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Verse-by-Verse Analysis

Surah 2 Al-Baqarah, Ayat 109-109

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وَدَّ کَثِيۡرٌ مِّنۡ اَهۡلِ الۡكِتٰبِ لَوۡ يَرُدُّوۡنَكُمۡ مِّنۡۢ بَعۡدِ اِيۡمَانِكُمۡ كُفَّارًا ۖۚ حَسَدًا مِّنۡ عِنۡدِ اَنۡفُسِهِمۡ مِّنۡۢ بَعۡدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الۡحَـقُّ​ ۚ فَاعۡفُوۡا وَاصۡفَحُوۡا حَتّٰى يَاۡتِىَ اللّٰهُ بِاَمۡرِهٖ ​ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ عَلٰى کُلِّ شَىۡءٍ قَدِيۡرٌ‏ ﴿2:109﴾

(2:109) Out of sheer envy many People of the Book would be glad to turn you back into unbelievers after you have become believers even though the Truth has become clear to them. Nevertheless, forgive and be indulgent111towards them until Allah brings forth His decision. Surely Allah is All-Powerful.

Notes

111. This means that one should neither allow oneself to get angry at their spite and hostility, nor waste one’s valuable time by engaging in useless debates and acrimonious polemics. It is better to wait patiently and observe how God deals with them. Instead of wasting energy in frivolous pursuits such as those mentioned above one should spend it in the remembrance of God and in acts of goodness, for it is these rather than barren controversies that will benefit man in the Life to Come.

Verse-by-Verse Analysis

Surah 2 Al-Baqarah, Ayat 108-108

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اَمۡ تُرِيۡدُوۡنَ اَنۡ تَسۡـئَـلُوۡا رَسُوۡلَـكُمۡ كَمَا سُـئِلَ مُوۡسٰى مِنۡ قَبۡلُ​ؕ وَمَنۡ يَّتَبَدَّلِ الۡکُفۡرَ بِالۡاِيۡمَانِ فَقَدۡ ضَلَّ سَوَآءَ السَّبِيۡلِ‏  ﴿2:108﴾

(2:108) Or would you ask your Messenger in the manner Moses110 was asked before? And whoever exchanges faith for unbelief has surely strayed from the Right Way. 

Notes

110. The Jews, who were addicted to hair-splitting arguments, instigated the Muslims to ask the Prophet a great many questions. God, therefore, cautioned the Muslims against following the example of the Jews in this matter, and admonished them against unnecessary inquisitiveness. The Prophet himself often warned the Muslims that excessive inquisitiveness (which was devoid of religious earnestness and the sincere desire to do God’s will) had been the ruin of earlier religious communities. (Muslim, ‘Fadail’, 130; Bukhari, ‘1’tisim’, 2 – Ed.) He stressed that people need not delve too deeply into questions left unelucidated by God or His Messenger. It was better to follow the injunctions which were clearly laid down, abstain from things prohibited, and avoid excessive inquiry about far-fetched, hypothetical issues, attending instead to questions of practical significance.

Verse-by-Verse Analysis

Surah 2 Al-Baqarah, Ayat 106-107

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مَا نَنۡسَخۡ مِنۡ اٰيَةٍ اَوۡ نُنۡسِهَا نَاۡتِ بِخَيۡرٍ مِّنۡهَآ اَوۡ مِثۡلِهَا ​ؕ اَلَمۡ تَعۡلَمۡ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ قَدِيۡرٌ‏ ﴿2:106﴾ اَلَمۡ تَعۡلَمۡ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ لَهٗ مُلۡكُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ​ؕ وَمَا لَـکُمۡ مِّنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰهِ مِنۡ وَّلِىٍّ وَّلَا نَصِيۡرٍ‏ ﴿2:107﴾

(2:106) For whatever verse We might abrogate or consign to oblivion, We bring a better one or the like of it.109 Are you not aware that Allah is All-Powerful? (2:107) Are you not aware that the dominion of the heavens and the earth belongs to Allah, and that none apart from Allah is your protector or helper?

Notes

109. This is in response to a doubt which the Jews tried to implant in the minds of the Muslims. If both the earlier Scriptures and the Qur’an were revelations from God, why was it – they asked – that the injunctions found in the earlier Scriptures had been replaced by new ones in the Qur’an? How could the same God issue divergent injunctions? Furthermore, they expressed their amazement at the Qur’anic indictment of the Jews and Christians for having allowed part of the revelation to be forgotten and lost, pointing out that it was impossible that Divine revelation should be erased from human memory. In all this, their motive was not to know the truth but to cast doubt on the Divine origin of the Qur’an. In refutation God states that He being the Absolute Sovereign has unlimited authority both to abrogate previous injunctions and to cause people to forget the injunctions He wants them to forget. However, God ensures that whatever He abrogates or causes to be erased from people’s memories is replaced by something equally or even more beneficial.

Verse-by-Verse Analysis

Surah 2 Al-Baqarah, Ayat 104-105

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يٰٓاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا لَا تَقُوۡلُوۡا رَاعِنَا وَ قُوۡلُوا انۡظُرۡنَا وَاسۡمَعُوۡا ​ؕ وَلِلۡڪٰفِرِيۡنَ عَذَابٌ اَلِيۡمٌ‏ ﴿2:104﴾ مَا يَوَدُّ الَّذِيۡنَ كَفَرُوۡا مِنۡ اَهۡلِ الۡكِتٰبِ وَلَا الۡمُشۡرِكِيۡنَ اَنۡ يُّنَزَّلَ عَلَيۡڪُمۡ مِّنۡ خَيۡرٍ مِّنۡ رَّبِّکُمۡ​ؕ وَاللّٰهُ يَخۡتَصُّ بِرَحۡمَتِهٖ مَنۡ يَّشَآءُ ​ؕ وَاللّٰهُ ذُو الۡفَضۡلِ الۡعَظِيۡمِ‏ ﴿2:105﴾

(2:104) O you who believe!107 Do not say (to the Prophet): Ra’ina (Lend ear to us), but say Unzurna (Favour us with your attention) and pay heed (to him).108 A painful chastisement awaits the unbelievers. (2:105) The unbelievers, be they the People of the Book or those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity, do not wish that any good should be sent down upon you from your Lord. But Allah chooses for His mercy whomsoever He wills. Allah is Lord of Abounding Bounty. 

Notes

107. This and the following verses inform the followers of the Prophet (peace be on him) of the machinations of the Jews against Islam and the Muslims, and dispel any doubts and misgivings they tried to create in their minds. Special attention is paid to the points raised during controversial discussions between Muslims and Jews. It is useful to note here that when the Prophet (peace be on him) arrived in Madina and the message of Islam began to spread the Jews tried to engage Muslims in controversial religious discussions. They raised all kinds of involved and suspicion-provoking problems so as to contaminate the simple and pure-hearted Muslims with the spiritual diseases from which they themselves suffered. Not only that, they resorted to sly and deceptive talk in the presence of the Prophet. 

108. When the Jews visited the Prophet they tried to vent their spite by using ambiguous expressions in their greetings and conversation. They, used words which had double meanings, one innocent and the other offensive. After using quite proper expressions they would then whisper some malicious words. Ostensibly they maintained the decorum of respect and courtesy while sparing no underhand means to insult the Prophet. Later we shall encounter several examples of this kind of behaviour. The particular expression referred to here, and which the Muslims were asked to avoid using since it lent itself to abuse, was employed by the Jews when in conversation with the Prophet, whenever they wanted to request a short pause in which to finish whatever they wanted to say. They, used the expression ra’ina, which meant ‘kindly indulge us’ or ‘ kindly lend ear to us’.

It was possible, however, for the expression to be used with quite a different shade of meaning. In Hebrew, for instance, there is a word similar to it which means: ‘Listen, may you become deaf.’ In the same language it also means arrogant, ignorant and fool. In actual conversation it was also used on occasions when one wanted to say: ‘If you listen to me, 1 will listen to you.’ When it was pronounced with a slight twist of the tongue it turned into ra’ina, meaning ‘our shepherd’. 

It is because of the possibility of the word being used in these different senses that Muslims were asked to avoid it and to use instead the straightforward expression unzurna, meaning ‘kindly favour us with your attention’ or ‘kindly grant us a while to follow (what you are saying)’. This advice was followed by the admonition to listen attentively to what the Prophet said, for the Jews used to ask for the same thing to be repeated merely because they did not pay proper attention to what the Prophet said but instead were engrossed in their own thoughts. If the Muslims were to heed what the Prophet said, they would scarcely need to make such requests.

Verse-by-Verse Analysis

Surah 2 Al-Baqarah, Ayat 101-103

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وَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمۡ رَسُوۡلٌ مِّنۡ عِنۡدِ اللّٰهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَهُمۡ نَبَذَ فَرِيۡقٌ مِّنَ الَّذِيۡنَ اُوۡتُوا الۡكِتٰبَۙ کِتٰبَ اللّٰهِ وَرَآءَ ظُهُوۡرِهِمۡ كَاَنَّهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُوۡنَ‏ ﴿2:101﴾وَاتَّبَعُوۡا مَا تَتۡلُوا الشَّيٰطِيۡنُ عَلٰى مُلۡكِ سُلَيۡمٰنَ​​ۚ وَمَا کَفَرَ سُلَيۡمٰنُ وَلٰـكِنَّ الشَّيٰـطِيۡنَ كَفَرُوۡا يُعَلِّمُوۡنَ النَّاسَ السِّحۡرَ وَمَآ اُنۡزِلَ عَلَى الۡمَلَـکَيۡنِ بِبَابِلَ هَارُوۡتَ وَمَارُوۡتَ​ؕ وَمَا يُعَلِّمٰنِ مِنۡ اَحَدٍ حَتّٰى يَقُوۡلَاۤ اِنَّمَا نَحۡنُ فِتۡنَةٌ فَلَا تَكۡفُرۡؕ​ فَيَتَعَلَّمُوۡنَ مِنۡهُمَا مَا يُفَرِّقُوۡنَ بِهٖ بَيۡنَ الۡمَرۡءِ وَ زَوۡجِهٖ​ؕ وَمَا هُمۡ بِضَآرِّيۡنَ بِهٖ مِنۡ اَحَدٍ اِلَّا بِاِذۡنِ اللّٰهِ​ؕ وَيَتَعَلَّمُوۡنَ مَا يَضُرُّهُمۡ وَلَا يَنۡفَعُهُمۡ​ؕ وَلَقَدۡ عَلِمُوۡا لَمَنِ اشۡتَرٰٮهُ مَا لَهٗ فِى الۡاٰخِرَةِ مِنۡ خَلَاقٍ​ؕ وَلَبِئۡسَ مَا شَرَوۡا بِهٖۤ اَنۡفُسَهُمۡ​ؕ لَوۡ کَانُوۡا يَعۡلَمُوۡنَ‏  ﴿2:102﴾ وَلَوۡ اَنَّهُمۡ اٰمَنُوۡا وَاتَّقَوۡا لَمَثُوۡبَةٌ مِّنۡ عِنۡدِ اللّٰهِ خَيۡرٌ ؕ​ لَوۡ كَانُوۡا يَعۡلَمُوۡنَ‏ ﴿2:103﴾

(2:101) And whenever a Messenger from Allah came to them, confirming what they already possessed, a party of those who had been given the Scripture flung the Book of Allah behind their backs as if they knew nothing, (2:102) and then followed what the evil ones falsely attributed to the Kingdom of Solomon104 even though Solomon had never disbelieved; it is the evil ones who disbelieved, teaching people magic. And they followed what had been revealed to the two angels in Babylon – Harut and Marut – although these two (angels) never taught it to anyone without first declaring: “We are merely a means of testing people; so, do not engage in unbelief.”105 And yet they learned from them what might cause division between a man and his wife106. They could not cause harm to anyone except by the leave of Allah, and still they learned what harmed rather than profited them, knowing well that he who bought it will have no share in the World to Come. Evil indeed is what they sold themselves for. Had they but known! (2:103) Had they believed and been God-fearing Allah’s reward would have been better! Had they but known! 

Notes

104. ‘Evil ones’ embraces all evil beings, whether they belong to the human species or to the jinn. Here the reference seems to be to both. 

When moral and material decline set in among the Israelites, they were overwhelmed with slavery and ignorance, with misery and poverty, and with humiliation and decadence. They were thus drained of all high ambitions and increasingly turned to magic, sorcery, witchcraft, charms and amulets. They began to search for facile means such as spells that would spare them hard work and yet ensure the achievement of their desired ends. At this stage they were misled by the evil ones, who made them believe that the mighty kingdom and astonishing power of Solomon were merely due to occult sciences and magical formulae, and that by revealing those they would pass on to them the keys to success. People were so engrossed in such practices that they ignored both the Book of God and anyone who summoned them to truth and righteousness. 

105. There are various opinions on the interpretation of this verse. My own conclusion is that at the time when the whole Israelite nation was chained in slavery and captivity in Babylonia God sent two angels in human form in order to test the Jews. In the same way as angels were sent to the people of Lot in the form of handsome youths see (Quran 11: 69 ff. – Ed.), they were presumably sent to Israel in the form of divines who could work magic and sorcery. These angels at once began working their magical wonders but they warned the people that their presence among them was designed to test their faith, and that they ought not to jeopardize their After-life by the practice of magic. Despite the warning it seems that the Israelites had become so fond of their magical artifices that they continued to resort to talismans and sorcery. 

It should not surprise anyone that angels came down to earth in human form; angels are dutiful servants of God’s kingdom, and are capable of assuming the form appropriate to the specific task they are required to perform at any particular time. Who knows how many angels may be busy performing their duties in our midst even today! 

One might also wonder why angels should teach people magic, which is after all intrinsically evil. In order to understand this we must remember that the nature of their task was no different from that of an undercover policeman who hands over marked currency notes to a corrupt official as a bribe with the aim of ensuring that he is caught red-handed. 

106. This shows that the greatest demand was for magical arts and charms to sow discord between a man and his wife and to procure the eventual seduction of the latter. This was the depth of moral depravity to which these people had fallen. A people cannot sink to a lower level of moral degeneracy than when adulterous affairs become their favourite pastime, and when seducing a married woman is considered a boastful achievement. The matrimonial relationship is, in truth, the very foundation of man’s collective life. The soundness of human civilization depends on the soundness of the relationship between the two sexes. Hence, nothing could be worse than the person who strikes at the very foundations of the structure which supports both him and society as a whole. 

There is a Tradition from the Prophet to the effect that Satan sends his agents on their missions to all parts of the world. On their return these agents report their achievements with each mentioning his own special evil act. But Satan is not completely satisfied with any of them. It is only when an agent reports that he has succeeded in separating a wife from her husband that Satan is filled with joy and embraces him. (Bukhari, ‘Talaq’, 25 – Ed.) In the light of this Tradition it is understandable why the angels who were sent to the Israelites to test them were asked to disclose those magical arts which would lead to separation between a husband and his wife, for the inclination of a people to learn such arts is a sure index of its moral decadence.

Verse-by-Verse Analysis

Surah 2 Al-Baqarah, Ayat 99-100

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وَلَقَدۡ اَنۡزَلۡنَآ اِلَيۡكَ اٰيٰتٍۢ بَيِّنٰتٍ​​ۚ وَمَا يَكۡفُرُ بِهَآ اِلَّا الۡفٰسِقُوۡنَ‏ ﴿2:99﴾ اَوَکُلَّمَا عٰهَدُوۡا عَهۡدًا نَّبَذَهٗ فَرِيۡقٌ مِّنۡهُمۡ​ؕ بَلۡ اَكۡثَرُهُمۡ لَا يُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ‏ ﴿2:100﴾

(2:99) We surely sent down to you clear verses that elucidate the Truth, (verses) which only the transgressors reject as false. (2:100) Is it not that every time they made a covenant with Allah a party of them set it aside? The truth is that most of them do not truly believe.

Notes

Verse-by-Verse Analysis

More than one God results in chaos

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Q: why Only one GOD and if not ?

A:

https://x.com/i/grok/share/73H9r97ta3cG1PxdhbZNzxcPk

Verse 17:42 (Surah Al-Isra)

Arabic

﴿قُل لَّوْ كَانَ مَعَهُ آلِهَةٌ كَمَا يَقُولُونَ إِذًا لَّابْتَغَوْا إِلَىٰ ذِي الْعَرْشِ سَبِيلًا﴾

Translation (from Tafheem-ul-Quran by Syed Abu-al-A’la Maududi)

(O Muhammad), tell them that if there had been other deities beside Allah, as they assert, they would surely have tried to find a way to (dethrone) the Master of the Throne.

Tafseer (from Tafheem-ul-Quran by Syed Abu-al-A’la Maududi)

They would have themselves tried their best to become masters of the Throne.

This is because if there had been more than one partners in Godhead, it would produce one of the two results: (1) If they were all independent gods, it was not conceivable that they would agree and co-operate with one another in the management of the boundless universe and there could never have been unanimity, uniformity and balanced proportion in its functioning. There would have been conflict at every step and everyone would have tried to dominate others in order to become its sole master. Or (2) if one of them had been the supreme god and the others his obedient servants whom he had delegated some of his powers, then, according to the maxim “power corrupts”, they would never have been content with remaining obedient servants of the supreme god and would have conspired to become the supreme god themselves.

Whereas the fact is that in this universe not even a grain of wheat or a blade of grass can grow unless and until everything in the earth and the heavens cooperate with one another for its production. Therefore, only an utterly ignorant and blockheaded person can conceive that there are more than one independent or semi-independent rulers, who carry on the management of this universe. Anyone who has tried to understand the nature and functioning of the universe will most surely arrive at the conclusion that there is One and only One Sovereign ruling over this universe, and there is absolutely no likelihood of any one else to be a copartner in this at any stage. 12

“

  • The post promotes a Quranic interpretation from Surah Al-Isra 17:42, arguing that multiple gods would spark inevitable conflict or rebellion, leading to universal disorder, as evidenced by the cosmos’s seamless harmony.
  • Drawing from Syed Abu-al-A’la Maududi’s Tafheem-ul-Quran, the linked article uses analogies like competing bosses or subordinate uprisings to illustrate why only one sovereign deity sustains order.
  • Authored by @Zs496S1, an active defender of Islamic monotheism with 162 followers, this December 4, 2025, entry fits their pattern of responding to faith critiques with scriptural reasoning.
Verse-by-Verse Analysis

WHO IS OUR LORD?

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Quran 13:16 (Surah Ar-Ra’d, Ayah 16)

Arabic Text:

قُلْ مَنْ رَّبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۖ قُلِ اللَّهُ ۖ قُلْ أَفَاتَّخَذْتُم مِّن دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ لِأَنفُسِهِمْ نَفْعًا وَلَا ضَرًّا ۖ قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الْأَعْمَىٰ وَالْبَصِيرُ ۖ أَمْ هَلْ تَسْتَوِي الظُّلُمَاتُ وَالنُّورُ ۖ أَمْ جَعَلُوا لِلَّهِ شُرَكَاءَ خَلَقُوا كَخَلْقِهِ فَتَشَابَهَ الْخَلْقُ عَلَيْهِمْ ۖ قُلِ اللَّهُ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ

English Translation (by Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi):

Say: “Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?” Say: “Allah.” Say: “Have you then taken besides Him protectors who have no power to benefit or harm even themselves?” Say: “Can the blind and the seeing be deemed equals? Or can light and darkness be deemed equals?” If that is not so, then have those whom they associate with Allah in His Divinity ever created anything like what Allah did so that the question of creation has become dubious to them? Say: “Allah is the creator of everything. He is the One, the Irresistible.” 10

Tafseer (Commentary from Tafheem-ul-Quran by Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi):

The commentary explains that the question “Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?” was directed to the disbelievers, but Allah instructed the Prophet (peace be upon him) to answer it himself by saying “Allah.” This was because the disbelievers could neither deny Allah’s lordship (as they believed He was the Creator) nor openly affirm it without accepting Tauhid, leaving no room for shirk. They often avoided answering such questions due to their weak position.

It addresses the polytheists’ worship of false deities: “Have you taken besides Him as your patrons those who do not have the power to benefit or to hurt even themselves?” This refutes shirk by showing that false gods lack any power over themselves, let alone others.

The rhetorical questions—“Can the blind and the seeing be deemed equals? Or can light and darkness be deemed equals?”—contrast disbelievers (blind to signs of Allah’s Oneness, like the blind who cannot see) with believers (who see signs in every particle of the universe). “Light” refers to the knowledge of truth brought by the Prophet (peace be upon him), while “darkness” is the ignorance of the disbelievers. It asks why those with knowledge should abandon it and wander in ignorance like the blind.

Further, it challenges: “Have those whom they associate with Allah in His Divinity ever created anything like what Allah did so that the question of creation has become dubious to them?” Since the polytheists admitted their gods created nothing and had no share in creation, there is no basis for doubting Allah’s unique creative power or associating partners with Him.

Finally, it affirms: “Allah is the creator of everything. He is the One, the Irresistible.” The Arabic term “Qahhar” means He rules over all by His own power, maintaining complete control. This follows from His being the Creator: the Creator must be Unique, with no equals or partners, and full authority over His creation. Acknowledging this eliminates any reason to worship others or seek help from false patrons. 10

Tafseer ibn katheer

Quran 13:16 (Surah Ar-Ra’d, Ayah 16)

Arabic Text:

قُلْ مَنْ رَّبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۖ قُلِ اللَّهُ ۖ قُلْ أَفَاتَّخَذْتُم مِّن دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ لِأَنفُسِهِمْ نَفْعًا وَلَا ضَرًّا ۖ قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الْأَعْمَىٰ وَالْبَصِيرُ ۖ أَمْ هَلْ تَسْتَوِي الظُّلُمَاتُ وَالنُّورُ ۖ أَمْ جَعَلُوا لِلَّهِ شُرَكَاءَ خَلَقُوا كَخَلْقِهِ فَتَشَابَهَ الْخَلْقُ عَلَيْهِمْ ۖ قُلِ اللَّهُ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ

English Translation (by Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi – Tafheem-ul-Quran):

Say: “Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?” Say: “Allah.” Say: “Have you then taken besides Him protectors who have no power to benefit or harm even themselves?” Say: “Can the blind and the seeing be deemed equals? Or can light and darkness be deemed equals?” If that is not so, then have those whom they associate with Allah in His Divinity ever created anything like what Allah did so that the question of creation has become dubious to them? Say: “Allah is the creator of everything. He is the One, the Irresistible.”

Tafseer from Tafheem-ul-Quran (by Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi):

The commentary explains that the question “Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?” was directed to the disbelievers, but Allah instructed the Prophet (peace be upon him) to answer it himself by saying “Allah.” This was because the disbelievers could neither deny Allah’s lordship (as they believed He was the Creator) nor openly affirm it without accepting Tauhid, leaving no room for shirk. They often avoided answering such questions due to their weak position.

It addresses the polytheists’ worship of false deities: “Have you taken besides Him as your patrons those who do not have the power to benefit or to hurt even themselves?” This refutes shirk by showing that false gods lack any power over themselves, let alone others.

The rhetorical questions—“Can the blind and the seeing be deemed equals? Or can light and darkness be deemed equals?”—contrast disbelievers (blind to signs of Allah’s Oneness, like the blind who cannot see) with believers (who see signs in every particle of the universe). “Light” refers to the knowledge of truth brought by the Prophet (peace be upon him), while “darkness” is the ignorance of the disbelievers. It asks why those with knowledge should abandon it and wander in ignorance like the blind.

Further, it challenges: “Have those whom they associate with Allah in His Divinity ever created anything like what Allah did so that the question of creation has become dubious to them?” Since the polytheists admitted their gods created nothing and had no share in creation, there is no basis for doubting Allah’s unique creative power or associating partners with Him.

Finally, it affirms: “Allah is the creator of everything. He is the One, the Irresistible.” The Arabic term “Qahhar” means He rules over all by His own power, maintaining complete control. This follows from His being the Creator: the Creator must be Unique, with no equals or partners, and full authority over His creation. Acknowledging this eliminates any reason to worship others or seek help from false patrons.

English Translation (Associated with Tafsir Ibn Kathir):

Say: “Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?” Say: “(It is) Allah.” Say: “Have you then taken (for worship) Awliya’ (protectors, etc.) other than Him, such as have no power either for benefit or for harm to themselves?” Say: “Is the blind equal to the one who sees? Or darkness equal to light? Or do they assign to Allah partners who created the like of His creation, so that the creation (which they made and His creation) seemed alike to them.” Say: “Allah is the Creator of all things; and He is the One, the Irresistible.” 11

Tafseer from Ibn Kathir:

Affirming Tawhid

Allah affirms here that there is no deity worthy of worship except Him, since they admit that He alone created the heavens and the earth and that He is their Lord and the Disposer of all affairs. Yet, they take as lords others besides Allah and worship them, even though these false gods do not have the power to benefit or harm themselves, or those who worship them. Therefore, the polytheists will not benefit or have harm removed from them by these false deities. Are those who worship the false deities instead of Allah equal to those who worship Him alone, without partners, and thus have a light from their Lord? This is why Allah said here,

﴿قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى الاٌّعْمَى وَالْبَصِيرُ أَمْ هَلْ تَسْتَوِى الظُّلُمَـتُ وَالنُّورُ أَمْ جَعَلُواْ للَّهِ شُرَكَآءَ خَلَقُواْ كَخَلْقِهِ فَتَشَابَهَ الْخَلْقُ عَلَيْهِمْ﴾

(Say: “Is the blind equal to the one who sees Or darkness equal to light Or do they assign to Allah partners who created the like of His creation, so that the creations seemed alike to them”) Allah asks, `Do these polytheists worship gods besides Him that rival Him in what He created? Have their false deities created similar creations to those Allah created and, thus, they are confused between the two types of creations, not knowing which was created by others besides Allah?’ Rather, the Ayah proves that the truth is nothing like this. There is none similar to Allah, nor does He have an equal, a rival, anyone like Him, a minister, a son, or a wife. Allah is glorified in that He is far away from all that is ascribed to Him. These idolators worship gods that they themselves admit were created by Allah and are subservient to Him. They used to say during their Talbiyah: “Here we rush to Your obedience. There is no partner for You, except Your partner, You own him and he owns not.” Allah also mentioned their polytheistic statements in other Ayat,

﴿مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلاَّ لِيُقَرِّبُونَآ إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلْفَى﴾

(We worship them only that they may bring us near to Allah.) ﴿39:3﴾ Allah admonished them for this false creed, stating that only those whom He chooses are allowed to intercede with Him,

﴿وَلاَ تَنفَعُ الشَّفَـعَةُ عِندَهُ إِلاَّ لِمَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ﴾

(Intercession with Him profits not except for him whom He permits.) ﴿34:23﴾

﴿وَكَمْ مِّن مَّلَكٍ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ﴾

(And there are many angels in the heavens…..)﴿53:26﴾, and,

﴿إِن كُلُّ مَن فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ إِلاَّ آتِى الرَّحْمَـنِ عَبْداً – لَّقَدْ أَحْصَـهُمْ وَعَدَّهُمْ عَدّاً – وَكُلُّهُمْ ءَاتِيهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ فَرْداً ﴾

(There is none in the heavens and the earth but comes unto the Most Gracious (Allah) as a servant. Verily, He knows each one of them, and has counted them a full counting. And everyone of them will come to Him alone on the Day of Resurrection.) ﴿19:93-95﴾ If all are Allah’s servants, then why do any of them worship each other without proof or evidence that allows them to do so? Rather, they rely on sheer opinion and innovation in the religion, even though Allah has sent all of His Prophets and Messengers, from beginning to end, prohibiting this practice (polytheism) and ordering them to refrain from worshipping others besides Allah. They defied their Messengers and rebelled against them, and this is why the word of punishment struck them as a worthy recompense,

﴿وَلاَ يَظْلِمُ رَبُّكَ أَحَدًا﴾

(And your Lord treats no one with injustice) ﴿18:49﴾ 11

Comparison Between Tafsir Ibn Kathir and Tafheem-ul-Quran (Maududi):

Both tafsirs emphasize the verse’s core theme of affirming Tawhid (the Oneness of Allah) and refuting shirk (polytheism) through logical and rhetorical questions posed to the disbelievers. They highlight Allah’s exclusive lordship over creation, the powerlessness of false deities, and the absurdity of equating truth with falsehood. The verse is seen as a direct challenge to polytheists, who acknowledge Allah as Creator but still associate partners with Him.

Similarities:

  • Refutation of Shirk: Both explain that false gods or “awliya” (protectors) have no ability to benefit or harm anyone, including themselves, making their worship illogical.
  • Rhetorical Contrasts: The questions about the blind vs. the seeing and darkness vs. light are interpreted as metaphors for disbelievers (in ignorance or blindness to divine signs) versus believers (guided by truth and knowledge). Ibn Kathir ties this to those with “light from their Lord,” while Maududi specifies the “light” as the Prophet’s message and signs in the universe.
  • Challenge on Creation: Both stress that no partners of Allah have created anything comparable to His creation, eliminating any basis for confusion or association.
  • Affirmation of Allah’s Uniqueness: The concluding statement underscores Allah as the sole Creator, the One (Al-Wahid), and the Irresistible (Al-Qahhar), implying absolute dominion without partners.

Differences:

  • Style and Depth: Ibn Kathir (a classical 14th-century scholar) provides a more expansive, tradition-based explanation, incorporating cross-references to other Quranic verses (e.g., 39:3, 34:23, 53:26, 19:93-95, 18:49) and historical context like the polytheists’ Talbiyah during pilgrimage. He emphasizes intercession, the role of prophets in prohibiting polytheism, and the just punishment for rebellion, drawing on hadith and earlier scholarly opinions for a comprehensive theological rebuttal.
  • Maududi (a 20th-century modernist) offers a more concise, rational, and contextual approach in Tafheem-ul-Quran, focusing on the psychological and logical dilemmas faced by disbelievers (e.g., their avoidance of direct answers). He explains concepts like “Qahhar” in terms of sovereign rule and ties the metaphors directly to contemporary understanding of faith vs. ignorance, without as many cross-references.
  • Focus and Audience: Ibn Kathir’s tafsir is broader, addressing theological implications like Allah having no equals in any form (e.g., no son, wife, or rival), and warns of divine justice. Maududi’s is more argumentative, aimed at reinforcing monotheism through everyday logic, making it accessible for modern readers seeking to counter polytheistic tendencies.

Overall, Ibn Kathir’s interpretation is richer in scriptural interconnections and historical details, while Maududi’s is more streamlined and focused on practical reasoning. Both align on the verse’s message but reflect their eras—Ibn Kathir’s rooted in classical Islamic scholarship, and Maududi’s in reformist thought. 11

TAFSEER AL TABARI

Quran 13:16 (Surah Ar-Ra’d, Ayah 16)

Arabic Text:

قُلْ مَنْ رَّبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۖ قُلِ اللَّهُ ۖ قُلْ أَفَاتَّخَذْتُم مِّن دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ لَا يَمْلِكُونَ لِأَنفُسِهِمْ نَفْعًا وَلَا ضَرًّا ۖ قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الْأَعْمَىٰ وَالْبَصِيرُ ۖ أَمْ هَلْ تَسْتَوِي الظُّلُمَاتُ وَالنُّورُ ۖ أَمْ جَعَلُوا لِلَّهِ شُرَكَاءَ خَلَقُوا كَخَلْقِهِ فَتَشَابَهَ الْخَلْقُ عَلَيْهِمْ ۖ قُلِ اللَّهُ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ

English Translation (Associated with Tafsir Ibn Kathir):

Say: “Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?” Say: “(It is) Allah.” Say: “Have you then taken (for worship) Awliya’ (protectors, etc.) other than Him, such as have no power either for benefit or for harm to themselves?” Say: “Is the blind equal to the one who sees? Or darkness equal to light? Or do they assign to Allah partners who created the like of His creation, so that the creation (which they made and His creation) seemed alike to them.” Say: “Allah is the Creator of all things; and He is the One, the Irresistible.”

Tafseer from Tafheem-ul-Quran (by Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi):

The commentary explains that the question “Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?” was directed to the disbelievers, but Allah instructed the Prophet (peace be upon him) to answer it himself by saying “Allah.” This was because the disbelievers could neither deny Allah’s lordship (as they believed He was the Creator) nor openly affirm it without accepting Tauhid, leaving no room for shirk. They often avoided answering such questions due to their weak position.

It addresses the polytheists’ worship of false deities: “Have you taken besides Him as your patrons those who do not have the power to benefit or to hurt even themselves?” This refutes shirk by showing that false gods lack any power over themselves, let alone others.

The rhetorical questions—“Can the blind and the seeing be deemed equals? Or can light and darkness be deemed equals?”—contrast disbelievers (blind to signs of Allah’s Oneness, like the blind who cannot see) with believers (who see signs in every particle of the universe). “Light” refers to the knowledge of truth brought by the Prophet (peace be upon him), while “darkness” is the ignorance of the disbelievers. It asks why those with knowledge should abandon it and wander in ignorance like the blind.

Further, it challenges: “Have those whom they associate with Allah in His Divinity ever created anything like what Allah did so that the question of creation has become dubious to them?” Since the polytheists admitted their gods created nothing and had no share in creation, there is no basis for doubting Allah’s unique creative power or associating partners with Him.

Finally, it affirms: “Allah is the creator of everything. He is the One, the Irresistible.” The Arabic term “Qahhar” means He rules over all by His own power, maintaining complete control. This follows from His being the Creator: the Creator must be Unique, with no equals or partners, and full authority over His creation. Acknowledging this eliminates any reason to worship others or seek help from false patrons.

Tafseer from Ibn Kathir:

Affirming Tawhid

Allah affirms here that there is no deity worthy of worship except Him, since they admit that He alone created the heavens and the earth and that He is their Lord and the Disposer of all affairs. Yet, they take as lords others besides Allah and worship them, even though these false gods do not have the power to benefit or harm themselves, or those who worship them. Therefore, the polytheists will not benefit or have harm removed from them by these false deities. Are those who worship the false deities instead of Allah equal to those who worship Him alone, without partners, and thus have a light from their Lord? This is why Allah said here,

﴿قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى الاٌّعْمَى وَالْبَصِيرُ أَمْ هَلْ تَسْتَوِى الظُّلُمَـتُ وَالنُّورُ أَمْ جَعَلُواْ للَّهِ شُرَكَآءَ خَلَقُواْ كَخَلْقِهِ فَتَشَابَهَ الْخَلْقُ عَلَيْهِمْ﴾

(Say: “Is the blind equal to the one who sees Or darkness equal to light Or do they assign to Allah partners who created the like of His creation, so that the creations seemed alike to them”) Allah asks, `Do these polytheists worship gods besides Him that rival Him in what He created? Have their false deities created similar creations to those Allah created and, thus, they are confused between the two types of creations, not knowing which was created by others besides Allah?’ Rather, the Ayah proves that the truth is nothing like this. There is none similar to Allah, nor does He have an equal, a rival, anyone like Him, a minister, a son, or a wife. Allah is glorified in that He is far away from all that is ascribed to Him. These idolators worship gods that they themselves admit were created by Allah and are subservient to Him. They used to say during their Talbiyah: “Here we rush to Your obedience. There is no partner for You, except Your partner, You own him and he owns not.” Allah also mentioned their polytheistic statements in other Ayat,

﴿مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلاَّ لِيُقَرِّبُونَآ إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلْفَى﴾

(We worship them only that they may bring us near to Allah.) ﴿39:3﴾ Allah admonished them for this false creed, stating that only those whom He chooses are allowed to intercede with Him,

﴿وَلاَ تَنفَعُ الشَّفَـعَةُ عِندَهُ إِلاَّ لِمَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ﴾

(Intercession with Him profits not except for him whom He permits.) ﴿34:23﴾

﴿وَكَمْ مِّن مَّلَكٍ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ﴾

(And there are many angels in the heavens…..)﴿53:26﴾, and,

﴿إِن كُلُّ مَن فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ إِلاَّ آتِى الرَّحْمَـنِ عَبْداً – لَّقَدْ أَحْصَـهُمْ وَعَدَّهُمْ عَدّاً – وَكُلُّهُمْ ءَاتِيهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ فَرْداً ﴾

(There is none in the heavens and the earth but comes unto the Most Gracious (Allah) as a servant. Verily, He knows each one of them, and has counted them a full counting. And everyone of them will come to Him alone on the Day of Resurrection.) ﴿19:93-95﴾ If all are Allah’s servants, then why do any of them worship each other without proof or evidence that allows them to do so? Rather, they rely on sheer opinion and innovation in the religion, even though Allah has sent all of His Prophets and Messengers, from beginning to end, prohibiting this practice (polytheism) and ordering them to refrain from worshipping others besides Allah. They defied their Messengers and rebelled against them, and this is why the word of punishment struck them as a worthy recompense,

﴿وَلاَ يَظْلِمُ رَبُّكَ أَحَدًا﴾

(And your Lord treats no one with injustice) ﴿18:49﴾

Tafseer from Al-Tabari (Jami’ al-Bayan fi Ta’wil al-Qur’an):

Abu Ja’far (al-Tabari) said: The Exalted One mentions His Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and says: Say, O Muhammad, to these polytheists who worship besides Allah—Who holds their benefit and harm in His hand—things that neither benefit nor harm: (Is the blind equivalent to the seeing?) The blind one who sees nothing and does not find a path to take except by being guided, and the seeing one who guides the blind to the path that he cannot see? There is no doubt that they are not equal. He says: Likewise, the believer who sees the truth and follows it, knows the guidance and follows it, is not equal to you, O polytheists who know no truth and see no right path.

And His saying: (Or is darkness equivalent to light?), the Exalted One mentions: Is the darkness in which no path is seen to be taken, nor a way seen to be ridden, equivalent to the light in which things are seen and its brightness dispels the darkness? He says: There is no doubt that these two are not equal. Likewise, disbelief in Allah leaves its follower in confusion, wandering forever in bewilderment without returning to the truth, while faith in Allah leaves its follower in illumination, acting with knowledge of his Lord, and awareness that there is for him a recompenser who rewards him for his good, a punisher who punishes him for his evil, a provider who sustains him

Verse-by-Verse Analysis

ONLY LORD: 13:16 & 17 – Translation and Tafseer

1 Comment

The table below presents the verses and their explanation from Tafheem-ul-Quran.ComponentContentArabic Text قُلۡ مَنۡ رَّبُّ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِؕ قُلِ اللّٰهُؕ قُلۡ اَفَاتَّخَذۡتُمۡ مِّنۡ دُوۡنِهٖۤ اَوۡلِيَآءَ لَا يَمۡلِكُوۡنَ لِاَنفُسِهِمۡ نَفۡعًا وَّلَا ضَرًّاؕ قُلۡ هَلۡ يَسۡتَوِى الۡاَعۡمٰى وَالۡبَصِيۡرُ ۙ اَمۡ هَلۡ تَسۡتَوِى الظُّلُمٰتُ وَالنُّوۡرُ ۚ اَمۡ جَعَلُوۡا لِلّٰهِ شُرَكَآءَ خَلَقُوۡا كَخَلۡقِهٖ فَتَشَابَهَ الۡخَـلۡقُ عَلَيۡهِمۡؕ قُلِ اللّٰهُ خَالِـقُ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ وَّهُوَ الۡوَاحِدُ الۡقَهَّارُ ﴿13:16﴾
اَنۡزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَسَالَتۡ اَوۡدِيَةٌۢ بِقَدَرِهَا فَاحۡتَمَلَ السَّيۡلُ زَبَدًا رَّابِيًا ؕ وَمِمَّا يُوۡقِدُوۡنَ عَلَيۡهِ فِى النَّارِ ابۡتِغَآءَ حِلۡيَةٍ اَوۡ مَتَاعٍ زَبَدٌ مِّثۡلُهٗ ؕ كَذٰلِكَ يَضۡرِبُ اللّٰهُ الۡحَـقَّ وَالۡبَاطِلَ ؕ فَاَمَّا الزَّبَدُ فَيَذۡهَبُ جُفَآءً ۚ وَاَمَّا مَا يَنۡفَعُ النَّاسَ فَيَمۡكُثُ فِى الۡاَرۡضِؕ كَذٰلِكَ يَضۡبُ اللّٰهُ الۡاَمۡثَالَ ﴿13:17﴾ English TranslationVerse 16: Ask them: “Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?” Say: “Allah.” Tell them: “Have you taken beside Him as your patrons those who do not have the power to benefit or to hurt even themselves?” Say: “Can the blind and the seeing be deemed equals? Or can light and darkness be deemed equals?” If that is not so, then have those whom they associate with Allah in His Divinity ever created anything like what Allah did so that the question of creation has become dubious to them? Say: “Allah is the creator of everything. He is the One, the Irresistible.”
Verse 17: “Allah sends down water from the heavens and the river-beds flow, each according to its measure, and the torrent carries along a swelling scum. In like manner, from that metal which they smelt in the fire to make ornaments and utensils, there arises scum like it. Thus does Allah depict truth and falsehood. As for the scum, it passes away as dross; but that which benefits mankind abides on the earth. Thus does Allah explain (the truth) through examples.” Tafseer (Explanation)Verse 16: This verse presents a logical argument for God’s Oneness (Tawhid). The questions are posed to make the disbelievers reflect:
– Rhetorical Questions: The “blind” refers to one who cannot see the signs of Allah in the universe, while the “seeing” is one who can perceive the Creator in everything. “Darkness” signifies the ignorance of disbelief, and “light” is the knowledge of the truth. These are not equal.
– The Core Argument: Since the disbelievers themselves admit that their false deities created nothing and have no power, there is no rational basis for worshipping them alongside Allah, the One and Only Creator.

Verse 17: This verse offers a powerful parable for the eternal nature of truth and the transient nature of falsehood:
– The Parable of Water: The knowledge revealed by Allah is like life-giving rain. Believers absorb this knowledge according to their capacity, like riverbeds filling with water. The loud objections and false arguments of opponents are like the scum that appears on the surface but is ultimately worthless and vanishes.
– The Parable of Metal: Similarly, when metal is heated to purify it and create valuable ornaments, scum rises to the top. Likewise, when society is tested through trials, the true believers are purified, and insincere people (the “scum”) are exposed and removed.

I hope this provides you with a clear and comprehensive understanding of these verses. Would you like to see the Tafseer for the subsequent verses that discuss the outcome for those who respond to their Lord?

Tafseer

Of course. I apologize for the confusion. You are right, I provided the Tafseer from Tafheem-ul-Quran in my first response.

To make it perfectly clear, here is the Tafseer of Surah Ar-Ra’d, Verses 16 and 17, exclusively from Tafheem-ul-Quran by Sayyid Abul A’la Maududi.

📖 Tafseer from Tafheem-ul-Quran (Verses 13:16-17)

Arabic Verses:
قُلۡ مَنۡ رَّبُّ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِؕ قُلِ اللّٰهُؕ قُلۡ اَفَاتَّخَذۡتُمۡ مِّنۡ دُوۡنِهٖۤ اَوۡلِيَآءَ لَا يَمۡلِكُوۡنَ لِاَنفُسِهِمۡ نَفۡعًا وَّلَا ضَرًّاؕ قُلۡ هَلۡ يَسۡتَوِى الۡاَعۡمٰى وَالۡبَصِيۡرُ ۙ اَمۡ هَلۡ تَسۡتَوِى الظُّلُمٰتُ وَالنُّوۡرُ ۚ اَمۡ جَعَلُوۡا لِلّٰهِ شُرَكَآءَ خَلَقُوۡا كَخَلۡقِهٖ فَتَشَابَهَ الۡخَـلۡقُ عَلَيۡهِمۡؕ قُلِ اللّٰهُ خَالِـقُ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ وَّهُوَ الۡوَاحِدُ الۡقَهَّارُ ﴿١٦﴾ اَنۡزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَسَالَتۡ اَوۡدِيَةٌۢ بِقَدَرِهَا فَاحۡتَمَلَ السَّيۡلُ زَبَدًا رَّابِيًا ؕ وَمِمَّا يُوۡقِدُوۡنَ عَلَيۡهِ فِى النَّارِ ابۡتِغَآءَ حِلۡيَةٍ اَوۡ مَتَاعٍ زَبَدٌ مِّثۡلُهٗ ؕ كَذٰلِكَ يَضۡرِبُ اللّٰهُ الۡحَـقَّ وَالۡبَاطِلَ ؕ فَاَمَّا الزَّبَدُ فَيَذۡهَبُ جُفَآءً ۚ وَاَمَّا مَا يَنۡفَعُ النَّاسَ فَيَمۡكُثُ فِى الۡاَرۡضِؕ كَذٰلِكَ يَضۡبُ اللّٰهُ الۡاَمۡثَالَ ﴿١٧﴾

Tafseer of Verse 16:

This verse presents a series of powerful, logical arguments to dismantle polytheism (Shirk) and affirm the Oneness of Allah (Tawhid).

  1. The Fundamental Question: “Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?” This question is posed to force the polytheists to admit the foundational truth they already concede—that Allah is the Supreme Creator and Sustainer.
  2. The Illogic of Shirk: Once they admit Allah is the Lord, the follow-up question exposes the absurdity of their practice: “Have you taken beside Him as your patrons those who do not have the power to benefit or to hurt even themselves?” How can powerless entities, incapable of even helping themselves, be considered divine protectors or intercessors?
  3. Analogies of Inequality: The verse then draws two stark contrasts to show that belief and disbelief are not equal:
    • “Can the blind and the seeing be deemed equals?” Here, ‘the blind’ refers to one who is spiritually blind and cannot see the signs of Allah in the universe, while ‘the seeing’ is the believer who perceives the truth.
    • “Can light and darkness be deemed equals?” ‘Darkness’ signifies the ignorance, misguidance, and doubt of disbelief, while ‘light’ is the clear guidance, knowledge, and certainty of faith.
  4. The Final Challenge: The argument culminates by challenging the core of Shirk: “Have those whom they associate with Allah… ever created anything like what Allah did?” The polytheists’ own admission that their idols created nothing should make the matter clear. The verse ends with the ultimate conclusion: “Allah is the creator of everything. He is the One, the Irresistible.”

Tafseer of Verse 17:

This verse provides a brilliant parable to illustrate the eternal nature of truth (Haqq) and the transient nature of falsehood (Batil).

  1. The Parable of Rain:
    • “Allah sends down water from the heavens…” This represents the divine revelation, the Qur’an, and the truth sent by Allah.
    • “…and the river-beds flow, each according to its measure…” This symbolizes human hearts. Just as valleys hold and channel water according to their size and capacity, human hearts accept and hold the truth according to their own spiritual readiness and capability.
    • “…and the torrent carries along a swelling scum.” When rain falls, it stirs up foam and scum that floats on the surface. This represents the doubts, objections, false arguments, and insincere motives that arise when the truth is presented. It is flashy and noticeable but ultimately hollow and temporary.
  2. The Parable of Metal:
    • “…from that metal which they smelt in the fire to make ornaments and utensils, there arises scum like it.” To purify gold or silver, it is heated, and impurities rise to the top as scum. Similarly, when society is tested through trials and the “fire” of challenges, the true, valuable believers are distinguished from the insincere and hypocritical “scum.”
  3. The Ultimate Lesson:
    • “Thus does Allah depict truth and falsehood.” The purpose of these parables is made clear.
    • “As for the scum, it passes away as dross…” Falsehood, no matter how loud or prominent it seems, is inherently worthless and will inevitably vanish and be forgotten.
    • “…but that which benefits mankind abides on the earth.” The pure water that quenches thirst and allows crops to grow, and the pure metal that is used for good—this is the truth. It is what truly benefits humanity and remains forever.

This is the consistent law of Allah: falsehood may appear dominant for a time, but it is always temporary, while the truth is enduring and ultimately prevails.

Verse-by-Verse Analysis

Corruption of elite leads to destruction of Nations

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Quran 17:16 is a verse from Surah Al-Isra

This surah addresses themes such as moral guidance, and warnings about the consequences of disobedience to God.

Translation of the Verse

A common English translation of Quran 17:16 is: “And when We intend to destroy a town, We command its affluent ones [to obedience], but they defiantly disobey therein; so the word comes into effect upon it, and We destroy it with [complete] destruction.” 5 Variations in translations may emphasize slightly different nuances, such as “We send a definite order to those among them who are given the good things of this life” or “We let the leaders commit corruption,” but the core idea remains consistent across interpretations. 3

Explanation and Context

This verse outlines a divine principle or “law of requital” for societies and nations. According to Islamic exegesis (tafsir), it describes how God deals with communities on the brink of moral and spiritual decline:

  • The Process of Destruction: Before a town or society is destroyed, God first “commands” or grants prosperity and authority to its affluent or elite members (referred to as “mutrafiha” in Arabic, meaning those living in luxury or the well-to-do). 0 This can be seen as a test: the wealthy are given opportunities to follow righteousness, obey divine laws, and use their influence for good.
  • Transgression and Justification: Instead of heeding this, the elites often commit “fusuq” (sins, disobedience, or corruption) within the society. This widespread transgression justifies the divine decree of punishment, leading to the town’s utter destruction. 1 The verse implies that societal downfall starts from within, particularly from the corruption of those in power, rather than external forces alone.
  • Broader Implications: Commentators like Abul Ala Maududi explain that this highlights personal and collective responsibility. God does not punish without warning—often through messengers or signs—and destruction comes only after persistent disobedience. 2 It’s tied to the idea that conscience guides individuals, but when ignored by leaders, it leads to collective ruin. 6 Historical examples in the Quran, such as the people of Noah or other prophets, illustrate this pattern. 0

In essence, the verse serves as a warning that prosperity can be a trial, and corruption among the powerful invites divine intervention, emphasizing justice, accountability, and the inevitability of consequences for societal wrongs. Interpretations can vary slightly among scholars, but this is the general consensus from traditional tafsirs.