وَٱللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنۢ بُيُوتِكُمْ سَكَنًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُم مِّن جُلُودِ ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ بُيُوتًا تَسْتَخِفُّونَهَا يَوْمَ ظَعْنِكُمْ وَيَوْمَ إِقَامَتِكُمْ ۙ وَمِنْ أَصْوَافِهَا وَأَوْبَارِهَا وَأَشْعَارِهَآ أَثَـٰثًا وَمَتَـٰعًا إِلَىٰ حِينٍ 80
Translations
And Allāh has made for you from your homes a place of rest and made for you from the hides of the animals tents which you find light on your day of travel and your day of encampment; and from their wool, fur and hair is furnishing and enjoyment [i.e., provision] for a time.
Transliteration
Wallahu jaʿala lakum min buyutikum sakanan wa jaʿala lakum min juludi al-anʿami buyutan tastakhiffunaha yawma ẓaʿnikum wa yawma iqamatikum wa min aswafiha wa awbariha wa ashʿariha athathan wa metaʿan ila hin
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah has made your homes places of rest and tranquility, and has given you portable dwellings made from the hides of livestock that you can easily carry when traveling and when settling, along with furnishings and goods made from their wool, fur, and hair that serve you for a time. According to Al-Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir, this ayah emphasizes Allah's provision of both stationary and portable shelter suited to different lifestyles—permanent homes for settled communities and tents for nomadic peoples—demonstrating divine wisdom in meeting varied human needs. The mention of leather tents specifically addressed the Arabian nomadic context while illustrating universal principles of divine care.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan section of Surah An-Nahl and is part of a broader passage (16:80-81) enumerating Allah's blessings upon humanity. It directly addresses the desert Arab audience of Mecca, many of whom were nomadic or semi-nomadic, making reference to their practical use of livestock-derived dwellings highly relevant to their daily experience. The ayah serves to remind believers of often-overlooked divine mercies in their mundane material provisions.
Related Hadiths
While no hadith directly explicates this verse, Hadith Qudsi related in various collections reminds that 'I am as My servant thinks I am' (Sahih Bukhari 7405), connecting to the broader theme of recognizing Allah's provision. Additionally, the Prophet (ﷺ) encouraged gratitude for sustenance, saying 'The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best among you to my family' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3895), relating to the home as a blessing.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us to recognize and be grateful for Allah's provision in the smallest details of our daily lives—from the homes we inhabit to the materials that serve us—rather than taking these blessings for granted. It reminds modern readers that whether settled or in transition, Allah has provided for our comfort and needs, encouraging both humility and conscious thankfulness in all conditions.