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Surah An-Nahl, Verse 74

سورة النحل، الآية ٧٤

16:74 Juz 14 Hizb 28 Page 275 of the mushaf Meccan surah

Text of verse 16:74

فَلَا تَضْرِبُوا۟ لِلَّهِ ٱلْأَمْثَالَ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ ۝٧٤

Transliteration

falā taḍribū lillahi l-amthāla inna l-laha yaʿlamu wa-antum lā taʿlamūna

Translation

So do not assert similarities to Allāh.710 Indeed, Allāh knows and you do not know.

Notes

[710] As there is nothing comparable to Him.

Translation in another language
Mahmoud Khalil Al-Hussary Read in the surah

Verse 74 of Surah An-Nahl (16:74), a Meccan surah, is in juz 14, on page 275 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 73 reciters.

Listen to verse 74 of Surah An-Nahl

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Tafsir of verse 74

Al-Mukhtasar

So - O People - do not make similarities for Allah from these idols that do not benefit nor harm. Allah has no likeness that you can associate with Him in worship. Allah knows the attributes of majesty and perfection that are His and you do not know that and as a result you ascribe partners to Him and claim that your idols are similar to Him.

Tafsir of the whole Surah An-Nahl

Other translations of verse 74

So do not make comparisons to Allah49. Indeed, Allah knows and you do not know50.

Notes

[49] As there is none comparable to Him. [50] Due to not realizing Allah’s Greatness and out of their ignorance, they draw comparisons between Him and their idols.

So put not forward similitudes for Allâh (as there is nothing similar to Him, nor He resembles anything). Truly! Allâh knows and you know not.

So coin not similitudes for Allah. Lo! Allah knoweth; ye know not.

Invent not similitudes for Allah: for Allah knoweth, and ye know not.

Therefore do not give likenesses to Allah; surely Allah knows and you do not know.

So do not strike (any) similitudes for Allah; surely Allah knows and you do not know.

Verse 74 word by word

  1. فَلَا falā So (do) not
  2. تَضْرِبُوا۟ taḍribū put forth ض ر ب
  3. لِلَّهِ lillahi for Allah
  4. ٱلْأَمْثَالَ l-amthāla the similitude م ث ل
  5. إِنَّ inna Indeed
  6. ٱللَّهَ l-laha Allah
  7. يَعْلَمُ yaʿlamu knows ع ل م
  8. وَأَنتُمْ wa-antum and you
  9. لَا lā (do) not
  10. تَعْلَمُونَ taʿlamūna know ع ل م

Verses related to verse 74

Verses with similar wording

They share a sequence of words with this verse: useful for telling them apart when memorising.

  • Al-Baqarah 2:216

    كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْقِتَالُ وَهُوَ كُرْهٌ لَّكُمْ وَعَسَىٰٓ أَن تَكْرَهُوا۟ شَيْـًٔا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ وَعَسَىٰٓ أَن تُحِبُّوا۟ شَيْـًٔا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَّكُمْ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

    Battle has been enjoined upon you while it is hateful to you. But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allāh knows, while you know not.

  • Al-Baqarah 2:232

    وَإِذَا طَلَّقْتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَبَلَغْنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَلَا تَعْضُلُوهُنَّ أَن يَنكِحْنَ أَزْوَٰجَهُنَّ إِذَا تَرَٰضَوْا۟ بَيْنَهُم بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ذَٰلِكَ يُوعَظُ بِهِۦ مَن كَانَ مِنكُمْ يُؤْمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ ذَٰلِكُمْ أَزْكَىٰ لَكُمْ وَأَطْهَرُ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

    And when you divorce women and they have fulfilled their term, do not prevent them from remarrying their [former] husbands if they [i.e., all parties] agree among themselves on an acceptable basis. That is instructed to whoever of you believes in Allāh and the Last Day. That is better for you and purer, and Allāh knows and you know not.

  • Ali ’Imran 3:66

    هَٰٓأَنتُمْ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ حَٰجَجْتُمْ فِيمَا لَكُم بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ فَلِمَ تُحَآجُّونَ فِيمَا لَيْسَ لَكُم بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

    Here you are - those who have argued about that of which you have [some] knowledge, but why do you argue about that of which you have no knowledge? And Allāh knows, while you know not.

  • An-Nur 24:19

    إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُحِبُّونَ أَن تَشِيعَ ٱلْفَٰحِشَةُ فِى ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

    Indeed, those who like that immorality should be spread [or publicized] among those who have believed will have a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter. And Allāh knows and you do not know.

All similar verses of Surah An-Nahl

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