وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى سَخَّرَ ٱلْبَحْرَ لِتَأْكُلُوا۟ مِنْهُ لَحْمًا طَرِيًّا وَتَسْتَخْرِجُوا۟ مِنْهُ حِلْيَةً تَلْبَسُونَهَا وَتَرَى ٱلْفُلْكَ مَوَاخِرَ فِيهِ وَلِتَبْتَغُوا۟ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ 14
Translations
And it is He who subjected the sea for you to eat from it tender meat and to extract from it ornaments which you wear. And you see the ships plowing through it, and [He subjected it] that you may seek of His bounty; and perhaps you will be grateful.
Transliteration
Wa huwa alladhi sakhkhara al-bahr li-ta'kulu minhu lahman tariyyan wa tastakhrijoo minhu hilyatan talbasoonaha wa tara al-fulk mawakhira feehi wa li-tabtaghoo min fadlihi wa la'allakum tashkuroon
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah emphasizes Allah's sovereignty in subjugating the sea for human benefit, providing fresh meat (fish), extracting pearls and coral for adornment, and enabling ships to sail upon it for commerce and trade. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi note that these multiple benefits demonstrate Allah's provision and mercy, with the ayah concluding by reminding believers that gratitude is the appropriate response to such divine blessings.
Revelation Context
Surah An-Nahl, revealed in Mecca, systematically enumerates Allah's signs and favors to humanity. This ayah is part of a broader thematic section (16:5-16) detailing divine blessings in creation, particularly livestock, water, and the sea, serving as evidence for Allah's existence and oneness during the early Meccan period when polytheists denied monotheism.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, 'The best charity is water' (Tirmidhi), relating to the provision of sustenance. Additionally, hadith in Sunan Ibn Majah describes the virtues of maritime trade and seafaring as means of earning halal sustenance, connecting to the ayah's mention of seeking Allah's bounty through the sea.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that recognizing the multiple blessings Allah has placed in creation—from nourishment to beauty to commerce—should inspire genuine gratitude and consciousness of divine favor, motivating us to use these blessings responsibly and to acknowledge our dependence on the Creator rather than taking His provision for granted.
Related Ayahs
إِنَّمَا سُلْطَـٰنُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَوَلَّوْنَهُۥ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِهِۦ مُشْرِكُونَ
His authority is only over those who take him as an ally and those who through him associate others with Allāh.
وَلَقَدْ نَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّمَا يُعَلِّمُهُۥ بَشَرٌ ۗ لِّسَانُ ٱلَّذِى يُلْحِدُونَ إِلَيْهِ أَعْجَمِىٌّ وَهَـٰذَا لِسَانٌ عَرَبِىٌّ مُّبِينٌ
And We certainly know that they say, "It is only a human being who teaches him [i.e., the Prophet (ﷺ)]." The tongue of the one they refer to is foreign, and this [recitation, i.e., Qur’ān] is [in] a clear Arabic language.
وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ ٱلَّيْلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ وَٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ ۖ وَٱلنُّجُومُ مُسَخَّرَٰتٌۢ بِأَمْرِهِۦٓ ۗ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ
And He has subjected for you the night and day and the sun and moon, and the stars are subjected by His command. Indeed in that are signs for a people who reason.
وَٱصْبِرْ وَمَا صَبْرُكَ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِ ۚ وَلَا تَحْزَنْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا تَكُ فِى ضَيْقٍ مِّمَّا يَمْكُرُونَ
And be patient, [O Muḥammad], and your patience is not but through Allāh. And do not grieve over them and do not be in distress over what they conspire.