النحل

16 - The Bee (Al-Nahl)

Order of Revelation: 70

وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولًا أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُوا الطَّاغُوتَ فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ هَدَى اللَّهُ وَمِنْهُم مَّنْ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِ الضَّلَالَةُ فَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَانظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ

Transliteration:

Walaqad baAAathna fee kulli ommatin rasoolan ani oAAbudoo Allaha waijtaniboo alttaghoota faminhum man hada Allahu waminhum man haqqat AAalayhi alddalalatu faseeroo fee al-ardi faonthuroo kayfa kana AAaqibatu almukaththibeena

Word by Word:

And certainly, We sent into every nation a Messenger, that, "Worship Allah, and avoid the false deities." Then among them (were some) whom Allah guided, and among them (were) some was justified on them the straying. So travel in the earth and see how was the end (of) the deniers.

Translations:

And indeed, within every community have We raised up an apostle [entrusted with this message]: "Worship God, and shun the powers of evil!" And among those [past generations] were people whom God graced with His guidance, just as there was among them [many a one] who inevitably fell prey to grievous error: go, then, about the earth and behold what happened in the end to those who gave the lie to the truth!

For We assuredly sent amongst every People an apostle, (with the Command), "Serve God, and eschew Evil": of the People were some whom God guided, and some on whom error became inevitably (established). So travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those who denied (the Truth).

And verily We have raised in every nation a messenger, (proclaiming): Serve Allah and shun false gods. Then some of them (there were) whom Allah guided, and some of them (there were) upon whom error had just hold. Do but travel in the land and see the nature of the consequence for the deniers!

And certainly We raised in every nation a messenger, saying: Serve Allah and shun the devil. Then of them was he whom Allah guided, and of them was he whose remaining in error was justly due. So travel in the land, then see what was the end of the rejectors.

And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, [saying], "Worship Allah and avoid Taghut." And among them were those whom Allah guided, and among them were those upon whom error was [deservedly] decreed. So proceed through the earth and observe how was the end of the deniers.

إِن تَحْرِصْ عَلَىٰ هُدَاهُمْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي مَن يُضِلُّ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن نَّاصِرِينَ

Transliteration:

In tahris AAala hudahum fa-inna Allaha la yahdee man yudillu wama lahum min nasireena

Word by Word:

If you desire [for] their guidance, then indeed, Allah (will) not guide whom He lets go astray, and not (are) for them any helpers.

Translations:

[As for those who are bent on denying the truth-] though thou be ever so eager to show them the right way, [know that,] verily, God does not bestow His guidance upon any whom He judges to have gone astray; and such shall have none to succour them [on Resurrection Day].

If thou art anxious for their guidance, yet God guideth not such as He leaves to stray, and there is none to help them.

Even if thou (O Muhammad) desirest their right guidance, still Allah assuredly will not guide him who misleadeth. Such have no helpers.

If thou desirest their guidance, yet Allah will not guide him who leads astray, or have they any helpers.

[Even] if you should strive for their guidance, [O Muhammad], indeed, Allah does not guide those He sends astray, and they will have no helpers.

وَأَقْسَمُوا بِاللَّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَانِهِمْ لَا يَبْعَثُ اللَّهُ مَن يَمُوتُ بَلَىٰ وَعْدًا عَلَيْهِ حَقًّا وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

Transliteration:

Waaqsamoo biAllahi jahda aymanihim la yabAAathu Allahu man yamootu bala waAAdan AAalayhi haqqan walakinna akthara alnnasi la yaAAlamoona

Word by Word:

And they swear by Allah strongest (of) their oaths, Allah will not resurrect (one) who dies. Nay, (it is) a promise upon Him (in) truth, but most (of) the mankind (do) not know.

Translations:

As it is, they swear by God with their most solemn oaths, "Never will God raise from the dead anyone who has died!" Yea indeed! [This very thing has God promised] by a promise which He has willed upon Himself; but most people know it not.

They swear their strongest oaths by God, that God will not raise up those who die: Nay, but it is a promise (binding) on Him in truth: but most among mankind realise it not.

And they swear by Allah their most binding oaths (that) Allah will not raise up him who dieth. Nay, but it is a promise (binding) upon Him in truth, but most of mankind know not,

And they swear by Allah their most energetic oaths: Allah will not raise up him who dies. Yea! it is a promise binding on Him, quite true, but most people know not:

And they swear by Allah their strongest oaths [that] Allah will not resurrect one who dies. But yes - [it is] a true promise [binding] upon Him, but most of the people do not know.

لِيُبَيِّنَ لَهُمُ الَّذِي يَخْتَلِفُونَ فِيهِ وَلِيَعْلَمَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا كَاذِبِينَ

Transliteration:

Liyubayyina lahumu allathee yakhtalifoona feehi waliyaAAlama allatheena kafaroo annahum kanoo kathibeena

Word by Word:

That He will make clear to them that they differ wherein, and that may know those who disbelieved that they were liars.

Translations:

[He will resurrect them] to the end that He might make clear unto them all whereon they [now] hold divergent views, and that they who are bent on denying the truth [of resurrection] might come to know that they were liars.

(They must be raised up), in order that He may manifest to them the truth of that wherein they differ, and that the rejecters of Truth may realise that they had indeed (surrendered to) Falsehood.

That He may explain unto them that wherein they differ, and that those who disbelieved may know that they were liars.

So that He might make manifest to them that about which they differ, and that those who disbelieve might know that they were liars.

[It is] so He will make clear to them [the truth of] that wherein they differ and so those who have disbelieved may know that they were liars.

إِنَّمَا قَوْلُنَا لِشَيْءٍ إِذَا أَرَدْنَاهُ أَن نَّقُولَ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ

Transliteration:

Innama qawluna lishay-in itha aradnahu an naqoola lahu kun fayakoonu

Word by Word:

Only Our Word to a thing when We intend it (is) that We say to it, "Be" and it is.

Translations:

Whenever We will anything to be, We but say unto it Our word "Be" -and it is.

For to anything which We have willed, We but say the word, "Be", and it is.

And Our word unto a thing, when We intend it, is only that We say unto it: Be! and it is.

Our word for a thing, when We intend it, is only that We say to it, Be; and it is.

Indeed, Our word to a thing when We intend it is but that We say to it, "Be," and it is.

وَالَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا فِي اللَّهِ مِن بَعْدِ مَا ظُلِمُوا لَنُبَوِّئَنَّهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَلَأَجْرُ الْآخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ

Transliteration:

Waallatheena hajaroo fee Allahi min baAAdi ma thulimoo lanubawwi-annahum fee alddunya hasanatan walaajru al-akhirati akbaru law kanoo yaAAlamoona

Word by Word:

And those who emigrated in (the way) (of) Allah after [what] they were wronged, surely We will give them position in the world good, but surely the reward (of) the Hereafter (is) greater, if they know.

Translations:

NOW as for those who forsake the domain of evil in the cause of God, after having suffered wrong [on account of their faith] - We shall most certainly grant them a station of good fortune in this world: but their reward in the life to come will be far greater yet. If they [who deny the truth] could but understand

To those who leave their homes in the cause of God, after suffering oppression,- We will assuredly give a goodly home in this world; but truly the reward of the Hereafter will be greater. If they only realised (this)!

And those who became fugitives for the cause of Allah after they had been oppressed, We verily shall give them goodly lodging in the world, and surely the reward of the Hereafter is greater, if they but knew;

And those who flee for Allah's sake after they are oppressed, We shall certainly give them a good abode in the world; and the reward of the Hereafter is much greater. Did they but know!

And those who emigrated for [the cause of] Allah after they had been wronged - We will surely settle them in this world in a good place; but the reward of the Hereafter is greater, if only they could know.