16. Sura al-Nahl

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

يُنَزِّلُ الْمَلآئِكَةَ بِالْرُّوحِ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ عَلَى مَن يَشَاء مِنْ عِبَادِهِ...   

16: 2.     He doth send down His angels with inspiration of His Command, to such of His servants as He pleaseth, (saying):

... أَنْ أَنذِرُواْ أَنَّهُ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ أَنَاْ فَاتَّقُونِ ﴿٢﴾

"Warn (Man) that there is no god but I:

so do your duty unto Me."

C2020. The Pagans, with their multiplicity of gods and goddesses, good and evil, could play one off against another. That is mere mockery of religion. With such conceptions, man cannot understand the Unity of Design in the Universe nor realise the Power and Glory of the One True God, to Whom alone worship and service are due.

Other Versions:

16: 2

Asad He causes the angels to descend with this divine inspiration, [bestowed] at His behest upon whomever He wills of His servants: “Warn [all human beings] that there is no deity save Me: be, therefore, conscious of Me!

Pickthall He sendeth down the angels with the Spirit of His command unto whom He will of His bondmen, (saying): Warn mankind that there is no god save Me, so keep your duty unto Me.

Transliteration Yunazzilul mala_'ikata bir ru_hi min amrihi 'ala_ may yasya_'u min 'iba_dihi an anziru_ annahu_ la_ ila_ha illa_ ana fa-ttaqu_n(i).

[ Asad note 2: The term ‘ruh’ [lit., spirit, soul, or breath of life ] is often used in the Quran in the sense of ‘inspiration’ – and, more particularly, ‘divine inspiration’……..see 42:52…….. 97:4 ]