An-Nahl 16:22 · The Bee · Arabic, translation, recitation

Other English translations

Abdel Haleem (Oxford)+

"Your God is the One God. As for those who deny the life to come, their hearts refuse to admit the truth and they are arrogant."

Pickthall (classic)+

"Your Allah is One Allah. But as for those who believe not in the Hereafter their hearts refuse to know, for they are proud."

Yusuf Ali (classic)+

"Your Allah is one Allah: as to those who believe not in the Hereafter, their hearts refuse to know, and they are arrogant."

Tafsīr · classical commentary

Ibn Kathir

Abridged English, public domain

None is to be worshipped except Allah

Allah tells us that there is none to be worshipped besides Him, the One, the Unique, the Lone, the Self-Sufficient. He tells us that the hearts of the disbelievers deny that and are astonished by that:

أَجَعَلَ الاٌّلِهَةَ إِلَـهاً وَحِداً إِنَّ هَـذَا لَشَىْءٌ عُجَابٌ

("Has he made the gods (all) into One God! Verily, this is a curious thing!") (38:5).

وَإِذَا ذُكِرَ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ اشْمَأَزَّتْ قُلُوبُ الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالاٌّخِرَةِ وَإِذَا ذُكِرَ الَّذِينَ مِن دُونِهِ إِذَا هُمْ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ

(And when Allah alone is mentioned, the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter are filled with disgust, and when those besides Him are mentioned, behold, they rejoice!) (39:45).

وَهُم مُّسْتَكْبِرُونَ

(and they are proud) meaning they are too proud to worship Allah, and their hearts reject the idea of singling Him out, as Allah says:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِى سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَخِرِينَ

(Verily! Those who scorn My worship they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!) 40:60 So here, Allah says;

لاَ جَرَمَ

(Certainly), meaning truly,

أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ

(Allah knows what they conceal and what they reveal.) meaning He will requite them for that in full.

إِنَّهُ لاَ يُحِبُّ الْمُسْتَكْبِرِينَ

(Truly, He does not like the proud.)

Tafsir Saʿdi

English translation, public domain

Аллах - Единственный Бог, который ни в ком и ни в чем не нуждается. Он не родил и не был рожден. Ему нет равных и подобных. Сердца людей, которые обладают здравым разумом и верой, возвеличивают Его и переполняются безграничной любовью к Нему. Они посвящают Ему свои деяния и пожертвования, служат Ему душой и телом и восхваляют Его прекрасные имена, возвышенные качества и совершенные деяния. А сердца тех, которые отказываются уверовать в Последнюю жизнь, не признают поклонения одному Аллаху и надменно отказываются служить Ему. Воистину, так поступают только самые невежественные и упрямые творения.