Surah Nahl ayat 44 Tafsir Quran 16:44

﴿بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ وَالزُّبُرِ ۗ وَأَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ﴾
[ النحل: 44]

16:44 [We sent them] with clear proofs and written ordinances. And We revealed to you the message that you may make clear to the people what was sent down to them and that they might give thought.

We sent them with clear signs bi’l-bayyināt is semantically connected to an omitted verb namely We sent them with clear arguments and the Books and We have revealed to you the Remembrance the Qur’ān that you may make clear to mankind what has been revealed to them therein in the way of what is lawful and unlawful and that perhaps they might reflect upon this and take heed.

We inspired to them clear and plain revelations and signs as well as AL- Zabur (the Psalm) which guide out of darkness and superstitions elf later times and out of want of spiritual and intellectual light into illumination and enlightenment. And We inspired to you O Muhammad the Quran to explain to the people all that has been revealed to them of decrees, ordinances and the fundamental principles of Allahs system of faith and worship so that they may hopefully ponder

Only Human Messengers have been Sent Ad-Dahhak said, reporting from Ibn `Abbas: "When Allah sent Muhammad as a Messenger, the Arabs, or some of them, denied him and said, `Allah is too great to send a human being as a Messenger.' Then Allah revealed: أَكَانَ لِلنَّاسِ عَجَبًا أَنْ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَى رَجُلٍ مِّنْهُمْ أَنْ أَنذِرِ النَّاسَ ( Is it a wonder to people that We have sent Our Inspiration to a man from among themselves (saying ): "Warn mankind...") and He said, وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ إِلاَّ رِجَالاً نُّوحِى إِلَيْهِمْ فَاسْأَلُواْ أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِن كُنْتُم لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ ( And We sent not (as Our Messengers ) before you ( O Muhammad ) any but men, whom We sent Revelation.
So ask Ahl Adh-Dhikr, if you know not.).
meaning, ( ask ) the people of the previous Books, were the Messengers that were sent to them humans or angels If they were angels, then you have the right to find this strange, but if they were human, then you have no grounds to deny that Muhammad ﷺ is a Messenger.
Allah says: وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ إِلاَّ رِجَالاً نُّوحِى إِلَيْهِمْ مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْقُرَى ( And We sent not before you (as Messengers ) any but men to whom We revealed, from among the people of townships.
) 12:109 and not from among the people of heaven as you say." It was reported by Mujahid from Ibn `Abbas that what is meant by Ahl Adh-Dhikr is the People of the Book.
This is as Allah says: أَوْ يَكُونَ لَكَ بَيْتٌ مِّن زُخْرُفٍ أَوْ تَرْقَى فِى السَّمَآءِ وَلَن نُّؤْمِنَ لِرُقِيِّكَ حَتَّى تُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْنَا كِتَابًا نَّقْرَءُهُ قُلْ سُبْحَـنَ رَبِّى هَلْ كُنتُ إَلاَّ بَشَرًا رَّسُولاً - وَمَا مَنَعَ النَّاسَ أَن يُؤْمِنُواْ إِذْ جَآءَهُمُ الْهُدَى إِلاَّ أَن قَالُواْ أَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ بَشَرًا رَّسُولاً ( Say: "Glorified be my Lord! Am I anything but a man, sent as a Messenger" And nothing prevented men from believing when the guidance came to them, except that they said: "Has Allah sent a man as (His ) Messenger") ( 17:93-94 ) وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا قَبْلَكَ مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ إِلاَّ إِنَّهُمْ لَيَأْكُلُونَ الطَّعَامَ وَيَمْشُونَ فِى الاٌّسْوَاقِ ( And We never sent before you (O Muhammad ) any of the Messengers but verily, they ate food and walked in the markets.) ( 25:20 ) وَمَا جَعَلْنَـهُمْ جَسَداً لاَّ يَأْكُلُونَ الطَّعَامَ وَمَا كَانُواْ خَـلِدِينَ ( And We did not create them (the Messengers, with ) bodies that did not eat food, nor were they immortals.)( 21:8 ) قُلْ مَا كُنتُ بِدْعاً مِّنَ الرُّسُلِ ( Say (O Muhammad ): "I am not a new thing among the Messengers.
") 46:9, قُلْ إِنَّمَآ أَنَاْ بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُوحَى إِلَىَّ ( Say (O Muhammad ): "I am only a man like you.
It has been revealed to me.") 18:110 Then Allah informs those who doubt that a Messenger can be a human to ask those who have knowledge of the previous Scriptures about the Prophets who came before: were their Prophets humans or angels Then Allah mentions that He has sent them, بِالْبَيِّنَـتِ ( with clear signs ), meaning proof and evidence, and وَالزُّبُرِ ( and Books Zubur ), meaning Scriptures.
Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak and others said: Zubur is the plural of Zabur, and the Arabs say, Zaburtul-Kitab meaning, "I wrote the book." Allah says: وَكُلُّ شَىْءٍ فَعَلُوهُ فِى الزُّبُرِ ( And everything they have done is noted in (their ) Records ( of deeds ) Zubur) ( 54:52 ) وَلَقَدْ كَتَبْنَا فِى الزَّبُورِ مِن بَعْدِ الذِّكْرِ أَنَّ الاٌّرْضَ يَرِثُهَا عِبَادِىَ الصَّـلِحُونَ ( And indeed We have written in Az-Zabur after the Dhikr that My righteous servant shall inherit the land (i.e.
the land of Paradise ).) ( 21:105 ) Then Allah says: وَأَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الذِّكْرَ ( And We have also revealed the Dhikr to you ), meaning the Qur'an, لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ ( so that you may clearly explain to men what was revealed to them, ) meaning, sent down from their Lord, because you know the meaning of what Allah has revealed to you, and because of your understanding and adherence to it, and because We know that you are the best of creation and the leader of the Children of Adam.
So that you may explain in detail what has been mentioned in brief, and explain what is not clear. وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ( so that perhaps they may reflect. ) meaning, they should examine themselves and be guided by it, so that they may attain the victory of salvation in this world and the next.

(16:44) We sent the former Messengers with clear Signs and Books, and now We have sent the Admonition to you (O Muhammad!), so that you should make plain and explain to the people the teachings of the `Book which has been sent for them ; *40 and so that they (themselves) should ponder over it.

[We sent them] with clear proofs and meaning

*40) In this connection, it is worthwhile to note that this duty of making plain and explaining the teachings of the Book' was to be performed by Prophet not only by word of mouth but also practically.
It was required that he should organize, under his own guidance, a Muslim Community and establish it in accordance with the principles of the Book.
This duty of the Holy Prophet has been stated here especially to show the wisdom of sending a man as a Messenger, for, otherwise the Book could have been sent through the angels or could have been printed and sent directly to each man.
But in this way; that purpose for which AIlah in His Wisdom and Bounty and Providence designed to send the Book could not have been served.
For, that purpose demanded that the Book should be Brought by a perfect man, who should present it piece by piece, explain its meaning, remove the difficulties and doubts, answer objections, etc.
, and above all, he should show towards those who rejected and opposed it that kind of attitude which is worthy of the bearer of this Book.
On the other hand, he should guide those who believed in it in every aspect of life and set before them his own excellent pattern of life.
Then he should train them individually and collectively on the principles of the Book; so as to make them a model society for the rest of mankind.

Let us now consider this verse ( 43 ) from another point of view.
Just as it cuts at the root of the argumentation of those who rejected the Creed that a human Prophet could bring the Book, in the same way, it repudiates the view of those who plead that the Book should be accepted without any exposition of it from the Prophet.
This latter view is contradictory to this verse, whatever be the position taken by its exponents.
They might either be of the opinion that ( a ) the Prophet did not give any explanation of the Book he presented or that ( b ) the only acceptable thing is the Book and not any " Exposition " thereof by the Prophet, or that ( c ) now the Book alone suffices us, for its " Exposition " by the Prophet has lost its utility or that ( d ) now the Book alone is authentic for the " Exposition " by the Prophet has ceased to exist, or if it does exists, it cannot be relied upon.

If they take the position ( a ), it will mean that the Prophet did not fulfil the purpose for which he was chosen to be the bearer of the Book: otherwise Allah could send it through an angel or directly to each person.

If they take the position ( b ) or ( c ), ( God forbid ) they will be accusing Allah of doing a useless thing by sending His Book through a Prophet, when He could have printed copies of the Qur'an and sent those directly to the people.

In case, they take the position ( d ), they, in fact, repudiate both the Qur'an and its " Exposition by the Holy Prophet.
Then the only rational course left for them would be to accept the view of those who believe in the necessity of a new Prophet and a new revelation; whereas AIlah Himself considers the "Exposition" of the Book by the Prophet as an essential thing, and puts it forward as an argument for the necessity of a Prophet.
Now if the view of the rejectors of Tradition that the Explanation of the Holy Prophet has disappeared from the world is to be accepted, then two conclusions are inevitable; First, the Prophethood of Muhammad ( May Allah's peace be upon him ) as a pattern for us has ceased to exist, and the only relation we have with him is the same that we have with the other former Prophets, e.g.
Hud, Salih, Shu`aib, etc.
( May Allah's peace be upon them ).
That is, we have only to testify that they were Prophets but we have no obligation to follow their patterns, for we have none with us.
This position obviously leads to the need of a new Prophet, for it automatically refutes the doctrine of the Finality of Prophethood.
The second inevitable conclusion will be that a new Book is needed because in that case the Qur'an alone could not, according to its author, suffice.
Thus in the face of this verse, there is no argument left to prove that the Qur'an is self-sufficient to explain itself, for it itself says that there is no need of a Prophet to explain it.
Thus it is absolutely necessary that a new Book must be sent down.
May Allah destroy such people ! In their enthusiasm to repudiate Tradition, they are really cutting at the very root of Islam itself.

 

Only Human Messengers have been Sent Ad-Dahhak said, reporting from Ibn `Abbas: "When Allah sent Muhammad as a Messenger, the Arabs, or some of them, denied him and said, `Allah is too great to send a human being as a Messenger.' Then Allah revealed: أَكَانَ لِلنَّاسِ عَجَبًا أَنْ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَى رَجُلٍ مِّنْهُمْ أَنْ أَنذِرِ النَّاسَ ( Is it a wonder to people that We have sent Our Inspiration to a man from among themselves (saying ): "Warn mankind...") and He said, وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ إِلاَّ رِجَالاً نُّوحِى إِلَيْهِمْ فَاسْأَلُواْ أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِن كُنْتُم لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ ( And We sent not (as Our Messengers ) before you ( O Muhammad ) any but men, whom We sent Revelation.
So ask Ahl Adh-Dhikr, if you know not.).
meaning, ( ask ) the people of the previous Books, were the Messengers that were sent to them humans or angels If they were angels, then you have the right to find this strange, but if they were human, then you have no grounds to deny that Muhammad ﷺ is a Messenger.
Allah says: وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ إِلاَّ رِجَالاً نُّوحِى إِلَيْهِمْ مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْقُرَى ( And We sent not before you (as Messengers ) any but men to whom We revealed, from among the people of townships.
) 12:109 and not from among the people of heaven as you say." It was reported by Mujahid from Ibn `Abbas that what is meant by Ahl Adh-Dhikr is the People of the Book.
This is as Allah says: أَوْ يَكُونَ لَكَ بَيْتٌ مِّن زُخْرُفٍ أَوْ تَرْقَى فِى السَّمَآءِ وَلَن نُّؤْمِنَ لِرُقِيِّكَ حَتَّى تُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْنَا كِتَابًا نَّقْرَءُهُ قُلْ سُبْحَـنَ رَبِّى هَلْ كُنتُ إَلاَّ بَشَرًا رَّسُولاً - وَمَا مَنَعَ النَّاسَ أَن يُؤْمِنُواْ إِذْ جَآءَهُمُ الْهُدَى إِلاَّ أَن قَالُواْ أَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ بَشَرًا رَّسُولاً ( Say: "Glorified be my Lord! Am I anything but a man, sent as a Messenger" And nothing prevented men from believing when the guidance came to them, except that they said: "Has Allah sent a man as (His ) Messenger") ( 17:93-94 ) وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا قَبْلَكَ مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ إِلاَّ إِنَّهُمْ لَيَأْكُلُونَ الطَّعَامَ وَيَمْشُونَ فِى الاٌّسْوَاقِ ( And We never sent before you (O Muhammad ) any of the Messengers but verily, they ate food and walked in the markets.) ( 25:20 ) وَمَا جَعَلْنَـهُمْ جَسَداً لاَّ يَأْكُلُونَ الطَّعَامَ وَمَا كَانُواْ خَـلِدِينَ ( And We did not create them (the Messengers, with ) bodies that did not eat food, nor were they immortals.)( 21:8 ) قُلْ مَا كُنتُ بِدْعاً مِّنَ الرُّسُلِ ( Say (O Muhammad ): "I am not a new thing among the Messengers.
") 46:9, قُلْ إِنَّمَآ أَنَاْ بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُوحَى إِلَىَّ ( Say (O Muhammad ): "I am only a man like you.
It has been revealed to me.") 18:110 Then Allah informs those who doubt that a Messenger can be a human to ask those who have knowledge of the previous Scriptures about the Prophets who came before: were their Prophets humans or angels Then Allah mentions that He has sent them, بِالْبَيِّنَـتِ ( with clear signs ), meaning proof and evidence, and وَالزُّبُرِ ( and Books Zubur ), meaning Scriptures.
Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak and others said: Zubur is the plural of Zabur, and the Arabs say, Zaburtul-Kitab meaning, "I wrote the book." Allah says: وَكُلُّ شَىْءٍ فَعَلُوهُ فِى الزُّبُرِ ( And everything they have done is noted in (their ) Records ( of deeds ) Zubur) ( 54:52 ) وَلَقَدْ كَتَبْنَا فِى الزَّبُورِ مِن بَعْدِ الذِّكْرِ أَنَّ الاٌّرْضَ يَرِثُهَا عِبَادِىَ الصَّـلِحُونَ ( And indeed We have written in Az-Zabur after the Dhikr that My righteous servant shall inherit the land (i.e.
the land of Paradise ).) ( 21:105 ) Then Allah says: وَأَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الذِّكْرَ ( And We have also revealed the Dhikr to you ), meaning the Qur'an, لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ ( so that you may clearly explain to men what was revealed to them, ) meaning, sent down from their Lord, because you know the meaning of what Allah has revealed to you, and because of your understanding and adherence to it, and because We know that you are the best of creation and the leader of the Children of Adam.
So that you may explain in detail what has been mentioned in brief, and explain what is not clear. وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ( so that perhaps they may reflect. ) meaning, they should examine themselves and be guided by it, so that they may attain the victory of salvation in this world and the next.

( With clear proofs ) with commands, prohibitions and signs ( and writings ) the events of the scriptures of the people of old; ( and We have revealed unto thee the Remembrance ) We have sent Gabriel with the Qur’an ( that thou mayst explain to mankind that which hath been revealed for them ) that with which they were commanded in the Qur’an, ( and that haply they may reflect ) upon what they were commanded in the Qur’an.

With clear signs and Books (We sent the Messengers). And We have also sent down unto you (O Muhammad SAW) the reminder and the advice (the Quran), that you may explain clearly to men what is sent down to them, and that they may give thought.

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