Surah 16. An-Nahl

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Verses [Section]: 1-9[1], 10-21 [2], 22-25 [3], 26-34 [4], 35-40 [5], 41-50 [6], 51-60 [7], 61-65 [8], 66-70 [9], 71-76 [10], 77-83 [11], 84-89 [12], 90-100 [13], 101-110 [14], 111-119 [15], 120-128 [16]

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Quran Text of Verse 90-100اِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahیَاْمُرُcommandsبِالْعَدْلِjusticeوَ الْاِحْسَانِand the goodوَ اِیْتَآئِand givingذِی(to) relativesالْقُرْبٰی(to) relativesوَ یَنْهٰیand forbidsعَنِ[from]الْفَحْشَآءِthe immoralityوَ الْمُنْكَرِand the badوَ الْبَغْیِ ۚand the oppressionیَعِظُكُمْHe admonishes youلَعَلَّكُمْso that you mayتَذَكَّرُوْنَ take heed وَ اَوْفُوْاAnd fulfilبِعَهْدِthe covenantاللّٰهِ(of) Allahاِذَاwhenعٰهَدْتُّمْyou have taken a covenantوَ لَاand (do) notتَنْقُضُواbreakالْاَیْمَانَoathsبَعْدَafterتَوْكِیْدِهَاtheir confirmationوَ قَدْwhile verilyجَعَلْتُمُyou have madeاللّٰهَAllahعَلَیْكُمْover youكَفِیْلًا ؕa suretyاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahیَعْلَمُknowsمَاwhatتَفْعَلُوْنَ you do وَ لَاAnd (do) notتَكُوْنُوْاbeكَالَّتِیْlike her whoنَقَضَتْuntwistsغَزْلَهَاher spun yarnمِنْۢafterبَعْدِafterقُوَّةٍstrengthاَنْكَاثًا ؕ(into) untwisted strandsتَتَّخِذُوْنَyou takeاَیْمَانَكُمْyour oathsدَخَلًۢا(as) a deceptionبَیْنَكُمْbetween youاَنْbecauseتَكُوْنَisاُمَّةٌa communityهِیَ[it]اَرْبٰیmore numerousمِنْthanاُمَّةٍ ؕ(another) communityاِنَّمَاOnlyیَبْلُوْكُمُAllah tests youاللّٰهُAllah tests youبِهٖ ؕby itوَ لَیُبَیِّنَنَّAnd He will make clearلَكُمْto youیَوْمَ(on) the Dayالْقِیٰمَةِ(of) the Resurrectionمَاwhatكُنْتُمْyou used (to)فِیْهِin itتَخْتَلِفُوْنَ differ وَ لَوْAnd ifشَآءَAllah (had) willedاللّٰهُAllah (had) willedلَجَعَلَكُمْsurely He (could) have made youاُمَّةًa nationوَّاحِدَةًoneوَّ لٰكِنْbutیُّضِلُّHe lets go astrayمَنْwhomیَّشَآءُHe willsوَ یَهْدِیْand guidesمَنْwhomیَّشَآءُ ؕHe willsوَ لَتُسْـَٔلُنَّAnd surely you will be questionedعَمَّاabout whatكُنْتُمْyou used (to)تَعْمَلُوْنَ do 16. An-Nahl Page 278وَ لَاAnd (do) notتَتَّخِذُوْۤاtakeاَیْمَانَكُمْyour oathsدَخَلًۢا(as) a deceptionبَیْنَكُمْbetween youفَتَزِلَّlest should slipقَدَمٌۢa footبَعْدَafterثُبُوْتِهَاit is firmly plantedوَ تَذُوْقُواand you would tasteالسُّوْٓءَthe evilبِمَاfor whatصَدَدْتُّمْyou hinderedعَنْfromسَبِیْلِ(the) wayاللّٰهِ ۚ(of) Allahوَ لَكُمْand for youعَذَابٌ(is) a punishmentعَظِیْمٌ great وَ لَاAnd (do) notتَشْتَرُوْاexchangeبِعَهْدِthe covenantاللّٰهِ(of) Allahثَمَنًا(for) a priceقَلِیْلًا ؕlittleاِنَّمَاIndeed whatعِنْدَ(is) withاللّٰهِAllahهُوَitخَیْرٌ(is) betterلَّكُمْfor youاِنْifكُنْتُمْyou were (to)تَعْلَمُوْنَ know مَاWhateverعِنْدَكُمْ(is) with youیَنْفَدُwill be exhaustedوَ مَاand whateverعِنْدَ(is) withاللّٰهِAllahبَاقٍ ؕ(will) be remainingوَ لَنَجْزِیَنَّAnd surely We will payالَّذِیْنَthose whoصَبَرُوْۤا(are) patientاَجْرَهُمْtheir rewardبِاَحْسَنِto (the) bestمَا(of) whatكَانُوْاthey used (to)یَعْمَلُوْنَ do مَنْWhoeverعَمِلَdoesصَالِحًاrighteous deedsمِّنْwhetherذَكَرٍmaleاَوْorاُنْثٰیfemaleوَ هُوَwhile heمُؤْمِنٌ(is) a believerفَلَنُحْیِیَنَّهٗthen surely We will give him lifeحَیٰوةًa lifeطَیِّبَةً ۚgoodوَ لَنَجْزِیَنَّهُمْand We will pay themاَجْرَهُمْtheir rewardبِاَحْسَنِto (the) bestمَاof whatكَانُوْاthey used (to)یَعْمَلُوْنَ do فَاِذَاSo whenقَرَاْتَyou reciteالْقُرْاٰنَthe Quranفَاسْتَعِذْseek refugeبِاللّٰهِin Allahمِنَfromالشَّیْطٰنِthe Shaitaanالرَّجِیْمِ the accursed اِنَّهٗIndeed heلَیْسَnotلَهٗfor himسُلْطٰنٌ(is) any authorityعَلَیonالَّذِیْنَthose whoاٰمَنُوْاbelieveوَ عَلٰیand uponرَبِّهِمْtheir Lordیَتَوَكَّلُوْنَ they put their trust اِنَّمَاOnlyسُلْطٰنُهٗhis authorityعَلَی(is) overالَّذِیْنَthose whoیَتَوَلَّوْنَهٗtake him as an allyوَ الَّذِیْنَand those whoهُمْ[they]بِهٖwith Himمُشْرِكُوْنَ۠associate partners

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Translation of Verse 90-100

(16:90) Surely Allah enjoins justice, kindness and the doing of good to kith and kin,⁸⁸ and forbids all that is shameful, evil and oppressive.⁸⁹ He exhorts you so that you may be mindful.

(16:91) And fulfil the covenant which you have made with Allah and do not break your oaths after having firmly made them, and after having made Allah your witness. Surely Allah knows all that you do.

(16:92) And do not become like the woman who, after having painstakingly spun her yarn, caused it to disintegrate into pieces.⁹⁰ You resort to oaths as instruments of mutual deceit so that one people might take greater advantage than another although Allah puts you to the test through this.⁹¹ Surely on the Day of Resurrection⁹² He will make clear the Truth concerning the matters over which you differed.

(16:93) Had Allah so willed, He would have made you all one single community.⁹³ However, He lets go astray whomsoever He wills and shows the Right Way to whomsoever He wills.⁹⁴ Surely you shall be called to account regarding what you did.

(16:94) Do not make your oaths a means of deceiving one another or else your foot may slip after having been firm,⁹⁵ and you may suffer evil consequences because of hindering people from the way of Allah. A mighty chastisement awaits you.

(16:95) Do not barter away the covenant⁹⁶ of Allah for a paltry gain.⁹⁷ Verily that which is with Allah is far better for you, if you only knew.

(16:96) Whatever you have is bound to pass away and whatever is with Allah will last. And We shall surely grant those who have been patient their reward⁹⁸ according to the best of what they did.

(16:97) Whosoever acts righteously - whether a man or a woman - and embraces belief, We will surely grant him a good life;⁹⁹ and will surely grant such persons their reward according to the best of their deeds.¹⁰⁰

(16:98) Whenever you read the Qur'an seek refuge with Allah from Satan, the accursed.¹⁰¹

(16:99) Surely he has no power over those who have faith and who place their trust in their Lord.

(16:100) He has power only over those who take him as their patron and who, under his influence, associate others with Allah in His Divinity.

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Commentary

88. This directive which has been so succinctly expressed enjoins on people three principles which provide the basis for the sound ordering of human society. The first and foremost principle is ‘justice’ which comprises two independent truths. One, that there be balance and right proportion among human beings in respect of their rights. Two, that every person be granted his rights without any distinction. The word used in Urdu as an equivalent of ‘ad! (justice) is insaf. This word creates some confusion. It somehow leads people to believe that in the distribution of rights between two or more persons, the basis should be nisf and nisf (‘half and half’).

It is presumably for this reason that justice has come to signify equal distribution of rights. This is, however, quite contrary to nature. What justice really demands is balance and right proportion rather than absolute equality.

True, in certain respects, equality among members of society, such as in respect of the rights of citizenship, is a requirement of justice. However, equality in certain other matters is diametrically opposed to the requirements of justice. For instance, it would be sheer injustice if we were to grant children equal rights with their parents, or to equally compensate those who work hard and well and those who do not. Hence, what God has commanded is not equality in rights. He has rather commanded balance and right proportion. This requires that the moral, social, economic, legal, political and cultural rights to which a person is entitled should be granted to him with sincerity.

The ‘second principle is benevolence (to be literal, ‘doing good’) which broadly embraces ‘all such good acts as politeness, generosity, sympathy, tolerance, courtesy, forbearance, mutual accommodation, mutual consideration, giving to others more than what is their due, and being content for oneself with a little less than what one is entitled to. This principle goes a step further than justice and is hence, in some respects, even more important for man’s social life than justice. If justice is the foundation on which the structure of a society should rest, then benevolence represents the beauty and perfection of that structure. Justice wards off the bitterness of discord and disharmony from human life. Benevolence adds to it the elements of pleasance and sweetness.

No society can be sustained merely on the principle that every member of it should be jealously watchful of, and insistent upon, receiving every bit of his right and be willing to grant others exactly what is their due, but absolutely no more. Perhaps such a cold and stark society might — thanks to the application of justice as conceived above — be able to avoid internal conflicts. However, such a society will be utterly devoid of such life-giving and life-sustaining values as love and compassion, gratitude and magnanimity, and sacrifice and goodwill for others.

The third principle enunciated in this verse is liberality to kith and kin. This is a corollary of the former principle — ‘benevolence’ — when it is applied to one’s relatives. This consists not only of sharing one’s joys and sorrows with one’s kin, and in helping and supporting the fulfilment of their legitimate desires within permissible limits. But also that one should recognize that one’s wealth ought not to be spent exclusively on oneself and one’s immediate family. Other members of the family also have a share in it. God’s law requires rich persons to take care of the needs of their relatives and not to leave them to go about without proper food and clothing. According to the Qur’anic standard of judgement a society in. which some people are immersed in luxury whereas other members of their family remain unprovided for even with the basic necessities of life is an unhealthy society.

The needy members of a family have a prior claim to receive assistance from their relatives, and it is only after this that they have a claim to assistance from others. To put it conversely, the prosperous members of a family are required to assist their own relatives in need before assisting any others.

This principle has been explicitly enunciated by the Prophet (peace be on him) in a number of his statements. It has been stated in several traditions that a person’s parents, his wife, his children and his brothers and sisters have the first and foremost right against him. These are followed by those who are next to them in kinship, the principle being the closer the relationship, the more is the claim; and vice versa. Guided by this principle ‘Umar made it incumbent on the cousin of an orphan to undertake the latter’s maintenance. Likewise, he stated that if that orphan had no close relative but only a distant one, the latter would be responsible for the orphan’s maintenance. If each family looks after its members, it can be well imagined how widely spread would economic prosperity be in that society; how harmonious and pleasant would the interrelationship of its members be, and how sublime and lofty would the moral standards operating in it be.

89. In contrast to the three moral principles mentioned above, God forbids three vices which corrupt both individuals and society at large.

The first and foremost of these vices is fahsha’ which embraces the whole range of evil and shameful deeds. Every vice which is intrinsically of a highly reprehensible character falls into this category whether it be miserliness, fornication, nudity, homosexuality, marrying those with whom marriage is forbidden, stealing, drinking, begging, or hurling abuses and outrageously rude words at others. Likewise, it also covers those evil acts which are committed publicly or which lead to the propagation of corruption such as slander, calumny, publicizing the hidden sins of others, inciting people to moral corruption be it by so-called belles-lettres, plays or films, nude pictures, appearance of women in public with alluring make-up, promiscuous mixing between men and women, appearance of women on the stage to dance and twist their bodies, and the display of other forms of female coquetry.

The next category of vice referred to is evil which is universally acknowledged as bad and immoral. Included in it are all evils which have been unanimously condemned by the human conscience and which have been forbidden by the Divine Law in all ages.

The third category of vice which is forbidden is transgression. This stands for the exceeding on anyone’s part one’s proper limits and usurping the rights of others — whether those rights be those of God or of fellow human beings.

90. This verse explains three kinds of covenants and exhorts the believers to fulfil their obligations to each of them. These covenants are described in a descending order of importance. The covenant of highest importance is the one made by man with God. The second in importance is the covenant that has been reinforced by invoking God’s name. The last category consists of agreements made with others without invoking the name of God. This is less important than the other two. However, it is imperative that the obligations incurred by all of these covenants be fulfilled. For it is not permitted to breach any of the above categories of covenant.

91. Here the worst kind of breach of covenant is specifically mentioned and denounced. The reason for its denunciation.is that this kind of breach causes the greatest corruption and mischief. Strangely, this kind of breach is committed by people of stature who do so considering it an act of virtue and who win acclaim from their people for doing so.

In the course of the political, economic and religious conflicts. Between groups and nations, it often happens that the leader of one group or nation enters into an agreement with another. Subsequently, the leader of that group or nation brazenly violates that agreement or acquires some illegitimate advantages by violating it, and does so under the plea of promoting the interests of his group or nation. Even those who are righteous in their personal lives feel no qualms in committing such a breach of agreement. Their own community does not censure them. It does not charge them for having committed an evil act. On the contrary, they are patted on the back, and their petty cunning is acclaimed as the height of diplomatic astuteness.

God warns against such an attitude. Every agreement puts the morality and integrity of the person and the group who are a party to it to the test. Those who fail the test will not escape being brought to account for it in the majestic court of God.

92. It is only on the Day of Judgement that one will know which among. the conflicting views prevalent in the world was right. However, even those who are altogether right in their views have recourse to breach of commitment, or to lie and slander and are deceitful. against their opponents even if their world-view is totally erroneous and false. Such an attitude is altogether faulty. For devotion to truth requires not only that one’s world-view and purpose be based on truth, but that the means used to promote it should also be fair and honest. Such a warning is especially needed with regard to religious groups which are often under the illusion that God is permanently on their side and that their opponents are God’s rebels. The former, therefore, have a right to hurt the latter by all possible means. They consider themselves free of all restraint in dealing with those whom they consider to be God’s enemies. Against such people, they need not be bound by the dictates of truthfulness, trustworthiness and faithfulness to commitment. That is exactly what the Jews of Arabia used to say: ‘We will not be taken to task for whatever we may do to the non-Jews (ummis)’ (Al ‘Imran 3: 75). In other words, they considered themselves free.to deal with Gentiles as they pleased. They considered themselves free to commit breach of faith, and to resort to any other means — fair or foul — which would serve the interests of those who were dear to God (i.e. Jews) and hurtful to their opponents (i.e. Gentiles). They were sure they would not be taken to task by God regardless of what they did.

93. This further explains the contents of the preceding note. If someone considers himself to belong to God’s party and strives to promote His religion and to wipe out all other religions, resorting in that connection to foul means, he is guilty of going against God’s will. For had God wanted that all religious differences among human beings be totally wiped out, leaving no choice in matters of religion and forcing all men willy-nilly to embrace one single religion, He could have done so without the help of those who claim to be of God’s own party. God was well able to achieve that purpose by the use of His power. He could have created all men to be born believing in and submitting to God’s imperatives and so deprived them of the capacity to disbelieve and disobedience. Had God so willed, who could have deviated in the least from faith and obedience?

94, The opportunity that man enjoys to make a choice between alternative ways out of his own free-will has been granted to him by none other than God Himself. Hence, the ways that men will choose are bound to be diverse. For anyone who seeks to end up in error, God makes it possible to choose error.

But, whoever seeks to be directed to the straight path, God also makes it possible.

95. This verse emphatically admonishes the believers to adhere to righteous conduct. At times, those who are otherwise intellectually convinced that Islam is sound, may observe the misbehavior and corruption of Muslims and this may deter them from joining the fold of Islam. The reason being that they did not find the Muslims with whom they came into contact any better in their moral conduct than the unbelievers.

96. Reference is made here to the commitment made by the Muslims in the name of God, or as representatives of the religion enjoined by God.

97. To urge people not to barter away the covenant of God for a paltry gain does not mean that one may do so for a substantial gain. The purpose of this directive is to emphasize that worldly gains, howsoever big they may be, are paltry in comparison with God’s covenant. Thus, bartering away God’s covenant will always lead man to suffer loss no matter what he receives in return for it.

98. ‘Those who have been patient’ are those who adhere to truth and honesty in utter disregard of all temptations, desires, and lusts. They are the ones who endure all losses which accrue.to them as a result of strictly confining themselves to fair and honest means and spurning all advantages which ensue from adopting unfair methods. Such persons are prepared to wait till the very end of their worldly life after which they will be able to observe the good consequences of their deeds.

99. This verse aims at removing the misunderstanding that might be entertained by believers and unbelievers alike. This misunderstanding consists of the belief that one who follows the path of truth, honesty and righteousness, is bound to ruin his worldly life. At best such a person may be able to achieve success in the Next Life, but as far as this world is concerned, no good results can be expected.

In response, it is pointed out that such a supposition is altogether erroneous. Anyone who adopts the right attitude will not only be able to enjoy success in the Next Life, but will also achieve success in the present life. Those who are righteous, straightforward in their dealings, and virtuous in their conduct are perceptibly better even in their worldly life than those who are devoid of faith and good morals. For it is they alone who enjoy the confidence and genuine respect of people because of their unblemished character. The kind of success which they enjoy, therefore, cannot fall to the share of those who pursue success by all possible means, including those that are outrageously foul. The righteous, even when their material conditions are unenviable, enjoy an inner peace and tranquility which is beyond the reach of evil-doers even when they live in ostentatious luxury.

100. In the Next Life the righteous will achieve a status consonant with their best deeds. In other words, a person who does good deeds in this present world — be they of major or minor significance — will be generously rewarded. Even for minor acts of goodness such a person will receive the reward which people merit for good deeds of major significance.

101. This does not simply mean that before starting to recite the Qur’an one should simply utter the words: ‘I seek refuge with Allah from Satan, the accursed.’ Seeking refuge with God against Satan should not merely involve a man’s tongue, but also his heart. In addition, the desire to free oneself from Satan’s evil prompting should be backed up by practical efforts to keep oneself secure against uncalled-for doubts and suspicions. Such a person should make a serious effort to view the Qur’an in its right perspective, allowing the Qur’an to leave the imprint of its true teachings on his mind. He should take every precautionary measure to avoid distorting the Qur’an. One should beware of this, since many people are wont to interpret the Qur’an in the light of their own ideas, fancies or inclinations derived from extraneous sources. The result is that they understand the Qur’an in disregard of, or even as contrary to the intent which God embodies in it.

One should also never forget that Satan’s greatest wish is that man should always remain deprived of obtaining guidance from the Qur’an. Hence, whenever a person turns to the Qur’an, Satan leaves no stone unturned to prevent him from deriving guidance from it and to directing his thoughts instead along erroneous paths. One should, therefore, be highly vigilant while studying the Qur’an and should constantly invoke God’s help lest one fail to be directed to the guidance it embodies owing to Satan’s machinations. If someone fails to obtain guidance from the Qur’an, he will obtain guidance from nowhere. And if someone is so unfortunate that he derives false and erroneous doctrines from the Qur’an, nothing in the world will be able to rescue him from misguidance and doctrinal error. The present verse forms part of a discourse which is geared to refuting certain objections of the polytheists which were directed against the Qur’an. It states in a preparatory manner that only he who is alert to Satan’s machinations and seeks God’s refuge from him will be able to perceive the true light of the Qur’an. For those who are complacent about Satan are led off the right track to such a degree that it becomes simply-impossible for them to appreciate the message of the Qur’an.