16. [an-Nahl, Mecca 70]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَأَوْفُواْ بِعَهْدِ اللّهِ إِذَا عَاهَدتُّمْ...   

16: 91.  Fulfil the Covenant of Allah when ye have entered into it,

... وَلاَ تَنقُضُواْ الأَيْمَانَ بَعْدَ تَوْكِيدِهَا وَقَدْ جَعَلْتُمُ اللّهَ عَلَيْكُمْ كَفِيلاً... 

and break not your oaths after ye have confirmed them;

indeed ye have made Allah your surety;

C2128. The immediate reference may or may not be to the oath of fidelity to the Prophet taken at 'Aqaba fourteen months before the Hijrah and repeated a little later: see 5:7, and n. 705.

But the general meaning is much wider. And this may be viewed in two aspects;

-        Every oath taken, or covenant made, is a Covenant before Allah, and should be faithfully observed. In this it approaches in meaning to 5:1.

-        In particular, every Muslim makes, by the profession, of his Faith, a Covenant with Allah, and he confirms that Covenant every time he repeats that profession. He should therefore faithfully observe the duties taught to him by Islam.

... إِنَّ اللّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ ﴿٩١﴾

for Allah knoweth all that ye do.

وَلاَ تَكُونُواْ كَالَّتِي نَقَضَتْ غَزْلَهَا مِن بَعْدِ قُوَّةٍ أَنكَاثًا...   

16: 92.  And be not like a woman who breaks into untwisted strands they yarn which she has spun, after it has become strong.

C2129. The Covenant which binds us in the spiritual world makes us strong, like strands of fluffy cotton spun into a strong thread. It also gives us a sense of security against much evil in this world.

It costs a woman much labour and skill to spin good strong yarn. She would be foolish indeed, after she has spun such yarn, to untwist its constituent strands and break them into flimsy pieces.

... تَتَّخِذُونَ أَيْمَانَكُمْ دَخَلاً بَيْنَكُمْ... 

Nor take your oaths to practice deception between yourselves,

C2130. Nor: I construe tattakhithuna with takunu in the previous clause.

... أَن تَكُونَ أُمَّةٌ هِيَ أَرْبَى مِنْ أُمَّةٍ... 

lest one party should be more numerous than another:

C2131. Do not make your religion merely a game of making your own party numerically strong by alliances cemented by oaths, which you readily break when a more numerous party offers you its alliance.

The Quraish were addicted to this vice, and in international politics at the present day, this seems to be almost a standard of national self-respect and international skill.

Islam teaches nobler ethics for individuals and nations. A Covenant should be looked upon as a solemn thing, not to be entered into except with the sincerest intention of carrying it out; and it is binding even if large numbers are ranged against it.

... إِنَّمَا يَبْلُوكُمُ اللّهُ بِهِ... 

for Allah will test you by this;

... وَلَيُبَيِّنَنَّ لَكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ ﴿٩٢﴾

and on the Day of Judgment He will certainly make clear to you (the truth of) that wherein ye disagree.

C2132. Disagreements need not necessarily cause conflict where the parties are sincere and honest and do not wish to take advantage of one another.

In such cases they do not go by numbers, groupings, and alliances, but by just conduct as in the sight of Allah. Honest differences will be removed when all things are made clear in the Hereafter.

Others version:

16: 91

Pickthall Fulfill the covenant of Allah when ye have covenanted, and break not your oaths after the asseveration of them, and after ye have made Allah surety over you. Lo! Allah knoweth what ye do.

Yuksel Keep Your Words

You shall fulfill your pledge to God when you pledge so, and do not break your oath after making it, for you have made God a sponsor over you. God is aware of what you do.

Transliteration Wa aufu_ bi 'ahdilla_hi iza_ 'a_hattum wa la_ tanqudul aima_na ba'da taukidiha_ wa qad ja'altumulla_ha 'alaikum kafila_(n), innalla_ha ya'lamu ma_ taf'alu_n(a).

16: 92

Pickthall And be not like unto her who unravelleth the thread, after she hath made it strong, to thin filaments, making your oaths a deceit between you because of a nation being more numerous than (another) nation. Allah only trieth you thereby, and He verily will explain to you on the Day of Resurrection that wherein ye differed.

Yuksel Do not be like the one who unraveled her knitting after it had become strong, by breaking your oaths as a means of deception between you, because a nation is more numerous than another nation. God only puts you to the test by it. He will show you on the day of Resurrection what you were disputing in.

Transliteration Wa la_ taku_nu_ kal lati naqadat 'azlaha_ mim ba'di quwwatin anka_sa_(n), tattakhizu_na aima_nakum dakhalam bainakum an taku_na ummatun hiya arba_ min ummah(tin), innama_ yablu_kumulla_hu bih(i), wa layubayyinanna lakum yaumal qiya_mati ma_ kuntum fihi takhtalifu_n(a).

[[ Ali’s notes -

2128 The immediate reference may or may not be to the oath of fidelity to the Prophet taken at 'Aqaba fourteen months before the Hijra and repeated a little later: see v. 7, and n. 705. But the general meaning is much wider. And this may be viewed in two aspects (1) Every oath taken, or covenant made, is a Covenant before Allah, and should be faithfully observed. In this it approaches in meaning to v. 1. (2) In particular, every Muslim makes, by the profession, of his Faith, a Covenant with Allah, and he confirms that Covenant every time he repeats that profession. He should therefore faithfully observe the duties taught to him by Islam. (16.91)

2129 The Covenant which binds us in the spiritual world makes us strong, like strands of fluffy cotton spun into a strong thread. It also gives us a sense of security against much evil in this world. It costs a woman much labour and skill to spin good strong yarn. She would be foolish indeed, after she has spun such yam, to untwist its constituent strands and break them into flimsy pieces. (16.92)

2130 Here tattakhithun is used as an adverb to qualify the negative command takunu at the beginning of the verse. (16.92)

2131 Do not make your religion merely a game of making your own party numerically strong by alliances cemented by oaths, which you readily break when a more numerous party offers you its alliance. The Quraish were addicted to this vice, and in international politics at the present day, this seems to be almost a standard of national self-respect and international skill. Islam teaches nobler ethics for individuals and nations. A Covenant should be looked upon as a solemn thing, not to be entered into except with the sincerest intention of carrying it out; and it is binding even if large numbers are ranged against it. (16.92)

2132 Disagreements need not necessarily cause conflict where the parties are sincere and honest and do not wish to take advantage of one another. In such cases they do not go by numbers, groupings, and alliances, but by just conduct as in the sight of Allah. Honest differences will be removed when all things are made clear in the Hereafter. (16.92