16. Sura al-Nahl
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
ادْعُ إِلِى
سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ
بِالْحِكْمَةِ
وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ
الْحَسَنَةِ...
16: 125. Invite (all) to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching;
... وَجَادِلْهُم بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ...
and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious:
C2161. In this wonderful passage are laid down principles of religious preaching, which are good for all time.
But where are the Teachers with such qualifications?
We must invite all to the Way of Allah, and expound His Universal Will; we must do it with wisdom and discretion, meeting people on their own ground and convincing them with illustrations from their own knowledge and experience, which may be very narrow, or very wide.
Our preaching must be, not dogmatic, not self-regarding, not offensive, but gentle, considerate, and such as would attract their attention. Our manner and our arguments should not be acrimonious, but modeled on the most courteous and the most gracious example, so that the hearer may say to himself,
"This man is not dealing merely with dialectics; he is not trying to get a rise out of me; he is sincerely expounding the faith that is in him, and his motive is the love of man and the love of Allah."
... إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ ﴿١٢٥﴾
for thy Lord knoweth best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance.
C2162. It may be that the Preacher sometimes says to himself,
"What is the use of teaching these people?
they have made up their minds, or they are obstinate; or they are only trying to catch me out,"
Let him not yield to such a thought. Who knows how the seed of the Word of Allah may germinate in people's minds? It is not for man to look for results. Man's inner thoughts are known best to Allah.
وَإِنْ عَاقَبْتُمْ
فَعَاقِبُواْ
بِمِثْلِ مَا
عُوقِبْتُم
بِهِ...
16: 126. And if ye do catch them out, catch them out no worse than they catch you out:
... وَلَئِن صَبَرْتُمْ لَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لِّلصَّابِرينَ ﴿١٢٦﴾
but if ye show patience, that is indeed the best (course) for those who are patient.
C2163. In the context this passage refers to controversies and discussions, but the words are wide enough to cover all human struggles, disputes, and fights.
In strictest equity you are not entitled to give a worse blow than is given to you. Lest you should think that such patience only gives an advantage to the adversary, you are told that the contrary is the case, the advantage is with the patient, the self-possessed, those who do not lose their temper or forget their own principles of conduct.
وَاصْبِرْ
وَمَا صَبْرُكَ
إِلاَّ بِاللّهِ...
16: 127. And do thou be patient, for thy patience is but from Allah;
C2164. In the previous verse are laid down the principles of conduct in controversy for all Muslims;
'if you catch them out, you are not entitled to strike a heavier blow than you received, but it is better to restrain yourself and be patient.'
There patience was recommended.
In this verse a command is directly addressed to the Prophet. 'Do thou be patient.'
It is a command: his standard as the Great Teacher is much higher; and he carried out in his life.
His patience and self-restraint were under circumstances of extraordinary provocation. In his human wisdom it may sometimes have seemed questionable whether forbearance and self-restraint might not be human weaknesses; he had to defend his people as well as himself against the enemy's persecutions.
He is told here that he need not entertain any such fears. Patience (with constancy) in those circumstances was in accordance with Allah's own command.
Nor was he to grieve if they rejected Allah's Message-, the Prophet had done his duty when he boldly and openly proclaimed it.
Nor was his heart to be troubled if they hatched secret plots against himself and his people, Allah would protect them.
... وَلاَ تَحْزَنْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ تَكُ فِي ضَيْقٍ مِّمَّا يَمْكُرُونَ ﴿١٢٧﴾
nor grieve over them: and distress not thyself because of their plots.
إِنَّ
اللّهَ مَعَ
الَّذِينَ
اتَّقَواْ
وَّالَّذِينَ
هُم مُّحْسِنُونَ ﴿١٢٨﴾
16: 128. For Allah is with those
- who restrain themselves,
- and those who do good.
C2165. And the Surah ends with the highest consolation which the righteous can receive; the assurance that Allah is with them. A double qualification is indicated for so high an honour,
- that they should not yield to human passion or anger or impatience, and
- that they should go on with constancy doing good all around them. To attain to the Presence of Allah in the sense of "I am with you" is the culmination of the righteous man's aspiration.
Pickthall’s Version:
16: 125
Pickthall Call unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and fair exhortation, and reason with them in the better way. Lo! thy Lord is best aware of him who strayeth from His way, and He is Best Aware of those who go aright.
Transliteration Ud'a_ ila_ sabili rabbika bil hikmati wal mau'izatil hasanati wa ja_dilhum bil lati hiya ahsan(u), inna rabbaka huwa a'lamu biman dalla 'an sabilihi wa huwa a'lamu bil muhtadin(a).
16: 126
Pickthall If ye punish, then punish with the like of that wherewith ye were afflicted. But if ye endure patiently, verily it is better for the patient.
Transliteration Wa in 'a_qabtum fa 'a_qibu_ bi misli ma_ 'u_qibtum bih(i), wa la'in sabartum lahuwa khairul lis sa_birin(a).
16: 127
Pickthall Endure thou patiently (O Muhammad). Thine endurance is only by (the help of) Allah. Grieve not for them, and be not in distress because of that which they devise.
Transliteration Wa-sbir wa ma_ sabruka illa_ billa_hi wa la_ tahzan 'alaihim wa la_ taku fi daiqim mimma_ yamkuru_n(a).
16: 128
Pickthall Lo! Allah is with those who keep their duty unto Him and those who are doers of good.
Transliteration Innalla_ha ma'al lazina-ttaqau wal lazina hum muhsinu_n(a).