16. [AN-Nahl, mecca 70]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَعَلامَاتٍ وَبِالنَّجْمِ هُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ ﴿١٦﴾   

16: 16.  And marks and signposts;

and by the stars (men) guide themselves.

C2040. See last note.

Let us examine the completed allegory. As there are beacons, landmarks and signs to show the way to men on the earth, so in the spiritual world. And it is ultimately Allah Who provides them, and this is His crowning Mercy.

Like the mountains there are spiritual Landmarks in the missions of the Great Prophets: they should guide us, or teach us, to guide ourselves, and not shake hither and thither like a ship without a rudder or people without Faith.

As rivers and streams mark out their channels, smoothing out levels so we have wholesome Laws and Customs established, to help us in out lives.

Then we have the examples of Great Men as further sign-posts: "Lives of great men all remind us, We can make our lives sublime."

In long-distance travel, the pole-star and the magnetic needle are our guides; so in our long-distance journey to the other world, we have ultimately to look to heavenly guidance or its reflection in Allah's Revelation.

Pickthall’s Version:

16: 16

Pickthall And landmarks (too), and by the star they find a way.

Transliteration Wa 'ala_ma_t(in), wa bin najmi hum yahtadu_n(a).