سورة النحل   

Surah Name: An-Nahl Meaning: The Bee

  • Revealed at Makkah
  • This Surah, also revealed in Makkah, carries on the discussion initiated in the preceding Surah, extending it to the evidence or the inevitability of the Day of Judgement. It also presents the various creations of Allah-SWT as testimony to His-SWT Unity: amongst them the honeybee has been especially mentioned. This is why the Surah is named An-Nahl.
  • Total Number of Rukū / Sections 16
  • Total Number of Āyāt / Parts 128
  • Sūrah / Chapter number 16
  • Rukū / Section 14 contains Āyāt / Parts 10
  • Siparah/ Volume 14

bismillah

وَإِذَا بَدَّلْنَا آيَةً مَّكَانَ آيَةٍ وَاللّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يُنَزِّلُ قَالُواْ إِنَّمَا أَنتَ مُفْتَرٍ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ

Waitha baddalna ayatan makana ayatin wa(A)llahu aAAlamu bima yunazzilu qaloo innama anta muftarin bal aktharuhum la yaAAlamoon(a)

Whenever We-SWT change a verse in place of another verse-and Allaah-SWT is the Best Knower of what He-SWT sends down-they say: you-SW  are but an impostor. Aye! Most of them know not.

(16:101)

قُلْ نَزَّلَهُ رُوحُ الْقُدُسِ مِن رَّبِّكَ بِالْحَقِّ لِيُثَبِّتَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَهُدًى وَبُشْرَى لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ

Qul nazzalahu roohu alqudusi min rabbika bi(a)lhaqqi liyuthabbita allatheenaamanoo wahudan wabushra lilmuslimeen(a)

Say you-SW  : the Holy Spirit has brought it down from your Rabb-SWT with truth, that it may establish those who believe, and as guidance and glad tidings to the Muslims.

(16:102)

وَلَقَدْ نَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّمَا يُعَلِّمُهُ بَشَرٌ لِّسَانُ الَّذِي يُلْحِدُونَ إِلَيْهِ أَعْجَمِيٌّ وَهَـذَا لِسَانٌ عَرَبِيٌّ مُّبِينٌ

Walaqad naAAlamu annahum yaqooloona innama yuAAallimuhu basharun lisanu allathee yulhidoona ilayhi aAAjamiyyun wahatha lisanun AAarabiyyun mubeen(un)

And assuredly We-SWT Know that they say: it is only a human being who teaches him. The speech of him to whom they incline is foreign, while this is plain Arabic speech.

(16:103)

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللّهِ لاَ يَهْدِيهِمُ اللّهُ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

Inna allatheena la yuminoona biayati Allahi la yahdeehimu Allahu walahum AAathabun aleem(un)

Verily those who do not believe in the Signs of Allaah-SWT -Allaah-SWT shall not guide them, and to them there shall be a torment afflictive.

(16:104)

إِنَّمَا يَفْتَرِي الْكَذِبَ الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللّهِ وَأُوْلـئِكَ هُمُ الْكَاذِبُونَ

Innama yaftaree alkathiba allatheena la yuminoona biayati Allahi waolaika humu alkathiboon(a)

It is only those who do not believe in the Signs of Allaah-SWT who fabricate a lie, and those! They are the liars.

(16:105)

مَن كَفَرَ بِاللّهِ مِن بَعْدِ إيمَانِهِ إِلاَّ مَنْ أُكْرِهَ وَقَلْبُهُ مُطْمَئِنٌّ بِالإِيمَانِ وَلَـكِن مَّن شَرَحَ بِالْكُفْرِ صَدْرًا فَعَلَيْهِمْ غَضَبٌ مِّنَ اللّهِ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ

Man kafara bi(A)llahi min baAAdi eemanihi illa man okriha waqalbuhu mutmainnun bi(a)leemani walakin man sharaha bi(a)lkufri sadran faAAalayhim ghadabun mina Allahi walahum AAathabun AAatheem(un)

Whoever disbelieves in Allaah-SWT after his belief-save him who is constrained and his heart is at rest with the belief-but whoever expands his breast to unbelief, upon them shall be wrath from Allaah-SWT and to them shall be a torment mighty.

(16:106)

ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمُ اسْتَحَبُّواْ الْحَيَاةَ الْدُّنْيَا عَلَى الآخِرَةِ وَأَنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْكَافِرِينَ

Thalika biannahumu istahabboo alhayata a(l)ddunya AAala alakhirati waanna Allaha la yahdee alqawma alkafireen(a)

That is because they loved the life of the world above the Akhirah, and because Allaah-SWT does not guide an infidel people.

(16:107)

أُولَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ طَبَعَ اللّهُ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ وَسَمْعِهِمْ وَأَبْصَارِهِمْ وَأُولَـئِكَ هُمُ الْغَافِلُونَ

Olaika allatheena tabaAAa Allahu AAala quloobihim wasamAAihim waabsarihim waolaika humu alghafiloon(a)

These are they upon whose hearts and hearing and sight Allaah-SWT has set a seal; and these! They are the heedless!

(16:108)

لاَ جَرَمَ أَنَّهُمْ فِي الآخِرَةِ هُمُ الْخَاسِرونَ

La jarama annahum fee alakhirati humu alkhasiroon(a)

Undoubtedly in the Hereafter they shall be the very losers.

(16:109)

ثُمَّ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لِلَّذِينَ هَاجَرُواْ مِن بَعْدِ مَا فُتِنُواْ ثُمَّ جَاهَدُواْ وَصَبَرُواْ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ مِن بَعْدِهَا لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

Thumma inna rabbaka lillatheena hajaroo min baAAdi ma futinoo thumma jahadoo wasabaroo inna rabbaka min baAAdiha laghafoorun raheem(un)

Then, verily, your-SW Rabb-SWT unto those who emigrated after they had been persuaded, and have thereafter striven hard and endured-your-SW  Rabb-SWT is thereafter Forgiving. Merciful.

(16:110)

 
In The Name of Allah-SWT the Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
SECRETS OF REVELATION:

Trapped in Satanic whispers, the infidels even object to the alteration or abrogation of some of the Quranic Ayat. They argue that had it been a Divine Scripture, wouldn't have Allaah-SWT known and sent the correct Command in the first place rather than resorting to amendments? They conclude that it is the Holy Prophet-SW  who is fabricating lies about Allah-SWT, writing the Scripture himself and attributing it to Him-SWT . This stance of the infidels is sheer ignorance, for Allaah-SWT abrogates a Command only for the betterment and convenience of mankind. Till the time a particular injunction remained suitable for certain conditions it remained enforced, but once that condition changed the injunctions were also changed. The Holy Prophet-SW must tell them that these injunctions are conveyed by Allaah-SWT ’s emissary, the Archangel Jibril-AS. And His-SWT Providence calls for concessions to His bondsmen commensurate to their circumstances. A society that had been drenched in disbelief for centuries together was not compelled to change instantly, but it was His-SWT Providential Grace to have consummated His-SWT Injunctions gradually. And when the desired society was evolved, the abrogation also ended. So this Book is indeed the truth.

 

The Effect and Feelings peculiar to Divine Scripture

Allah-SWT ’s Word carries a certain feeling which blesses greater steadfastness and guidance to the heart already illuminated with the light of faith. In other words, the believer is motivated to act virtuously and his heart is constantly engulfed by a priceless ecstasy.

 

How to Derive these Feelings

The aforesaid blessed state is achieved by only those who surrender to the Will and Purpose of Allaah-SWT . To derive these feelings, unconditional obedience is a pre-requisite. However, obedience to the Shaikh will only be within the perimeters of Shari'ah, beyond which there is no obedience. Allaah-SWT is well Aware that the polytheists accuse that the Holy Prophet-SW has received instructions from someone. According to the Commentators there lived in Makkah a blacksmith who was an emigrant. He often used to listen to the Holy Prophet-SW‘s teachings. The blacksmith happened to have some knowledge of the preceding Divine Scriptures. The Holy Prophet-SW‘s sitting with him stemmed these allegations. But the polytheists who so accuse the Holy Prophet-SW are foolish indeed. They do not even realize that the alleged instructor was a non-Arab while Allaah-SWT ’s Book is a masterpiece in Arabic language. Its eloquence posed a challenge to the entire Arab literary world. No one could, and shall never be able to respond to its challenge. Their hostile attitude towards the Quran thrusts them deeper into disbelief. Allaah-SWT ’s Guidance is withheld from them and a painful doom awaits them. Their allegations that the Quran is fabricated boomerangs on them, as they are guilty of not believing the Revelations from Allaah-SWT and lying blatantly. What they speak about the Holy Prophet-SW  is a great fabrication itself. However, if a believer firm at heart is forced to utter such nonsense or is forced to do any heretic act only to save his life, he will not be a sinner.

 

The Forcing

According to the jurists if a person is forced to speak or do something heretic to the extent that non compliance could cost him his life, there is no blame on him if he complies, especially if his heart is firm on faith. This situation was also faced by some poor Companions'-RAU .Of them most opted for martyrdom while some uttered heretic words to save their lives and migrated to Madinah to join the Holy Prophet-SW  . But people whose hearts are saturated by 'disbelief will earn His-SWT Wrath. They will face agony in this world while havoc awaits them in the Akhirah. Turning back into disbelief after being a believer is an error manifest. In terms of Shari'ah, an apostate is liable to death sentence. This is because they have opted for apostasy out of sheer temporal greed in preference to the Akhirah. It is a crime after which the guilty never get the capacity to retrieve; rather Allaah-SWT seals off their hearts. And their faculties of hearing and sight are also crippled, disabling them to discern the truth. As a result they fall prey to negligence forever. Such a state is a prelude of a great loss in the Akhirah. However, those who were forced into disbelief through oppression and who migrated to Madinah on first available opportunity; fought in the Cause of Allah-SWT, persevered all their lives on the right path and adhered to Allah-SWT's obedience surrendering their desires; for them awaits Allah-SWT's Forgiveness. He-SWT indeed is very Merciful.

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