16-66 And surely there is a lesson for you in the cattle: We give you to drink of what is in their bellies — from betwixt the feces and the blood — pure milk, agreeable to the drinkers.a
وَإِنَّ لَكُمْ فِى ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ لَعِبْرَةًۭ ۖ نُّسْقِيكُم مِّمَّا فِى بُطُونِهِۦ مِنۢ بَيْنِ فَرْثٍۢ وَدَمٍۢ لَّبَنًا خَالِصًۭا سَآئِغًۭا لِّلشَّـٰرِبِينَ (۶۶)
16-66a: A lesson from the quadrupeds: The last section mentioned that Divine revelation is needed to do away with injustice and dissension among religions. An objection is often made that humans can do everything using their own intellect. The counter argument put forward is that if one needs milk, it is not possible for humans to take fodder and grass and create an extract from it in the form of milk. Instead, Allah through His power, has created in animals a system which converts the fodder into three things: refuse which is passed out as dung, blood which is necessary for its wellbeing and survival, and between these two milk is made, which is a very pleasing drink for humans. Just as humans are dependent on nature’s machinery to make an essential need for their life, like milk, which they cannot make on their own, similarly their own efforts cannot manufacture the spiritual elixir necessary for spiritual survival.
16-67 And of the fruits of the palms and the grapes, you obtain from them intoxicants and goodly provision. There is surely a sign in this for a people who ponder.a
وَمِن ثَمَرَٰتِ ٱلنَّخِيلِ وَٱلْأَعْنَـٰبِ تَتَّخِذُونَ مِنْهُ سَكَرًۭا وَرِزْقًا حَسَنًا ۗ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَةًۭ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يَعْقِلُونَ (۶۷)
16-67a: سكر – For سُكۡر see 4-44a and سَكَر is used for a thing which creates intoxication or سُكَر (R), which is wine (IJ).
Lessons from other creations: This verse expands on the subject of the last verse by explaining that for the wellbeing of humans, Allah has created many varieties of fruits. Accordingly, it is necessary that He should Himself create the means for their spiritual wellbeing and not leave it up to human beings, because humans cannot create without raw materials. They can, however, use existing things to make other things and attention is drawn to two types of uses, one bad and the other good. One can make wine from the God created fruits which is a deleterious use because wine is harmful, but one can also use the fruit as a nourishing food. By juxtaposing good provision with intoxicants, there is a clear indication of the deleterious effect of wine even though the command for prohibition had not yet been given, which came later in Madinah whereas this surah belongs to the Makkan period. However, the way in which intoxicants are mentioned shows clearly that the entire teaching of the Quran is consistent and subscribes to one rule.
16-68 And thy Lord revealed to the bee: Make hives in the mountains and in the trees and in what they build,
وَأَوْحَىٰ رَبُّكَ إِلَى ٱلنَّحْلِ أَنِ ٱتَّخِذِى مِنَ ٱلْجِبَالِ بُيُوتًۭا وَمِنَ ٱلشَّجَرِ وَمِمَّا يَعْرِشُونَ (۶۸)
16-69 Then eat of all the fruits and walk in the ways of thy Lord submissively. There comes forth from their bellies a beverage of many hues, in which there is healing for men. Therein is surely a sign for a people who reflect.a
ثُمَّ كُلِى مِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ فَٱسْلُكِى سُبُلَ رَبِّكِ ذُلُلًۭا ۚ يَخْرُجُ مِنۢ بُطُونِهَا شَرَابٌۭ مُّخْتَلِفٌ أَلْوَٰنُهُۥ فِيهِ شِفَآءٌۭ لِّلنَّاسِ ۗ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَةًۭ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ (۶۹)
16-69a: Lesson from the honeybee: This third example further elucidates the theme of why revelation is needed and the verse clearly mentions revelation, even though the revelation to the bee is of a different kind. The honeybee does not acquire knowledge, it simply follows its God given instincts to obtain nectar from various flowers and to collect it in a form that is a means of healing for humans. Humans can expend all their knowledge but cannot make the same thing. Similarly, when a person needs guidance and a spiritual honey for his spiritual healing, that need cannot be met by book learning from a university. What is needed is Divine revelation. However, the relationship that Allah has with humans is far greater and of a higher order than the connection of Allah with His other creation, such as the honeybee. Furthermore, the objective for which humans are created is also far greater and higher than that of the other creation. Hence the nature and quality of revelation that comes to humans is also superior and of a higher quality. It is only Divine revelation that can adjudicate the differences between all the religions. No human can do this through their own effort. For further elucidation of this issue see the introductory note to this surah.
16-70 And Allah creates you, then He causes you to die; and of you is he who is brought back to the worst part of life, so that he knows nothing after having knowledge. Surely Allah is Knowing, Powerful.a
وَٱللَّهُ خَلَقَكُمْ ثُمَّ يَتَوَفَّىٰكُمْ ۚ وَمِنكُم مَّن يُرَدُّ إِلَىٰٓ أَرْذَلِ ٱلْعُمُرِ لِكَىْ لَا يَعْلَمَ بَعْدَ عِلْمٍۢ شَيْـًٔا ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌۭ قَدِيرٌۭ (۷۰)
16-70a: The changing condition of a human during his lifetime is a manifestation of the power of God. A person is born, then grows, then is diminished until he dies. By أَرْذَلِ ٱلْعُمُر or the worst part of life is meant that part of life in which one becomes helpless and powerless, or a part of life in which one suffers humiliation and disgrace. By knows nothing after having knowledge is meant that he forgets what he has learned and also that his knowledge plateaus and he is unable to acquire more knowledge. In the varying life conditions of humans, there is also a lesson for nations that they are also subject to decline and there is a clear reference to this in the verse. It is also implied that there is a limit to a person’s knowledge, while Allah’s knowledge is limitless.
Bayan-ul-Quran 