16:1  God's help will certainly support (the believers), so pagans do not (seek) to hasten it. God is too Glorious and Exalted to be considered equal to idols

16:2  He sends the angels with the Spirit to carry His orders to whichever of His servants He wants so that they would warn people that He is the only God and that people must have fear of Him

16:3  He has created the heavens and the earth for a genuine purpose. He is too Exalted to be considered equal to anything else

16:4  He created the human being from a drop of fluid but the human being openly disputes His Word

16:5  He created cattle which provide you with clothes, food, and other benefits

16:6  How beautiful you find them when you bring them home and when you drive them out to graze

16:7  They carry your heavy loads to lands which you would not have been able to reach without great difficulty. Your Lord is certainly Compassionate and All-Merciful

16:8  He created horses, mules, and donkeys for you to ride and as a means of beauty. He has also created things that you do not know

16:9  Some paths lead away from God but one must follow the path that leads to God. Had God wanted, He could have guided (all to the right path)

16:10  It is God who sends down water from the sky for you to drink and produces plants as pasture for your cattle

16:11  (With this water) He causes corn, olives, palm-trees, vines, and all kinds of fruits to grow. In this there is evidence (of the existence of God) for the people of understanding

16:12  God has made the day and the night, the sun and the moon, and all the stars subservient to you by His command. In this there is evidence of the truth for people of understanding

16:13  All that He has created for you on the earth are of different colors. In this there is evidence of the Truth for the people who take heed

16:14  It is God who put the oceans at your disposal so that you could find therein fresh fish for food and ornaments with which to deck yourselves with. You will find ships that sail for you so that you may travel in search of the bounties of God and give Him thanks

16:15  God has fixed the mountains on earth lest you should be hurled away when it quakes. Therein He has also made rivers and roads so that you will find your way

16:16  The stars and other signs also help people to find their way

16:17  Is the One who can create equal to the one who cannot create anything? Why, then, will you not consider

16:18  Even if you wanted to count up all of God's blessings, you would not be able to. God is All-forgiving and All-merciful

16:19  God knows all that you conceal or reveal

16:20  Whatever (idols) they worship besides God can create nothing for they are themselves created

16:21  They are not living but are dead. They can not know when they will be raised

16:22  Your Lord is only One. The hearts of those who do not believe in the life hereafter dislike (the truth). They are puffed up with pride

16:23  God certainly knows whatever you conceal or reveal. He does not love the proud ones

16:24  When they are asked, "What has your Lord revealed to you?" they say, "Only ancient legends"

16:25  Besides their own burdens, on the Day of Judgment ,they will have to carry on the burdens of those whom they have misled without knowledge. How evil that burden will be

16:26  Those who went before them had also devised evil plans. God demolished their houses, destroying their very foundations. Their ceilings toppled on their heads and torment struck them from a direction which they had never expected

16:27  God will humiliate them on the Day of Judgment and ask them, "Where are the idols which you had considered equal to Me and which were the cause of hostility and animosity among you?" The people who were given knowledge will say, "It is the unbelievers who face disgrace and trouble on this day."

16:28  The unjust, who will be seized by the angels, will submit themselves, obey, and say, "We were not evil-doers." But God certainly knows what they had been doing

16:29  They will be commanded to enter hell to live therein forever. How terrible will be the place of the proud ones

16:30  The pious ones will be asked, "What did your Lord reveal to you?" They will reply, "He revealed only good." The share of the righteous ones is virtue in this world and greater virtue in the life to come. How blessed will be the dwelling of the pious ones

16:31  They will be admitted into the gardens of Eden wherein steams flow and they will have therein whatever they want. This is how God will reward the pious ones

16:32  They will be received by the angels of mercy with the greeting, "Peace be with you. Enter Paradise as a reward for your good deeds."

16:33  Are they (the disbelievers) waiting for the angels and the decree of your Lord to be fulfilled before they believe? The people who lived before them had also done the same thing. God did not do injustice to them, but they wronged themselves

16:34  The evil consequences of their deeds afflicted them and they were surrounded by what they had mocked

16:35  The pagans had said, "Had God wanted we would not have worshipped anything other than Him, nor would our fathers. We would not have forbidden anything without (a command from) Him." The same thing was said by the people who lived before them. Are the Messengers expected to do more than just preach

16:36  To every nation We sent a Messenger who told its people, "Worship God and stay away from satan." Some of them were guided by God and others were doomed to go astray. Travel through the land and see how terrible was the end for those who rejected the truth

16:37  (Muhammad), even though you have a strong desire to guide them, be sure that God will not guide those who have gone astray and no one will be able to help them

16:38  They strongly swear by God that God will not bring the dead to life. God's promise (of the Resurrection) will certainly come true but many people do not know

16:39  (Through the resurrection) God wants to make a clear distinction between right and wrong and make the unbelievers know that they were liars

16:40  When We want to bring something into existence, Our command is, "Exist," and it comes into existence

16:41  God settles those who leave their homes for His cause after having suffered injustice, in a prosperous dwelling in this life and greater rewards will be theirs in the life to come. Would that they knew this

16:42  (It is they) who have exercised patience and trust in their Lord

16:43  The Messengers whom We sent before you were mere mortals to whom We had sent with miracles and revelations. Ask those who know about the heavenly Books if you do not know about this

16:44  We have revealed the Quran to you so that you could tell the people what has been revealed to them and so that perhaps they will think

16:45  Can they who have devised evil plans expect to be safe from the command of God to the earth to swallow them up, or from a torment which might strike them from an unexpected direction

16:46  Are they confident that God will not seize them while they are on a journey? They will not be able to escape from God

16:47  Are they confident that God will not slowly destroy them? Your Lord is Compassionate and All-merciful

16:48  Can they not see that the shadows of whatever God has created turn to the right and to the left in prostration and submission to Him

16:49  Whatever is in the heavens and the earth, the cattle and the angels prostrate themselves before God without pride

16:50  They (angels) have fear of their Lord above them and fulfill His commands

16:51  God says, "Do not worship two gods. There is only One God. Have fear of Me"

16:52  To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. God's retribution is severe. Should you then have fear of anyone other than God

16:53  Whatever bounties you have are from God. When hardship befalls you, you begin to cry out to Him

16:54  When He saves you from the hardship, some of you start to believe in idols

16:55  In the end you will reject Our bounties. Enjoy yourselves; you will soon know (the consequences of your deeds)

16:56  They give to unknown images a share out of the sustenance that We gave them. By God, you will be questioned about that which you have falsely invented

16:57  They ascribe daughters to God, God is too Exalted to have daughters, but they can have whatever they want

16:58  When the glad news of the birth of their daughter is brought to them, their faces turn gloomy and black with anger

16:59  They try to hide themselves from the people because of the disgrace of such news. Will they keep their new born despite the disgrace or bury it alive? How sinful is their Judgment

16:60  Those who do not believe in the life to come are evil examples. To God belongs all the exalted attributes; He is the Majestic and the All-wise

16:61  Was God to seize people immediately for their injustice, no living creature would be left on earth. He gives them respite for an appointed time. When their term is over, they will not be able to change the inevitable

16:62  They ascribe to God that which even they themselves do not like and their lying tongues say that their end will be virtuous. Their share will certainly be hell fire to which they are earnestly heading

16:63  By God, We sent (Messengers) to nations who lived before you. Satan made their deeds seem attractive to them and, on the Day of Judgment, satan will be their guardian. For them there will be a painful punishment

16:64  We have sent you the Book for no other reason than to settle their differences and to be a guide and mercy for those who believe

16:65  God has sent down water from the sky and has brought the dead earth to life. In this there is evidence (of the truth) for those who listen (carefully)

16:66  There is a lesson for you to learn concerning cattle. We provide pleasant milk for you to drink within the delicate system of their veins and arteries

16:67  The fruit of palm trees and vines which provide you with sugar and delicious food also provide a lesson and evidence (of the Truth) for the people of understanding

16:68  Your Lord inspired the bees, "Make hives in the mountains, in the trees and in the trellises

16:69  then eat of every fruit and follow the path of your Lord submissively." From out of their bellies comes a drink of different color in which there is a cure for the human being. In this there is evidence (of the truth) for the people of understanding

16:70  God has created you and He causes you to die. Some of you will grow to an extremely old age and lose your memory. God is All-knowing and Almighty

16:71  God has made some of you richer than others. The rich ones do not have to give away their property to their slaves to make them equally rich. Do they reject the bounties of God

16:72  God has created spouses for you from your own selves. He has created your sons and grandsons from your spouses and has given you pure things for your sustenance. Do they then believe in falsehood and reject the bounties of God

16:73  Do they worship things other than God which neither provide them with any sustenance from the heavens and the earth nor have the ability to do so

16:74  Do not consider anything equal to God. God knows that which you do not know

16:75  God tells a parable about a helpless servant and one to whom He has given honorable provisions and who has spent for the cause of God privately and in public. Can these two people be considered equal? It is only God who deserves all praise, but most people do not know

16:76  God tells a parable about two men. One of them is dumb and useless and a burden on his friend. Wherever he goes, he returns with nothing. Can he be considered equal to the one who maintains justice and follows the right path

16:77  To God belongs all the secrets of the heavens and the earth. It only takes God a twinkling of an eye or even less to make it the Day of Judgment. God has power over all things

16:78  When God brought you out of your mothers wombs, you knew nothing. He gave you ears, eyes, and hearts so that perhaps you would give Him thanks

16:79  Have you not considered the free movements of the birds high in the sky above? What keeps them aloft except God? In this there is evidence (of the truth) for the believing people

16:80  God has made your house the place for you to rest. He has also made homes for you out of the skins of cattle which are easy to carry along on a journey or at a camp. He has made wool, fur and the hair of cattle a temporary means of enjoyment for you

16:81  God has provided shade for you out of what He has created and places of retreat out of mountains. He has given you garments to protect you from the heat and cover your private parts. This is how He perfects His bounties to you so that perhaps you would submit to His will

16:82  (Muhammad), if they turn away, your only duty is to clearly preach to them

16:83  They recognize the bounties of God but they refuse them and most of them are unbelievers

16:84  On the day when We will call a witness from every nation, the disbelievers will not be given permission for anything, nor will they be allowed to seek solicitation

16:85  There will be no relief for them when the torment approaches the unjust nor will they be given any respite

16:86  When the idolators see their idols, they will say, "Lord, these are the idols whom we worshipped instead of you." But the idols will say, "They are liars."

16:87  (On the Day of Judgment) the disbelievers will submit themselves to God and whatever they had falsely invented will disappear

16:88  The disbelievers who had created obstacles in the way leading to God will face manifold torments as a result of their evil deeds

16:89  On the day when We call a witness against every nation from their own people, We will call you, (Muhammad), as a witness against them all. We have sent you the Book which clarifies all matters. It is a guide, a mercy, and glad news to the Muslims

16:90  God commands (people) to maintain justice, kindness, and proper relations with their relatives. He forbids them to commit indecency, sin, and rebellion. God gives you advice so that perhaps you will take heed

16:91  (He commands people) to keep their established covenants with God, not to disregard their firm oaths; they have already appointed God as their Guarantor. God certainly knows what you do

16:92  Do not be like the lady behind the spinning wheel who has broken the yarn by pulling it with unnecessary force. You must not consider your oaths as means of deceit to benefit one party and incur loss upon the other. God tests your faith by your oaths. He will make clear to you who was right and who was wrong on the Day of Judgment

16:93  Had God wanted, He would have made you one single nation but He guides or causes to go astray whomever He wants. You will certainly be questioned about what you have done

16:94  Do not consider your oaths as a means of deceit lest you damage the firmness of your faith, suffer from evil by creating obstacles in the way that leads to God, and incur a great torment upon yourselves

16:95  Do not sell your covenant with God for a small price. The reward which you will receive from God is better for you, if only you knew it

16:96  Whatever you possess is transient and whatever is with God is everlasting. We will recompense those who exercise patience with their due reward and even more

16:97  All righteously believing male or female will be granted a blessed happy life and will receive their due reward and more

16:98  (Muhammad), when you recite the Quran, seek refuge in God from the mischief of satan

16:99  Satan has certainly no authority over the believers who have trust in their Lord

16:100  The only authority which he has is over his friends and those who consider things equal to God

16:101  When God replaces one revelation with another, He knows best what to reveal. But they say, "(Muhammad), you have falsely invented it." Most people are ignorant

16:102  (Muhammad), say, "The Holy Spirit has brought the Quran from your Lord to you in all truth to strengthen the faith of the believers and to be a guide and glad news for the Muslims"

16:103  We know that they say a mere mortal has taught it (the Quran) to him (Muhammad). The language of the person whom they think has taught it to him is not Arabic. This (the Quran) is in illustrious Arabic

16:104  God will not guide those who do not believe in His miracles. They will suffer a painful punishment

16:105  Those who do not believe in the miracles of God invent lies and they are liars

16:106  No one verbally denounces his faith in God - unless he is forced - but his heart is confident about his faith. But those whose breasts have become open to disbelief will be subject to the wrath of God and will suffer a great torment

16:107  This is because they have given preference to this life over the life to come and God does not guide disbelieving people

16:108  God has sealed their hearts, ears and eyes and they are not aware of it

16:109  On the Day of Judgment they will certainly be lost

16:110  Those who left their homes for the cause of God after they had been persecuted, strove hard for His cause and exercised patience should know (even though they had verbally renounced their faith) that your Lord is All-forgiving and All-merciful

16:111  On the Day of Judgment every soul shall try to defend itself and every soul will be justly recompensed

16:112  God tells a parable about a secure and peaceful town surrounded by abundant sustenance. Its inhabitants rejected the bounties of God and He caused them to suffer hunger and fear as a result of their deeds

16:113  A Messenger from their own people came to them and they called him a liar. Torment struck them because of their injustice

16:114  (People), consume the pure and lawful sustenance which God has given to you and thank God for his bounty if you are His true worshippers

16:115  The only things which are made unlawful for you are the flesh of dead animals, blood, pork and that which is not consecrated with the Name of God. But in an emergency, without the intention of transgression and rebellion, (it is not an offense for one to consume such things). God is certainly All-forgiving and All-merciful

16:116  (Unbelievers), do not follow whatever your lying tongues may tell you is lawful or unlawful to invent lies against God. Those who invent lies against God will have no happiness

16:117  (Such an invention) will bring only a little enjoyment but will be followed by painful torment

16:118  We had made unlawful for the Jews all that we told you before. We did not do any wrong to them but they wronged themselves

16:119  To those who commit sins in their ignorance then repent and reform, your Lord is certainly All-forgiving and All-merciful

16:120  Abraham was, certainly, an obedient and upright person. He was not a pagan

16:121  He was thankful to God for His bounties. God chose him and guided him to the right path

16:122  We granted him virtue in this life and he shall be among the righteous ones in the life to come

16:123  We sent you, (Muhammad), a revelation that you should follow the tradition of Abraham, the upright one, who was not a pagan

16:124  (The observance) of the Sabbath was only sanctioned for those who disputed it. Your Lord will certainly issue His decree about their dispute on the Day of Judgment

16:125  Call (the pagans) to the path of your Lord through wisdom and good advice and argue with them in the best manner. God knows well about those who stray from His path and those who seek guidance

16:126  If you want retaliation, let it be equal to that which you faced. But if you exercise patience it will be better for you

16:127  Exercise patience and let it be only for the cause of God. Do not be grieved about them nor disappointed at their evil plans

16:128  God is certainly with the pious and the righteous ones