Surah An-Nahl 16:84-89 - Quran Translation Commentary

(16:84) And (beware) the day We raise up a witness from every people¹³⁰ - then, to the unbelievers no leave shall be granted (for excuses),¹³¹ nor shall they be allowed to make amends.

(16:85) And once the wrongdoers have seen the chastisement, it shall not be lightened for them, nor shall they be allowed respite.

(16:86) And when those who associated (others with Allah) will see those of their associate (gods), they will say, ‘Our Lord! These are our associate (gods) whom we invoked besides You.’ But they will fling back the statement at them (and say), ‘You are veritable liars.’¹³²

(16:87) On that day they will proffer their surrender to Allah, and lost from them will be what they had fabricated.

(16:88) Those who disbelieved and prevented from Allah’s path, We shall add on to them chastisement upon chastisement,¹³³ for that they used to spread corruption.

(16:89) And, the day We raise up from every people a witness against them, from among themselves, and bring you (O Muhammad) as a witness against these.¹³⁴ And, We have sent down to you a Book, making everything clear,¹³⁵ a guide, a mercy, and a glad tiding to those who have surrendered.

Commentary

130. Qatadah has said that the witnesses alluded to are the Prophets that were sent to the peoples of the past (Ibn Jarir). Majid writes: “God’s messenger (or messengers) to every nation will bear witness on the Day of Judgment that God’s message was conveyed in full to that particular people.” In Asad’s words, “An allusion to the Day of Judgment, when the prophets whom God has called forth within every community - or, in the wider sense of the term ummah, within every civilization or cultural period - will symbolically bear witness to the fact that they had delivered God’s message to their people and explained to them the meaning of right and wrong, thus depriving them of any subsequent excuse.”

131. The addition of the word “excuses” in brackets is supported by another verse of the Qur’an which says (77: 36),

وَلَا يُؤْذَنُ لَهُمْ فَيَعْتَذِرُونَ [المرسلات : 36]

“Then they will not be allowed that they make excuses” (Shawkani), which implies, Alusi writes, that the condemned ones will seek permission to offer excuses but will be denied the opportunity. Another possibility is that they will seek to be returned to the world so that they could behave better, but they will not be allowed.

According to Zamakhshari, but in the words of Asad, “... their being ‘refused permission’ to plead is a metonym for their having no valid argument or excuse to proffer.”

132. That is, those that the unbelievers had served in this world - men like them, devils, angels, or inanimate objects - will fling back the statement to their accusers denying that they ever invited the people to their own worship (Ibn Jarir).

As Allah (swt) said elsewhere (46: 5-6),

وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنْ يَدْعُو مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَنْ لَا يَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَهُمْ عَنْ دُعَائِهِمْ غَافِلُونَ (5) وَإِذَا حُشِرَ النَّاسُ كَانُوا لَهُمْ أَعْدَاءً وَكَانُوا بِعِبَادَتِهِمْ كَافِرِينَ [الأحقاف : 5-6]

“And who can be more misguided than he who calls upon those apart from Allah, who will not answer him until the Day of Judgment, and they are unaware of their invocation?. And, when the people are gathered, they will be their enemies, and will disown their worship” (Ibn Kathir).

If the false gods were stones, trees, etc., then, obviously, they never knew how they were being treated by the humankind. But, if it were prophets and righteous men who were worshiped after them, then, they would surely disown their worshipers. As for the devils, although they will lie and accuse their worshipers of lies, they too would not want to own up that they were worshiped. Thus, the worshipers of false gods will be left totally devastated by disappointments and left in despair (based on a point from Shabbir).

The conversation referred to in this verse will take place, Qurtubi writes, when, as in a hadith of Muslim, Allah will bring forth those that were deified or served. The people will be told to follow those they served in the world. They will follow them, and those they served will lead them to Hellfire. (It is there perhaps that this conversation will take place: Au.).

133. According to a hadith in Ibn Marduwayh and Khatib, when the Prophet was asked about the words, “We shall add on to them chastisement upon chastisement”, he replied that they refer to

عقارب أمثال النخل الطوال ينهشونهم في جهنم وروي نحوه الحاكم وصحه والبيهقي وغيره عن ابن مسعود

“Scorpions as tall large as date palm trees that will be stinging them in the Hellfire.” (That would be in response to they seeking relief: Alusi).

According to another report in Ibn Marduwayh, the allusion is to,

خمسة أنهار تجري من تحت العرش على رؤوس أهل النار

“Five rivers (of fire) that will be let loose on the inhabitants of Hell” (Shawkani).

The earlier hadith is in Bayhaqi, Hakim and Haythami who declared it a trustworthy report of Tabarani, and the latter in Haythami who declared it a trustworthy report of Abu Ya`la (S. Ibrahim).

134. By the term “these” the allusion is to the Prophet’s own nation (Ibn Jarir). We have already presented Ibn Mas`ud’s report (see Nisa’ n. 147) which says that once the Prophet asked him to recite that Surah. When he reached verse 41 which says, “How will it be when we bring from every people a witness and bring you as a witness against these”, the Prophet said, “Enough”. When Ibn Mas`ud looked up, the Prophet’s eyes were filled with tears (Ibn Kathir).

It is reported of some of the Companions that they said, “When you see someone committing a wrong, prevent him. If he listens, good. If he does not, you will be a witness against him on the Judgment-day.” It is also said that every age and epoch has its own witness (Alusi).

135. “A Book making everything clear”: that is, everything pertaining to human guidance (Zamakhshari). Otherwise, when asked about the new moons, the revelation replied that they were for computing time (and did not explain the nature of the celestial body). And the Prophet said, in reference to a famous incident, “You know your worldly affairs better.” Further, that there are a few other sources of guidance is proven by the Qur’an itself, such as, its repeated instructions that the Prophet be followed, or that the consensus of the Muslims be followed when it said (4: 115),

وَيَتَّبِعْ غَيْرَ سَبِيلِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ نُوَلِّهِ مَا تَوَلَّى وَنُصْلِهِ جَهَنَّمَ [النساء : 115]

“Thereafter, he who followed a path other than that of the Muslims... (to the end of the verse).”

In other words, the Qur’an is the primary source of guidance which approves of certain other sources of guidance (Alusi).

That the religion of Islam has sources other than the Qur’an, is something over which the Companions did not have any difference among themselves. For example, when once Ibn Mas`ud said, “Allah has cursed those women who tattoo …” and a woman objected to the use of the word “cursed,” Ibn Mas`ud said, “Why should I not curse someone the Prophet cursed. Moreover, it is in the Book of Allah.” The woman said, “I have read the Qur’an cover to cover, but I haven’t found any such statement in it.” Ibn Ma`ud replied, “Had you read in the proper manner of recitation, you would not have missed it. Did you come across the verse (59: 7), ‘And take what the Messengers gives and shun what he prohibits?” She said, “Yes.” He said, “Then, know that the Prophet has cursed those women who tattoo” (Alusi).

The hadith is in Bukhari as follows (Au.):

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ لَعَنَ اللَّهُ الْوَاشِمَاتِ وَالْمُوتَشِمَاتِ وَالْمُتَنَمِّصَاتِ وَالْمُتَفَلِّجَاتِ لِلْحُسْنِ الْمُغَيِّرَاتِ خَلْقَ اللَّهِ فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ امْرَأَةً مِنْ بَنِي أَسَدٍ يُقَالُ لَهَا أُمُّ يَعْقُوبَ فَجَاءَتْ فَقَالَتْ إِنَّهُ بَلَغَنِي عَنْكَ أَنَّكَ لَعَنْتَ كَيْتَ وَكَيْتَ فَقَالَ وَمَا لِي أَلْعَنُ مَنْ لَعَنَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَمَنْ هُوَ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَتْ لَقَدْ قَرَأْتُ مَا بَيْنَ اللَّوْحَيْنِ فَمَا وَجَدْتُ فِيهِ مَا تَقُولُ قَالَ لَئِنْ كُنْتِ قَرَأْتِيهِ لَقَدْ وَجَدْتِيهِ أَمَا قَرَأْتِ {وَمَا آتَاكُمْ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانْتَهُوا} قَالَتْ بَلَى قَالَ فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ نَهَى عَنْهُ