Tafseer of The Bee · An-Nahl · 16:46
Or that He would not seize them during their [usual] activity, and they could not cause failure?
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
Allah the Exalted means by His word أَوْ يَأْخُذَهُمْ فِي تَقَلُّبِهِمْ: or He destroys them during their wanderings through the lands and their journeying upon their travels. فَمَا هُمْ بِمُعْجِزِينَ — Allah the Exalted says: they cannot escape Allah in that when He wills to strike them thus.
In accordance with what we have said concerning this, the expositors of the Scripture also spoke.
Mention of those who said this:
Al-Muthanná and ʿAlī ibn Dāwud related to me; both said: ʿAbdullāh ibn Ṣāliḥ related to us; he said: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His word أَوْ يَأْخُذَهُمْ فِي تَقَلُّبِهِمْ: he said: "If He wills, He strikes him while travelling."
Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us; he said: Muḥammad ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda: أَوْ يَأْخُذَهُمْ فِي تَقَلُّبِهِمْ — "during their journeys."
Bishr related to us; he said: Yazīd related to us; he said: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda — to the same effect.
Ibn Jurayj said concerning this what al-Qāsim related to us; he said: al-Ḥusayn related to us; he said: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj: أَوْ يَأْخُذَهُمْ فِي تَقَلُّبِهِمْ — he said: "The taqallub (wandering) is: He strikes them by night and by day."
