The Bee — Verse 55
16:55 · an-Nahl
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لِیَكۡفُرُوا۟ بِمَاۤ ءَاتَیۡنَـٰهُمۡۚ فَتَمَتَّعُوا۟ فَسَوۡفَ تَعۡلَمُونَ ٥٥
liyakfurū bimā ātaynāhum fatamattaʿū fasawfa taʿlamūn
The Bee / an-Nahl (16:55)
Connections 4 single-source 1 commentator
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No verses on this ayah are cited by 2 or more commentators using numeric S:A notation. All extracted references come from a single source's commentary.
Single-source mentions (4) cited by only one commentator
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Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) 4 verses
Note: these connections are extracted from numeric S:A references inside the commentary text and are therefore biased toward mufassirun who use that notation. Prose-style references (e.g. "Surat al-Baqarah verse 30") will be added later, which should surface additional multi-source consensus.
Let them show ingratitude for the favours We have shown them; ‘Enjoy your brief time- soon you will know.’
liyakfurū bimā ātaynāhum fatamattaʿū fasawfa taʿlamūn
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Tafsir Commentary
Allah Alone is Deserving of Worship
Allah tells us that there is no god but He, and that no one else should be worshipped except Him, alone, without partners, for He is the Sovereign, Creator, and Lord of all things.
وَلَهُ الدِّينُ وَاصِبًا
(His is the religion Wasiba) Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Maymun bin Mahran, As-Suddi, Qatadah and others said that this means forever. It was also reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "It means obligatory." Mujahid said: "It means purely for Him," i.e., worship is due to Him Alone, from whoever is in the heavens and on earth. As Allah says:
أَفَغَيْرَ دِينِ اللَّهِ يَبْغُونَ وَلَهُ أَسْلَمَ مَن فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ طَوْعًا وَكَرْهًا وَإِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ
(Do they seek other than the religion of Allah, while to Him submitted all creatures in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly. And to Him shall they all be returned.) (3:83) This is in accordance with the opinion of Ibn `Abbas and `Ikrimah, which is that this Ayah is merely stating the case. According to the opinion of Mujahid, it is by way of instruction, i.e., it is saying: You had better fear associating partners in worship with Me, and be sincere in your obedience to Me. As Allah says:
أَلاَ لِلَّهِ الدِّينُ الْخَالِصُ
(Surely, the pure religion (sincere devotion) is for Allah only.) (39:3) Then Allah tells us that He is the One Who has the power to benefit and harm, and that the provisions, blessings, good health and help, His servants enjoy are from His bounty and graciousness towards them.
ثُمَّ إِذَا مَسَّكُمُ الضُّرُّ فَإِلَيْهِ تَجْـَرُونَ
(Then, when harm touches you, to Him you cry aloud for help.) meaning because you know that none has the power to remove that harm except for Him, so when you are harmed, you turn to ask Him for help and beg Him for aid. As Allah says:
وَإِذَا مَسَّكُمُ الْضُّرُّ فِى الْبَحْرِ ضَلَّ مَن تَدْعُونَ إِلاَ إِيَّاهُ فَلَمَّا نَجَّـكُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ أَعْرَضْتُمْ وَكَانَ الإِنْسَـنُ كَفُورًا
(And when harm touches you at sea, those that you call upon vanish, except for Him. But when He brings you safe to land, you turn away. And man is ever ungrateful.)(17:67) Here, Allah tells us:
ثُمَّ إِذَا كَشَفَ الضُّرَّ عَنْكُمْ إِذَا فَرِيقٌ مِّنْكُم بِرَبِّهِمْ يُشْرِكُونَ لِيَكْفُرُواْ بِمَآ ءاتَيْنَـهُمْ
(Then, when He has removed the harm from you, behold! some of you associate others in worship with their Lord (Allah). So they are ungrateful for that which We have given them!) (16:54-55) It was said that the Lam here (translated as "So") is an indicator of sequence, or that it serves an explanatory function, meaning, `We decreed that they would conceal the truth and deny the blessings that Allah has bestowed upon them. He is the One Who bestows blessings and the One Who removes distress.' Then Allah threatens them, saying:
فَتَمَتَّعُواْ
(Then enjoy yourselves) meaning, do what you like and enjoy what you have for a little while.
فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ
(but you will soon come to know.) meaning the consequences of that.
in order to deny that grace which We have given them. So enjoy that consent of yours to worship idols an imperative meant as a threat for soon you shall know the consequence of this.
in order to deny that which We have given them. So enjoy, for soon you shall know, the evil consequence of that belief for them. Or [it is that]: you shall know at the manifestation of [His] unity that nothing other than God has the power of effect over anything.
in order to deny that which We have given them. So enjoy, for soon you shall know, the evil consequence of that belief for them. Or [it is that]: you shall know at the manifestation of [His] unity that nothing other than God has the power of effect over anything.
ليجحدوا نعمنا عليهم، ومنها كَشْفُ البلاء عنهم، فاستمتعوا بدنياكم، ومصيرها إلى الزوال، فسوف تعلمون عاقبة كفركم وعصيانكم.
وقال ههنا "ثم إذا كشف الضر عنكم إذا فريق منكم بربهم يشركون ليكفروا بما آتيناهم" قيل اللام ههنا لام العاقبة وقيل لام التعليل بمعنى قيضنا لهم ذلك ليكفروا أي يستروا ويجحدوا نعم الله عليهم وأنه المسدي إليهم النعم الكاشف عنهم النقم ثم توعدهم قائلا "فتمتعوا" أي اعملوا ما شئتم وتمتعوا بما أنتم فيه قليلا "فسوف تعلمون" أي عاقبة ذلك.
وقوله - سبحانه - ( ثُمَّ إِذَا مَسَّكُمُ الضر فَإِلَيْهِ تَجْأَرُونَ ثُمَّ إِذَا كَشَفَ الضر عَنْكُمْ إِذَا فَرِيقٌ مِّنْكُم بِرَبِّهِمْ يُشْرِكُونَ ) بيان لطبيعة الإِنسان ، ولموقفه من خالقه - عز وجل - والضر : يشمل المرض والبلاء والفقر وكل ما يتضرر منه الإِنسان .وقوله ( تجأرون ) من الجؤار بمعنى - رفع الصوت بالاستغاثة وطلب العون ، يقال : جأر فلان يجأر جأرا وجؤارا ، إذا رفع صوته بالدعاء وتضرع واستغاث وأصله : صياح الوحش .
( لِيَكْفُرُوا بِمَا آتَيْنَاهُمْ ) يقول: ليجحدوا الله نعمته فيما آتاهم من كشف الضرّ عنهم ( فَتَمَتَّعُوا فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ ) ، وهذا من الله وعيد لهؤلاء الذين وصف صفتهم في هذه الآيات ، وتهديد لهم، يقول لهم جلّ ثناؤه: تمتعوا في هذه الحياة الدنيا إلى أن توافيكم آجالكم، وتبلغوا الميقات الذي وقته لحياتكم وتمتعكم فيها، فإنكم من ذلك ستصيرون إلى ربكم، فتعلمون بلقائه وبال ما كسبت أيديكم، وتعرفون سوء مغبة أمركم، وتندمون حين لا ينفعكم الندم.
( ليكفروا ) ليجحدوا ، [ وهذه اللام تسمى لام العاقبة ، أي : حاصل أمرهم هو كفرهم ] ( بما آتيناهم ) أعطيناهم من النعماء وكشف الضراء والبلاء ، ( فتمتعوا ) أي : عيشوا في الدنيا المدة التي ضربتها لكم ، ( فسوف تعلمون ) عاقبة أمركم . هذا وعيد لهم .
لام التعليل متعلّقة بفعل { يشركون } [ سورة النحل : 54 ] الذي هو من جواب قوله تعالى : { إذا كشف الضر عنكم } [ سورة النحل : 54 ]. والكفر هنا كفر النّعمة ، ولذلك علّق به قوله تعالى : { بما آتيناهم } أي من النّعم . وكفر النّعمة ليس هو الباعث على الإشراك فإن إشراكهم سابق على ذلك وقد استصحبوه عقب كشف الضرّ عنهم ، ولكن شبهت مقارنة عودهم إلى الشرك بعد كشف الضرّ عنهم بمقارنة العلّة الباعثة على عمللٍ لذلك العمل . ووجه الشبه مبادرتهم لكفر النّعمة دون تريّث .فاستعير لهذه المقارنة لام التعليل ، وهي استعارة تبعيّة تمليحيّة تهكميّة ومثلها كثير الوقوع في القرآن . وقد سمى كثير من النحاة هذه اللام لام العاقبة ، ومثالها عندهم قوله تعالى : { فالتقطه آل فرعون ليكون لهم عدواً وحزناً } [ سورة القصص : 8 ] ، وقد بيّناها في مواضع آخرُها عند قوله تعالى { ليحملوا أوزارهم كاملة يوم القيامة } في هذه السورة [ النحل : 25 ] وضمير { ليكفروا } عائد إلى { فريق } [ سورة النحل : 54 ] باعتبار دلالته على جمع من الناس .والإيتاء : الإعطاء . وهو مستعار للإنعام بالحالة النافعة ، لأن شأن الإعطاء أن يكون تمكيناً بالمأخوذ المحبوب .وعبّر بالموصول { بما آتيناهم } لما تؤذن به الصّلة من كونه نعمة تفظيعاً لكفرانهم بها ، لأن كفران النّعمة قبيح عند تجميع العقلاء .وفرع عليه مخاطبتهم بأمرهم بالتمتّع أمرَ إمهال وقلّة اكتراث بهم وهو في معنى التخلية .والتمتّع : الانتفاع بالمتاع . والمتاع الشيء الذي ينتفع به انتفاعاً محبوباً ويسرّ به . ويقال : تمتّع بكذا واستمتع . وتقدّم المتاع في آخر سورة براءة .والخطاب للفريق الذين يشركون بربّهم على طريقة الالتفات . والأظهر أنه مقول لقوللٍ محذوف . لأنه جاء مفرعاً على كلام خوطب به الناس كلّهم كما تقدم ، فيكون المفرع من تمام ما تفرّع عليه . وذلك ينافي الالتفات الذي يقتضي أن يكون مرجع الضمير إلى مرجع ما قبله .والمعنى : فنقول تمتّعوا بالنّعم التي أنتم فيها إلى أمدٍ .وفرع عليه التهديدُ بأنهم سيعلمون عاقبة كفران النّعمة بعد زوال التمتّع . وحذف مفعول { تعلمون } لظهوره من قوله تعالى : { ليكفروا بما آتيناهم } أي تعلمون جزاء كفركم .
{ ِليَكْفُرُوا بِمَا آتَيْنَاهُمْ } أي: أعطيناهم حيث نجيناهم من الشدة، وخلصناهم من المشقة، { فَتَمَتَّعُوا } في دنياكم قليلا { فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ } عاقبة كفركم.
ليكفروا بما آتيناهم أي ليجحدوا نعمة الله التي أنعم بها عليهم من كشف الضر والبلاء . أي أشركوا ليجحدوا ، فاللام لام كي . وقيل لام العاقبة . وقيل : " ليكفروا بما آتيناهم " أي ليجعلوا النعمة سببا للكفر ، وكل هذا فعل خبيث ; كما قال :والكفر مخبثة لنفس المنعمفتمتعوا أمر تهديد . وقرأ عبد الله " قل تمتعوا " .فسوف تعلمون أي عاقبة أمركم .
From time immemorial, whenever a man finds himself in such trouble that he is absolutely helpless, he starts remembering God. Even polytheists and others who deny the truth behave in this way. This shows that the concept of God is embedded in human nature. When man has no further recourse, he turns at last to God. But strangely, man is so neglectful that when he is relieved of his trouble, he once again becomes preoccupied with the remembrance of his imaginary gods and attributes the benefit received by him to somebody other than God. Satan has introduced different types of false rites among the general people in order to perpetuate and strengthen their belief that imaginary gods are worthy of worship. One of them is to set apart a share of their income for them. Such ceremonies are a sort of falsity in the world of God, because this amounts to giving thanks to entities other than God for the benefits received from Him.
Even the Punishment of the World is Mercy in Disguise
In the verses cited above, after having mentioned various punishments which could seize disbelievers within this world, it was said in the end: فَإِنَّ رَبَّكُمْ لَرَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ (So, indeed your Lord is Very Kind Very Merciful).
First of all, by using the word: رَبّ (Rabb: Lord) here, the hint given is that all these punishments which overtake human beings in this world are there to warn them as part of the dictates of Divine mercy. After that, by introducing the word: رَءُوفٌ(Ra uf: Kind) headed by the intensifying particle lam) that is, the lam of ta'kid), and thus by placing stress on the fact that Allah Ta’ ala was Very Kind and Very Merciful, the hint given was that warnings sent during the life of the world were, in reality, called for by His intrinsic Kindness and Mercy so that heedless men and women would learn from the warning and correct their deeds (before comes 'the last spasm of mass extinction' they themselves are talking about at the closing of the twentieth century, but are still not ready to learn, believe and correct).
(So as to deny that which We have given them) of bounty and thus say it was given to us through the intercession of our gods. (Then enjoy life (while you may)) live in disbelief and the forbidden, (for ye will come to know) what will be done to you.
�So enjoy, for soon you will know.He said:This is a promise from God, Exalted is He, to the disbelievers of Mecca that for their denial, in spite of the blessings that God had bestowed upon them in this world, they will come to know the penalty for that [disbelief] in the Hereafter. This verse is also a severe warning to those who are heedless (ghāfilūn), in accordance with the saying of the Messenger : �Whoever gratifies his insatiable desire (nahma) in this world, will, in the Hereafter, be separated from [the objectof] his desire. For that which was legitimate, there will be an accounting (ḥisāb), and for that which was forbidden, there will be punishment (ʿiqāb).� Indeed, the believers are made to account for what they enjoyed legitimately in excess of their needs. Whoever takes of what is legitimate [only] that which suffices him, falls under the category mentioned by the Prophet when he said, �Worldliness is not in the consumption of a piece of dry bread by which a person abates his hunger, a garment by which he covers his private parts and carries out what is legally binding upon him, or a house which shelters him from the sun and cold in winter.� His words, Exalted is He: