سُوْرَةُ النَّحْلِ
Surah An-Nahl (16) — Ayah 36
وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِى كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولًا أَنِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱجْتَنِبُوا۟ ٱلطَّـٰغُوتَ ۖ فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ هَدَى ٱللَّهُ وَمِنْهُم مَّنْ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِ ٱلضَّلَـٰلَةُ ۚ فَسِيرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَٱنظُرُوا۟ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلْمُكَذِّبِينَ ﴿36﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allâh (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Tâghût (all false deities i.e. do not worship Tâghût besides Allâh)." Then of them were some whom Allâh 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).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَقَدْ
walaqad
And certainly
بَعَثْنَا
baʿathnā
We sent
فِى
fī
into
كُلِّ
kulli
every
أُمَّةٍۢ
ummatin
nation
رَّسُولًا
rasūlan
a Messenger
أَنِ
ani
that
ٱعْبُدُوا۟
uʿ'budū
Worship
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
وَٱجْتَنِبُوا۟
wa-ij'tanibū
and avoid
ٱلطَّـٰغُوتَ ۖ
l-ṭāghūta
the false deities
فَمِنْهُم
famin'hum
Then among them
مَّنْ
man
(were some) whom
هَدَى
hadā
Allah guided
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah guided
وَمِنْهُم
wamin'hum
and among them
مَّنْ
man
(were) some
حَقَّتْ
ḥaqqat
was justified
عَلَيْهِ
ʿalayhi
on them
ٱلضَّلَـٰلَةُ ۚ
l-ḍalālatu
the straying
فَسِيرُوا۟
fasīrū
So travel
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْأَرْضِ
l-arḍi
the earth
فَٱنظُرُوا۟
fa-unẓurū
and see
كَيْفَ
kayfa
how
كَانَ
kāna
was
عَـٰقِبَةُ
ʿāqibatu
the end
ٱلْمُكَذِّبِينَ
l-mukadhibīna
(of) the deniers
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah36) ➊ {وَ لَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِيْ كُلِّ اُمَّةٍ رَّسُوْلًا … : ’’ الطَّاغُوْتَ ‘‘} This is from {’’ طَغٰي يَطْغٰي طَغْوًا ‘‘} (fa), at the end, wāw and tā’ come for emphasis, just as in “malkūt” meaning a very great kingdom. The word “ṭāghūt” is derived from {’’طُغْيَانٌ‘‘}, which means to exceed one’s limits. It refers to Satan, false deities, and anyone who calls towards misguidance. (Shawkani) Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: “Whoever claims leadership unjustly, without any authority, is called ṭāghūt. Idols, Satan, and powerful oppressors are all ṭāghūt.” (Mawḍiḥ)
➋ {اَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللّٰهَ … :} Since the polytheists claimed that Allah is pleased with our shirk, otherwise why would He let us commit shirk, Allah, therefore, with the lām of emphasis and {’’قَدْ‘‘} for certainty, refuted them with utmost emphasis by saying that We have sent a messenger to every nation only to call to tawḥīd and to refute shirk. (See Anbiya: 25) But We did not compel anyone to tawḥīd or shirk; rather, after granting the ability to think and understand, We showed both the paths of disbelief and faith and gave them the choice. (See Dahr: 2, 3) In Ashraf al-Hawashi it is stated: That is, every prophet called to the worship of Allah and to avoid ṭāghūt, then some accepted the call and were guided, but some insisted on their disbelief and shirk, as a result of which misguidance was decreed for them. From this, it is understood that the will of Allah does not necessarily coincide with His command; Allah commands everyone to have faith, but according to Allah’s will, guidance is given to some. (Shawkani)
➌ { فَسِيْرُوْا فِي الْاَرْضِ …:} That is, look at their destroyed remnants and tell whether Allah’s punishment did not come upon those who denied the messengers, so it is utter foolishness to think that committing disbelief and shirk is according to Allah’s pleasure. The reality is that Allah has shown the path of His pleasure through the prophets, therefore, to attain Allah’s pleasure, following the prophets is necessary.
➋ {اَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللّٰهَ … :} Since the polytheists claimed that Allah is pleased with our shirk, otherwise why would He let us commit shirk, Allah, therefore, with the lām of emphasis and {’’قَدْ‘‘} for certainty, refuted them with utmost emphasis by saying that We have sent a messenger to every nation only to call to tawḥīd and to refute shirk. (See Anbiya: 25) But We did not compel anyone to tawḥīd or shirk; rather, after granting the ability to think and understand, We showed both the paths of disbelief and faith and gave them the choice. (See Dahr: 2, 3) In Ashraf al-Hawashi it is stated: That is, every prophet called to the worship of Allah and to avoid ṭāghūt, then some accepted the call and were guided, but some insisted on their disbelief and shirk, as a result of which misguidance was decreed for them. From this, it is understood that the will of Allah does not necessarily coincide with His command; Allah commands everyone to have faith, but according to Allah’s will, guidance is given to some. (Shawkani)
➌ { فَسِيْرُوْا فِي الْاَرْضِ …:} That is, look at their destroyed remnants and tell whether Allah’s punishment did not come upon those who denied the messengers, so it is utter foolishness to think that committing disbelief and shirk is according to Allah’s pleasure. The reality is that Allah has shown the path of His pleasure through the prophets, therefore, to attain Allah’s pleasure, following the prophets is necessary.
