16.Sura al-Nahl
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَيَوْمَ
نَبْعَثُ مِن
كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ
شَهِيدًا...
16: 84. One day We shall raise from all peoples a witness:
C2122. To each People is sent Allah's Messenger or Teacher, to point out the right way. There may be one, or there may be many. Such a Messenger (Rasul) will be a witness that Allah's Truth was preached to all peoples in express terms, in addition to the Signs of Allah everywhere in nature. There will then be no room for excuses of any kind.
Those who rejected Allah after repeated warnings cannot reasonably ask for more respite, as they had every kind of respite during their life of probation; nor can they now take refuge behind Allah's Grace, which they had repeatedly rejected.
... ثُمَّ لاَ يُؤْذَنُ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَلاَ هُمْ يُسْتَعْتَبُونَ ﴿٨٤﴾
then will no excuse be accepted from Unbelievers,
nor will they receive any favors.
C2122a. That is, they will not be allowed to seek grace by repentance.
وَإِذَا
رَأى الَّذِينَ
ظَلَمُواْ
الْعَذَابَ
فَلاَ يُخَفَّفُ
عَنْهُمْ ...
16: 85. When the wrongdoers (actually) see the Penalty, then will it in no way be mitigated,
C2123. When the terrible Penalty is actually on them, it is too late for repentance and for asking for Mercy. Justice must take its course.
... وَلاَ هُمْ يُنظَرُونَ ﴿٨٥﴾
nor will they then receive respite.
وَإِذَا رَأى
الَّذِينَ
أَشْرَكُواْ
شُرَكَاءهُمْ
قَالُواْ...
16: 86. When those who gave partners to Allah will see their "partners," they will say:
... رَبَّنَا هَـؤُلاء شُرَكَآؤُنَا الَّذِينَ كُنَّا نَدْعُوْ مِن دُونِكَ...
"Our Lord! these are our 'partners,' those whom we used to invoke besides thee."
C2124. The worshippers of false gods will try to shift the responsibility from their own shoulders to that of the false gods.
They will suggest (though they will not have the courage for such a bare-faced lie) that they were misled by the false gods. But their lying suggestion will be contradicted and thrown back at them as explained in the next note.
... فَألْقَوْا إِلَيْهِمُ الْقَوْلَ إِنَّكُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ ﴿٨٦﴾
But they will throw back their word at them (and say): "Indeed ye are liars!"
وَأَلْقَوْاْ إِلَى
اللّهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ
السَّلَمَ...
16: 87. That day shall they (openly) show (their) submission to Allah;
C2125. In so far as the false gods were real things, such as deified men or forces of nature, they will openly disclaim them and then (as always) show their submission to Allah.
In so far as the false gods were the invention of the fancy of the idolaters, they will leave their worshippers in the lurch, for they will be shown as non-existent.
... وَضَلَّ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يَفْتَرُونَ ﴿٨٧﴾
and all their inventions shall leave them in the lurch.
الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ
وَصَدُّواْ
عَن سَبِيلِ
اللّهِ زِدْنَاهُمْ
عَذَابًا فَوْقَ
الْعَذَابِ...
16: 88. Those who reject Allah and hinder (men) from the path of Allah, for them will We add Penalty to Penalty;
... بِمَا كَانُواْ يُفْسِدُونَ ﴿٨٨﴾
for that they used to spread mischief.
وَيَوْمَ نَبْعَثُ
فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ
شَهِيدًا عَلَيْهِم
مِّنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ...
16: 89. One day We shall raise from all peoples a witness against them, from amongst themselves:
C2126. To the thought expressed in 16:84 above, is added another detail here.
Not only will there be witnesses from Peoples, but the witnesses will be men from amongst the Peoples themselves, men of their own kith and kin, who understood them and explained Allah's Message in their own language.
The Prophet Muhammad will be witness against all those who rejected the Message he brought.
For those who believe in him of (all races and peoples), the Book which he brought will be an explanation, a guide, a mercy and a Gospel. (R).
... وَجِئْنَا بِكَ شَهِيدًا عَلَى هَـؤُلاء...
and We shall bring thee as a witness against these (thy people):
... وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ تِبْيَانًا لِّكُلِّ شَيْءٍ...
and We have sent down to thee the Book explaining all things,
... وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً وَبُشْرَى لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ ﴿٨٩﴾
a guide a Mercy, and glad tidings to Muslims.
Others version:
16: 84
Yusuf Ali One day We shall raise from all peoples a witness: then will no excuse be accepted from Unbelievers nor will they receive any favors.
Pickthall And (bethink you of) the day when We raise up of every nation a witness, then there is no leave for disbelievers, nor are they allowed to make amends.
Yuksel The day We send from every nation a witness, then those who have rejected will not be given leave, nor will they be allowed to make amends.
Transliteration Wa yauma nab'asu min kulli ummatin syahidan summa la_ yu'zana lillazina kafaru_ wa la_ hum yusta'tabu_n(a).
[[ Ali’s notes - 2122 To each People is sent Allah's Messenger or Teacher, to point out the right way. There may be one, or there may be many. Such a Messenger (Rasul) will be a witness that Allah's Truth was preached to all peoples in express terms, in addition to the Signs of Allah everywhere in nature. There will then be no room for excuses of any kind. Those who rejected Allah after repeated warnings cannot reasonably ask for more respite, as they had every kind of respite during their life of probation; nor can they now take refuge behind Allah's Grace, which they had repeatedly rejected. A) That is, they will not be allowed to seek grace by repentance. Cf. xxx. 57, xlv. 35. (16.84)
2123 When the terrible Penalty is actually on them, it is too late for repentance and for asking for Mercy. Justice must take its course. (16.85)
2124 The worshippers of false gods will try to shift the responsibility from their own shoulders to that of the false gods. They will suggest (though they will not have the courage for such a bare-faced lie) that they were misled by the false gods. But their lying suggestion will be contradicted and thrown back at them as explained in the next note. (16.86)
2125 In so far as the false gods were real things, such as deified men or forces of nature, they will openly disclaim them and then (as always) show their submission to Allah. In so far as the false gods were the invention of the fancy of the idolaters, they will leave their worshippers in the lurch, for they will be shown as non-existent. (16.87) ]]
16: 85
Yusuf Ali When the wrongdoers (actually) see the Penalty then will it in no way be mitigated nor will they then receive respite.
Pickthall And when those who did wrong behold the doom, it will not be made light for them, nor will they be reprieved.
Yuksel Then those who were wicked will see the retribution; it will not be lightened for them, nor will they be given respite.
Transliteration Wa iza_ ra'al lazina zalamul 'aza_ba fala_ yukhaffafu 'anhum wa la_ hum yunzaru_n(a).
16: 86
Yusuf Ali When those who gave partners to Allah will see their "partners" they will say: "Our Lord! these are our `partners' those whom we used to invoke besides thee." But they will throw back their word at them (and say): "Indeed ye are liars!"
Pickthall And when those who ascribed partners to Allah behold those partners of theirs, they will say: Our Lord! these are our partners unto whom we used to cry instead of Thee. But they will fling to them the saying: Lo! ye verily are liars!
Yuksel Idolized Messengers and Saints Will Disown Those Who Consider them Partners with God
When those who set up partners saw the partners they made, they said, "Our Lord, these are our partners that we used to call upon besides You." But they returned in answer to them: "You are liars!"*
Transliteration Wa iza_ ra'al lazina asyraku_ syuraka_'ahum qa_lu_ rabbana_ ha_'ula_'i syuraka_'unal lazina kunna_ nad'u_ min du_nik(a), fa alqau ilaihimul qaula innakum laka_zibu_n(a).
16: 87 [an-Nahl, Mecca 70]
Yusuf Ali That day shall they (openly) show (their) submission to Allah; and all their inventions shall leave them in the lurch.
Pickthall And they proffer unto Allah submission on that day, and all that they used to invent hath failed them.
Yuksel They peacefully surrendered to God on that day, and what they had invented abandoned them.
Transliteration Wa alqau ilalla_hi yauma'izinis salama wa dalla 'anhum ma_ ka_nu_ yaftaru_n(a).
16: 88 [an-Nahl, Mecca 70]
Yusuf Ali Those who reject Allah and hinder (men) from the path of Allah for them will We add Penalty to Penalty; for that they used to spread mischief.
Pickthall For those who disbelieve and debar (men) from the way of Allah, We add doom to doom because they wrought corruption.
Yuksel Those who rejected, and repelled others from the path of God, We have increased the retribution for them over the retribution for what they had corrupted.
Transliteration Allazina kafaru_ wa saddu_ 'an sabililla_hi zidna_hum 'aza_ban fauqal 'aza_bi bima_ ka_nu_ yufsidu_n(a).
16: 89
Yusuf Ali One day We shall raise from all peoples a witness against them from amongst themselves: and We shall bring thee as a witness against these (thy people): and We have sent down to thee the Book explaining all things a guide a Mercy and glad tidings to Muslims.
Pickthall And (bethink you of) the day when We raise in every nation a witness against them of their own folk, and We bring thee (Muhammad) as a witness against these. And We reveal the Scripture unto thee as an exposition of all things, and a guidance and a mercy and good tidings for those who have surrendered (to Allah).
Yuksel The day We send to every nation a witness against them from themselves, and We have brought you as a witness against these. We have sent down to you the book as a clarification for all things, a guide, mercy and good tidings for those who have peacefully surrendered.*
Transliteration Wa yauma nab'asu fi kulli ummatin syahidan 'alaihim min anfusihim wa ji'na_ bika syahidan 'ala_ ha_'ula_'(i), wa nazzalna_ 'alaikal kita_ba tibya_nal likulli syai'iw wa hudaw wa rahmataw wa busyra_ lil muslimin(a).