یَوۡمَ تَاۡتِیۡ کُلُّ نَفۡسٍ تُجَادِلُ عَنۡ نَّفۡسِہَا وَ تُوَفّٰی کُلُّ نَفۡسٍ مَّا عَمِلَتۡ وَ ہُمۡ لَا یُظۡلَمُوۡنَ ﴿۱۱۱﴾ وَ ضَرَبَ اللّٰہُ مَثَلًا قَرۡیَۃً کَانَتۡ اٰمِنَۃً مُّطۡمَئِنَّۃً یَّاۡتِیۡہَا رِزۡقُہَا رَغَدًا مِّنۡ کُلِّ مَکَانٍ فَکَفَرَتۡ بِاَنۡعُمِ اللّٰہِ فَاَذَاقَہَا اللّٰہُ لِبَاسَ الۡجُوۡعِ وَ الۡخَوۡفِ بِمَا کَانُوۡا یَصۡنَعُوۡنَ ﴿۱۱۲﴾ وَ لَقَدۡ جَآءَہُمۡ رَسُوۡلٌ مِّنۡہُمۡ فَکَذَّبُوۡہُ فَاَخَذَہُمُ الۡعَذَابُ وَ ہُمۡ ظٰلِمُوۡنَ ﴿۱۱۳﴾

Here is the full English translation of Surah An-Nahl verses 111–113 with Mawdudi’s footnote:

Surah An-Nahl — Verses 111–113 (Arabic Text)
Verse 111:
“On the Day when every soul will come pleading for itself, and every soul will be repaid in full for what it did, and they will not be wronged.”
Verse 112:
“And Allah sets forth the example of a town that was secure and at peace, its provision coming to it in abundance from every side — but it was ungrateful for the blessings of Allah. So Allah made it taste the garment of hunger and fear because of what they used to do.”
Verse 113:
“And there had certainly come to them a messenger from among themselves, but they denied him — so the punishment seized them while they were wrongdoers.”

Urdu Text (Translation)
“The decision regarding all of them will be made on the Day when every soul will be absorbed in saving itself alone, and every one will be given full recompense for what they did, and not even the slightest injustice will be done to anyone.
Allah sets forth the example of a town. It was living a life of peace and security, and provision was reaching it from all sides in abundance — when it began to show ingratitude for Allah’s blessings. Then Allah made its inhabitants taste the consequence of their deeds: the calamities of hunger and fear descended upon them. A messenger came to them from among their own people — but they denied him. In the end, punishment overtook them while they had become wrongdoers.”

Footnote 112
The town whose example is presented here has not been identified by name, and the commentators have also been unable to determine with certainty which town it is. The opinion of Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه appears to be the most sound — that Makkah itself is being presented here as an example without being named.
In that case, the calamity of fear and hunger mentioned here would refer to the famine that afflicted the people of Makkah for a prolonged period following the advent of the Prophet’s ﷺ mission.

SubhanAllah — the parable in verse 112 is one of the most striking and universally applicable parables in the entire Quran. A community blessed with security, peace, and abundant provision — yet responding with ingratitude — and the consequence being that those very blessings are replaced with their opposites: hunger and fear.
The connection Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه draws to Makkah is deeply poignant. The very city that was the custodian of the House of Allah, that enjoyed a unique status of security and economic prosperity — yet when it rejected the Prophet ﷺ, it experienced precisely this reversal.
And verse 111 stands as one of the most sobering descriptions of the Day of Judgment in the Quran — every soul utterly absorbed in its own case, with complete and perfect justice for all.
Shall we continue with the next verses, or would you like the comparative scholar analysis for these verses as well?

OTHER SCHOLARS

Here is a comparative tafsir analysis of Surah An-Nahl verses 111–113 from major classical and contemporary scholars:

Ibn Kathir (d. 774 AH)
On Verse 111 (Every Soul Pleading for Itself):
Ibn Kathir connects this verse to multiple Quranic and Hadith descriptions of the Day of Judgment. He emphasises that the Arabic word تُجَادِلُ — “pleading” or “arguing” — conveys a vivid image of every soul desperately making its case before Allah. He cites the well-known hadith in which even the Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام will say “nafsi nafsi” — “myself, myself” — on that Day, so consumed will every soul be with its own situation.
Ibn Kathir stresses that the phrase “not wronged in the slightest” is an emphatic divine guarantee — Allah’s justice is so precise and complete that not even the weight of an atom’s worth of a person’s deed will be lost or misrepresented. He connects this to Surah Az-Zalzalah: “Whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, and whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.”
On Verse 112 (The Parable of the Town):
Ibn Kathir discusses at length the question of which town is being referenced. He records multiple opinions from the companions and early scholars — including the view of Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه that it refers to Makkah. He supports this identification on several grounds: Makkah was explicitly described in the Quran as a city of security (al-balad al-amin), it enjoyed abundant provision through trade and the pilgrimage, and yet its people were among the most persistent in rejecting the Prophet ﷺ.
Ibn Kathir also draws a powerful universal lesson — that this parable is not limited to one historical city but is a divine pattern (sunnah) repeated throughout history. Every community that receives Allah’s blessings and responds with ingratitude and rejection of divine guidance follows the same trajectory toward decline and punishment.
He gives particular attention to the phrase لِبَاسَ الۡجُوۡعِ وَ الۡخَوۡفِ — “the garment of hunger and fear” — noting that the use of the word garment is a remarkably vivid metaphor: just as a garment envelops the entire body from all sides, hunger and fear enveloped these people completely, leaving no aspect of their lives untouched.
On Verse 113:
Ibn Kathir emphasises that the sending of a messenger from among themselves is itself one of Allah’s greatest blessings — someone who speaks their language, knows their culture, and can relate to them directly. The rejection of such a messenger is therefore an act of extraordinary ingratitude and arrogance. He notes that punishment came upon them specifically “while they were wrongdoers” — meaning punishment does not come arbitrarily but only after wrongdoing has been firmly established and the proof has been made clear.

Al-Tabari (d. 310 AH)
On Verse 111:
Al-Tabari provides extensive linguistic analysis of the verb تُجَادِلُ. He explains that jidal in Arabic refers to a forceful, urgent argument — not a calm discussion. This conveys the desperate intensity of every soul’s situation on that Day. He compiles narrations from the companions indicating that on the Day of Resurrection, people will initially attempt to use one another as intercessors and will pass from prophet to prophet — yet each will say “nafsi nafsi” — until they reach the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Al-Tabari also emphasises the phrase “they will not be wronged” — noting that this is a direct divine promise that the Hereafter operates on perfect justice, unlike this world where injustice frequently occurs.
On Verse 112:
Al-Tabari carefully compiles all available opinions on the identity of the town. Beyond the Makkah identification, some early scholars suggested it could refer to a town destroyed before the time of the Prophet ﷺ whose story was known to the Arabs. However, al-Tabari finds the Makkah identification most linguistically and contextually compelling — particularly because the verse uses the present tense in some of its descriptions, suggesting the audience would recognise the situation.
He gives a detailed linguistic analysis of the phrase “garment of hunger and fear” — explaining that Arabs used the metaphor of clothing to describe things that completely encompass a person. He notes this is among the most powerful and original metaphors in the Quran for describing comprehensive, all-pervasive suffering.
On Verse 113:
Al-Tabari emphasises the significance of the messenger being “from among themselves” — he argues this eliminates every excuse. They could not claim they did not understand the message, could not claim cultural distance, and could not claim the messenger was foreign or alien to their experience. The proof was complete and the rejection was therefore entirely without justification.

Al-Qurtubi (d. 671 AH)
On Verse 111:
Al-Qurtubi approaches this verse with his characteristic fiqh and ethical orientation. He draws out several important points: first, that the verse establishes the absolute individuality of accountability on the Day of Judgment — no family connection, tribal loyalty, or intercession of any partner deity will avail anyone. This is a direct refutation of the polytheist assumption that their deities would intercede for them.
Second, he notes that “full recompense” implies that Allah will not reduce anyone’s reward unjustly, nor increase anyone’s punishment unjustly. Both dimensions of justice — rewarding good and punishing evil — are perfectly calibrated.
He also engages in a brief theological discussion on the nature of divine justice, concluding that Allah’s justice is not like human justice — constrained by external law — but is intrinsic to His nature and His perfect knowledge of all things.
On Verse 112:
Al-Qurtubi provides the most comprehensive treatment of the “garment” metaphor among the classical scholars. He explains that the Quran uses clothing imagery in multiple places — “garment of taqwa”, “spouses are garments for one another” — always to convey something that is intimate, all-encompassing, and inseparable from the person. The choice of this metaphor for hunger and fear therefore suggests that these afflictions became like a second skin to the inhabitants — inescapable and all-defining.
He strongly supports the Makkah identification and draws a legal and moral principle: that ingratitude for blessings is not merely a personal failing but a civic and collective sin that brings collective consequences. A community that collectively enjoys Allah’s blessings and collectively turns away from gratitude and obedience faces collective punishment.
He also notes the precise sequence in the verse: first came security and abundant provision; then came ingratitude; then came hunger and fear. This sequence is itself a lesson — the blessings came first as a test, and the failure of the test brought their withdrawal.
On Verse 113:
Al-Qurtubi draws an important legal principle from this verse: divine punishment does not descend upon a people until a messenger has come to them and they have deliberately rejected him. This is consistent with the Quranic principle in Surah Al-Isra: “We never punish until We have sent a messenger.” He argues this establishes that Allah’s justice requires the completion of proof before punishment.

Al-Zamakhshari (d. 538 AH)
On Verse 111:
Al-Zamakhshari focuses on the rhetorical and literary dimensions of this verse. He points out that the repetition of the word nafs (soul) — “every soul will come pleading for itself” and “every soul will be repaid” — creates a powerful rhythmic emphasis that hammers home the absolute individuality of that Day. No collective identity — tribal, national, or religious — will provide shelter.
He also notes the deliberate juxtaposition of this verse with the preceding passage about those who apostasised under compulsion. The message is clear: whatever one does in this world — whether standing firm or compromising — the full account will be rendered on that Day with perfect completeness.
On Verse 112:
Al-Zamakhshari is particularly brilliant in his analysis of the rhetorical structure of the parable. He notes that the Quran first describes the town in the most positive terms possible — secure, peaceful, abundantly provisioned from every direction — before revealing its catastrophic ingratitude. This literary structure maximises the impact of the contrast: the greater the blessing described, the more shocking and inexcusable the ingratitude appears.
He gives special attention to the phrase “from every place” — arguing this suggests a comprehensiveness of divine provision that was truly extraordinary, making the ingratitude even more astonishing. He connects this to the broader Quranic theme that divine blessings are always more than people recognise or acknowledge.
On Verse 113:
Consistent with his Mu’tazilite orientation, Al-Zamakhshari emphasises that the sending of a messenger is an act of divine grace and wisdom that removes all excuse from those who reject. He argues that rational human beings, upon encountering a messenger from among themselves with clear signs, bear a moral obligation to investigate and respond honestly — and their failure to do so is a moral failure of the highest order.

Sayyid Qutb (d. 1966)
On Verse 111:
Qutb writes with characteristic intensity about the solitude and terror of that Day. He describes it as the ultimate moment of existential isolation — when all the collective identities, social bonds, and human relationships that defined a person’s life in this world simply cease to function. Every soul stands naked before Allah, with nothing but its own record.
He connects this powerfully to the theme of the entire Surah — the enumeration of divine blessings and the ingratitude of humanity. On that Day, every blessing given and every act of ingratitude will be laid bare with perfect precision.
On Verse 112:
Qutb sees this parable as one of the Quran’s most profound statements on the relationship between moral character and civilisational fate. He argues that security and prosperity are not merely economic or political phenomena — they are fundamentally connected to a community’s moral and spiritual orientation. When a community enjoys Allah’s blessings and responds with gratitude, justice, and obedience, those blessings deepen and expand. When it responds with ingratitude, corruption, and rejection of divine guidance, the very foundations of its security and prosperity are undermined from within.
He writes powerfully that hunger and fear are not random calamities — they are the natural consequences of a community losing its moral compass. A community that rejects divine guidance loses the internal cohesion, trustworthiness, and justice that are the true foundations of security and prosperity. Hunger and fear then become inevitable.
He also notes the remarkable contemporary relevance of this parable — that many modern societies enjoying unprecedented material prosperity are simultaneously experiencing profound spiritual emptiness, social fragmentation, and existential anxiety. The “garment of hunger and fear” can descend in many forms.
On Verse 113:
Qutb emphasises that the coming of a messenger “from among themselves” represents Allah’s final completion of proof upon a people. It is the ultimate act of divine mercy before justice descends. He argues that the rejection of such a messenger — someone who shares their language, their history, their lived experience — represents the deepest possible form of wilful blindness.

Comparative Summary Scholar Key Emphasis Ibn Kathir Day of Judgment hadith, Makkah identification, universal divine pattern in history Al-Tabari Linguistic precision, compilation of narrations, completeness of proof before punishment Al-Qurtubi Legal principles, collective sin and collective punishment, garment metaphor Al-Zamakhshari Rhetorical structure, literary contrast, Mu’tazilite moral responsibility Sayyid Qutb Civilisational analysis, moral-material connection, contemporary relevance Mawdudi Ibn Abbas identification of Makkah, famine as consequence, historical specificity

One of the most striking points of convergence across all scholars is the interpretation of the “garment of hunger and fear” metaphor — unanimously regarded as one of the most vivid and original metaphors in the Quran, conveying the all-encompassing, inescapable nature of the punishment that descends upon an ungrateful community.
The Makkah identification is also broadly supported — making this parable not merely a historical lesson but a direct, pointed warning to the very audience hearing these verses for the first time.
Shall we continue with the next verses of Surah An-Nahl?​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

(اِن سب کا فیصلہ اُس دن ہوگا﴾ جب کہ ہر متنفّس اپنے ہی بچاوٴکی فکر میں لگا ہوا ہوگا اور ہر ایک کو اُس کے کیے کا بدلہ پُورا پُورا دیا جائے گااور کسی پر ذرّہ برابر ظلم نہ ہونے پائے گا۔
اللہ ایک بستی کی مثال دیتا ہے۔ وہ امن و اطمینان کی زندگی بسر کر رہی تھی اور ہر طرف سے اُس کو بفراغت رزق پینچ رہا تھا کہ اُس نے اللہ کی نعمتوں کا کُفران شروع کر دیا۔ تب اللہ نے اُس کے باشندوں کو اُن کے کرتُوتوں کا یہ مزہ چکھایا کہ بھُوک اور خوف کی مصیبتیں اُن پر چھا گئیں۔ اُن کے پاس اُن کی اپنی قوم میں سے ایک رسُول آیا ۔ مگر اُنہوں نے اس کو جھُٹلادیا۔ آخرِ کار عذاب نے اُن کو آلیا جبکہ وہ ظالم ہو چکے تھے۔¹¹²

سُوْرَةُ النَّحْل حاشیہ نمبر :112

یہاں جس بستی کی مثال پیش کی گئی ہے اس کی کوئی نشان دہی نہیں کی گئی۔ نہ مفسرین یہ تعین کر سکے ہیں کہ یہ کونسی بستی ہے۔ بظاہر ابن عباسؓ ہی کا یہ قول صحیح معلوم ہوتا ہے کہ یہاں خود مکّے کو نام لیے بغیر مثال کے طور پرپیش کیا گیا ہے ۔ اس صورت میں خوف اور بھوک کی جس مصیبت کے چھا جانے کا یہاں ذکر کیا گیا ہے ، اس سے مراد وہ قحط ہو گا جو نبی صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کی بعثت کے بعد ایک مدّت تک اہلِ مکّہ پر مسلّط رہا۔