16. Sura al-Nahl

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمُ ...

16: 115. He has only forbidden you

C2152. Cf. 2:173 and notes, 5:3-4, and 6:121 and 138-146.

... الْمَيْتَةَ وَالْدَّمَ وَلَحْمَ الْخَنزِيرِ وَمَآ أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ اللّهِ بِهِ... 

-    dead meat,

-    and blood,

-    and the flesh of swine,

-    and any (food) over which the name of other than Allah has been invoked.

... فَمَنِ اضْطُرَّ غَيْرَ بَاغٍ وَلاَ عَادٍ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿١١٥﴾  

But if one is forced by necessity, without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits, then Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

وَلاَ تَقُولُواْ لِمَا تَصِفُ أَلْسِنَتُكُمُ الْكَذِبَ ...

16: 116. But say not, for any false thing that your tongues may put forth,

C2153. Men are apt to create taboos for themselves, out of superstition, and often for selfish ends, and enforce them in the name of religion. Nothing can be more reprehensible.

... هَـذَا حَلاَلٌ وَهَـذَا حَرَامٌ... 

"This is lawful, and this is forbidden,"

... لِّتَفْتَرُواْ عَلَى اللّهِ الْكَذِبَ... 

so as to ascribe false things to Allah.

... إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللّهِ الْكَذِبَ لاَ يُفْلِحُونَ ﴿١١٦﴾  

For those who ascribe false things to Allah, will never prosper.

Transliteration Wa la_ taqu_lu_ lima_ tasifu alsinatukumul kaziba ha_za_ hal_luw wa ha_za_ hara_mul litaftaru_ 'alalla_hil kazib(a), innal lazina yaftaru_na 'alalla_hil kaziba la_ yuflihun

Pickthall’s Version:

16: 115

Pickthall He hath forbidden for you only carrion and blood and swine-flesh and that which hath been immolated in the name of any other than Allah; but he who is driven thereto, neither craving nor transgressing, lo! then Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

16: 116

Pickthall 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.