سُوْرَةُ النَّحْلِ

Surah An-Nahl (16) — Ayah 116

The Bee · Meccan · Juz 14 · Page 280

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وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ لِمَا تَصِفُ أَلْسِنَتُكُمُ ٱلْكَذِبَ هَـٰذَا حَلَـٰلٌ وَهَـٰذَا حَرَامٌ لِّتَفْتَرُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْكَذِبَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْكَذِبَ لَا يُفْلِحُونَ ﴿116﴾

Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali

And say not concerning that which your tongues put forth falsely: "This is lawful and this is forbidden," so as to invent lies against Allâh. Verily, those who invent lies against Allâh will never prosper.

Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning

وَلَا walā And (do) not
تَقُولُوا۟ taqūlū say
لِمَا limā for that which
تَصِفُ taṣifu assert
أَلْسِنَتُكُمُ alsinatukumu your tongues
ٱلْكَذِبَ l-kadhiba the lie
هَـٰذَا hādhā This
حَلَـٰلٌۭ ḥalālun (is) lawful
وَهَـٰذَا wahādhā and this
حَرَامٌۭ ḥarāmun (is) forbidden
لِّتَفْتَرُوا۟ litaftarū so that you invent
عَلَى ʿalā about
ٱللَّهِ l-lahi Allah
ٱلْكَذِبَ ۚ l-kadhiba the lie
إِنَّ inna Indeed
ٱلَّذِينَ alladhīna those who
يَفْتَرُونَ yaftarūna invent
عَلَى ʿalā about
ٱللَّهِ l-lahi Allah
ٱلْكَذِبَ l-kadhiba the lie
لَا lā they will not succeed
يُفْلِحُونَ yuf'liḥūna they will not succeed

Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi

Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

(Ayah117,116){وَ لَا تَقُوْلُوْا لِمَا تَصِفُ …: ’’ اَلْسِنَةٌ ‘‘ ’’ لِسَانٌ ‘‘} “alsinah” is the plural of “lisan”, meaning when Allah Almighty has Himself made clear to you what is lawful and unlawful, then adhere to that, and do not dare to declare lawful what your tongues falsely declare as lawful, nor declare unlawful what your tongues declare as unlawful. If you do so, it will be fabricating a lie against Allah, and it is certain that those who fabricate lies against Allah never succeed. Even if they gain some benefit in this world in exchange for it, even if they gain the whole world, it is a very little provision, because this provision is bound to come to an end in any case. Then their eternal abode will be Hell. For examples of the polytheists making things lawful and unlawful from themselves, see Surah Al-Ma'idah (103, 104), Al-An'am (138 to 140), and Surah Yunus (59, 60).

Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) said, in this verse is included every person who invents any new thing (bid‘ah) in the religion for which there is no Shari‘ah evidence, or who, merely by his own intellect and opinion, gives a fatwa declaring something lawful which Allah has made unlawful, or unlawful which Allah has made lawful. The entire Ummah is agreed upon the authenticity (Sahih) of this statement of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): [ مَنْ كَذَبَ عَلَيَّ مُتَعَمِّدًا فَلْيَتَبَوَّأْ مَقْعَدَهُ مِنَ النَّارِ ] [Bukhari, Al-'Ilm, Bab Ithm man kadhaba 'ala an-Nabi ﷺ: 107; Muslim, Al-Muqaddimah: 3] Whoever deliberately lies about me, let him take his place in Hell (because this is in reality a lie against Allah).”

Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf

Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

116. 1. This is a reference to those animals which they would dedicate in the names of idols and make them forbidden for themselves, such as Bahirah, Saibah, Wasilah, and Ham, etc. (دیکھئے (مَا جَعَلَ اللّٰهُ مِنْۢ بَحِيْرَةٍ وَّلَا سَاۗىِٕبَةٍ وَّلَا وَصِيْلَةٍ وَّلَا حَامٍ ۙ وَّلٰكِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا يَفْتَرُوْنَ عَلَي اللّٰهِ الْكَذِبَ ۭ وَاَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُوْنَ) (See 5. Al-Ma'idah:13) and Al-An'am (وَقَالُوْا مَا فِيْ بُطُوْنِ هٰذِهِ الْاَنْعَامِ خَالِصَةٌ لِّذُكُوْرِنَا وَمُحَرَّمٌ عَلٰٓي اَزْوَاجِنَا ۚ وَاِنْ يَّكُنْ مَّيْتَةً فَهُمْ فِيْهِ شُرَكَاۗءُ ۭ سَيَجْزِيْهِمْ وَصْفَهُمْ ۭاِنَّهٗ حَكِيْمٌ عَلِيْمٌ 139؁ قَدْ خَسِرَ الَّذِيْنَ قَتَلُوْٓا اَوْلَادَهُمْ سَفَهًۢا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَّحَرَّمُوْا مَا رَزَقَهُمُ اللّٰهُ افْتِرَاۗءً عَلَي اللّٰهِ ۭ قَدْ ضَلُّوْا وَمَا كَانُوْا مُهْتَدِيْنَ 140؀ۧ وَهُوَ الَّذِيْٓ اَنْشَاَ جَنّٰتٍ مَّعْرُوْشٰتٍ وَّغَيْرَ مَعْرُوْشٰتٍ وَّالنَّخْلَ وَالزَّرْعَ مُخْتَلِفًا اُكُلُهٗ وَالزَّيْتُوْنَ وَالرُّمَّانَ مُتَشَابِهًا وَّغَيْرَ مُتَشَابِهٍ ۭ كُلُوْا مِنْ ثَمَرِهٖٓ اِذَآ اَثْمَرَ وَاٰتُوْا حَقَّهٗ يَوْمَ حَصَادِهٖ ڮ وَلَا تُسْرِفُوْا ۭ اِنَّهٗ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُسْرِفِيْنَ 141؀ۙ) 6. Al-An'am:139 to 141, see footnotes)

Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani

Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

116. And do not say, because of the lies your tongues utter, “This is lawful and this is unlawful,” so as to fabricate lies against Allah [119]. Indeed, those who fabricate lies against Allah will never succeed.

[119]
Assuming the Authority of Permitting and Prohibiting Is Also Shirk:

In these verses, it is stated that the authority to declare things lawful or unlawful belongs entirely to Allah Almighty. No one else has the right to declare something lawful or permissible that Allah has forbidden, or to make unlawful the things He has permitted. And those who do this are uttering lies. First, they invent such lies, then attribute them to Allah or ascribe them to Him, thus giving their beliefs a religious sanctity. In reality, by taking divine authority into their own hands, they commit shirk, and there is no way for such people to attain salvation in the Hereafter.
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