Surah 16 - Al Nahl BEES - 016.001 - 016.050

[Anne Terri]

Surah 16 - Al Nahl BEES 016.001 - 016.050

016.001 (Inevitable) cometh (to pass) the Command of God: seek ye not then to hasten it: Glory to Him, and far is He above having the partners they ascribe unto Him!

016.002 He doth send down His angels with inspiration of His Command, to such of His servants as He pleaseth, (saying): "Warn (Man) that there is no god but I: so do your duty unto Me."

016.003 He has created the heavens and the earth for just ends: Far is He above having the partners they ascribe to Him!

016.004 He has created man from a sperm-drop; and behold this same (man) becomes an open disputer!

016.005 And cattle He has created for you (men): from them ye derive warmth, and numerous benefits, and of their (meat) ye eat.

016.006 And ye have a sense of pride and beauty in them as ye drive them home in the evening, and as ye lead them forth to pasture in the morning.

016.007 And they carry your heavy loads to lands that ye could not (otherwise) reach except with souls distressed: for your Lord is indeed Most Kind, Most Merciful,

016.008 And (He has created) horses, mules, and donkeys, for you to ride and use for show; and He has created (other) things of which ye have no knowledge.

016.009 And unto God leads straight the Way, but there are ways that turn aside: if God had willed, He could have guided all of you.

016.010 It is He who sends down rain from the sky: from it ye drink, and out of it (grows) the vegetation on which ye feed your cattle.

016.011 With it He produces for you corn, olives, date-palms, grapes and every kind of fruit: verily in this is a sign for those who give thought.

016.012 He has made subject to you the Night and the Day; the sun and the moon; and the stars are in subjection by His Command: verily in this are Signs for men who are wise.

016.013 And the things on this earth which He has multiplied in varying colours (and qualities): verily in this is a sign for men who celebrate the praises of God (in gratitude).

016.014 It is He Who has made the sea subject, that ye may eat thereof flesh that is fresh and tender, and that ye may extract therefrom ornaments to wear; and thou seest the ships therein that plough the waves, that ye may seek (thus) of the bounty of God and that ye may be grateful.

016.015 And He has set up on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; and rivers and roads; that ye may guide yourselves;

016.016 And marks and sign-posts; and by the stars (men) guide themselves.

016.017 Is then He Who creates like one that creates not? Will ye not receive admonition?

016.018 If ye would count up the favours of God, never would ye be able to number them: for God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

016.019 And God doth know what ye conceal, and what ye reveal.

016.020 Those whom they invoke besides God create nothing and are themselves created.

016.021 (They are things) dead, lifeless: nor do they know when they will be raised up.

016.022 Your God is one God: as to those who believe not in the Hereafter, their hearts refuse to know, and they are arrogant.

016.023 Undoubtedly God doth know what they conceal, and what they reveal: verily He loveth not the arrogant.

016.024 When it is said to them, "What is it that your Lord has revealed?" they say, "Tales of the ancients!"

016.025 Let them bear, on the Day of Judgment, their own burdens in full, and also (something) of the burdens of those without knowledge, whom they misled. Alas, how grievous the burdens they will bear!

016.026 Those before them did also plot (against God's Way): but God took their structures from their foundations, and the roof fell down on them from above; and the Wrath seized them from directions they did not perceive.

016.027 Then, on the Day of Judgment, He will cover them with shame, and say: "Where are My 'partners' concerning whom ye used to dispute (with the godly)?" Those endued with knowledge will say: "This Day, indeed, are the Unbelievers covered with shame and misery,-

016.028 "(Namely) those whose lives the angels take in a state of wrong-doing to their own souls." Then would they offer submission (with the pretence), "We did no evil (knowingly)." (The angels will reply), "Nay, but verily God knoweth all that ye did;

016.029 "So enter the gates of Hell, to dwell therein. Thus evil indeed is the abode of the arrogant."

016.030 To the righteous (when) it is said, "What is it that your Lord has revealed?" they say, "All that is good." To those who do good, there is good in this world, and the Home of the Hereafter is even better and excellent indeed is the Home of the righteous,-

016.031 Gardens of Eternity which they will enter: beneath them flow (pleasant) rivers: they will have therein all that they wish: thus doth God reward the righteous,-

016.032 (Namely) those whose lives the angels take in a state of purity, saying (to them), "Peace be on you; enter ye the Garden, because of (the good) which ye did (in the world)."

016.033 Do the (ungodly) wait until the angels come to them, or there comes the Command of thy Lord (for their doom)? So did those who went before them. But God wronged them not: nay, they wronged their own souls.

016.034 But the evil results of their deeds overtook them, and that very (Wrath) at which they had scoffed hemmed them in.

016.035 The worshippers of false gods say: "If God had so willed, we should not have worshipped aught but Him - neither we nor our fathers,- nor should we have prescribed prohibitions other than His." So did those who went before them. But what is the mission of apostles but to preach the Clear Message?

016.036 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).

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

016.038 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.

016.039 (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.

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

016.041 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)!

016.042 (They are) those who persevere in patience, and put their trust on their Lord.

016.043 And before thee also the apostles We sent were but men, to whom We granted inspiration: if ye realise this not, ask of those who possess the Message.

016.044 (We sent them) with Clear Signs and Books of dark prophecies; and We have sent down unto thee (also) the Message; that thou mayest explain clearly to men what is sent for them, and that they may give thought.

016.045 Do then those who devise evil (plots) feel secure that God will not cause the earth to swallow them up, or that the Wrath will not seize them from directions they little perceive?-

016.046 Or that He may not call them to account in the midst of their goings to and fro, without a chance of their frustrating Him?-

016.047 Or that He may not call them to account by a process of slow wastage - for thy Lord is indeed full of kindness and mercy.

016.048 Do they not look at God's creation, (even) among (inanimate) things,- How their (very) shadows turn round, from the right and the left, prostrating themselves to God, and that in the humblest manner?

016.049 And to God doth obeisance all that is in the heavens and on earth, whether moving (living) creatures or the angels: for none are arrogant (before their Lord).

016.050 They all revere their Lord, high above them, and they do all that they are commanded.