Al-Qur'an Surah Qaf Verse 16

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Indeed We have created man, and We know whatever thoughts his inner self develops, and We are closer to him than (his) jugular vein,

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Indeed, ˹it is˺ We ˹Who˺ created humankind and ˹fully˺ know what their souls whisper to them, and We are closer to them than ˹their˺ jugular vein.

Ruwwad Translation Center

We have created man and know what his soul whispers within him, for We are closer to him than his jugular vein.

A. J. Arberry

We indeed created man; and We know what his soul whispers within him, and We are nearer to him than the jugular vein.

Abdul Haleem

We created man––We know what his soul whispers to him: We are closer to him than his jugular vein––

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And assuredly We have created man and We know whatsoever his soul whispereth Unto him, and We are nigher Unto him than his jugular vein.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

It was We Who created man, and We know what dark suggestions his soul makes to him; for We are nearer to him than (his) jugular vein.

Abul Ala Maududi

Surely We have created man, and We know the promptings of his heart, and We are nearer to him than even his jugular vein.

Ahmed Ali

He created man and surely know what misdoubts arise in their hearts; for We are closer to him than his jugular vein.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And indeed We have created man and We know what his soul instils in him; and We are nearer to him than the hearts artery.

Ali Quli Qarai

Certainly We have created man and We know to what his soul tempts him, and We are nearer to him than his jugular vein.

Ali Ünal

Assuredly, it is We Who have created human, and We know what suggestions his soul makes to him. We are nearer to him than his jugular vein.

Amatul Rahman Omar

We created a human being and We know what (dark) suggestions his mind makes to him. We are nearer to him than even (his) jugular vein.

English Literal

And We had (E) created the human/mankind, and we know what his self inspires and talks with it, and We are nearer/closer to him than the jugular vein (which carries deoxygenated blood to the heart).

Faridul Haque

And indeed We have created man and We know what his soul instils in him; and We are nearer to him than the hearts artery.

Hamid S. Aziz

And certainly We created man, and We know what his soul suggests to him, and We are nearer to him than his life-vein (Jugular and Carotid).

Hilali & Khan

And indeed We have created man, and We know what his ownself whispers to him. And We are nearer to him than his jugular vein (by Our Knowledge).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Were We then fatigued with the first creation? Yet they are in doubt about a new creation.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And certainly We created man, and We know what his mind suggests to him, and We are nearer to him than his life-vein.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

We verily created man and We know what his soul whispereth to him, and We are nearer to him than his jugular vein.

Muhammad Sarwar

We swear that We have created the human being and We know what his soul whispers to him. We are closer to him than even his jugular vein.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Indeed, We created the human. We know the whisperings of his soul, and are closer to him than the jugular vein.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And indeed We have created man, and We know what his self whispers to him. And We are nearer to him than his jugular vein.

Wahiduddin Khan

We created man -- We know the promptings of his soul, and are closer to him than his jugular vein --

Talal Itani

We created the human being, and We know what his soul whispers to him. We are nearer to him than his jugular vein.

Tafsir jalalayn

And verily We created man and We know (wa-na`lamu is a circumstantial qualifier with an implicit [preceding] nahnu) what (m relates to the verbal action) his soul whispers to him, [what] it speaks [to him] (the bi- [of bihi, `him'] is extra, or it is [required] for the intransitive verb to become transitive [and take a direct object]; the [suffixed] personal pronoun [in bihi, `him'] refers to man); and We are nearer to him, in knowing [him], than his jugular vein (habli'l-wardi; the genitive annexation is explicative; al-wardn are two [principal] veins on either side of the neck).

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Allah encompasses and watches all of Man's Activity

Allah the Exalted says,

وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الاِْنسَانَ وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِ نَفْسُهُ

And indeed We have created man, and We know what his self whispers to him.

Allah the Exalted affirms His absolute dominance over mankind, being their Creator and the Knower of everything about them. Allah the Exalted has complete knowledge of all thoughts that cross the mind of man, be they good or evil.

In the Sahih, the Messenger of Allah said,

إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى تَجَاوَزَ لاُِمَّتِي مَا حَدَّثَتْ بِهِ أَنْفُسَهَا مَا لَمْ تَقُلْ أَوْ تَعْمَل

Verily, Allah the Exalted has forgiven my Ummah (Muslims) for what they talk (think) to themselves about, as long as they do not utter or implement it.

The statement of Allah the Exalted,

وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ



And We are nearer to him than his jugular vein.

means, His angels are nearer to man than his jugular vein.

Those who explained `We' in the Ayah to mean `Our knowledge,' have done so to avoid falling into the idea of incarnation or indwelling; but these two creeds are false according to the consensus of Muslims. Allah is praised and glorified, He is far hallowed beyond what they ascribe to Him. The words of this Ayah do not need this explanation (that `We' refers to `Allah's knowledge'), for Allah did not say, `and I am closer to him than his jugular vein.' Rather, He said,
وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ
(And We are nearer to him than his jugular vein). just as He said in the case of dying persons,
وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنكُمْ وَلَكِن لاَّ تُبْصِرُونَ
(But We are nearer to him than you, but you see not). (56;85), in reference to His angels (who take the souls).

Allah the Exalted the Blessed said,
إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَـفِظُونَ
Verily, We, it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr and surely, We will guard it. (15;9) Therefore, the angels brought down the revelation, the Qur'an, by the leave of Allah, the Exalted, the Most Honored. Thus, the angels are closer to man than his own jugular vein, by the power and leave of Allah. Consequently, the angel touches mankind, just as the devil touches them, for the devil is as close to them as the blood that runs in their veins; just as Allah's Prophet, who is truthful and was told the truth, told us.

Allah's statement here