16. Surah al-Nahl

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

قُل لَّن يَنفَعَكُمُ الْفِرَارُ...

33:16 . Say: "Running away will not profit you

...إِن فَرَرْتُم مِّنَ الْمَوْتِ أَوِ الْقَتْلِ ...

if ye are running away from death or slaughter;

C3687. The coward in a fight does not usually save himself from death. He is subject, after desertion, to the fury both of the enemy and of his own side for cowardice and desertion.

Assuming that he did escape with his life, where could he go to?

The brand of cowardice will be on him, and he will be Subject to the vengeance of his own people. In any case, his life would be in ignominy and would be brief, and he would have lost irretrievably the meed of valour.

... وَإِذًا لَّا تُمَتَّعُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا ﴿١٦﴾

and even if (ye do escape), no more than a brief (respite) will ye be allowed to enjoy!"

أَشِحَّةً عَلَيْكُمْ...

16: 19. Covetous over you.

C3689. Ashihhatan: covetous, grasping, niggardly.

Here the meaning is twofold:

1. they spare themselves in the fight as compared with you;

they are niggardly with themselves as against you:

they contribute little either in personal effort or with their money and resources; and

2. they covet any gains made or booty won, on the part of the real fighters.

...فَإِذَا جَاء الْخَوْفُ رَأَيْتَهُمْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَيْكَ...

Then when fear comes, thou wilt see them looking to thee,

...تَدُورُ أَعْيُنُهُمْ كَالَّذِي يُغْشَى عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْمَوْتِ...

their eyes revolving, like (those of) one over whom hovers death:

...فَإِذَا ذَهَبَ الْخَوْفُ سَلَقُوكُم بِأَلْسِنَةٍ حِدَادٍ أَشِحَّةً عَلَى الْخَيْرِ...

but when the fear is past, they will smite you with sharp tongues, covetous of goods.

C3690. In times of danger, they would look to the holy Prophet for protection, and keep themselves snugly from the fight.

When the danger is past, they will come and brag and wrangle and show their covetousness or greed for gain though they gave of themselves but sparingly.

...أُوْلَئِكَ لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا فَأَحْبَطَ اللَّهُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ...

Such men have no faith, and so Allah has made their deeds of none effect:

C3691. Even any good they may have done becomes vain because of their motives of envy, greed, and covetousness, and their cowardice.

...وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرًا ﴿١٩﴾

and that is easy for Allah.

C3692. It is not surprising that men's deeds fall as it were dead because there is no pure motive behind them. For men it may be difficult to probe motives, but it is easy for Allah, Whom hypocrisy or false show can never deceive.

يَحْسَبُونَ الْأَحْزَابَ لَمْ يَذْهَبُوا...

16: 20. They think that the Confederates have not withdrawn;

...وَإِن يَأْتِ الْأَحْزَابُ يَوَدُّوا لَوْ أَنَّهُم بَادُونَ فِي الْأَعْرَابِ...

and if the Confederates should come (again), they would wish they were in the deserts (wandering) among the Bedouins,

...يَسْأَلُونَ عَنْ أَنبَائِكُمْ... ...

and seeking news about you (from a safe distance);

C3693. This completes the picture of the psychology of the Hypocrites, begun at verse 12. Let us analyze it.

1. When they first saw the enemy they were already in a defeatist mood, and thought all was over (verse 12).

2. Not content with disloyalty themselves, they tried to infect others, who made paltry excuses to withdraw from the fight (verse 13).

3. They were ready to betray the City to the enemy if once the enemy had gained entrance (verse 14).

4. They forgot all the promises of fidelity which they had previously sworn (verse 15).

5. In their paltry calculations they forgot that cowardice in war does not pay (verses 16-17).

6. Without taking much part in the actual defence, they were ready to talk glibly and claim a lion's share in the fruits of the victory (verses 18-19).

7. Even when the enemy had withdrawn, their cowardly minds were still afraid that the enemy would return, and were already meditating what they would do in that case:

perhaps they would dwell in the deserts and spy on Madinah from a safe distance; and if caught in Madinah they would fight little and intrigue much.

It was a miracle that with such men in their midst, the holy Prophet and his band won through.

...وَلَوْ كَانُوا فِيكُم مَّا قَاتَلُوا إِلَّا قَلِيلًا ﴿٢٠﴾

and if they were in your midst, they would fight but little.

Asad’s Version:

33:16 Say: "Whether you flee from [natural] death or from being slain (in battle], flight will not profit you - for, however you fare, 21 you are not (allowed] to enjoy life for more than a little while!" Say: "Who is there that could keep you away from God if it be His will to harm you, or if it be His will to show you mercy?" For, (do they not know that] besides God they can find none to protect them, and none to bring them succour? God is indeed aware of those of you who would divert others (from fighting in His cause], as well as of those who say to their brethren, "Come hither to us (and face the enemy)!" - the while they (themselves] join battle but seldom,

(33:19) begrudging you all help. But then, when danger threatens, thou canst see them looking to thee (for help, O Prophet], their eyes rolling (in terror] like (the eyes of] one who is overshadowed by death: yet as soon as the danger has passed, they will assail you (believers] with sharp tongues, begrudging you all that is good!

[People like] these have never known faith - and therefore God will cause all their works to come to nought: for this is indeed easy for God.

(33:20) They think that the Confederates have not (really] withdrawn; 22 and should the Confederates return, these (hypocrites] would prefer to be in the desert, among the bedouin, asking for news about you, [O believers, from far away;] and even were they to find themselves in your midst, they would but make a pretence at fighting (by your side]. 23 VERILY, in the Apostle of God you have a good example for everyone who looks forward (with hope and awe] to God and the Last Day, and remembers God unceasingly. 24

[[ 20 Lit., "and would not have tarried more than a little [while]".

21 Lit., "for then" or "in that case" (idhan), signifying here "however it may be".

22 Sc., "but would come back in force and resume the siege".

23 Lit., '"they would not fight except a little".

24 This verse (and the passage that follows) connects with verses 9-11 above, and especially with verse 1 1 - "there and then were the believers tried, and shaken with a shock severe" - which summarizes, as it were, their experiences during the critical days and weeks of the War of the Trench. Although it is addressed, in the first instance, to those early defenders of Medina who were thus exhorted to emulate the Prophet's faith, courage and steadfastness, the above verse is timeless in its import and its validity for all situations and conditions. - Since the verb rajawa, as well as the noun-forms rajw, rujuww and raja' derived from it, carry the connotation of both

"hope" and "fear" (or "awe"), I have rendered yarju accordingly. ]]