16-1 Allah’s commandment will come to pass, so seek not to hasten it. Glory be to Him, and highly exalted be He above what they associate (with Him)!a
أَتَىٰٓ أَمْرُ ٱللَّهِ فَلَا تَسْتَعْجِلُوهُ ۚ سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَـٰلَىٰ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ (۱)
16-1a: أَمْرُ ٱللَّهِ – What is meant by Allah’s commandment will come to pass? According to Ibn Jarir, it is the chastisement that is promised to the disbelievers. This meaning fits the context, and the chastisement is also mentioned at the end of the last surah. This chastisement, or the elimination of opposition, is called the command of Allah not only because Allah had already decreed this to be so, but also, with the end of opposition, the “kingdom of God” whose good news Jesus had repeatedly given, was about to be formed on earth and along with prophethood, the rule of Islam was about to be established. فَلَا تَسْتَعْجِلُوهُ : so seek not to hasten it, is stated because the disbelievers cynically demanded that the punishment be sent down on them quickly, as in يَسْتَعْجِلُونَكَ بِٱلْعَذَابِ : And they ask Thee to hasten on the chastisement (29:53). Mentioning the negation of polytheism along with the command of Allah indicates that monotheism will be established with it.
16-2 He sends down angels with revelation by His command on whom He pleases of His servants, saying: Give the warning that there is no God but Me, so keep your duty to Me.a
يُنَزِّلُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةَ بِٱلرُّوحِ مِنْ أَمْرِهِۦ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦٓ أَنْ أَنذِرُوٓا۟ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۠ فَٱتَّقُونِ (۲)
16-2a: روح – For the meaning of روح see 2-87a. The meaning of روح here is Divine revelation since the verse says that Allah reveals to whom He pleases. The روح which is life or soul is granted to everyone, but it is only this روح or revelation that warns people. So, the reference to روح here is to revelation and indirectly to the Quran. The relationship with the first verse is that this revelation will dominate because none of Allah’s works is in vain. His entire creation is the truth, as is mentioned in the next verse, and it is necessary that the purpose for which the truth has been revealed is fulfilled.
16-3 He created the heavens and the earth with truth. Highly exalted be He above what they associate (with Him)!
خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۚ تَعَـٰلَىٰ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ (۳)
16-4 He created man from a small life-germ, and lo! he is an open contender.a
خَلَقَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مِن نُّطْفَةٍۢ فَإِذَا هُوَ خَصِيمٌۭ مُّبِينٌۭ (۴)
16-4a: نُطْفَة – It means اَلۡمَاءُ الصَّافی that is pure, clean water (R – T – LA) regardless of the quantity, whether small or vast. There are examples in Hadith for both situations. After stating in one hadith that the Holy Prophet asked his companions if there was water for ablution, the hadith continues: فجاء رجالٌ بنطفة فی اداوۃ : so a person brought a small amount of water in a pot. The word نُطْفَة is used here for a small quantity of water. Another hadith states:
قال لایزالُ الۡاِسۡلامُ یَزیدُ واھلہ ویقص الشرك واھله حتّٰی یَسِیۡرَ الراکب بین النطفتین لا یَخۡشی اِلّاجَور : Islam and its adherents will keep on increasing and polytheism and its adherents will keep on decreasing until a rider will be able to travel between the two oceans without any fear save the fear of losing the way, where by نطفتین is meant the seas on both sides of Arabia or the sea in the west and the River Euphrates on the east which are in the boundaries of Arabia (LA). The seminal fluid is also called نُطْفَة ماء الرجل which is its well-known meaning. According to Lisan al-Arab this name is given to it on account of its small quantity, but because both small and vast quantities are contained in the word نُطْفَة it would be more appropriate to say that the name is given to it because of its clarity, as if it were a clear jewel. The essence of the earth is contained in the vegetables, fruits and grains which it grows, which in turn provide nutrition for men which causes healthy blood to be produced, which leads to the purified extract known as seminal fluid from which humans are born.
After discussing the creation of the heavens and earth, the creation of a human being is mentioned in this verse and after pointing out his humble beginning, attention is drawn to Allah’s perfect power under which the seed that produces a human is the product of a series of extractions starting from the earth and passing through vegetation, animals, and humans. Even so, man quarrels with the power of God and considers the concept of life after death as farfetched, even though Divine revelation has been sent to prepare him for it.
16-5 And the cattle, He has created them for you. You have in them warm clothing and (other) advantages, and of them you eat.a
وَٱلْأَنْعَـٰمَ خَلَقَهَا ۗ لَكُمْ فِيهَا دِفْءٌۭ وَمَنَـٰفِعُ وَمِنْهَا تَأْكُلُونَ (۵)
16-5a: دِفْءٌۭ – It is the opposite of بَرۡد or cold (R) or حِدّۃُ الَبۡرد or severe cold (LA).
Cattle, a lesser creation than man, are mentioned which are also living things. By mentioning the benefits of cattle for humans we are told that the creation of humans is for an even higher purpose.
16-6 And therein is beauty for you, when you drive them back (home) and when you send them out (to pasture).a
وَلَكُمْ فِيهَا جَمَالٌ حِينَ تُرِيحُونَ وَحِينَ تَسْرَحُونَ (۶)
16-6a: تُرِيحُونَ – Its root is روح and رَوَاح is the time after the sun begins to decline, in other words it is a period of rest and repose. رَاحَ means he went after the decline of the sun, as for example it has been used for going to Friday prayer. The verbal noun اِراحَة in اَرَاحَ یُرِیۡحُ means to bring camels and goats to their place of rest in the evening after grazing them (LA).
تَسْرَحُونَ – سَرۡح is a special kind of tree and this word is also spoken for grazing camels etc., on such trees and then the word has been used in a general sense for taking animals out to pasture (R). The reason for putting تُرِيحُونَ or drive them back, before تَسْرَحُونَ or send them out, is the use of the word جَمَالٌ or beauty, because the animal is more beautiful when it comes back after grazing.
16-7 And they carry your heavy loads to regions which you could not reach but with distress to yourselves. Surely your Lord is Compassionate, Merciful.
وَتَحْمِلُ أَثْقَالَكُمْ إِلَىٰ بَلَدٍۢ لَّمْ تَكُونُوا۟ بَـٰلِغِيهِ إِلَّا بِشِقِّ ٱلْأَنفُسِ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكُمْ لَرَءُوفٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ (۷)
16-8 And (He made) horses and mules and asses that you might ride upon them and as an ornament. And He creates what you know not.a
وَٱلْخَيْلَ وَٱلْبِغَالَ وَٱلْحَمِيرَ لِتَرْكَبُوهَا وَزِينَةًۭ ۚ وَيَخْلُقُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ (۸)
16-8a: For خَيْلَ see 3-14a.
بِغَالَ – It is the plural of بَغۡل meaning mule.
These three animals are mentioned separately because they are used for riding and as compared to camels, cows and goats are more advantageous in other ways. Along with mentioning their utility for riding, it is also stated that Allah creates and will create things that humans are unaware of. It appears there is an indication in this particularly about the creation of other means of ridership that were yet to be manifested. In another place after referring to فلک or boat, which is also used for carrying humans, it is stated:
وَخَلَقْنَا لَهُم مِّن مِّثْلِهِۦ مَا يَرْكَبُونَ : And We have created for them the like thereof, whereon they ride (36:42). Generally speaking there are Allah’s creations about which humans have no knowledge.
16-9 And upon Allah it rests to show the right way, and there are some deviating (ways). And if He please, He would guide you all aright.
وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ قَصْدُ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَمِنْهَا جَآئِرٌۭ ۚ وَلَوْ شَآءَ لَهَدَىٰكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ (۹)
16-9a: قَصْدُ – See 5:66a. The meaning of قَصْدُ is steadfastness on a way or that the way is straight. The verbal noun here is in the sense of a verb, meaning the firm way or the straight way.
جَآئِرٌۭ – Its root is جور and جَوار means قرب or near or close. Accordingly, جَارَن الطریق is a phrase based on قرب where the قرب or nearness to someone causes one to deviate from the path. So وَمِنْهَا جَآئِرٌۭ means paths that incline away from the straight path which leads to Allah. Then the word اَلۡجَوۡر came to signify every act of disobedience to the truth and took on the meaning of ظلم or injustice and so جَآئِرٌ means one who deviates from the straight path (R).
Physical provisions versus spiritual provisions: After mentioning the physical blessings Allah has created for man, attention is drawn to the fact that it is necessary for the Being Who has created all these things for the physical comfort and ease of humans to also show the way for their moral and spiritual wellbeing. Hence it is stated that giving guidance about the right path is also necessarily the work of Allah. It is for this reason that He sends down revelation. People forge their own ways as well, but those paths are not straight and they lead people astray from the right path.
Bayan-ul-Quran 