16.Sura al-Nahl

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَلاَ تَتَّخِذُواْ أَيْمَانَكُمْ دَخَلاً بَيْنَكُمْ فَتَزِلَّ قَدَمٌ بَعْدَ ثُبُوتِهَا...   

16: 94.  And take not your oaths, to practice deception between yourselves, with the result that someone's foot may slip after it was firmly planted;

C2134. In 16:92, above, the motive for false and fraudulent covenants was pointed out with reprobation. Now are pointed out the consequences, viz.,

-        to others, if they had not been deceived, they might have walked firmly on the Path, but now they lose faith and perhaps commit like frauds for which you will be responsible;

-        to yourselves; you have not only gone wrong yourselves; but have set others on the wrong path; and you deserve a double Penalty. Perhaps the "evil consequences" refer to this world, and the "Wrath" to the Hereafter.

... وَتَذُوقُواْ الْسُّوءَ بِمَا صَدَدتُّمْ عَن سَبِيلِ اللّهِ... 

and ye may have to taste the evil (consequences) of having hindered (men) from the path of Allah,

... وَلَكُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ ﴿٩٤﴾

and a mighty Wrath descend on you.

وَلاَ تَشْتَرُواْ بِعَهْدِ اللّهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلاً...   

16: 95.  Nor sell the Covenant of Allah for a miserable price:

C2135. Any possible gain that you can make by breaking your Covenant and thus breaking Allah's Law must necessarily be miserable; while your own benefit is far greater in obeying Allah's Will and doing right.

... إِنَّمَا عِندَ اللّهِ هُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٩٥﴾

for with Allah is (a prize) far better for you, if ye only knew.

Other versions:

16: 94 [an-Nahl, Mecca]

Yusuf Ali And take not your oaths to practice deception between yourselves with the result that someone's foot may slip after it was firmly planted; and ye may have to taste the evil (consequences) of having hindered (men) from the path of Allah and a mighty Wrath descend on you.

Pickthall Make not your oaths a deceit between you, lest a foot should slip after being firmly planted and ye should taste evil forasmuch as ye debarred (men) from the way of Allah, and yours should be an awful doom.

Yuksel Do not use your oaths as a means of deception between you, that a foot will falter after it had been firm, and you will taste the evil of turning away from the path of God, and you will have a great retribution.

Transliteration Wa la_ tattakhizu_ aima_nakum dakhalam bainakum fa tazilla qadamum ba'da subu_tiha_ wa tazu_qus su_'a bima_ sadattum 'an sabililla_h(i), wa lakum 'aza_bun 'azim(un).

16: 95

Yusuf Ali Nor sell the covenant of Allah for a miserable price: for with Allah is (a prize) far better for you if ye only knew.

Pickthall And purchase not a small gain at the price of Allah's covenant. Lo! that which Allah hath is better for you, if ye did but know.

Yuksel Do not purchase with God's pledge a cheap price. What is with God is far better for you if you know.

Transliteration Wa la_ tasytaru_ bi'ahdilla_hi samanan qalila_(n), innama_ 'indalla_hi huwa khairul lakum in kuntum ta'lamu_n(a).

[[ Ali’s notes - 2134 In xvi. 92, above, the motive for false and fraudulent covenants was pointed out with reprobation. Now are pointed out the consequences, viz., (1) to others, if they had not been deceived, they might have walked firmly on the Path, but now they lose faith and perhaps commit like frauds for which you will be responsible; (2) to yourselves; you have not only gone wrong yourselves; but have set others on the wrong path; and you deserve a double Penalty. Perhaps the "evil consequences" refer to this world, and the "Wrath" to the Hereafter. (16.94)

2135 Any possible gain that you can make by breaking your Covenant and thus breaking Allah's Law must necessarily be miserable; while your own benefit is far greater in obeying Allah's Will and doing right. (16.95) ]]