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fa-ʾaṣābahum sayyiʾātu mā ʿamilū wa-ḥāqa bihim mā kānū bihī yastahziʾūna
So the evils of what they had earned visited them, and they were besieged by what they used to deride.
— Ali Quli Qarai
16An-NaḥlالنحلVerse 34 of 128
The Bee16. An-Naḥlالنحل
Al Naḥl
The Bee
MeccanVerse 34 of 128
Surah An-Nahl – Verse 34
34. “So the evil (consequences) of what they did afflicted them and that which they used to ridicule encompassed them.”
The Qur’anic term /sayyi’ah/ signifies petty and minor sins as compared to the capital sins, like what Surah An-Nisa’, No. 4, verse 31 says:
“If you avoid the great sins which you are forbidden, We remit from you your small sins…”
Therefore, whatever of chastisement is afflicted on man in this world is only the retribution of part of what has been due to him for his evil actions and the principal punishment will be saved for the Day of Resurrection. The Qur’anic phrase /haqa bihim/ is in the sense of /halla bihim/ which in fact signifies: ‘whatever they mocked and ridiculed were reflected and returned upon themselves’. In this noble verse, the Qur’an deals once again with the consequences of their performances, stating: The viciousness of their evil performances was returned to them.
The Qur’an says:
“So the evil (consequences) of what they did afflicted them…”
And the promises and pledges of the Divine chastisement were afflicted on them which were already the subject and the main issues of their mockery and ridicule. The verse continues saying:
“…and that which they used to ridicule encompassed them.”
The above verse once again emphasizes the fact that it is man’s own deeds, acts and performances which will entangle him, getting him involved both in this world and in the next and they will be reflected in various forms and shapes, and which will serve him as a source of trouble, harm, and torture, and not any other thing.