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Surah An-Nahl, Ayah 76 (16:76)

ٱلنَّحْل

وَضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًا رَّجُلَيْنِ أَحَدُهُمَآ أَبْكَمُ لَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍ وَهُوَ كَلٌّ عَلَىٰ …

Quran 16:76 is ayah 76 of Surah An-Nahl (“The Bee”), a Meccan surah of 128 ayahs. It is in Juz 14, on page 275 of the Madani Mushaf.

16:76
وَضَرَبَٱللَّهُمَثَلًارَّجُلَيْنِأَحَدُهُمَآأَبْكَمُلَايَقْدِرُعَلَىٰشَىْءٍوَهُوَكَلٌّعَلَىٰمَوْلَىٰهُأَيْنَمَايُوَجِّههُّلَايَأْتِبِخَيْرٍ ۖهَلْيَسْتَوِىهُوَوَمَنيَأْمُرُبِٱلْعَدْلِ ۙوَهُوَعَلَىٰصِرَٰطٍمُّسْتَقِيمٍ٧٦
waḍaraba l-lahu mathalan rajulayni aḥaduhumā abkamu lā yaqdiru ʿalā shayin wahuwa kallun ʿalā mawlāhu aynamā yuwajjihhu lā yati bikhayrin hal yastawī huwa waman yamuru bil-ʿadli wahuwa ʿalā ṣirāṭin mus'taqīmin

And Allāh presents an example of two men, one of them dumb and unable to do a thing, while he is a burden to his guardian. Wherever he directs him, he brings no good. Is he equal to one who commands justice, while he is on a straight path?(76)

Word by word

  1. وَضَرَبَwaḍarabaAnd Allah sets forth
  2. ٱللَّهُl-lahuAnd Allah sets forth
  3. مَثَلًاmathalanan example
  4. رَّجُلَيْنِrajulayni(of) two men
  5. أَحَدُهُمَآaḥaduhumāone of them
  6. أَبْكَمُabkamu(is) dumb
  7. لَاlānot
  8. يَقْدِرُyaqdiruhe has power
  9. عَلَىٰʿalāon
  10. شَىْءٍshayinanything
  11. وَهُوَwahuwawhile he
  12. كَلٌّkallun(is) a burden
  13. عَلَىٰʿalāon
  14. مَوْلَىٰهُmawlāhuhis master
  15. أَيْنَمَاaynamāWherever
  16. يُوَجِّههُّyuwajjihhuhe directs him
  17. لَاlānot
  18. يَأْتِyatihe comes
  19. بِخَيْرٍ ۖbikhayrinwith any good
  20. هَلْhalIs
  21. يَسْتَوِىyastawīequal
  22. هُوَhuwahe
  23. وَمَنwamanand (the one) who
  24. يَأْمُرُyamurucommands
  25. بِٱلْعَدْلِ ۙbil-ʿadli[of] justice
  26. وَهُوَwahuwaand he
  27. عَلَىٰʿalā(is) on
  28. صِرَٰطٍṣirāṭina path
  29. مُّسْتَقِيمٍmus'taqīminstraight

Tafsir (commentary) of 16:76

Available in English, Bengali, Urdu, Arabic, Russian.

English · EnglishTafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Another Example

Mujahid said, "This also refers to idols and the True God, may He be exalted." Meaning that the idol is dumb and cannot speak or say anything, good or otherwise. It cannot do anything at all, no words, no action, it is dependent and is a burden on its master.

أَيْنَمَا يُوَجِّههُّ

(whichever way he directs him,) meaning, wherever he sends him

لاَ يَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ

(he brings no good.) meaning, he does not succeed in what he wants.

هَلْ يَسْتَوِى

(Is such a man equal) meaning, a man who has these attributes

وَمَن يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ

(to one who commands justice) meaning fairness, one whose words are true and whose deeds are righteous.

وَهُوَ عَلَى صِرَطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ

(and is himself on the straight path) Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said: "This is also an example of the disbeliever and the believer", as in the previous Ayah.

Read the full Surah An-Nahl