Surah An-Nahl, Ayah 101-120 — Word by Word
النحل
The Bee
Explanations are simplified from tafsirs by Ibn Kathir, Mufti Muhammad Shafi, and Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Spot an inaccuracy? Let us know.
wa-idhā baddalnā āyatan makāna āyatin wal-lahu aʿlamu bimā yunazzilu qālū innamā anta muf'tarin bal aktharuhum lā yaʿlamūna
And when We substitute a verse in place of a verse - and Allāh is most knowing of what He sends down - they say, "You, [O Muḥammad], are but an inventor [of lies]." But most of them do not know.
qul nazzalahu rūḥu l-qudusi min rabbika bil-ḥaqi liyuthabbita alladhīna āmanū wahudan wabush'rā lil'mus'limīna
Say, [O Muḥammad], "The Pure Spirit [i.e., Gabriel] has brought it down from your Lord in truth to make firm those who believe and as guidance and good tidings to the Muslims."
walaqad naʿlamu annahum yaqūlūna innamā yuʿallimuhu basharun lisānu alladhī yul'ḥidūna ilayhi aʿjamiyyun wahādhā lisānun ʿarabiyyun mubīnun
And We certainly know that they say, "It is only a human being who teaches him [i.e., the Prophet (ﷺ)]." The tongue of the one they refer to is foreign, and this [recitation, i.e., Qur’ān] is [in] a clear Arabic language.
inna alladhīna lā yu'minūna biāyāti l-lahi lā yahdīhimu l-lahu walahum ʿadhābun alīmun
Indeed, those who do not believe in the verses of Allāh - Allāh will not guide them, and for them is a painful punishment.
innamā yaftarī l-kadhiba alladhīna lā yu'minūna biāyāti l-lahi wa-ulāika humu l-kādhibūna
They only invent falsehood who do not believe in the verses of Allāh, and it is those who are the liars.
man kafara bil-lahi min baʿdi īmānihi illā man uk'riha waqalbuhu muṭ'ma-innun bil-īmāni walākin man sharaḥa bil-kuf'ri ṣadran faʿalayhim ghaḍabun mina l-lahi walahum ʿadhābun ʿaẓīmun
Whoever disbelieves in [i.e., denies] Allāh after his belief... except for one who is forced [to renounce his religion] while his heart is secure in faith. But those who [willingly] open their breasts to disbelief, upon them is wrath from Allāh, and for them is a great punishment;
dhālika bi-annahumu is'taḥabbū l-ḥayata l-dun'yā ʿalā l-ākhirati wa-anna l-laha lā yahdī l-qawma l-kāfirīna
That is because they preferred the worldly life over the Hereafter and that Allāh does not guide the disbelieving people.
ulāika alladhīna ṭabaʿa l-lahu ʿalā qulūbihim wasamʿihim wa-abṣārihim wa-ulāika humu l-ghāfilūna
Those are the ones over whose hearts and hearing and vision Allāh has sealed, and it is those who are the heedless.
lā jarama annahum fī l-ākhirati humu l-khāsirūna
Assuredly, it is they, in the Hereafter, who will be the losers.
thumma inna rabbaka lilladhīna hājarū min baʿdi mā futinū thumma jāhadū waṣabarū inna rabbaka min baʿdihā laghafūrun raḥīmun
Then, indeed your Lord, to those who emigrated after they had been compelled [to say words of disbelief] and thereafter fought [for the cause of Allāh] and were patient - indeed, your Lord, after that, is Forgiving and Merciful
yawma tatī kullu nafsin tujādilu ʿan nafsihā watuwaffā kullu nafsin mā ʿamilat wahum lā yuẓ'lamūna
On the Day when every soul will come disputing [i.e., pleading] for itself, and every soul will be fully compensated for what it did, and they will not be wronged [i.e., treated unjustly].
waḍaraba l-lahu mathalan qaryatan kānat āminatan muṭ'ma-innatan yatīhā riz'quhā raghadan min kulli makānin fakafarat bi-anʿumi l-lahi fa-adhāqahā l-lahu libāsa l-jūʿi wal-khawfi bimā kānū yaṣnaʿūna
And Allāh presents an example: a city [i.e., Makkah] which was safe and secure, its provision coming to it in abundance from every location, but it denied the favors of Allāh. So Allāh made it taste the envelopment of hunger and fear for what they had been doing.
walaqad jāahum rasūlun min'hum fakadhabūhu fa-akhadhahumu l-ʿadhābu wahum ẓālimūna
And there had certainly come to them a Messenger from among themselves, but they denied him; so punishment overtook them while they were wrongdoers.
fakulū mimmā razaqakumu l-lahu ḥalālan ṭayyiban wa-ush'kurū niʿ'mata l-lahi in kuntum iyyāhu taʿbudūna
Then eat of what Allāh has provided for you [which is] lawful and good. And be grateful for the favor of Allāh, if it is [indeed] Him that you worship.
innamā ḥarrama ʿalaykumu l-maytata wal-dama walaḥma l-khinzīri wamā uhilla lighayri l-lahi bihi famani uḍ'ṭurra ghayra bāghin walā ʿādin fa-inna l-laha ghafūrun raḥīmun
He has only forbidden to you dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allāh. But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit] - then indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
walā taqūlū limā taṣifu alsinatukumu l-kadhiba hādhā ḥalālun wahādhā ḥarāmun litaftarū ʿalā l-lahi l-kadhiba inna alladhīna yaftarūna ʿalā l-lahi l-kadhiba lā yuf'liḥūna
And do not say about what your tongues assert of untruth, "This is lawful and this is unlawful," to invent falsehood about Allāh. Indeed, those who invent falsehood about Allāh will not succeed.
matāʿun qalīlun walahum ʿadhābun alīmun
[It is but] a brief enjoyment, and they will have a painful punishment.
waʿalā alladhīna hādū ḥarramnā mā qaṣaṣnā ʿalayka min qablu wamā ẓalamnāhum walākin kānū anfusahum yaẓlimūna
And to those who are Jews We have prohibited that which We related to you before. And We did not wrong them [thereby], but they were wronging themselves.
thumma inna rabbaka lilladhīna ʿamilū l-sūa bijahālatin thumma tābū min baʿdi dhālika wa-aṣlaḥū inna rabbaka min baʿdihā laghafūrun raḥīmun
Then, indeed your Lord, to those who have done wrong out of ignorance and then repent after that and correct themselves - indeed, your Lord, thereafter, is Forgiving and Merciful.
inna ib'rāhīma kāna ummatan qānitan lillahi ḥanīfan walam yaku mina l-mush'rikīna
Indeed, Abraham was a [comprehensive] leader, devoutly obedient to Allāh, inclining toward truth, and he was not of those who associate others with Allāh.