Surah 16. An-Nahl

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Verses [Section]: 1-9[1], 10-21 [2], 22-25 [3], 26-34 [4], 35-40 [5], 41-50 [6], 51-60 [7], 61-65 [8], 66-70 [9], 71-76 [10], 77-83 [11], 84-89 [12], 90-100 [13], 101-110 [14], 111-119 [15], 120-128 [16]

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Quran Text of Verse 71-76وَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahفَضَّلَhas favoredبَعْضَكُمْsome of youعَلٰیoverبَعْضٍothersفِیinالرِّزْقِ ۚ[the] provisionفَمَاBut notالَّذِیْنَthose whoفُضِّلُوْاwere favoredبِرَآدِّیْwould hand overرِزْقِهِمْtheir provisionعَلٰیtoمَاwhomمَلَكَتْpossessاَیْمَانُهُمْtheir right handsفَهُمْso (that) theyفِیْهِ(are) in itسَوَآءٌ ؕequalاَفَبِنِعْمَةِThen is it the Favorاللّٰهِof Allahیَجْحَدُوْنَ they reject وَ اللّٰهُAnd Allahجَعَلَ(has) madeلَكُمْfor youمِّنْfromاَنْفُسِكُمْyourselvesاَزْوَاجًاspousesوَّ جَعَلَand has madeلَكُمْfor youمِّنْfromاَزْوَاجِكُمْyour spousesبَنِیْنَsonsوَ حَفَدَةًand grandsonsوَّ رَزَقَكُمْand has provided for youمِّنَfromالطَّیِّبٰتِ ؕthe good thingsاَفَبِالْبَاطِلِThen in falsehood doیُؤْمِنُوْنَthey believeوَ بِنِعْمَتِand the Favorاللّٰهِof Allahهُمْtheyیَكْفُرُوْنَۙdisbelieve 16. An-Nahl Page 275وَ یَعْبُدُوْنَAnd they worshipمِنْother thanدُوْنِother thanاللّٰهِAllahمَاwhichلَاnotیَمْلِكُpossessesلَهُمْfor themرِزْقًاany provisionمِّنَfromالسَّمٰوٰتِthe heavensوَ الْاَرْضِand the earthشَیْـًٔا[anything]وَّ لَاand notیَسْتَطِیْعُوْنَۚthey are able فَلَاSo (do) notتَضْرِبُوْاput forthلِلّٰهِfor Allahالْاَمْثَالَ ؕthe similitudeاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahیَعْلَمُknowsوَ اَنْتُمْand youلَا(do) notتَعْلَمُوْنَ know ضَرَبَAllah sets forthاللّٰهُAllah sets forthمَثَلًاthe exampleعَبْدًا(of) a slaveمَّمْلُوْكًا(who is) ownedلَّاnotیَقْدِرُhe has powerعَلٰیonشَیْءٍanythingوَّ مَنْand (one) whomرَّزَقْنٰهُWe provided himمِنَّاfrom Usرِزْقًاa provisionحَسَنًاgoodفَهُوَso heیُنْفِقُspendsمِنْهُfrom itسِرًّاsecretlyوَّ جَهْرًا ؕand publiclyهَلْCanیَسْتَوٗنَ ؕthey be equalاَلْحَمْدُAll praiseلِلّٰهِ ؕ(is) for AllahبَلْNayاَكْثَرُهُمْbut most of themلَا(do) notیَعْلَمُوْنَ know وَ ضَرَبَAnd Allah sets forthاللّٰهُAnd Allah sets forthمَثَلًاan exampleرَّجُلَیْنِ(of) two menاَحَدُهُمَاۤone of themاَبْكَمُ(is) dumbلَاnotیَقْدِرُhe has powerعَلٰیonشَیْءٍanythingوَّ هُوَwhile heكَلٌّ(is) a burdenعَلٰیonمَوْلٰىهُ ۙhis masterاَیْنَمَاWhereverیُوَجِّهْهُّhe directs himلَاnotیَاْتِhe comesبِخَیْرٍ ؕwith any goodهَلْIsیَسْتَوِیْequalهُوَ ۙheوَ مَنْand (the one) whoیَّاْمُرُcommandsبِالْعَدْلِ ۙ[of] justiceوَ هُوَand heعَلٰی(is) onصِرَاطٍa pathمُّسْتَقِیْمٍ۠straight

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Translation of Verse 71-76

71. And Allah has favoured some of you over others in provision. But those who have been much favoured would not share their wealth with those ˹bondspeople˺ in their possession, making them their equals. ⁵⁰⁴ Do they then deny Allah's favours?

72. And Allah has made for you spouses of your own kind, and given you through your spouses children and grandchildren. ⁵⁰⁵ And He has granted you good, lawful provisions. Are they then faithful to falsehood and ungrateful for Allah's favours?

73. Yet they worship besides Allah those ˹idols˺ who do not afford them any provision from the heavens and the earth, nor do they have the power to.

74. So do not set up equals to Allah, for Allah certainly knows and you do not know.

75. Allah sets forth a parable: a slave who lacks all means, compared to a ˹free˺ man to whom We granted a good provision, of which he donates ˹freely,˺ openly and secretly. Are they equal? Praise be to Allah. In fact, most of them do not know.

76. And Allah sets forth a parable of two men: one of them is dumb, incapable of anything. He is a burden on his master. Wherever he is sent, he brings no good. Can such a person be equal to the one who commands justice and is on the Straight Path? ⁵⁰⁶

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Commentary

504. In other words, if the pagan slave-masters are not willing to be equal to their slaves, why would they make anyone equal to Allah -the Supreme Master and Creator of all things?

505. Ḥafadah means grandchildren, but can also mean children-in-law.

506. The two parables emphasize that Almighty Allah masterfully conducts the affairs of the heavens and the earth, whereas false gods are incapable of anything. If this is the case, these gods are not His equal and He is the only one worthy of worship.