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 22-25اِلٰهُكُمْYour godاِلٰهٌ(is) Godوَّاحِدٌ ۚOneفَالَّذِیْنَBut those whoلَا(do) notیُؤْمِنُوْنَbelieveبِالْاٰخِرَةِin the Hereafterقُلُوْبُهُمْtheir heartsمُّنْكِرَةٌrefuseوَّ هُمْand theyمُّسْتَكْبِرُوْنَ (are) arrogant لَاNoجَرَمَdoubtاَنَّthatاللّٰهَAllahیَعْلَمُknowsمَاwhatیُسِرُّوْنَthey concealوَ مَاand whatیُعْلِنُوْنَ ؕthey revealاِنَّهٗIndeed, Heلَا(does) notیُحِبُّloveالْمُسْتَكْبِرِیْنَ the arrogant ones وَ اِذَاAnd whenقِیْلَit is saidلَهُمْto themمَّا ذَاۤWhatاَنْزَلَhas your Lord sent downرَبُّكُمْ ۙhas your Lord sent downقَالُوْۤاThey sayاَسَاطِیْرُTalesالْاَوَّلِیْنَۙ(of) the ancient لِیَحْمِلُوْۤاThat they may bearاَوْزَارَهُمْtheir own burdensكَامِلَةً(in) fullیَّوْمَon (the) Dayالْقِیٰمَةِ ۙ(of) the Resurrectionوَ مِنْand ofاَوْزَارِthe burdensالَّذِیْنَ(of) those whomیُضِلُّوْنَهُمْthey misled [them]بِغَیْرِwithoutعِلْمٍ ؕknowledgeاَلَاUnquestionablyسَآءَevilمَا(is) whatیَزِرُوْنَ۠they will bear

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Translation of Verse 22-25

(16:22) Your God is the One God. But the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter are steeped in rejection of the Truth, and they are given to arrogance.²⁰

(16:23) Surely Allah knows all that they conceal and all that they disclose. He certainly does not love those who are steeped in arrogance.

(16:24) When²¹ they are asked: "What is it that your Lord has revealed?" They answer: "They are merely tales of olden times!"²²

(16:25) (They say so) that they may bear the full weight of their burdens on the Day of Resurrection and also of the burdens of those whom they misled on account of their ignorance. What a heavy burden are they undertaking to bear!

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Commentary

20. The denial of the Hereafter has made unbelievers so irresponsible, indifferent and so exceedingly enamored of this world that they feel no qualms in denying any truth whatsoever. All truths have ceased to have any worth in their eyes. Nor are they willing to put up with any kind of discipline.

Moreover, they are not the least interested in finding out whether the way they were following is true or not.

21. At this point the discourse turns to another theme. The Qur’an enumerates, one after the other, every single mischief enacted against the Prophet (peace be on him) by the Makkan unbelievers, all the arguments and pleas to which they resorted in the course of their opposition to him, all the pretexts to which they had recourse so as to evade believing in him, and all the objections which they raised against him. After mentioning all this the unbelievers are then admonished, censured and counselled.

22. As the news about the Prophet’s call spread all around, people asked the Makkans wherever they went about the Qur’an and its contents. To this the Makkan unbelievers were wont to reply in a manner that would repel others from the Prophet (peace be on him) and the Qur'an. They tried to sow the seeds of doubt in people’s hearts about the Qur’an, or at least to develop in them an attitude of aversion towards the Prophet (peace be on him).