Knowing, of how to manage ˹the affairs of˺ His creation, Powerful, in ˹doing˺ what He will.
القرآن:١٦:٧٠

وَاللَّهُ خَلَقَكُمْ ثُمَّ يَتَوَفَّاكُمْ ۚ وَمِنْكُمْ مَنْ يُرَدُّ إِلَىٰ أَرْذَلِ الْعُمُرِ لِكَيْ لَا يَعْلَمَ بَعْدَ عِلْمٍ شَيْئًا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ قَدِيرٌ  

{والله خلقكم} ولم تكونوا شيئاً {ثم يتوفاكم} عند انقضاء آجالكم {ومنكم من يرد إلى أرذل العمر} أي أخسه من الهرم والخرف {لكي لا يعلم بعد علم شيئاً} قال عكرمة من قرأ القرآن لم يصر بهذه الحالة {إن الله عليم} بتدبير خلقه {قدير} على ما يريده.
quran:16:71

And Allah has favored some of you over others in provision. But those who were favored would not hand over their provision to those whom their right hands possess so they would be equal to them therein. Then is it the favor of Allah they reject?  

And God has favoured some of you above others in ˹respect of˺ provision, thus, some of you are poor, some are rich, some owners, others are owned. Now those who have been ˹more˺ favoured, namely, the masters, would not hand over their provision to those ˹slaves˺ whom their right hands possess, that is, they would not assign that wealth and other things which We have given them as something to be shared ˹equally˺ between them and their slaves, so that they, that is, the slaves and ˹their˺ masters, become equal, partners, in respect thereof. The meaning is: they do not have partners from among their slaves in respect of their wealth, so how can they make certain of God’s servants partners of His? Is it then the grace of God that they deny?, ˹that˺ they reject, when they ascribe partners to Him?
القرآن:١٦:٧١

وَاللَّهُ فَضَّلَ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ فِي الرِّزْقِ ۚ فَمَا الَّذِينَ فُضِّلُوا بِرَادِّي رِزْقِهِمْ عَلَىٰ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُمْ فَهُمْ فِيهِ سَوَاءٌ ۚ أَفَبِنِعْمَةِ اللَّهِ يَجْحَدُونَ  

{والله فضل بعضكم على بعض في الرزق} فمنكم غني وفقير ومالك ومملوك {فما الذين فضلوا} أي الموالي {برادي رزقهم على ما ملكت أيمانهم} أي بجاعلي ما رزقناهم من الأموال وغيرها شركة بينهم وبين مماليكهم {فهم} أي المماليك والموالي {فيه سواء} شركاء المعنى ليس لهم شركاء من مماليكهم في أموالهم فكيف يجعلون بعض مماليك الله شركاء له {أفبنعمة الله يجحدون} يكفرون حيث يجعلون له شركاء.
quran:16:72

And Allah has made for you from yourselves mates and has made for you from your mates sons and grandchildren and has provided for you from the good things. Then in falsehood do they believe and in the favor of Allah they disbelieve?  

And God made for you mates from your own selves, thus He created Eve from Adam’s rib and ˹created˺ all mankind from the seminal fluids of men and women, and made for you, from your mates, children and grandchildren, and He provided you with the good things, of ˹all˺ kinds of fruits, seeds and animals. Is it then in falsehood, ˹in˺ the idol, that they believe and in the grace of God that they disbelieve?, when they associate others ˹with God˺?
القرآن:١٦:٧٢

وَاللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَزْوَاجِكُمْ بَنِينَ وَحَفَدَةً وَرَزَقَكُمْ مِنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ ۚ أَفَبِالْبَاطِلِ يُؤْمِنُونَ وَبِنِعْمَتِ اللَّهِ هُمْ يَكْفُرُونَ  

{والله جعل لكم من أنفسكم أزواجا} فخلق حواء من ضلع آدم وسائر الناس من نطف الرجال والنساء {وجعل لكم من أزواجكم بنين وحفدة} أولاد الأولاد {ورزقكم من الطيبات} من أنواع الثمار والحبوب والحيوان {أفبالباطل} الصنم {يؤمنون وبنعمة الله هم يكفرون} بإشراكهم.
quran:16:73

And they worship besides Allah that which does not possess for them ˹the power of˺ provision from the heavens and the earth at all, and ˹in fact˺, they are unable.  

And they worship besides God, that is, other than Him, what has no power to give them any ˹sort of˺ provision from the heavens, such as water, and the earth, such as plants (shay’an, ‘any˹thing˺’, is a substitute for rizqan, ‘provision’) nor do they have the capacity, ˹nor˺ are they able to do anything — and these are the idols.
القرآن:١٦:٧٣

وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَمْلِكُ لَهُمْ رِزْقًا مِنَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ  

{ويعبدون من دون الله} أي غيره {ما لا يملك لهم رزقا من السماوات} بالمطر {والأرض} بالنبات {شيئا} بدل من رزقا {ولا يستطيعون} يقدرون على شيء وهو الأصنام.
quran:16:74

So do not assert similarities to Allah. Indeed, Allah knows and you do not know.  

So do not strike any similitude for God, ˹do not˺ ascribe to God likenesses and then associate them with Him ˹in power˺. Truly God knows, that there is nothing like Him, and you do not know, this.
القرآن:١٦:٧٤

فَلَا تَضْرِبُوا لِلَّهِ الْأَمْثَالَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ  

{فلا تضربوا لله الأمثال} لا تجعلوا لله أشباها تشركون به {إن الله يعلم} أن لا مثل له {وأنتم لا تعلمون} ذلك.
quran:16:75

Allah presents an example: a slave ˹who is˺ owned and unable to do a thing and he to whom We have provided from Us good provision, so he spends from it secretly and publicly. Can they be equal? Praise to Allah! But most of them do not know.  

God strikes a similitude (mathalan, this is substituted by ˹the following, ‘abdan mamlūkan˺) a slave who is a chattel (mamlūkan, an adjective to distinguish him ˹this type of slave˺ from a free man, who is the servant of God ˹alone˺) having no power over anything, since he has no mastery, and one on whom (man, is an indefinite ˹noun˺, adjectivally qualified, in other words, a free man) We have bestowed a fair provision from Us, such that he spends thereof secretly and openly, that is, disposing of it as he wishes: the first similitude is for the idols, while the second is His, exalted be He. Are they equal?, the powerless slaves and the dispensing free men? No. Praise belongs to God, alone. But most of them, that is, the people of Mecca, do not know, the chastisement they will come to, and so they associate others with God.
القرآن:١٦:٧٥

ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا عَبْدًا مَمْلُوكًا لَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَىٰ شَيْءٍ وَمَنْ رَزَقْنَاهُ مِنَّا رِزْقًا حَسَنًا فَهُوَ يُنْفِقُ مِنْهُ سِرًّا وَجَهْرًا ۖ هَلْ يَسْتَوُونَ ۚ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ۚ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ  

{ضرب الله مثلاً} ويبدل منه {عبدا مملوكا} صفة تميزه من الحر فإنه عبد الله {لا يقدر على شيء} لعدم ملكه {ومن} نكرة موصوفة أي حرا {رزقناه منا رزقا حسنا فهو ينفق منه سرا وجهرا} أي يتصرف فيه كيف يشاء والأول مثل الأصنام والثاني مثله تعالى {هل يستوون} أي العبيد العجزة والحر المتصرف؟ لا {الحمد لله} وحده {بل أكثرهم} أي أهل مكة {لا يعلمون} ما يصيرون إليه من العذاب فيشركون.
quran:16:76

And Allah presents an example of two men, one of them dumb and unable to do a thing, while he is a burden to his guardian. Wherever he directs him, he brings no good. Is he equal to one who commands justice, while he is on a straight path?  

And God strikes a similitude (mathalan, this is substituted by ˹the following, rajulayn˺) two men, one of whom is dumb ˹from birth˺, having no power over anything, as he cannot understand nor be understood, and who is a liability, burdensome, to his master: — the ˹legal˺ guardian of his affairs — wherever he directs him, he does not bring, therefrom, any good, he does ˹not˺ succeed, and this is the similitude of the disbeliever. Is he, that is, the dumb one mentioned, equal to one who enjoins justice, that is, to one who is able to speak, of benefit to people, since he enjoins it ˹justice˺ and encourages ˹others to˺ it, and follows a path, a way, that is straight? — this being the second ˹man˺, the believer — No ˹he is not equal to him˺. It is also said that this ˹last similitude˺ is a similitude of God, while the ˹similitude of the˺ dumb one is of the idols, so that the preceding ˹verse˺ contains the similitude of the disbeliever and the believer.
القرآن:١٦:٧٦

وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا رَجُلَيْنِ أَحَدُهُمَا أَبْكَمُ لَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَىٰ شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ كَلٌّ عَلَىٰ مَوْلَاهُ أَيْنَمَا يُوَجِّهْهُ لَا يَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ ۖ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي هُوَ وَمَنْ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ ۙ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ  

{وضرب الله مثلاً} ويبدل منه {رجلين أحدهما أبكم} ولد أخرس {لا يقدر على شيء} لأنه لا يفهم ولا يُفهم {وهو كلّ} ثقيل {على مولاه} وليّ أمره {أينما يوجهه} يصرفه {لا يأت} منه {بخير} ينجح وهذا مثل الكافر {هل يستوي هو} أي الأبكم المذكور {ومن يأمر بالعدل} أي ومن هو ناطق نافع للناس حيث يأمر به ويحث عليه {وهو على صراط} طريق {مستقيم} وهو الثاني المؤمن؟ لا، وقيل هذا مثل الله، والأبكم للأصنام والذي قبله مثل الكافر والمؤمن.
quran:16:77

And to Allah belongs the unseen ˹aspects˺ of the heavens and the earth. And the command for the Hour is not but as a glance of the eye or even nearer. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent.  

And to God belongs the Unseen of the heavens and the earth, in other words, the knowledge of what is hidden in them. And the matter of the Hour is but as the twinkling of an eye, or it is ˹even˺ nearer, since it takes place as a result of the words, ‘Be’ and it is (kun fa-yakūn). Truly God has power over all things.
القرآن:١٦:٧٧

وَلِلَّهِ غَيْبُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۚ وَمَا أَمْرُ السَّاعَةِ إِلَّا كَلَمْحِ الْبَصَرِ أَوْ هُوَ أَقْرَبُ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ  

{ولله غيب السماوات والأرض} أي علم ما غاب فيهما {وما أمر الساعة إلا كلمح البصر أو هو أقرب} لأنه بلفظ كن فيكون {إن الله على كل شيء قدير}.
quran:16:78

And Allah has extracted you from the wombs of your mothers not knowing a thing, and He made for you hearing and vision and intellect that perhaps you would be grateful.  

And God brought you forth from the bellies of your mothers while you did not know anything (the statement ˹lā ta‘lamūna shay’an, ‘while you did not know anything’˺ is a circumstantial qualifier), and He gave you hearing and sight and hearts that perhaps you might give thanks, to Him for this ˹gift˺ and become believers.
القرآن:١٦:٧٨

وَاللَّهُ أَخْرَجَكُمْ مِنْ بُطُونِ أُمَّهَاتِكُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ شَيْئًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ السَّمْعَ وَالْأَبْصَارَ وَالْأَفْئِدَةَ ۙ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ  

{والله أخرجكم من بطون أمهاتكم لا تعلمون شيئا} الجملة حال {وجعل لكم السمع} بمعنى الأسماع {والأبصار والأفئدة} القلوب {لعلكم تشكرونـ} ـه على ذلك فتؤمنون.
quran:16:79

Do they not see the birds controlled in the atmosphere of the sky? None holds them up except Allah. Indeed in that are signs for a people who believe.  

Have they not observed the birds ˹how they are˺ made subservient, disposed to ˹be able to˺ fly, in the air of heaven?, that is, in the air between the heaven and the earth. Nothing holds them, when they draw in their wings or open them, lest they fall, except God, by His power. Indeed in that there are signs for a people who believe, ˹the signs˺ which are that they have been created in a way that enables them to fly, as well as the creation of the air in such a way that it allows for flight, and the holding of them ˹up in the air so that they do not fall˺.
القرآن:١٦:٧٩

أَلَمْ يَرَوْا إِلَى الطَّيْرِ مُسَخَّرَاتٍ فِي جَوِّ السَّمَاءِ مَا يُمْسِكُهُنَّ إِلَّا اللَّهُ ۗ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ  

{ألم يروْا إلى الطير مسخرات} مذللات للطيران {في جو السماء} أي الهواء بين السماء والأرض {ما يمسكهن} عند قبض أجنحتهن أو بسطها أن يقعن {إلا الله} بقدرته {إن في ذلك لآيات لقوم يؤمنون} هي خلقها بحيث يمكنها الطيران وخلق الجو بحيث يمكن الطيران فيه وإمساكها.
quran:16:80

And Allah has made for you from your homes a place of rest and made for you from the hides of the animals tents which you find light on your day of travel and your day of encampment; and from their wool, fur and hair is furnishing and enjoyment for a time.  

And it is God Who has made for you your homes as a place of rest, a place that you can inhabit, and He has made for you out of the skins of the cattle homes, such as tents and pavilions, which you find light, to carry, on the day of your migration, your travel, and on the day of your halting; and of their wool, that is, the sheep’s, and their fur, that is, the camels’, and their hair, that is, the goats’, ˹He has made for you˺ furniture, chattels such as rugs and blankets, and wares, for you to use, for a while, until they perish.
القرآن:١٦:٨٠

وَاللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِنْ بُيُوتِكُمْ سَكَنًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِنْ جُلُودِ الْأَنْعَامِ بُيُوتًا تَسْتَخِفُّونَهَا يَوْمَ ظَعْنِكُمْ وَيَوْمَ إِقَامَتِكُمْ ۙ وَمِنْ أَصْوَافِهَا وَأَوْبَارِهَا وَأَشْعَارِهَا أَثَاثًا وَمَتَاعًا إِلَىٰ حِينٍ  

{والله جعل لكم من بيوتكم سكنا} موضعا تسكنون فيه {وجعل لكم من جلود الأنعام بيوتا} كالخيام والقباب {تستخفونها} للحمل {يوم ظعنكم} سفركم {ويوم إقامتكم ومن أصوافها} أي الغنم {وأوبارها} أي الإبل {وأشعارها} أي المعز {أثاثا} متاعا لبيوتكم كبسط وأكسية {ومتاعا} تتمتعون به {إلى حين} يبلى فيه.
quran:16:81

And Allah has made for you, from that which He has created, shadows and has made for you from the mountains, shelters and has made for you garments which protect you from the heat and garments which protect you from your ˹enemy in˺ battle. Thus does He complete His favor upon you that you might submit ˹to Him˺.  

And it is God Who has made for you, from what He created, of houses, trees and clouds, shade (zilāl is the plural of zill) to protect you from the heat of the sun; and He has made for you, in the mountains, places of refuge (aknān is the plural of kinn, which is ˹a places˺ where one can seek shelter ˹istakanna˺, such as a cave or a tunnel); and He has made for you garments, shirts, that protect you from the heat, that is, and ˹also˺ from the cold, and garments that protect you from your ˹mutual˺ violence, ˹your˺ warring, in other words, ˹to protect you˺ from stabbed or struck during these ˹instances˺, ˹garments˺ such as coats of mail and armour plates. So, in the same way that He has created these things, He perfects His favour — in this world — to you, by creating that of which you have need, so that you, O people of Mecca, might submit, ˹that you might˺ affirm His Oneness.
القرآن:١٦:٨١

وَاللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِمَّا خَلَقَ ظِلَالًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِنَ الْجِبَالِ أَكْنَانًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ سَرَابِيلَ تَقِيكُمُ الْحَرَّ وَسَرَابِيلَ تَقِيكُمْ بَأْسَكُمْ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُتِمُّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُسْلِمُونَ  

{والله جعل لكم مما خلق} من البيوت والشجر والغمام {ظلالاً} جمع ظل، تقيكم حر الشمس {وجعل لكم من الجبال أكنانا} جمع كن، وهو ما يستكن فيه كالغار والسرب {وجعل لكم سرابيل} قمصا {تقيكم الحر} أي والبرد {وسرابيل تقيكم بأسكم} حربكم أي الطعن والضرب فيها كالدروع والجواشن {كذلك} كما خلق هذه الأشياء {يُتم نعمته} في الدنيا {عليكم} بخلق ما تحتاجون إليه {لعلكم} يا أهل مكة {تسلمون} توحدونه.
quran:16:82

But if they turn away, ˹O Muhammad˺ - then only upon you is ˹responsibility for˺ clear notification.  

But if they turn away, ˹if˺ they reject Islam, your duty, O Muhammad (s), is only to convey ˹the Message˺ plainly — this was ˹revealed˺ before the command to fight ˹the disbelievers˺.
القرآن:١٦:٨٢

فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلَاغُ الْمُبِينُ  

{فإن تولوْا} أعرضوا عن الإسلام {فإنما عليك} يا محمد {البلاغ المبين} الإبلاغ البيِّن وهذا قبل الأمر بالقتال.
quran:16:83

They recognize the favor of Allah; then they deny it. And most of them are disbelievers.  

They recognise God’s grace, that is, they affirm that it comes from Him, and then deny it, by associating others ˹with Him˺, and most of them are ungrateful.
القرآن:١٦:٨٣

يَعْرِفُونَ نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُنْكِرُونَهَا وَأَكْثَرُهُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ  

{يعرفون نعمة الله} أي يقرّون بأنها من عنده {ثم ينكرونها} بإشراكهم {وأكثرهم الكافرون}.
quran:16:84

And ˹mention˺ the Day when We will resurrect from every nation a witness. Then it will not be permitted to the disbelievers ˹to apologize or make excuses˺, nor will they be asked to appease ˹Allah˺.  

And, mention, the day We shall raise up from every community a witness, and this will be it ˹that community’s˺ prophet, to bear witness for it and against it, and this ˹day˺ is the Day of Resurrection; then the disbelievers will not be given permission, to make excuses, nor will they be asked to make amends, that is, ˹nor will they be asked˺ to ˹repent and˺ return to that which pleases God.
القرآن:١٦:٨٤

وَيَوْمَ نَبْعَثُ مِنْ كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ شَهِيدًا ثُمَّ لَا يُؤْذَنُ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَلَا هُمْ يُسْتَعْتَبُونَ  

{و} اذكر {يوم نبعث من كل أمة شهيداً} هو نبيها يشهد لها وعليها وهو يوم القيامة {ثم لا يؤذن للذين كفروا} في الاعتذار {ولا هم يستعتبون} لا يطلب منهم العتبى أي الرجوع إلى ما يرضي الله.
quran:16:85

And when those who wronged see the punishment, it will not be lightened for them, nor will they be reprieved.  

And when those who did wrong, ˹those who˺ disbelieved, behold the chastisement, the Fire, it shall not be lightened for them, the chastisement, nor will they be granted any respite, ˹any˺ deferment from it when they see it.
القرآن:١٦:٨٥

وَإِذَا رَأَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا الْعَذَابَ فَلَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمْ وَلَا هُمْ يُنْظَرُونَ  

{وإذا رأى الذين ظلموا} كفروا {العذاب} النار {فلا يُخفف عنهم} العذاب {ولا هم يُنظرون} يمهلون عنه إذا رأوه.
quran:16:86

And when those who associated others with Allah see their "partners," they will say," Our Lord, these are our partners ˹to You˺ whom we used to invoke besides You." But they will throw at them the statement, "Indeed, you are liars."  

And when the idolaters behold their associates, of devils and others, they will say, ‘Our Lord, these are our associates whom we used to invoke, ˹whom we used˺ to worship, besides You’. But they will fling to them the saying, that is, they will say to them: ‘You are indeed liars!’, when you say that you used to worship us — as is stated ˹by them˺ in another verse: ‘It was not us that they worshipped’ ˹Q. 28:63˺; ˹and also in the verse˺ They will deny their worship of them ˹Q. 19:82˺.
القرآن:١٦:٨٦

وَإِذَا رَأَى الَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا شُرَكَاءَهُمْ قَالُوا رَبَّنَا هَٰؤُلَاءِ شُرَكَاؤُنَا الَّذِينَ كُنَّا نَدْعُو مِنْ دُونِكَ ۖ فَأَلْقَوْا إِلَيْهِمُ الْقَوْلَ إِنَّكُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ  

(وإذا رأى الذين أشركوا شركاءهم) من الشياطين وغيرها (قالوا ربنا هؤلاء شركاؤنا الذين كنا ندعو) نعبدهم (من دونك فألقوا إليهم القول) أي قالوا لهم (إنكم لكاذبون) في قولكم إنكم عبدتمونا كما في آية أخرى " ما كانوا إيانا يعبدون "، سيكفرون بعبادتهم.
quran:16:87

And they will impart to Allah that Day ˹their˺ submission, and lost from them is what they used to invent.  

And they will offer submission to God on that day, that is, they will have surrendered to His judgement, and that which they used to invent, in the way of ˹claiming that˺ their gods intercede for them, will fail, forsake, them.
القرآن:١٦:٨٧

وَأَلْقَوْا إِلَى اللَّهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ السَّلَمَ ۖ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُمْ مَا كَانُوا يَفْتَرُونَ  

{وألقوا إلى الله يومئذ السلم} أي استسلموا لحكمه {وضل} غاب {عنهم ما كانوا يفترون} من أن آلهتهم تشفع لهم.
quran:16:88

Those who disbelieved and averted ˹others˺ from the way of Allah - We will increase them in punishment over ˹their˺ punishment for what corruption they were causing.  

Those who disbelieve and bar, people, from the way of God, ˹from˺ His religion, them, We shall add chastisement to ˹their˺ chastisement, that ˹chastisement˺ which they have merited for their disbelief — Ibn Mas‘ūd said, ‘˹Their chastisment will consist of˺ scorpions whose fangs are ˹as long˺ as the tallest palm trees’ — because of the corruption they used to cause, by their barring people from belief.
القرآن:١٦:٨٨

الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَصَدُّوا عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ زِدْنَاهُمْ عَذَابًا فَوْقَ الْعَذَابِ بِمَا كَانُوا يُفْسِدُونَ  

{الذين كفروا وصدوا} الناس {عن سبيل الله} دينه {زدناهم عذابا فوق العذاب} الذي استحقوه بكفرهم قال ابن مسعود: عقارب أنيابها كالنخل الطوال {بما كانوا يفسدون} بصدهم الناس عن الإيمان.
quran:16:89

And ˹mention˺ the Day when We will resurrect among every nation a witness over them from themselves. And We will bring you, ˹O Muhammad˺, as a witness over your nation. And We have sent down to you the Book as clarification for all things and as guidance and mercy and good tidings for the Muslims.  

And, mention, the day We shall raise up from every community a witness against them from among themselves, and this will be their ˹that community’s˺ prophet, and We shall bring you, O Muhammad (s), as a witness against these, namely, your people. And We have revealed to you the Book, the Qur’ān, as a clarification of all things, that people ˹might˺ need concerning the Law, and as a guidance, from error, and a mercy and good tidings, of Paradise, to those who submit, ˹those who˺ affirm the Oneness ˹of God˺.
القرآن:١٦:٨٩

وَيَوْمَ نَبْعَثُ فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ ۖ وَجِئْنَا بِكَ شَهِيدًا عَلَىٰ هَٰؤُلَاءِ ۚ وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ تِبْيَانًا لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ  

{و} اذكر {يوم نبعث في كل أمة شهيدا عليهم من أنفسهم} وهو نبيهم {وجئنا بك} يا محمد {شهيدا على هؤلاء} أي قومك {ونزلنا عليك الكتاب} القرآن {تبيانا} بيانا {لكل شيء} يحتاج إليه الناس من أمر الشريعة {وهدى} من الضلالة {ورحمة وبشرى} بالجنة {للمسلمين} الموحدين.
quran:16:90

Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded.  

Indeed God enjoins justice — ˹that is˺ affirmation of ˹His˺ Oneness, or ˹actually˺ being fair, and virtue, performance of the ˹religious˺ obligations, or that you should worship God as if you were able to see Him, as ˹reported˺ in the hadīth; and giving to kinsfolk — He has singled it ˹kinship˺ out for mention by way of ˹highlighting˺ its importance — and He forbids lewdness, fornication, and abomination, with regard to the ˹stipulations of the˺ Law, ˹abomination˺ such as disbelief and acts of disobedience, and aggression, wrongdoing against people — He also singles this out for mention by way of ˹showing˺ its importance; just as He began with ˹the mention of˺ ‘lewdness’, in this way, He admonishes you, through commands and prohibitions, so that you might remember, ˹that you might˺ be admonished (tadhakkarūna, ‘you ˹might˺ remember’, the original tā’ ˹of tatadhakkarūna˺ has been assimilated with the dhāl). In the Mustadrak ˹of alHākim al-Naysābūrī˺ it is reported from Ibn Mas‘ūd that ˹he said˺: ‘This ˹verse˺ is the most comprehensive verse in the Qur’ān in terms of ˹what is˺ good and ˹what is˺ evil’.
القرآن:١٦:٩٠

إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنْكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ ۚ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ  

{إن الله يأمر بالعدل} التوحيد أو الإنصاف {والإحسان} أداء الفرائض أو أن تعبد الله كأنك تراه كما في الحديث {وإيتاءِ} إعطاء {ذي القربى} القرابة خصه بالذكر اهتماما به {وينهى عن الفحشاء} الزنا {والمنكر} شرعا من الكفر والمعاصي {والبغي} الظلم للناس خصه بالذكر اهتماما كما بدأ بالفحشاء كذلك {يعظكم} بالأمر والنهي {لعلكم تذكرون} تتعظون وفيه إدغام التاء في الأصل في الذال، وفي المستدرك عن ابن مسعود وهذه أجمع آية في القرآن للخير والشر.
quran:16:91

And fulfill the covenant of Allah when you have taken it, ˹O believers˺, and do not break oaths after their confirmation while you have made Allah, over you, a witness. Indeed, Allah knows what you do.  

And fulfil God’s covenant, ˹effected˺ by way of pledges of allegiance and oaths and in other ways, when you made a covenant, and do not break ˹your˺ oaths after pledging them and having made God surety over you, that you will fulfill ˹the covenant˺, for you have sworn ˹the oath˺ by Him (the sentence wa-qad ja‘altumu’Llāha ‘alaykum kafīlan, ‘and having made God surety over you’, is a circumstantial qualifier). Truly God knows what you do — ˹this is˺ a threat for them.
القرآن:١٦:٩١

وَأَوْفُوا بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ إِذَا عَاهَدْتُمْ وَلَا تَنْقُضُوا الْأَيْمَانَ بَعْدَ تَوْكِيدِهَا وَقَدْ جَعَلْتُمُ اللَّهَ عَلَيْكُمْ كَفِيلًا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ  

{وأوْفوا بعهد الله} من البيع والأيمان وغيرها {إذا عاهدتم ولا تنقضوا الأيمان بعد توكيدها} توثيقها {وقد جعلتم الله عليكم كفيلاً} بالوفاء حيث حلفتم به والجملة حال {إن الله يعلم ما تفعلون} تهديد لهم.
quran:16:92

And do not be like she who untwisted her spun thread after it was strong ˹by˺ taking your oaths as ˹means of˺ deceit between you because one community is more plentiful ˹in number or wealth˺ than another community. Allah only tries you thereby. And He will surely make clear to you on the Day of Resurrection that over which you used to differ.  

And do not be like her who undoes, spoils, her yarn, that which she has spun, after having made it strong, ˹having˺ set and spun it, ˹breaking it up˺ into fibres (ankāthan is a circumstantial qualifier, ˹ankāth is˺ the plural of nikth, and means that which is undone ˹yunkathu˺) — this was an imbecile Meccan woman who used to spin all day and then undo it — by making (tattakhidhūna is a circumstantial qualifier referring to the person of ˹the verb˺ takūnū, ‘˹do not˺ be like’), in other words, ˹what is meant is˺ ‘do not be like her by making’, your oaths a ˹means of˺ deceit, (dakhal, is what enters ˹yadkhulu˺ into something but does not belong to it), in other words, as ˹a means of causing˺ mischief or as trickery, between you, by breaking these ˹oaths˺, so that one group may become more numerous than ˹another˺ group. They used to enter into an alliance with a given group, but if they encountered another more numerous and more powerful ˹group˺, they would renege on their alliance with the former and forge a ˹new˺ alliance with these ˹latter˺. God only tries, tests, you thereby, in other words, by that which He enjoins, in the way of fulfilling the covenant, so that He may observe the obedient and the disobedient among you, or when ˹it is the case that˺ one group is more numerous ˹than another˺, that He may observe whether you fulfil ˹your obligation to them˺ or not; and certainly He will make clear to you on the Day of Resurrection that wherein you used to differ, during ˹the life of˺ this world, with regard to covenants and otherwise, by punishing he who reneged and rewarding he who was faithful ˹to his covenant˺.
القرآن:١٦:٩٢

وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّتِي نَقَضَتْ غَزْلَهَا مِنْ بَعْدِ قُوَّةٍ أَنْكَاثًا تَتَّخِذُونَ أَيْمَانَكُمْ دَخَلًا بَيْنَكُمْ أَنْ تَكُونَ أُمَّةٌ هِيَ أَرْبَىٰ مِنْ أُمَّةٍ ۚ إِنَّمَا يَبْلُوكُمُ اللَّهُ بِهِ ۚ وَلَيُبَيِّنَنَّ لَكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مَا كُنْتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ  

{ولا تكونوا كالتي نقضت} أفسدت {غزلها} ما غزلته {من بعد قوة} إحكام له وبرم {أنكاثا} حال جمع نكث وهو ما ينكث أي يحل إحكامه وهي امرأة حمقاء من مكة كانت تغزل طوال يومها ثم تنقضه {تتخذون} حال من ضمير تكونوا: أي لا تكونوا مثلها في اتخاذكم {أيمانكم دخلاً} هو ما يدخل في الشيء وليس منه أي فسادا أو خديعة {بينكم} بأن تنقضوها {أن} أي لأن {تكون أُمة} جماعة {هي أربى} أكثر {من أمة} وكانوا يحالفون الحلفاء فإذا وجد أكثر منهم وأعز نقضوا حلف أولئك وحالفوهم {إنما يبلوكم} يختبركم {الله به} أي بما أمر به من الوفاء بالعهد لينظر المطيع منكم والعاصي أو يكون أمة أربى لينظر أتفون أم لا {وليبينن لكم يوم القيامة ما كنتم فيه تختلفون} في الدنيا من أمر العهد وغيره بأن يعذب الناكث ويثبت الوافي.
quran:16:93

And if Allah had willed, He could have made you ˹of˺ one religion, but He causes to stray whom He wills and guides whom He wills. And you will surely be questioned about what you used to do.  

For if God had willed, He could have made you one community, people of a single religion, but He leads astray whom He will and guides whom He will, and you will surely be questioned, on the Day of Resurrection, a questioning of rebuke, about what you used to do, so that you might be requited for it.
القرآن:١٦:٩٣

وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَجَعَلَكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَلَٰكِنْ يُضِلُّ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ ۚ وَلَتُسْأَلُنَّ عَمَّا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ  

{ولو شاء الله لجعلكم أمة واحدة} أهل دين واحد {ولكن يضل من يشاء ويهدي من يشاء ولتسألُن} يوم القيامة سؤال تبكيت {عما كنتم تعملون} لتجازوا عليه.
quran:16:94

And do not take your oaths as ˹means of˺ deceit between you, lest a foot slip after it was ˹once˺ firm, and you would taste evil ˹in this world˺ for what ˹people˺ you diverted from the way of Allah, and you would have ˹in the Hereafter˺ a great punishment.  

And do not make your oaths a ˹means of˺ deceit between you — He repeats this ˹here˺ for emphasis — lest a foot should slip, that is, ˹lest˺ your feet ˹should slip˺ off the path of Islam, after being steady, having been set upon it, and ˹lest˺ you should taste evil, that is, chastisement, forasmuch as you barred ˹people˺ from the way of God, in other words, for your refraining to fulfil covenants or barring others from ˹doing˺ this, since your custom ˹once established˺ will be followed ˹by others˺, and there be a tremendous chastisement for you, in the Hereafter.
القرآن:١٦:٩٤

وَلَا تَتَّخِذُوا أَيْمَانَكُمْ دَخَلًا بَيْنَكُمْ فَتَزِلَّ قَدَمٌ بَعْدَ ثُبُوتِهَا وَتَذُوقُوا السُّوءَ بِمَا صَدَدْتُمْ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۖ وَلَكُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ  

{ولا تتخذوا أيمانكم دخلاً بينكم} كرره تأكدا {فتزل قدم} أي أقدامكم عن محجة الإسلام {بعد ثبوتها} استقامتها عليها {وتذوقوا السوء} أي العذاب {بما صددتم عن سبيل الله} أي بصدكم عن الوفاء بالعهد أو بصدكم غيركم عنه لأنه يستن بكم {ولكم عذاب عظيم} في الآخرة.
quran:16:95

And do not exchange the covenant of Allah for a small price. Indeed, what is with Allah is best for you, if only you could know.  

And do not sell God’s covenant for a small price, of this world, so that you break it in return for this ˹small price˺. For truly what is with God, of reward, is better for you, than all that is in this world — if you should know, this, then do not break it.
القرآن:١٦:٩٥

وَلَا تَشْتَرُوا بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا ۚ إِنَّمَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ هُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ  

{ولا تشتروا بعهد الله ثمنا قليلاً} من الدنيا بأن تنقضوه لأجله {إنما عند الله} من الثواب {هو خير لكم} مما في الدنيا {إن كنتم تعلمون} ذلك فلا تنقضوا.
quran:16:96

Whatever you have will end, but what Allah has is lasting. And We will surely give those who were patient their reward according to the best of what they used to do.  

That which is with you, of ˹the things of˺ this world, will come to an end, will perish, but that which is with God remains, ˹it is˺ everlasting. And He shall surely pay (read la-yajziyanna or la-najziyanna, ‘We shall surely pay’) those who were patient, in fulfilling their covenants, their reward according to the best of what they used to do, ‘the best’ ˹here˺ means ‘the good’.
القرآن:١٦:٩٦

مَا عِنْدَكُمْ يَنْفَدُ ۖ وَمَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ بَاقٍ ۗ وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّ الَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا أَجْرَهُمْ بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ  

{ما عندكم} من الدنيا {يَنفدُ} يفنى {وما عند الله باقي} دائم {وليجزينَّ} بالياء والنون {الذين صبروا} من الوفاء بالعهود {أجرهم بأحسن ما كانوا يعملون} أحسن بمعنى حسن.
quran:16:97

Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer - We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward ˹in the Hereafter˺ according to the best of what they used to do.  

Whoever acts righteously, whether male or female, and is a believer, him verily We shall revive with a goodly life. This is said to be life in Paradise; or it is life on earth, ˹when it is˺ one of contentedness or one of wholesome (halāl) provision. And We shall surely pay them their reward according to the best of what they used to do.
القرآن:١٦:٩٧

مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِنْ ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنْثَىٰ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً ۖ وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْرَهُمْ بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ  

{من عمل صالحاً من ذكر أو أنثى وهو مؤمن فلنحيينه حياة طيبة} قيل هي حياة الجنة وقيل في الدنيا بالقناعة أو الرزق الحلال {ولنجزينهم أجرهم بأحسن ما كانوا يعملون}.
quran:16:98

So when you recite the Qur'an, ˹first˺ seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the expelled ˹from His mercy˺.  

And when you recite the Qur’ān, that is, when you intend to recite it, seek refuge in God from Satan the outcast, in other words, say a‘ūdhu bi’Lllāhi min al-shaytān al-rajīm, ‘I seek refuge in God from the accursed Satan’.
القرآن:١٦:٩٨

فَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ الْقُرْآنَ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ  

{فإذا قرأت القرآن} أي أردت قراءته {فاستعذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم} أي قل: أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم.
quran:16:99

Indeed, there is for him no authority over those who have believed and rely upon their Lord.  

Indeed he has no power, sway, over those who believe and put their trust in their Lord.
القرآن:١٦:٩٩

إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ لَهُ سُلْطَانٌ عَلَى الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ  

{إنه ليس له سلطان} تسلط {على الذين آمنوا وعلى ربهم يتوكلون}.
quran:16:100

His authority is only over those who take him as an ally and those who through him associate others with Allah.  

His ˹Satan’s˺ power is only over those who choose him as ˹their˺ patron, by obeying him, and those who ascribe partners to Him, that is, to God.
القرآن:١٦:١٠٠

إِنَّمَا سُلْطَانُهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ يَتَوَلَّوْنَهُ وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ بِهِ مُشْرِكُونَ  

{إنما سلطانه على الذين يتولوْنه} بطاعته {والذين هم به} أي الله {مشركون}.