ﱤ ﱥ ﱦ ﱧ ﱨ ﱩ ﱪ ﱫ ﱬ ﱭ ﱮ ﱯ ﱰ ﱱ ﱲ ﱳ ﱴ ﱵ ﱶ ﱷ ﱸ ﱹ ﱺ ﱻ ﱼ ﱽ ﱾ ﱿ ﲀ ﲁ
And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, [saying], "Worship Allah and avoid Taghut." And among them were those whom Allah guided, and among them were those upon whom error was [deservedly] decreed. So proceed through the earth and observe how was the end of the deniers.
Tafsir
Verse range: 16:35-37
This is the third objection raised by those who deny prophethood. Their argument is structured as follows:
If God had willed for belief to occur, it would have happened whether the Prophet (PBUH) came or not. Similarly, if God had willed disbelief, it would have occurred regardless of the Prophet's presence. Therefore, everything originates from God Almighty, rendering the Prophet's coming and mission pointless. Thus, the claim of prophethood is false.
In this verse, there are several issues:
Know that this objection is identical to what God recounted about them in Surah Al-An'am: {The polytheists will say, "If Allah had willed, we would not have associated others with Him, nor would our fathers, nor would we have forbidden anything." Thus did those before them deny...} (Al-An'am: 148).
The Mu'tazila's reasoning based on this verse is the same as their reasoning regarding the previous one. Discussing it again would be redundant. However, we can briefly mention the core point:
Their objection is that since everything is from God, sending prophets becomes futile. We respond: This is an objection against God Almighty. Their statement—that if the mission of the Messenger brings no added benefit in achieving faith or repelling disbelief, then sending messengers is impermissible for God—is equivalent to demanding a reason (causality) for God's decrees and actions, which is invalid.
Rather, God Almighty is sovereign in His dominion and may decree and do whatever He wills. It is not permissible to ask Him, "Why did You do this, and why did You not do that?"
The evidence that this is the intended meaning is found at the end of this very verse, where God states: {And We did certainly send into every nation a messenger, [saying], "Worship Allah and avoid Taghut."} (An-Nahl: 36). Here, God clarifies that His established practice (Sunnah) for His servants is to send messengers commanding them to worship God and forbidding them from worshipping false deities.
Then God says: {And of them were some whom Allah guided, and of them was one upon whom error was decreed.} (An-Nahl: 36). This means that even though God commanded everyone to believe and forbade everyone from disbelief, He guided some and decreed misguidance for others. This is an ancient practice of God concerning His servants: He commands all to believe and forbids all from disbelief, yet He creates faith in some and disbelief in others.
Since God's practice in this regard is ancient, applying to all prophets and all nations, and since such action is befitting of Him as a God, free from the objections of critics, raising this question by these disbelievers demonstrates their ignorance, misguidance, and distance from God.
Therefore, it is established that God decreed upon them the deserving consequence of disgrace and cursing, not because they lied in saying, "If Allah had willed, we would not have worshipped other than Him," but because they believed that this fact invalidates the permissibility of sending prophets and messengers. This belief is false, hence they deserved further condemnation and cursing for this conviction. This is the sound answer relied upon in this matter.
As for the scholars and commentators preceding us, they offered another view: that the polytheists uttered these words mockingly, similar to what the people of Shu'ayb (peace be upon him) said to him: {You are surely the forbearing, the right-minded!} (Hud: 87). If they had said this believing it, they would have been believers. And Allah knows best.
After recounting this objection, God says: {Thus did those before them do.} (An-Nahl: 37). Meaning, these disbelievers clung to this same objection.
Then God asks: {So is there upon the messengers except [the clear] delivery [of the message]?} (An-Nahl: 37).
Our companions use the verse: {And We did certainly send into every nation a messenger, [saying], "Worship Allah and avoid Taghut."} (An-Nahl: 36). This indicates that God has always commanded faith and forbidden disbelief in all nations and religions.
Then God says: {And of them were some whom Allah guided, and of them was one upon whom error was decreed.} (An-Nahl: 36). This means: some were guided by God to faith, truth, and righteousness, while others were led astray from the truth, blinded from the truth, and caused to fall into disbelief and error.
This proves that God's command does not necessarily align with His will (Irādah). Rather, He may command something while not willing it, and forbid something while willing it—this is our doctrine (Ahl al-Sunnah). In summary, the Mu'tazila claim that command and will are identical. We say that knowledge and will may differ. The wording of this verse explicitly supports our view: the command to believe is general for everyone, but the will for faith is specific to some, not others.
Al-Jubba'i's Response: He argued that {of them were some whom Allah guided} means guided to attain His reward and Paradise, and {of them was one upon whom error was decreed} means decreed punishment. He argued that the phrase ḥaqqat (was decreed/justified) implies punishment, not the word of disbelief, because disbelief and sin cannot justly be described as ḥaqq (justified/due). Furthermore, God says immediately after: {So travel through the earth and observe how was the end of those who denied [the truth]} (An-Nahl: 37). This end refers to the destruction that befell previous nations whom God annihilated with punishment, indicating that the mentioned ḍalālah (error) refers to the punishment of annihilation.
Al-Ka'bi's Response: He replied that {of them were some whom Allah guided} means whoever guided himself, thus being considered guided in God's judgment. And {of them was one upon whom error was decreed} means whose error became manifest, just as one says of an oppressor, "Your oppression has become manifest/justified." Alternatively, it could mean that it became incumbent upon God to misguide them if they strayed, like the verse: {And Allah leaves astray the wrongdoers} (Ibrahim: 27).
We have established in many verses with decisive rational proofs that guidance and misguidance can only originate from God Almighty; thus, repetition is unnecessary. We have repeatedly demonstrated the weakness and invalidity of these forced interpretations and strained explanations, so there is no need to reiterate them. And Allah knows best.
There are two opinions regarding Taghut:
The statement {And of them was one upon whom error was decreed} (An-Nahl: 36) supports our doctrine. Since God informed that error was decreed upon him, it becomes impossible for error not to issue from him; otherwise, God's truthful report would turn into a lie, which is impossible. Anything leading to the impossible is itself impossible. Therefore, the absence of error from them was impossible, and the existence of error from them was rationally necessary.
This verse, in these many aspects, proves the correctness of our doctrine. Similar verses include: {A party He guided, and a party upon whom error was decreed} (Al-A'raf: 30); {Indeed, those upon whom the decree of your Lord has been justly passed will not believe} (Yunus: 96); and {The word has justly been passed against most of them, so they do not believe} (Ya-Sin: 7).
Then God Almighty says: {So travel through the earth and observe how was the end of those who denied [the truth]} (An-Nahl: 37). The meaning is: Travel through the earth considering the lessons, so you may know that punishment will befall you just as it befell them.
Then He confirms that whoever has error decreed upon him will not be guided: {Whether you eagerly desire their guidance, [it is futile], for Allah does not guide those whom He leaves astray.} (An-Nahl: 37). Meaning, even if you strive hard for their guidance, God does not guide those whom He leaves astray. This verse contains several issues:
Then God says: {And they will have no helpers.} (An-Nahl: 37). Meaning, they will have no one to support them in achieving their goals in this world or the Hereafter.
I say: The beginning of these verses suggests the Mu'tazila position, while the end contains numerous points supporting our view. Most verses contain both aspects. And Allah knows best.
{And they swore by Allah with their strongest oaths, "Allah will not resurrect those who die." Say, "Yes, [He will], by my Lord. [It is] a true promise from Him, but most of the people do not know." [He will resurrect them] so that He may make clear to them that over which they were differing and so that those who disbelieved may know that they were liars. Indeed, Our word to a thing when We intend it is only that We say to it, "Be," and it is.}
They swore by Allah with their strongest oaths that God would not resurrect the dead.
God replied: "Yes, [He will], by my Lord. [It is] a true promise from Him, but most of the people do not know."
This is a firm oath by God's Lord (i.e., His essence) confirming the resurrection as a true promise. The reason most people do not know is their lack of deep reflection or true faith.
God will resurrect them for two purposes:
{Indeed, Our word to a thing when We intend it is only that We say to it, "Be," and it is.} (An-Nahl: 40).
This verse confirms the ease of resurrection. When God intends an action, His command is simply "Be," and it instantly exists. If creating something from nothing (initial creation) is possible by this simple command, then recreating it (resurrection) is even easier, as it involves returning to a known state. This refutes their denial based on the perceived difficulty of bringing back decayed bones. And Allah knows best.
