Which Surah and Juz is Quran 33:16 from?

This ayah is from Surah Al-Ahzaab (The Clans), the 33th surah of the Quran. It appears in Juz 21.

Are there hadiths related to Quran 33:16?

Yes — there are 5 hadiths related to this ayah from Sahih al-Bukhari, Sunan an-Nasa'i, Sunan Ibn Majah.

What tafsir is available for Quran 33:16?

Commentary on this ayah is available from Ibn Kathir, Ibn Kathir, Ibn Abbas, Al-Jalalayn — classical scholars of Quranic exegesis.

Ayah 15

وَلَقَدْ كَانُوا۟ عَٰهَدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مِن قَبْلُ لَ...

33:16Al-Ahzaab

Q: What does Quran 33:16 mean?

Quran 33:16 (Surah Al-Ahzaab, Ayah 16) translates to: "Say, [O Muhammad], "Never will fleeing benefit you if you should flee from death or killing; and then [if you did], you would not be given enjoyment [of life] except for a little.""

Q: What topics does Quran 33:16 relate to?

This ayah connects to these Quranic topics: Death, Divine Will, Testing of Believers, Hypocrisy, Community Responsibility.

Ayah 17

قُلْ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَعْصِمُكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ إِن...

قُل لَّن يَنفَعَكُمُ ٱلْفِرَارُ إِن فَرَرْتُم مِّنَ ٱلْمَوْتِ أَوِ ٱلْقَتْلِ وَإِذًۭا لَّا تُمَتَّعُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًۭا

Qul lany y anfa'akumul firaaru in farartum minal mawti awil qatli wa izal laa tumatta'oona illaa qaleelaa

Say, [O Muhammad], "Never will fleeing benefit you if you should flee from death or killing; and then [if you did], you would not be given enjoyment [of life] except for a little."

Themes in this ayah

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Worldly life & wealth61 Striving in Allah's way57

Scores run 0–100: how strongly this ayah speaks to a theme. 70+ is central, 50+ is clear, under 50 is weak.

11 other themes with weak connections

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33:16Ayah 173

1 ayah in Al-Ahzaab is strongly about worldly life and wealth.

Next on Worldly life & wealth →33:28O Prophet, say to your wives, "If you should desire the worldly life and its adornment, then come, I will provide for you and give you a gracious release.

Tafsir

Scholars offer complementary perspectives

View Full Tafsir: Al-Jalalayn on 33:16→

Say ‘Flight will not avail you should you flee from death or from being slain and then if you were to flee you would not be extended comfort in this world after you have fled except a little’ except for the remainder of your terms of life.

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said," None of you should long for death because of a calamity that had befallen him, and if he cannot, but long for death, then he should say, 'O Allah! Let me live as long as life is better for me, and take my life if death is better for me.' "

Sunan an-Nasa'i #1826It was narrated that Anas said:Sahih

"The Messenger of Allah said: 'None of you should wish for death because of some harm that befalls him. If he must wish for death, let him say: Allahumma ahini ma kanatil-hayatu khairantli wa tawaffani idha kanatil-wafatu khairanli (O Allah, keep me alive so long as life is good for me, and cause me to die when death is good for me)"

Sahih al-Bukhari #7176Narrated Ibn `Abbas:Sahih

The Prophet (ﷺ) stood before Musailama (the liar) who was sitting with his companions then, and said to him, "If you ask me for this piece (of palm-leaf stalk), even then I would not give it to you. You cannot avoid what Allah has ordained for you, and if you turn away from Islam, Allah will surely ruin you! "

Sahih al-Bukhari #385Narrated Hudhaifa that he saw a person bowing and prostrating imperfectly. When he finished his Salat, Hudhaifa told him that he had not offered Salat. The subnarrator added, "I think that Hudhaifa also said:Sahih

Were you to die you would die on a "Sunna" (legal way) other than that of Muhammad (ﷺ)."

Sunan Ibn Majah #40034265 It was narrated from Anas that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:Sahih

“None of you should wish for death because of some harm that befalls him. If he must wish for death, let him say: ‘O Allah, keep me alive so long as living is good for me and cause me to die when death is good for me.’”