Surah Nahl Ayat 116 in Arabic Text
English Translation
Here you can read various translations of verse 116
And do not say about what your tongues assert of untruth, “This is lawful and this is unlawful,” to invent falsehood about Allah. Indeed, those who invent falsehood about Allah will not succeed.
But say not – for any false thing that your tongues may put forth,- “This is lawful, and this is forbidden,” so as to ascribe false things to Allah. For those who ascribe false things to Allah, will never prosper.
And do not utter falsehoods by letting your tongues declare: “This is lawful” and “That is unlawful,” thus fabricating lies against Allah. Surely those who fabricate lies against Allah will never prosper.
And say not concerning that which your tongues put forth falsely: “This is lawful and this is forbidden,” so as to invent lies against Allah. Verily, those who invent lies against Allah will never prosper.
And speak not, concerning that which your own tongues qualify (as clean or unclean), the falsehood: “This is lawful, and this is forbidden,” so that ye invent a lie against Allah. Lo! those who invent a lie against Allah will not succeed.
And do not say, as to what your tongues describe lying, (i.e., falsely, livingly) “This is lawful and this is prohibited, ” so you may fabricate lies against Allah; surely the ones who fabricate lies against Allah will not prosper.
Do not say falsely, ‘This is lawful and that is forbidden,’ inventing a lie about God: those who invent lies about God will not prosper-
کسی چیز کو اپنی زبان سے جھوٹ موٹ نہ کہہ دیا کرو کہ یہ حلال ہے اور یہ حرام ہے کہ اللہ پر جھوٹ بہتان باندھ لو، سمجھ لو کہ اللہ تعالیٰ پر بہتان بازی کرنے والے کامیابی سے محروم ہی رہتے ہیں
Quran 16 Verse 116 Explanation
For those looking for commentary to help with the understanding of Surah Nahl ayat 116, we’ve provided two Tafseer works below. The first is the tafseer of Abul Ala Maududi, the second is of Ibn Kathir.
Ala-Maududi
(16:116) And do not utter falsehoods by letting your tongues declare: “This is lawful”[116] and “That is unlawful,” thus fabricating lies against Allah. Surely those who fabricate lies against Allah will never prosper.
116. This verse clearly shows that none but Allah has the right to declare a thing to be lawful or unlawful. Or, in other words, the right of making laws exclusively rests with Allah. Therefore, any person who will dare to decide about the lawful and the unlawful will transgress his powers. Of course, a person, who acknowledges the divine law as the final authority, may deduce from it whether a certain thing or action is lawful or unlawful.
The arrogation of the right of determining the lawful and the unlawful has been declared to be a falsehood on Allah for two reasons:
(1) Such a person, so to say, claims that what he declares to be lawful or unlawful, disregarding the authority of the divine Book, has been made lawful or unlawful by God.
(2) He means to claim that Allah has given up the authority of making lawful and unlawful and has thus left man free to make his own laws for the conduct of life. It is obvious that each of these claims will be a falsehood and a false imputation to Allah.
Ibn-Kathir
The tafsir of Surah An-Nahl verse 116 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Nahl ayat 114 which provides the complete commentary from verse 114 through 117.
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