MUSLIM VILLA - QURAN ONLY

Category 5 => Commentary / Tafsir of specific Quranic Verses or Quran topics with detailed discussions => Topic started by: Zainab_M on February 06, 2008, 02:28:36 am



Title: Verse 16:67 (Surah An-Nahl): "Strong drink" does NOT refer to portent of Allah
Post by: Zainab_M on February 06, 2008, 02:28:36 am
 BismEm


"And of the fruits of the date-palm, and grapes, whence ye derive strong drink and (also) good nourishment. Lo! therein is indeed a portent for people who have sense."
16:67 - An Nahl



A few months ago, I was discussing this Verse in a gathering at a relative's house.  The person I was talking to was one of those inclined to interpret the Noble Quraan according to his personal likes & desires as many do.  He wanted to wrongly portray that alcohol consumption is not forbidden in the Quraan.  So he quoted this Verse, trying to explain that alcohol (strong drink) has been mentioned as "good nourishment," therefore obviously it's not a bad thing.  Here I wish to correct this total misinterpretation.  The above Verse talks about fruits such as dates and grapes as one of the bounties and portents of Allah.   Those people who enjoy taking alcohol, derive it from such fruits through fermentation .. otherwise they would not be able to procure alcohol at all.  The "good nourishment" is not from alcohol.  The good nourishment is obtained when dates and grapes are eaten as fresh fruits.  "strong drink" is referred as the corruption by the misuse of nourishment provided by Allah.  That's clearly what this Verse means.  And Allah knows best.

Salaam Alaikum and peace



Related topic:
The term "wine" in the Noble Quran does not refer to intoxicating drink. (http://muslimvilla.smfforfree.com/index.php?topic=3538.0)


Title: Re: Clarification of Verse 16:67 (Surah An-Nahl)
Post by: Heba E. Husseyn on February 06, 2008, 04:12:26 pm
Very important and simple clarification sister.  Nourishment always comes from pure fresh fruits, and I have no doubt that's what this verse means.  Alhumdulilah.


Title: Re: Clarification V. 16:67 (Surah An-Nahl): "Strong drink" NOT a portent of Allah
Post by: Heba E. Husseyn on August 27, 2016, 04:30:01 am
I again came across this topic tonight while reading the Noble Quran.  I would like to add some details here.  I think I posted this earlier in this board but cannot find it .. so maybe I didn't.  Thus, here are some additional points.

This topic needs an emphatic clarification because it's so hugely important.

Quoting Verse 16:67

"And of the fruits of the date-palm, and grapes, whence ye derive strong drink and (also) good nourishment. Lo! therein is indeed a portent for people who have sense." (16:67) Surah An-Nahl.

Many people, both Muslims and non-Muslims, ignorantly assume the mention of "strong drink" (or alcohol) in Verse 16:67 as a reference to one of the portents or blessings of Allah.  Totally incorrect!  On the basis of this incorrect assumption, these folks also go about claiming that "alcohol is not Haram in the Quran."   That's another gross misinterpretation. Verse 16:67 refers to nothing of the sort.

If you read Surah An-Nahl carefully, you will observe that from Verse 16:66 to 16:69 Allah is comparing the negative and positive sides of the various things He has created for humankind, the negative coming from the positive ones or vice-versa.  All of these verses elucidate very articulately how something with very positive characteristics can ensue from something unattractive or the other way round (as in Verse 16:67 concerning dates/grapes producing "strong drink").  To explain this point better, let me first quote Verses 16:66-69 of Surah An-Nahl as follows:

"And lo! in the cattle there is a lesson for you. We give you to drink of that which is in their bellies, from betwixt the refuse and the blood, pure milk palatable to the drinkers. (16:66)

And of the fruits of the date-palm, and grapes, whence ye derive strong drink and (also) good nourishment. Lo! therein is indeed a portent for people who have sense. (16:67)

And thy Rab inspired the bee, saying: Choose thou habitations in the hills and in the trees and in that which they thatch;   (16:68)

Then eat of all fruits, and follow the ways of thy Rab, made smooth (for thee). There cometh forth from their bellies a drink divers of hues, wherein is healing for mankind. Lo! herein is indeed a portent for people who reflect."   (16:69)


Verse 16:66 mentions of pure milk which is something very positive being tasty and nutritious for humans, and milk comes through the bellies of cattle from in between its blood and internal refuse which might sound squeamish yet it's wholesome and pleasant.   In Verse 16:67, dates and grapes are the wonders of Allah created for mankind that taste sweet and delicious and are full of nutrition.  But after it rots (or is made to rot through the human-invented process of fermentation) it turns into bitter alcohol which does no good to the human body.  It's left to the choice of humans to either nourish themselves with the fresh and pure healthy fruits as provided by Allah or to allow these fresh fruits to rot and drink them as harmful intoxicants.  Then again, in Verses 16:68-69 Allah mentions how the honeybees construct their structures or the natural beehives.  The internal structure of these natural beehives called honeycomb comprise of densely packed matrix cells made of beeswax to store honey and eggs.  This is how we procure natural fresh honey well-known for its various nutritional properties.  Bees are dreaded by humans as they sting badly, yet natural honey is derived from the bellies of these bees.  That might not sound too attractive, but the fact is that pure and natural honey itself is loved by humans.

Thus, I'm sure anyone can perceive the comparisons along with their contrasts:


Positive                         Negative
                                       
Fresh milk                       From bellies of cattle

Dates/grapes                  Also producing alcohol

Honey                             Bees and beehive

Far from thinking that Verse 16:67 allows alcohol, it's the opposite.  Verse 16:67 is a clear reference that alcohol is a negative invention of man by misusing the blessings of Allah. 


Title: Re: Verse 16:67 (Surah An-Nahl): "Strong drink" does NOT refer to portent of Allah
Post by: Zainab_M on September 02, 2016, 03:23:18 am
Many thanks for this Sister Heba.  What a great analysis!  I cannot tell you how helpful I found this.  I don't remember you posting this earlier.  However I'll check and if I do find it, I'll link it to this thread .... InshAllah.


Title: Re: Verse 16:67 (Surah An-Nahl): "Strong drink" does NOT refer to portent of Allah
Post by: Ruhi_Rose on September 03, 2016, 05:38:36 am
Tons of thanks Sister Heba, Sister Zeynab.  I cannot tell you how many weirdos keep insisting that alcohol is not Haram. 

This is very conclusive information.  There can be no more doubts.  Alcohol is HARAM, period.   


Title: Re: Verse 16:67 (Surah An-Nahl): "Strong drink" does NOT refer to portent of Allah
Post by: N. Truth Seeker on October 18, 2017, 11:29:06 pm
Thank Allah Almighty for this thread.  We were debating on this Verse yesterday at our discussion session and there were a couple of folks with the same mindset as Sister Zeynab described who were claiming that the Quran mentions of alcohol as kind of "nourishment" in the sense of blessing.  Totally wrong.  The Quran does not say that.  I especially find Sister Heba's analytical write-up very useful. Printing this thread and also the related topic ("wine" in Noble Quran does not refer to intoxicating drink) to continue the discussion next week, InshAllah.


Title: Re: Verse 16:67 (Surah An-Nahl): "Strong drink" does NOT refer to portent of Allah
Post by: Zainab_M on October 18, 2017, 11:38:33 pm
Yes brother, there are plenty of wierdos who insist on misinterpreting the Sublime Quran according to their own desires and whims.  They need to be told the truth categorically. 

Very good idea to print these posts.  Do show it to them.