سُوْرَةُ النَّحْلِ
Surah An-Nahl (16) — Ayah 91
وَأَوْفُوا۟ بِعَهْدِ ٱللَّهِ إِذَا عَـٰهَدتُّمْ وَلَا تَنقُضُوا۟ ٱلْأَيْمَـٰنَ بَعْدَ تَوْكِيدِهَا وَقَدْ جَعَلْتُمُ ٱللَّهَ عَلَيْكُمْ كَفِيلًا ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ ﴿91﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And fulfil the Covenant of Allâh (Bai‘ah: pledge for Islâm) when you have covenanted, and break not the oaths after you have confirmed them - and indeed you have appointed Allâh your surety. Verily! Allâh knows what you do.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَأَوْفُوا۟
wa-awfū
And fulfil
بِعَهْدِ
biʿahdi
the covenant
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
إِذَا
idhā
when
عَـٰهَدتُّمْ
ʿāhadttum
you have taken a covenant
وَلَا
walā
and (do) not
تَنقُضُوا۟
tanquḍū
break
ٱلْأَيْمَـٰنَ
l-aymāna
oaths
بَعْدَ
baʿda
after
تَوْكِيدِهَا
tawkīdihā
their confirmation
وَقَدْ
waqad
while verily
جَعَلْتُمُ
jaʿaltumu
you have made
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
عَلَيْكُمْ
ʿalaykum
over you
كَفِيلًا ۚ
kafīlan
a surety
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
يَعْلَمُ
yaʿlamu
knows
مَا
mā
what
تَفْعَلُونَ
tafʿalūna
you do
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.
(Ayah91) ➊ {وَ اَوْفُوْا بِعَهْدِ اللّٰهِ اِذَا عٰهَدْتُّمْ :} The covenant to fulfill Allah’s commands, which is made in the case of embracing faith, or the covenants and agreements lawfully made with one another. (Shawkani) {’’ عٰهَدْتُّمْ ‘‘} is from the form of mutual action, meaning a covenant made with another person.
➋ {وَ لَا تَنْقُضُوا الْاَيْمَانَ بَعْدَ تَوْكِيْدِهَا …:} Making it firm does not mean that breaking those oaths which have not been made firm is permissible, because every covenant upon which an oath is sworn, Allah is made a guarantor over it and it becomes firm, and breaking it without excuse is not permissible. Rather, breaking a covenant is a sign of hypocrisy. Some oaths a person takes upon himself, that he will do or not do something. If he cannot fulfill them, its expiation is mentioned in Surah Al-Ma’idah (89). Similarly, the ruling of a vain oath has already been mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah (225) and Surah Al-Ma’idah (89).
➌ Regarding the oath about which it becomes clear that not adhering to it is better religiously, then he should break that oath and do what is better. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ مَنْ حَلَفَ عَلٰی يَمِيْنٍ فَرَأَی غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِّنْهَا، فَلْيُكَفِّرْ عَنْ يَمِيْنِهِ وَلْيَفْعَلْ ] [مسلم، الأیمان و النذور، باب ندب من حلف یمینًا فرأی غیرھا خیرَا منہا أن یأتی … : ۱۲ /۱۶۵۰ ] “Whoever swears an oath about something, then sees that something else is better than it, let him do what is better and offer expiation for his oath.”
➍ If someone makes a covenant or swears an oath to do something unlawful, then fulfilling it is not permissible. See Surah Al-Baqarah (224).
➋ {وَ لَا تَنْقُضُوا الْاَيْمَانَ بَعْدَ تَوْكِيْدِهَا …:} Making it firm does not mean that breaking those oaths which have not been made firm is permissible, because every covenant upon which an oath is sworn, Allah is made a guarantor over it and it becomes firm, and breaking it without excuse is not permissible. Rather, breaking a covenant is a sign of hypocrisy. Some oaths a person takes upon himself, that he will do or not do something. If he cannot fulfill them, its expiation is mentioned in Surah Al-Ma’idah (89). Similarly, the ruling of a vain oath has already been mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah (225) and Surah Al-Ma’idah (89).
➌ Regarding the oath about which it becomes clear that not adhering to it is better religiously, then he should break that oath and do what is better. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ مَنْ حَلَفَ عَلٰی يَمِيْنٍ فَرَأَی غَيْرَهَا خَيْرًا مِّنْهَا، فَلْيُكَفِّرْ عَنْ يَمِيْنِهِ وَلْيَفْعَلْ ] [مسلم، الأیمان و النذور، باب ندب من حلف یمینًا فرأی غیرھا خیرَا منہا أن یأتی … : ۱۲ /۱۶۵۰ ] “Whoever swears an oath about something, then sees that something else is better than it, let him do what is better and offer expiation for his oath.”
➍ If someone makes a covenant or swears an oath to do something unlawful, then fulfilling it is not permissible. See Surah Al-Baqarah (224).
