Surah An-Nahl Ayat 40 (16:40 Quran) With Tafsir

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Surah Nahl Ayat 40 in Arabic Text

إِنَّمَا قَوۡلُنَا لِشَيۡءٍ إِذَآ أَرَدۡنَٰهُ أَن نَّقُولَ لَهُۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ

Innamaa qawlunaa lishay’in izaa aradnaahu an naqoola lahoo kun fa yakoon (section 5)

English Translation

Here you can read various translations of verse 40

Sahih International
Indeed, Our word to a thing when We intend it is but that We say to it, “Be,” and it is.

Yusuf Ali
For to anything which We have willed, We but say the word, “Be”, and it is.

Abul Ala Maududi
(As for the possibility of resurrection, bear in mind that) whenever We do will something, We have to do no more than say: “Be”, and it is.

Muhsin Khan
Verily! Our Word unto a thing when We intend it, is only that We say unto it: “Be!” and it is.

Pickthall
And Our word unto a thing, when We intend it, is only that We say unto it: Be! and it is.

Dr. Ghali
Surely Our only Saying to a thing when We have willed it, is that We say to it, “Be!” so it is.

Abdel Haleem
When We will something to happen, all that We say is, ‘Be,’ and it is.

Muhammad Junagarhi
ہم جب کسی چیز کا اراده کرتے ہیں تو صرف ہمارا یہ کہہ دینا ہوتا ہے کہ ہوجا، پس وه ہوجاتی ہے

Quran 16 Verse 40 Explanation

For those looking for commentary to help with the understanding of Surah Nahl ayat 40, we’ve provided two Tafseer works below. The first is the tafseer of Abul Ala Maududi, the second is of Ibn Kathir.

Ala-Maududi

(16:40) (As for the possibility of resurrection, bear in mind that) whenever We do will something, We have to do no more than say: “Be”, and it is.^[36]

36. This is the answer to those who imagined that it was the most difficult thing to raise the dead, and that, too, to raise together at once all the people who had died at any time. They have been told that it is an easy thing for Allah, Who has the power to bring into existence anything He desires, merely by His command, “Be,” for He does not stand in need of any provisions, any means and any favorable environment for this. His mere command produces necessary provisions, means and environment. This world was brought into existence by His mere command, “Be,” and likewise the next world will at once come into existence by His single command.

Ibn-Kathir

The tafsir of Surah An-Nahl verse 40 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Nahl ayat 38 which provides the complete commentary from verse 38 through 40.

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