Transliteration:( Wallaahu ja'ala lakum mimmaa khalaqa zilaalanw wa ja'ala lakum minal jibaali aknaananw wa ja'ala lakum saraabeela taqeekumul harra wa saraabeela taqeekum baasakum; kazaalika yutimmu ni'matahoo alaikum la'allakum tuslimoon )
176. Like the trees, clouds, caves in the mountains, roofs of the homes, etc. all of which are the creation of Allah Almighty which provide shelter. Likewise, the Saints and Prophets of Allah Almighty too keep the
creation in their shelter.
177. Because the Arabs during battles and summers would frequently seek shelter in the caves, they are specifically mentioned here.Â
178. By this is meant cotton clothes, because generally in Arabia heat is intense, hence, only heat is mentioned here, other clothes protect us from both the heat and cold. It should be remembered that Allah Almighty has provided some animals with feathers or skins which are warm in winter and cool in summer. Man is a human being having an outer skin on which there is no hair in excess nor any feathers. Thus clothes are made for him. This too is of the power of Allah Almighty.
179. This means steel armour, etc. which helps to protect oneself from arrows and swords in a battle.
180. Oh man! upon you, because Allah Almighty has bestowed more bounties upon man than any other creation. But in spite of these favours man is more ungrateful than any other creation.
181. From this there is a hint that if Allah Almighty has made such provision for the protection of this mortal body, then He must have made much more provision for the protection of the soul which is permanent. He must have created an abode of peace, some sustenance, some remedies and some spiritual doctors for it.
Â
The tafsir of Surah An-Nahl verse 81 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Nahl ayat 80 which provides the complete commentary from verse 80 through 83.
(16:81) And Allah has provided shade for you out of some of the things He has created; and He has provided you with shelters in the mountains, and has given you coats that protect you from heat[76] as well as coats that protect you in battle.[77] Thus does He complete His favour upon you[78] that you may submit to Him.
76. The Quran has not mentioned protection from cold for either of the two reasons:
(1) Because the use of garments in the summer season is a symbol of cultural perfection and obviously there is no need to mention the lower stages of culture. Or
(2) the use of garments in hot countries has specially been mentioned because the main use of garments there is for protection from the hot pestilential furious wind. Therefore, one has to cover one’s head, neck, ears, and the whole of his body to protect it from the hot wind which would otherwise scorch him to death.
77. That is, Armors.
78. “Thus does He perfect His favor upon you”: Allah makes provision for the minutest needs and necessities of every aspect of human life. For example, let us take the instance of the protection of the human body from external influences. We find that Allah has made such elaborate arrangements as require a complete book to relate them. These arrangements reach their perfection in the case of clothing and housing arrangement. Or, if we consider the food requirements, we realize that it is of many varieties which fulfill every need. More than this: the means Allah has provided for food requirements of man are so numerous that the list of the varieties and the names of different kinds of food require a big volume. This is the perfection of the blessing of food. Likewise, one would see perfection of the blessings of Allah in the fulfillment of each and every human need and necessity.
Related Ayat(Verses)/Topics