Surah Ahzab ayat 16 Tafsir Quran 33:16

﴿قُل لَّن يَنفَعَكُمُ الْفِرَارُ إِن فَرَرْتُم مِّنَ الْمَوْتِ أَوِ الْقَتْلِ وَإِذًا لَّا تُمَتَّعُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا﴾
[ الأحزاب: 16]

33:16 Say, [O Muhammad], "Never will fleeing benefit you if you should flee from death or killing; and then [if you did], you would not be given enjoyment [of life] except for a little."

Say ‘Flight will not avail you should you flee from death or from being slain and then if you were to flee you would not be extended comfort in this world after you have fled except a little’ except for the remainder of your terms of life.

Say to them O Muhammad: Neither defection nor desertion shall avail you if you should flee the enemy to escape death or massacre if your hereafter is meant to be planted in the now. Life is too short and its enjoyment is short-lived

And if the enemy had entered from all sides, and they had been exhorted to Al-Fitnah, they would surely have committed it and would have hesitated thereupon but little ( 14 )And indeed they had already made a covenant with Allah not to turn their backs, and a covenant with Allah must be answered for ( 15 )Say: "Flight will not avail you if you flee from death or killing and then you will enjoy no more than a little while! ( 16 )Say: "Who is he who can protect you from Allah if He intends to harm you, or intends mercy on you?" And they will not find, besides Allah, for themselves any protector or any helper.) Allah tells us about those who sai ( 17 ) يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ بُيُوتَنَا عَوْرَةٌ وَمَا هِيَ بِعَوْرَةٍ ۖ إِنْ يُرِيدُونَ إِلَّا فِرَارًا ( "Truly, our homes lie open." And they lay not open.
They but wished to flee. ) If the enemy had entered upon them from every side of Al-Madinah and from every direction, then demanded that they become disbelievers, they would have promptly done so.
They would not have adhered to their faith or remained steadfast in it if they were faced with the slightest fear.
This is how it was interpreted by Qatadah, 'Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd and Ibn Jarir.
This is a condemnation of them in the clearest terms.
Then Allah reminds them of the promise they had made to Him before this fear struck them, that they would not turn their backs or flee from the battlefield. وَكَانَ عَهْدُ اللَّهِ مَسْئُولًا ( and a covenant with Allah must be answered for. ) means, Allah will inevitably ask them about that covenant.
Then Allah tells them that fleeing from battle will not delay their appointed demise or make their lives any longer; on the contrary, it may be the cause of their being taken sooner, and in a sudden manner.
Allah says: وَإِذًا لَا تُمَتَّعُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا ( and then you will enjoy no more than a little while! ) meaning, 'after you run away and flee from battle.' قُلْ مَتَاعُ الدُّنْيَا قَلِيلٌ وَالْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِمَنِ اتَّقَىٰ ( Say: "Short is the enjoyment of this world.
The Hereafter is better for him who have Taqwa" )( 4:77 ).
Then Allah says: قُلْ مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَعْصِمُكُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَادَ بِكُمْ سُوءًا أَوْ أَرَادَ بِكُمْ رَحْمَةً ۚ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ لَهُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلِيًّا وَلَا نَصِيرًا ( Say: "Who is he who can protect you from Allah if He intends to harm you, or intends mercy on you?" And they will not find, besides Allah, for themselves any protector or any helper. ) meaning, they have no one else except Allah to respond to their cries.

(33:16) (O Prophet), tell them: 'If you run away from death or slaying, this flight will not avail you. You will have little time after that to enjoy *28 (the pleasures of life).'

Say, [O Muhammad], "Never will fleeing benefit meaning

*28) That is, "This flight of yours will not add anything to your life.
In no case will you live for ever and gain the whole wealth of the world.
Hardly a few years will you live after your flight and enjoy life only as long as it is destined for you.

 

And if the enemy had entered from all sides, and they had been exhorted to Al-Fitnah, they would surely have committed it and would have hesitated thereupon but little ( 14 )And indeed they had already made a covenant with Allah not to turn their backs, and a covenant with Allah must be answered for ( 15 )Say: "Flight will not avail you if you flee from death or killing and then you will enjoy no more than a little while! ( 16 )Say: "Who is he who can protect you from Allah if He intends to harm you, or intends mercy on you?" And they will not find, besides Allah, for themselves any protector or any helper.) Allah tells us about those who sai ( 17 ) يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ بُيُوتَنَا عَوْرَةٌ وَمَا هِيَ بِعَوْرَةٍ ۖ إِنْ يُرِيدُونَ إِلَّا فِرَارًا ( "Truly, our homes lie open." And they lay not open.
They but wished to flee. ) If the enemy had entered upon them from every side of Al-Madinah and from every direction, then demanded that they become disbelievers, they would have promptly done so.
They would not have adhered to their faith or remained steadfast in it if they were faced with the slightest fear.
This is how it was interpreted by Qatadah, 'Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd and Ibn Jarir.
This is a condemnation of them in the clearest terms.
Then Allah reminds them of the promise they had made to Him before this fear struck them, that they would not turn their backs or flee from the battlefield. وَكَانَ عَهْدُ اللَّهِ مَسْئُولًا ( and a covenant with Allah must be answered for. ) means, Allah will inevitably ask them about that covenant.
Then Allah tells them that fleeing from battle will not delay their appointed demise or make their lives any longer; on the contrary, it may be the cause of their being taken sooner, and in a sudden manner.
Allah says: وَإِذًا لَا تُمَتَّعُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا ( and then you will enjoy no more than a little while! ) meaning, 'after you run away and flee from battle.' قُلْ مَتَاعُ الدُّنْيَا قَلِيلٌ وَالْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِمَنِ اتَّقَىٰ ( Say: "Short is the enjoyment of this world.
The Hereafter is better for him who have Taqwa" )( 4:77 ).
Then Allah says: قُلْ مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَعْصِمُكُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَادَ بِكُمْ سُوءًا أَوْ أَرَادَ بِكُمْ رَحْمَةً ۚ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ لَهُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلِيًّا وَلَا نَصِيرًا ( Say: "Who is he who can protect you from Allah if He intends to harm you, or intends mercy on you?" And they will not find, besides Allah, for themselves any protector or any helper. ) meaning, they have no one else except Allah to respond to their cries.

( Say ) O Muhammad, to Banu Harithah: ( Flight will not avail you if ye flee from death or killing, and then ye dwell in comfort ) you will not live in the life of this world ( but a little while ) a short time.

Say (O Muhammad SAW to these hypocrites who ask your permission to run away from you): "Flight will not avail you if you flee from death or killing, and then you will enjoy no more than a little while!"

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