16.Sura al-Nahl

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

مَن كَفَرَ بِاللّهِ مِن بَعْدِ إيمَانِهِ ...

16: 106. Anyone who, after accepting faith in Allah, utters unbelief,

C2145. The exception refers to a case like that of 'Ammar, whose father Yasir and mother Sumayya, were subjected to unspeakable tortures for their belief in Islam, but never recanted. 'Ammar,

suffering under tortures himself and his mind acted on by the sufferings of his parents, uttered a word construed as recantation, though his heart never wavered and he came back at once to the Prophet, who consoled him for his pain and confirmed his faith. (R).

... إِلاَّ مَنْ أُكْرِهَ وَقَلْبُهُ مُطْمَئِنٌّ بِالإِيمَانِ...

except under compulsion, his heart remaining firm in faith,

... وَلَـكِن مَّن شَرَحَ بِالْكُفْرِ صَدْرًا فَعَلَيْهِمْ غَضَبٌ مِّنَ اللّهِ... 

but such as open their breast to unbelief, on them is Wrath from Allah,

... وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ ﴿١٠٦﴾

and theirs will be a dreadful Penalty.

Other versions:

16: 106

Asad As for anyone who denies God after having once attained to faith- and this, to be sure, does not apply to one who does it under duress, the while his heart remains true to his faith, but [only to] him who willingly opens up his heart to a denial of the truth – upon all such [falls] God’s condemnation, and tremendous suffering awaits them:

Yusuf Ali Anyone who after accepting faith in Allah utters unbelief except under compulsion his heart remaining firm in faith but such as open their breast to unbelief on them is Wrath from Allah and theirs will be a dreadful Penalty.

Pickthall Whoso disbelieveth in Allah after his belief save him who is forced thereto and whose heart is still content with Faith but whoso findeth ease in disbelief: On them is wrath from Allah. Theirs will be an awful doom.

Transliteration Man kafara billa_hi mim ba'di ima_nihi illa_ man ukriha wa qalbuhu_ mutma'innum bil ima_ni wala_kin man syaraha bil kufri sadran fa 'alaihim gadabum minalla_h(i), wa lahum 'aza_bun 'azim(un).

[ Asad note 133-134 : Lit., “except” - …..( and this to be sure does not apply to…….”) …………….”one who is coerced, the while his heart is at rest in [his] faith”. This relates to believers who, under torture or threat of death, ostensibly “recant” in order to save themselves. Although the Quran makes it clear in several places that martyrdom in the cause of faith is highly meritorious, “God does not burden any human being with more than he is well able to bear” (cf. 2:233 and 286, 6:152, 7:42, 23:62, and many other …….]

[Ali’s note 2145 The exception refers to a case like that of 'Ammar, whose father Yasir and mother Sumayya, were subjected to unspeakable tortures for their belief in Islam, but never recanted. 'Ammar, suffering under tortures himself and his mind acted on by the sufferings of his parents, uttered a word construed as recantation, though his heart never wavered and he came back at once to the Prophet, who consoled him for his pain and confirmed his faith. (16.106) ]