Al-Qur'an Surah An-Nahl Verse 4

Mufti Taqi Usmani

He created man from a drop, and soon he turned into a debating person, expressing himself openly.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

He created humans from a sperm-drop, then—behold!—they openly challenge ˹Him˺.

Ruwwad Translation Center

He created man from a sperm-drop, then he becomes a clear adversary.

A. J. Arberry

He created man of a sperm-drop; and, behold, he is a manifest adversary.

Abdul Haleem

He created man from a drop of fluid, and yet man openly challenges Him.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

He hath created man from a drop, and Lo! he is a disputer open.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

He has created man from a sperm-drop; and behold this same (man) becomes an open disputer!

Abul Ala Maududi

He created man out of a mere drop of fluid, and lo! he turned into an open wrangler.

Ahmed Ali

Man He created from a drop of semen; and still he becomes an open contender.

Ahmed Raza Khan

He created man from a drop of fluid, yet he is an open quarreller!

Ali Quli Qarai

He created man from a drop of [seminal] fluid, and, behold, he is an open contender!

Ali Ünal

He has created human from (so slight a beginning as) a mere drop of seminal fluid; and yet, he turns into an open, fierce adversary (selfishly disputing against the truth).

Amatul Rahman Omar

He has created human being from a mere drop of fluid, (a small life germ) then look! what a perspicuous and sound debater he has turned out to be.

English Literal

He created the human/mankind from a drop/male`s or female`s secretion/little water, so then he (the human/mankind) is (a) clear/evident disputer/adversary .

Faridul Haque

He created man from a drop of fluid, yet he is an open quarreller!

Hamid S. Aziz

He created man from a drop (of sperm); and yet, behold, he is an open opponent!

Hilali & Khan

He has created man from Nutfah (mixed drops of male and female sexual discharge), then behold, this same (man) becomes an open opponent.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

He created the heavens and the earth with truth. Highly exalted be He above what they associate (with Him)!

Mohammad Habib Shakir

He created man from a small seed and lo! he is an open contender.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

He hath created man from a drop of fluid, yet behold! he is an open opponent.

Muhammad Sarwar

He created the human being from a drop of fluid but the human being openly disputes His Word.

Qaribullah & Darwish

He created mankind from a sperm drop, yet he is a clear adversary.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

He has created man from a Nutfah, then behold, this same (man) becomes an open opponent.

Wahiduddin Khan

He created man out of a [mere] drop of sperm: yet he shows himself to be openly contentious!

Talal Itani

He created the human being from a drop of fluid, yet he becomes an open adversary.

Tafsir jalalayn

He created man from a drop of fluid, of sperm, until He makes him strong and tough, yet behold! he is disputatious, extremely quarrelsome, openly, making this [disputatiousness] clear in his rejection of resurrection, contending; Who shall revive the bones when they are decayed? [Q. 36;78].

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

He has created man from a Nutfah, then behold, this same (man) becomes an open opponent.

Allah mentions how man has been created from a Nutfah, i.e., something that is insignificant, weak and has no value - but when man becomes independent and is able to fend for himself - then he begins to dispute with his Lord, may He be exalted, and disbelieves in Him and fights His Messengers.

But man was created to be a servant, not an opponent, as Allah says;

وَهُوَ الَّذِى خَلَقَ مِنَ الْمَأءِ بَشَراً فَجَعَلَهُ نَسَباً وَصِهْراً وَكَانَ رَبُّكَ قَدِيراً

وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُهُمْ وَلَا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَكَانَ الْكَـفِرُ عَلَى رَبِّهِ ظَهِيراً

And it is He Who has created man from water, and gave him descendants, and made Him kindred by marriage, and your Lord is capable (of all things).

And they worship besides Allah, that which can neither profit them nor harm them; and the disbeliever is ever a helper (of Shaytan) against his Lord. (25;54-55)

And;

أَوَلَمْ يَرَ الاِنسَـنُ أَنَّا خَلَقْنَـهُ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ فَإِذَا هُوَ خَصِيمٌ مٌّبِينٌ

وَضَرَبَ لَنَا مَثَلً وَنَسِىَ خَلْقَهُ قَالَ مَن يُحىِ الْعِظَـمَ وَهِىَ رَمِيمٌ

قُلْ يُحْيِيهَا الَّذِى أَنشَأَهَأ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ خَلْقٍ عَلِيمٌ

Does not man see that We have created him from Nutfah. Yet, behold he stands as an open opponent. And he puts forth for Us a parable, and forgets his own creation.

He says;"Who will give life to these bones after they are rotten and have become dust"

Say;"He will give life to them Who created them the first time! And He is the knower of every creature!" (36;77-79)

Imam Ahmad and Ibn Majah reported that Busr bin Jahhash said;

"The Messenger of Allah spat in his palm, then he said,

يَقُولُ اللهُ تَعَالَى

ابْنَ ادَمَ أَنَّى تُعْجِزُنِي وَقَدْ خَلَقْتُكَ مِنْ مِثْلِ هَذِهِ حَتَّى إِذَا سَوَّيْتُكَ فَعَدَلْتُكَ مَشَيْتَ بَيْنَ بُرْدَيْكَ وَلِلَْرْضِ مِنْكَ وَيِيدٌ

فَجَمَعْتَ وَمَنَعْتَ حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَتِ الْحُلْقُومَ قُلْتَ أَتَصَدَّقُ وَأَنَّى أَوَانُ الصَّدَقَة

Allah, may He be exalted, says;

"O son of Adam, how could you be more powerful than I when I have created you from something like this, and when I have fashioned you perfectly and made you complete, you walk wearing your two garments and the earth makes a sound (beneath your feet).

You collect money but do not give anything to anyone, then when the soul of a dying person reaches the throat, you say, `I want to give in charity', but it is too late for charity.