النحل
The Bee
Explanations are simplified from tafsirs by Ibn Kathir, Mufti Muhammad Shafi, and Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Spot an inaccuracy? Let us know.
wal-lahu jaʿala lakum mimmā khalaqa ẓilālan wajaʿala lakum mina l-jibāli aknānan wajaʿala lakum sarābīla taqīkumu l-ḥara wasarābīla taqīkum basakum kadhālika yutimmu niʿ'matahu ʿalaykum laʿallakum tus'limūna
And Allāh has made for you, from that which He has created, shadows [i.e., shade] and has made for you from the mountains, shelters and has made for you garments which protect you from the heat and garments [i.e., coats of mail] which protect you from your [enemy in] battle. Thus does He complete His favor upon you that you might submit [to Him].
fa-in tawallaw fa-innamā ʿalayka l-balāghu l-mubīnu
But if they turn away, [O Muḥammad] - then only upon you is [responsibility for] clear notification.
yaʿrifūna niʿ'mata l-lahi thumma yunkirūnahā wa-aktharuhumu l-kāfirūna
They recognize the favor of Allāh; then they deny it. And most of them are disbelievers.
wayawma nabʿathu min kulli ummatin shahīdan thumma lā yu'dhanu lilladhīna kafarū walā hum yus'taʿtabūna
And [mention] the Day when We will resurrect from every nation a witness [i.e., their prophet]. Then it will not be permitted to the disbelievers [to apologize or make excuses], nor will they be asked to appease [Allāh].
wa-idhā raā alladhīna ẓalamū l-ʿadhāba falā yukhaffafu ʿanhum walā hum yunẓarūna
And when those who wronged see the punishment, it will not be lightened for them, nor will they be reprieved.
wa-idhā raā alladhīna ashrakū shurakāahum qālū rabbanā hāulāi shurakāunā alladhīna kunnā nadʿū min dūnika fa-alqaw ilayhimu l-qawla innakum lakādhibūna
And when those who associated others with Allāh see their "partners," they will say, "Our Lord, these are our partners [to You] whom we used to invoke [in worship] besides You." But they will throw at them the statement, "Indeed, you are liars."
wa-alqaw ilā l-lahi yawma-idhin l-salama waḍalla ʿanhum mā kānū yaftarūna
And they will impart to Allāh that Day [their] submission, and lost from them is what they used to invent.
alladhīna kafarū waṣaddū ʿan sabīli l-lahi zid'nāhum ʿadhāban fawqa l-ʿadhābi bimā kānū yuf'sidūna
Those who disbelieved and averted [others] from the way of Allāh - We will increase them in punishment over [their] punishment for what corruption they were causing.
wayawma nabʿathu fī kulli ummatin shahīdan ʿalayhim min anfusihim waji'nā bika shahīdan ʿalā hāulāi wanazzalnā ʿalayka l-kitāba tib'yānan likulli shayin wahudan waraḥmatan wabush'rā lil'mus'limīna
And [mention] the Day when We will resurrect among every nation a witness over them from themselves [i.e., their prophet]. And We will bring you, [O Muḥammad], as a witness over these [i.e., your nation]. And We have sent down to you the Book as clarification for all things and as guidance and mercy and good tidings for the Muslims.
inna l-laha yamuru bil-ʿadli wal-iḥ'sāni waītāi dhī l-qur'bā wayanhā ʿani l-faḥshāi wal-munkari wal-baghyi yaʿiẓukum laʿallakum tadhakkarūna
Indeed, Allāh orders justice and good conduct and giving [help] to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded.
wa-awfū biʿahdi l-lahi idhā ʿāhadttum walā tanquḍū l-aymāna baʿda tawkīdihā waqad jaʿaltumu l-laha ʿalaykum kafīlan inna l-laha yaʿlamu mā tafʿalūna
And fulfill the covenant of Allāh when you have taken it, [O believers], and do not break oaths after their confirmation while you have made Allāh, over you, a security [i.e., witness]. Indeed, Allāh knows what you do.
walā takūnū ka-allatī naqaḍat ghazlahā min baʿdi quwwatin ankāthan tattakhidhūna aymānakum dakhalan baynakum an takūna ummatun hiya arbā min ummatin innamā yablūkumu l-lahu bihi walayubayyinanna lakum yawma l-qiyāmati mā kuntum fīhi takhtalifūna
And do not be like she who untwisted her spun thread after it was strong [by] taking your oaths as [means of] deceit between you because one community is more plentiful [in number or wealth] than another community. Allāh only tries you thereby. And He will surely make clear to you on the Day of Resurrection that over which you used to differ.
walaw shāa l-lahu lajaʿalakum ummatan wāḥidatan walākin yuḍillu man yashāu wayahdī man yashāu walatus'alunna ʿammā kuntum taʿmalūna
And if Allāh had willed, He could have made you [of] one religion, but He sends astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills. And you will surely be questioned about what you used to do.
walā tattakhidhū aymānakum dakhalan baynakum fatazilla qadamun baʿda thubūtihā watadhūqū l-sūa bimā ṣadadttum ʿan sabīli l-lahi walakum ʿadhābun ʿaẓīmun
And do not take your oaths as [means of] deceit between you, lest a foot slip after it was [once] firm, and you would taste evil [in this world] for what [people] you diverted from the way of Allāh, and you would have [in the Hereafter] a great punishment.
walā tashtarū biʿahdi l-lahi thamanan qalīlan innamā ʿinda l-lahi huwa khayrun lakum in kuntum taʿlamūna
And do not exchange the covenant of Allāh for a small price. Indeed, what is with Allāh is best for you, if only you could know.
mā ʿindakum yanfadu wamā ʿinda l-lahi bāqin walanajziyanna alladhīna ṣabarū ajrahum bi-aḥsani mā kānū yaʿmalūna
Whatever you have will end, but what Allāh has is lasting. And We will surely give those who were patient their reward according to the best of what they used to do.
man ʿamila ṣāliḥan min dhakarin aw unthā wahuwa mu'minun falanuḥ'yiyannahu ḥayatan ṭayyibatan walanajziyannahum ajrahum bi-aḥsani mā kānū yaʿmalūna
Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer - We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do.
fa-idhā qarata l-qur'āna fa-is'taʿidh bil-lahi mina l-shayṭāni l-rajīmi
So when you recite the Qur’ān, [first] seek refuge in Allāh from Satan, the expelled [from His mercy].
innahu laysa lahu sul'ṭānun ʿalā alladhīna āmanū waʿalā rabbihim yatawakkalūna
Indeed, there is for him no authority over those who have believed and rely upon their Lord.
innamā sul'ṭānuhu ʿalā alladhīna yatawallawnahu wa-alladhīna hum bihi mush'rikūna
His authority is only over those who take him as an ally and those who through him associate others with Allāh.