Surah An-Nisa >> Currently viewing Surah An-Nisa Ayat 160 (4:160)

Surah An-Nisa Ayat 160 in Arabic Text

فَبِظُلۡمٖ مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ هَادُواْ حَرَّمۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ طَيِّبَٰتٍ أُحِلَّتۡ لَهُمۡ وَبِصَدِّهِمۡ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ كَثِيرٗا
Fabizulmin minal lazeena haadoo harramnaa ‘alaihim taiyibaatin uhillat lahum wa bisadihim ‘an sabeelil laahi kaseeraa

English Translation

Here you can read various translations of verse 160

Sahih International
For wrongdoing on the part of the Jews, We made unlawful for them [certain] good foods which had been lawful to them, and for their averting from the way of Allah many [people],

Yusuf Ali
For the iniquity of the Jews We made unlawful for them certain (foods) good and wholesome which had been lawful for them;- in that they hindered many from Allah’s Way;-

Abul Ala Maududi
Thus, We forbade them many clean things which had earlier been made lawful for them, for the wrong-doing of those who became Jews, for their barring many from the way of Allah,

Muhsin Khan
For the wrong-doing of the Jews, We made unlawful to them certain good foods which has been lawful to them, and for their hindering many from Allah’s Way;

Pickthall
Because of the wrongdoing of the Jews We forbade them good things which were (before) made lawful unto them, and because of their much hindering from Allah’s way,

Dr. Ghali
So, for the injustice (on the part) of (the ones) who have Judaized, We have prohibited them good things that were lawful to them, and for their barring from the way of Allah many (people),

Abdul Haleem
For the wrongdoings done by the Jews, We forbade them certain good things that had been permitted to them before: for having frequently debarred others from God’s path;

Muhammad Junagarhi
جو نفیس چیزیں ان کے لئے حلال کی گئی تھیں وه ہم نے ان پر حرام کردیں ان کے ﻇلم کے باعﺚ اور اللہ تعالیٰ کی راه سے اکثر لوگوں کو روکنے کے باعﺚ

Quran 4 Verse 160 Explanation

For those looking for commentary to help with the understanding of Surah An-Nisa ayat 160, we’ve provided two Tafseer works below. The first is the tafseer of Abul Ala Maududi, the second is of Ibn Kathir.

Ala-Maududi

(4:160) Thus,[198] We forbade them many clean things which had earlier been made lawful for them,[199] for the wrong-doing of those who became Jews, for their barring many from the way of Allah,[200]


198. After this parenthetical statement, the main discourse is once again resumed.

199. This may refer to the regulation mentioned in (Surah Al-Anam, ayat 146), that all beasts with claws, and the fat of both oxen and sheep, were prohibited to the Jews. It might also refer, however, to the highly elaborate set of prohibitions found in Judaic Law. To restrict the choice of alternatives in their life is indeed a kind of punishment for a people. For a fuller discussion see (Surah Al-Anam, ayat 146) note 122.

200. The Jews, on the whole, are not satisfied with their own deviation from the path of God. They have become such inherent criminals that their brains and resources seem to be behind almost every movement which arises for the purpose of misleading and corrupting human beings. And whenever there arises a movement to call people to the Truth, the Jews are inclined to oppose it even though they are the bearers of the Scripture and inheritors of the message of the Prophets. Their latest contribution is Communism – an ideology which is the product of a Jewish brain and which has developed under Jewish leadership. It seems ironical that the professed followers of Moses and other Prophets should be prominent as the founders and promoters of an ideology which, for the first time in human history, is professedly based on a categorical denial of, and an undying hostility to God, and which openly strives to obliterate every form of godliness. The other movement which in modern times is second only to Communism in misleading people is the philosophy of Freud. It is a strange coincidence that Freud too was a Jew.

Ibn-Kathir

160. For the wrongdoing of the Jews, We made unlawful for them certain good foods which had been lawful for themـand for their hindering many from Allah’s way; 161. And their taking of Riba though they were forbidden from taking it, and their devouring men’s substance wrongfully. And We have prepared for the disbelievers among them a painful torment. 162. But those among them who are well-grounded in knowledge, and the believers, believe in what has been sent down to you and what was sent down before you; and those who perform the Salah, and give Zakah and believe in Allah and in the Last Day, it is they to whom We shall give a great reward.


Some Foods Were Made Unlawful for the Jews Because of their Injustice and Wrongdoing

Allah states that because of the injustice and transgression of the Jews, demonstrated by committing major sins, He prohibited some of the lawful, pure things which were previously allowed for them. This prohibition could be only that of decree, meaning that Allah allowed the Jews to falsely interpret their Book and change and alter the information about what was allowed for them. They thus, out of exaggeration and extremism in the religion, prohibited some things for themselves. It could also mean that in the Tawrah, Allah prohibited things that were allowed for them before. Allah said,

﴿كُلُّ الطَّعَامِ كَانَ حِـلاًّ لِّبَنِى إِسْرَءِيلَ إِلاَّ مَا حَرَّمَ إِسْرَءِيلُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ مِن قَبْلِ أَن تُنَزَّلَ التَّوْرَاةُ﴾

(All food was lawful to the Children of Israel, except what Isra’il made unlawful for himself before the Tawrah was revealed.) We mentioned this Ayah before, which means that all types of food were allowed for the Children of Israel before the Tawrah was revealed, except the camel’s meat and milk that Isra’il prohibited for himself. Later, Allah prohibited many things in the Tawrah. Allah said in Surat Al-An`am (chapter 6),

﴿وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ هَادُواْ حَرَّمْنَا كُلَّ ذِى ظُفُرٍ وَمِنَ الْبَقَرِ وَالْغَنَمِ حَرَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ شُحُومَهُمَآ إِلاَّ مَا حَمَلَتْ ظُهُورُهُمَآ أَوِ الْحَوَايَآ أَوْ مَا اخْتَلَطَ بِعَظْمٍ ذَلِكَ جَزَيْنَـهُم بِبَغْيِهِمْ وِإِنَّا لَصَـدِقُونَ ﴾

(And unto those who are Jews, We forbade every (animal) with undivided hoof, and We forbade them the fat of the ox and the sheep except what adheres to their backs or their entrails, or is mixed up with a bone. Thus We recompensed them for their rebellion. And verily, We are Truthful.) This means, We prohibited these things for them because they deserved it due to their transgression, injustice, defying their Messenger and disputing with him. So Allah said;

﴿فَبِظُلْمٍ مِّنَ الَّذِينَ هَادُواْ حَرَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ طَيّبَـتٍ أُحِلَّتْ لَهُمْ وَبِصَدِّهِمْ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ كَثِيراً ﴾

(For the wrongdoing of the Jews, We made unlawful to them certain good foods which had been lawful to them, and for their hindering many from Allah’s way.) This Ayah states that they hindered themselves and others from following the truth, and this is the behavior that they brought from the past to the present. This is why they were and still are the enemies of the Messengers, killing many of the Prophets. They also denied Muhammad and `Isa, peace be upon them. mAllah said,

﴿وَأَخْذِهِمُ الرِّبَا وَقَدْ نُهُواْ عَنْهُ﴾

(And their taking of Riba’ though they were forbidden from taking it,) Allah prohibited them from taking Riba’, yet they did so using various kinds of tricks, ploys and cons, thus devouring people’s property unjustly. Allah said,

﴿وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَـفِرِينَ مِنْهُمْ عَذَاباً أَلِيماً﴾

(And We have prepared for the disbelievers among them a painful torment. ) Allah then said,

﴿لَّـكِنِ الرَّاسِخُونَ فِى الْعِلْمِ مِنْهُمْ﴾

(But those among them who are well-grounded in knowledge…) firm in the religion and full of beneficial knowledge. We mentioned this subject when we explained Surah Al `Imran (3). The Ayah;

﴿وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ﴾

(and the believers…) refers to the well-grounded in knowledge;

﴿يُؤْمِنُونَ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ﴾

(believe in what has been sent down to you and what was sent down before you;) Ibn `Abbas said, “This Ayah was revealed concerning `Abdullah bin Salam, Tha`labah bin Sa`yah, Zayd bin Sa`yah and Asad bin `Ubayd who embraced Islam and believed what Allah sent Muhammad with. Allah said,

﴿وَالْمُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَوةَ﴾

(and give Zakah,) This could be referring to the obligatory charity due on one’s wealth and property, or those who purify themselves, or both. Allah knows best.

﴿وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ﴾

(and believe in Allah and in the Last Day,) They believe that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, believe in Resurrection after death and the reward or punishment for the good or evil deeds. Allah’s statement,

﴿أُوْلَـئِكَ﴾

(It is they,) those whom the Ayah described above,

﴿سَنُؤْتِيهِمْ أَجْراً عَظِيماً﴾

(To whom We shall give a great reward.) means Paradise.

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surah al-anam ayat 160
surah al-anam ayat 161
surah al-anam ayat 162
surah al-anam ayat 163
surah al-anam ayat 164

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