Sura 16, al-Nahl [Bees]

The Quranic text and 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.

16: 91

Asad’s version

And be true to your bond with God whenever you bind yourselves by a pledge, and do not break oaths after having confirmed them and having called upon God to be witness to your good faith: behold, God knows all that you do.

Pickthall’s version

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.

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_