Surah Nahl ayat 36 Tafsir Quran 16:36

﴿وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولًا أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُوا الطَّاغُوتَ ۖ فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ هَدَى اللَّهُ وَمِنْهُم مَّنْ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِ الضَّلَالَةُ ۚ فَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَانظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ﴾
[ النحل: 36]

16:36 And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, [saying], "Worship Allah and avoid Taghut." And among them were those whom Allah guided, and among them were those upon whom error was [deservedly] decreed. So proceed through the earth and observe how was the end of the deniers.

And verily We sent forth among every community a messenger just as We have sent you forth among these Meccans to say ‘Worship God profess belief in His Oneness and shun false deities’ graven images and do not worship them. Then among them were some whom God guided and they believed and among them were some who deserved to be in error according to God’s knowledge and so they did not believe. So travel O disbelievers of Mecca in the land and observe the nature of the consequence of those who denied their messengers in that they were destroyed.

And to every nation did We send a Messenger to say to them: Worship Allah alone and adore Him with appropriate acts and rites and avoid at any cost worshipping anything else irrespective of his or its attribute, be it a human or an idol. And so, among them -the people- there were those whom Allah had guided to His path of righteousness and others who thrived on disobedience and verified Allahs justifiable ordination to their loss in the maze of error

The Idolators Argument that their Shirk was Divinely decreed, and the Refutation of this Claim Allah tells us about the idolators delusion over their Shirk, and the excuse they claimed for it based on the idea that it is ordained by divine decree.
He says: لَوْ شَآءَ اللَّهُ مَا عَبَدْنَا مِن دُونِهِ مِن شَىْءٍ نَّحْنُ وَلا ءَابَاؤُنَا وَلاَ حَرَّمْنَا مِن دُونِهِ مِن شَىْءٍ ( (They say: ) "If Allah had so willed, neither we nor our fathers would have worshipped any but Him, nor would we have forbidden anything without ( a command from ) Him.") They had superstitious customs dealing with certain animals, e.g.
the Bahirah the Sa'ibah and the Wasilah and other things that they had invented and innovated by themselves, with no revealed authority.
The essence of what they said was: "If Allah hated what we did, He would have stopped by punishing us, and He would not have enabled us to do it." Rejecting their confusing ideas, Allah says: فَهَلْ عَلَى الرُّسُلِ إِلاَّ الْبَلَـغُ الْمُبِينُ ( Are the Messengers charged with anything but to clearly convey the Message ) meaning, the matter is not as you claim.
It is not the case that Allah did not rebuke your behavior; rather, He did rebuke you, and in the strongest possible terms, and He emphatically forbade you from such behavior.
To every nation - that is, to every generation, to every community of people - He sent a Messenger.
All of the Messengers called their people to worship Allah ( Alone ) as well as forbidding them from worshipping anything or anybody except for Him. أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُواْ الْطَّـغُوتَ ( Worship Allah (Alone ), and shun the Taghut ( all false deities ).) Allah continued sending Messengers to mankind with this Message, from the first incidence of Shirk that appeared among the Children of Adam, in the people to whom Nuh was sent - the first Messenger sent by Allah to the people of this earth - until He sent the final Messenger, Muhammad ﷺ, whose call was addressed to both men and Jinn, in the east and in the west.
All of the Messengers brought the same Message, as Allah says: وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ نُوحِى إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ أَنَاْ فَاعْبُدُونِ ( And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad ) but We revealed to him ( saying ): None has the right to be worshipped but I ( Allah ), so worship Me ( alone and none else ).") ( 21:25 ) وَاسْئلْ مَنْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رُّسُلِنَآ أَجَعَلْنَا مِن دُونِ الرَّحْمَـنِ ءَالِهَةً يُعْبَدُونَ ( And ask (O Muhammad ) those Messengers of Ours whom We sent before you: "Did We ever appointed to be worshipped besides the Most Gracious ( Allah )") ( 43:45 ) And in this Ayah, Allah says: وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِى كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولاً أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُواْ الْطَّـغُوتَ ( And We have indeed sent a Messenger to every Ummah (community, nation ) ( saying ): "Worship Allah ( alone ), and shun the Taghut ( all false deities ).") So how could any of the idolators say, لَوْ شَآءَ اللَّهُ مَا عَبَدْنَا مِن دُونِهِ مِن شَىْءٍ ( If Allah had so willed, we would not have worshipped any but Him, ) The legislative will of Allah is clear and cannot be taken as an excuse by them, because He had forbidden them to do that upon the tongue of His Messengers, but by His universal will i.e., by which He allows things to occur even though they do not please Him He allowed them to do that as it was decreed for them.
So there is no argument in that for them.
Allah created Hell and its people both the Shayatin ( devils ) and disbelievers, but He does not like His servants to disbelieve.
And this point constitutes the strongest proof and the most unquestionable wisdom.
Then Allah informs us that He rebuked them with punishment in this world, after the Messengers issued their warning, thus He says: فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ هَدَى اللَّهُ وَمِنْهُمْ مَّنْ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِ الضَّلَـلَةُ فَسِيرُواْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ فَانظُرُواْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـقِبَةُ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ ( Then among them were some whom Allah guided, and among them were some who deserved to be left to stray.
So travel through the land and see the end of those who denied (the truth ).) This means: ask about what happened to those who went against the Messengers and rejected the truth, see how: دَمَّرَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلِلْكَـفِرِينَ أَمْثَـلُهَا ( Allah destroyed them completely, and a similar (end awaits ) the disbelievers.) ( 47:10 ) and, وَلَقَدْ كَذَّبَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ نكِيرِ ( And indeed those before them belied (the Messengers of Allah ), so then how terrible was My denial ( punishment )) ( 67:18 ) Then Allah told His Messenger that His eagerness to guide them will be of no benefit to them if Allah wills that they should be misguided, as He says: وَمَن يُرِدِ اللَّهُ فِتْنَتَهُ فَلَن تَمْلِكَ لَهُ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئاً ( And for whoever Allah wills to try with error, you can do nothing for him against Allah ) ( 5:41 ).
Nuh said to his people: وَلاَ يَنفَعُكُمْ نُصْحِى إِنْ أَرَدْتُّ أَنْ أَنصَحَ لَكُمْ إِن كَانَ اللَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَن يُغْوِيَكُمْ ( "And my advice will not profit you, even if I wish to give you good counsel, if Allah's will is to keep you astray." )( 11:34 ).
In this Ayah, Allah says: إِن تَحْرِصْ عَلَى هُدَاهُمْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَهْدِى مَن يُضِلُّ ( (Even ) if you desire that they be guided, then verily, Allah does not guide those whom He allowed to stray,) As Allah says: مَن يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَلاَ هَادِيَ لَهُ وَيَذَرُهُمْ فِى طُغْيَـنِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ ( Whomsoever Allah allows to stray, then there is no guide for him; and He lets them wander blindly in their transgressions. ) ( 7:186 ) إِنَّ الَّذِينَ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِمْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ - وَلَوْ جَآءَتْهُمْ كُلُّ ءايَةٍ حَتَّى يَرَوُاْ الْعَذَابَ الاٌّلِيمَ ( Truly! Those deserving the Word (wrath ) of your Lord will not believe, even if every sign should come to them - until they see the painful torment) ( 10:96-97 ). فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ ( then verily, Allah ) meaning, this is the way in which Allah does things.
If He wills a thing, then it happens, and if He does not will a thing, then it does not happen.
For this reason Allah says: لاَ يَهْدِى مَن يُضِلُّ ( Allah does not guide those whom He allowed to stray, ) meaning the one whom He has caused to go astray, so who can guide him apart from Allah No one. وَمَا لَهُم مِّن نَّـصِرِينَ ( And they will have no helpers. ) means, they will have no one to save them from the punishment of Allah, أَلاَ لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَالاٌّمْرُ تَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَـلَمِينَ ( Surely, His is the creation and commandment.
Blessed is Allah, the Lord of all that exists! ) ( 7:54 ).

(16:36) Accordingly, we sent to every community a Messenger, saying, "Worship Allah and keep away from the taghut. " *32 After that Allah showed guidance to some of them, while deviation took hold of others. *33 So, roam about in the earth and behold what has been the end of the rejectors of the Messengers. *34

And We certainly sent into every nation meaning

*32) That is, " You are not justified in excusing yourselves for these sins, saying that it is the will of God for We sent Messengers to every ummat, who told the people in plain words that they should worship Us and none else, and should not follow and obey taghut.
Besides this, We have already warned you that We do not approve of your deviations.
Why should you then put forward this excuse for your deviations ? Do you mean to say that We ought to have sent such Messengers as would have forced you to follow the Right Way instead of bringing you to it by preaching? " ( Please refer to E.N.
80 of Al-A am VI for the distinction between God's " will " and God's " approval.
" )
*33) That is, " Whenever a Messenger came to a people, they were divided into two groups:
( 1 ) Those who accepted the Message ( and that, too, could not have been possible except with the will of Allah.
)
( 2 ) Those who rejected it and stuck to their deviation ".
( For fuller explanation, please consult E.N.
28 of A/-An am VI.

*34 ) That is, " You can see for yourselves the lesson of human history.
It is this that the people, who rejected the Message, incurred the scourge of Allah like Pharaoh and the people of Pharaoh, while Prophet Moses received the blessings of Allah " .

 

The Idolators Argument that their Shirk was Divinely decreed, and the Refutation of this Claim Allah tells us about the idolators delusion over their Shirk, and the excuse they claimed for it based on the idea that it is ordained by divine decree.
He says: لَوْ شَآءَ اللَّهُ مَا عَبَدْنَا مِن دُونِهِ مِن شَىْءٍ نَّحْنُ وَلا ءَابَاؤُنَا وَلاَ حَرَّمْنَا مِن دُونِهِ مِن شَىْءٍ ( (They say: ) "If Allah had so willed, neither we nor our fathers would have worshipped any but Him, nor would we have forbidden anything without ( a command from ) Him.") They had superstitious customs dealing with certain animals, e.g.
the Bahirah the Sa'ibah and the Wasilah and other things that they had invented and innovated by themselves, with no revealed authority.
The essence of what they said was: "If Allah hated what we did, He would have stopped by punishing us, and He would not have enabled us to do it." Rejecting their confusing ideas, Allah says: فَهَلْ عَلَى الرُّسُلِ إِلاَّ الْبَلَـغُ الْمُبِينُ ( Are the Messengers charged with anything but to clearly convey the Message ) meaning, the matter is not as you claim.
It is not the case that Allah did not rebuke your behavior; rather, He did rebuke you, and in the strongest possible terms, and He emphatically forbade you from such behavior.
To every nation - that is, to every generation, to every community of people - He sent a Messenger.
All of the Messengers called their people to worship Allah ( Alone ) as well as forbidding them from worshipping anything or anybody except for Him. أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُواْ الْطَّـغُوتَ ( Worship Allah (Alone ), and shun the Taghut ( all false deities ).) Allah continued sending Messengers to mankind with this Message, from the first incidence of Shirk that appeared among the Children of Adam, in the people to whom Nuh was sent - the first Messenger sent by Allah to the people of this earth - until He sent the final Messenger, Muhammad ﷺ, whose call was addressed to both men and Jinn, in the east and in the west.
All of the Messengers brought the same Message, as Allah says: وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ نُوحِى إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ أَنَاْ فَاعْبُدُونِ ( And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad ) but We revealed to him ( saying ): None has the right to be worshipped but I ( Allah ), so worship Me ( alone and none else ).") ( 21:25 ) وَاسْئلْ مَنْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رُّسُلِنَآ أَجَعَلْنَا مِن دُونِ الرَّحْمَـنِ ءَالِهَةً يُعْبَدُونَ ( And ask (O Muhammad ) those Messengers of Ours whom We sent before you: "Did We ever appointed to be worshipped besides the Most Gracious ( Allah )") ( 43:45 ) And in this Ayah, Allah says: وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِى كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولاً أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُواْ الْطَّـغُوتَ ( And We have indeed sent a Messenger to every Ummah (community, nation ) ( saying ): "Worship Allah ( alone ), and shun the Taghut ( all false deities ).") So how could any of the idolators say, لَوْ شَآءَ اللَّهُ مَا عَبَدْنَا مِن دُونِهِ مِن شَىْءٍ ( If Allah had so willed, we would not have worshipped any but Him, ) The legislative will of Allah is clear and cannot be taken as an excuse by them, because He had forbidden them to do that upon the tongue of His Messengers, but by His universal will i.e., by which He allows things to occur even though they do not please Him He allowed them to do that as it was decreed for them.
So there is no argument in that for them.
Allah created Hell and its people both the Shayatin ( devils ) and disbelievers, but He does not like His servants to disbelieve.
And this point constitutes the strongest proof and the most unquestionable wisdom.
Then Allah informs us that He rebuked them with punishment in this world, after the Messengers issued their warning, thus He says: فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ هَدَى اللَّهُ وَمِنْهُمْ مَّنْ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِ الضَّلَـلَةُ فَسِيرُواْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ فَانظُرُواْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـقِبَةُ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ ( Then among them were some whom Allah guided, and among them were some who deserved to be left to stray.
So travel through the land and see the end of those who denied (the truth ).) This means: ask about what happened to those who went against the Messengers and rejected the truth, see how: دَمَّرَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلِلْكَـفِرِينَ أَمْثَـلُهَا ( Allah destroyed them completely, and a similar (end awaits ) the disbelievers.) ( 47:10 ) and, وَلَقَدْ كَذَّبَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ نكِيرِ ( And indeed those before them belied (the Messengers of Allah ), so then how terrible was My denial ( punishment )) ( 67:18 ) Then Allah told His Messenger that His eagerness to guide them will be of no benefit to them if Allah wills that they should be misguided, as He says: وَمَن يُرِدِ اللَّهُ فِتْنَتَهُ فَلَن تَمْلِكَ لَهُ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئاً ( And for whoever Allah wills to try with error, you can do nothing for him against Allah ) ( 5:41 ).
Nuh said to his people: وَلاَ يَنفَعُكُمْ نُصْحِى إِنْ أَرَدْتُّ أَنْ أَنصَحَ لَكُمْ إِن كَانَ اللَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَن يُغْوِيَكُمْ ( "And my advice will not profit you, even if I wish to give you good counsel, if Allah's will is to keep you astray." )( 11:34 ).
In this Ayah, Allah says: إِن تَحْرِصْ عَلَى هُدَاهُمْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَهْدِى مَن يُضِلُّ ( (Even ) if you desire that they be guided, then verily, Allah does not guide those whom He allowed to stray,) As Allah says: مَن يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَلاَ هَادِيَ لَهُ وَيَذَرُهُمْ فِى طُغْيَـنِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ ( Whomsoever Allah allows to stray, then there is no guide for him; and He lets them wander blindly in their transgressions. ) ( 7:186 ) إِنَّ الَّذِينَ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِمْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ - وَلَوْ جَآءَتْهُمْ كُلُّ ءايَةٍ حَتَّى يَرَوُاْ الْعَذَابَ الاٌّلِيمَ ( Truly! Those deserving the Word (wrath ) of your Lord will not believe, even if every sign should come to them - until they see the painful torment) ( 10:96-97 ). فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ ( then verily, Allah ) meaning, this is the way in which Allah does things.
If He wills a thing, then it happens, and if He does not will a thing, then it does not happen.
For this reason Allah says: لاَ يَهْدِى مَن يُضِلُّ ( Allah does not guide those whom He allowed to stray, ) meaning the one whom He has caused to go astray, so who can guide him apart from Allah No one. وَمَا لَهُم مِّن نَّـصِرِينَ ( And they will have no helpers. ) means, they will have no one to save them from the punishment of Allah, أَلاَ لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَالاٌّمْرُ تَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَـلَمِينَ ( Surely, His is the creation and commandment.
Blessed is Allah, the Lord of all that exists! ) ( 7:54 ).

( And verily We have raised in every nation ) We have sent to every people ( a messenger ) just as We have sent you to your people, ( (proclaiming ): Serve Allah) believe in Allah’s divine Oneness ( and shun false gods ) and leave the worship of idols; it is also said that this means: leave the worship of Satan; and it is also said that this means: leave the worship of soothsayers. ( Then some of them ) We sent messengers ( (there were ) whom Allah guided) to His religion, and so they accepted faith from the messengers, ( and some of them (there were ) upon whom error had just hold) it was decreed that they would not accept faith from the messengers. ( Do but travel in the land and sea ) reflect upon ( the nature of the consequence for the deniers! ) the end result of those who denied the messengers.

And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allah (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Taghut (all false deities, etc.i. e. do not worship Taghut besides Allah)." Then of them were some whom Allah guided and of them were some upon whom the straying was justified. So travel through the land and see what was the end of those who denied (the truth).

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