سُوْرَةُ النَّحْلِ
Surah An-Nahl (16) — Ayah 101
وَإِذَا بَدَّلْنَآ ءَايَةً مَّكَانَ ءَايَةٍ ۙ وَٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يُنَزِّلُ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مُفْتَرٍۭ ۚ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿101﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And when We change a Verse (of the Qur’ân,) in place of another - and Allâh knows best what He sends down - they (the disbelievers) say: "You (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) are but a Muftari! (forger, liar)." Nay, but most of them know not.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَإِذَا
wa-idhā
And when
بَدَّلْنَآ
baddalnā
We substitute
ءَايَةًۭ
āyatan
a Verse
مَّكَانَ
makāna
(in) place
ءَايَةٍۢ ۙ
āyatin
(of) a Verse
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
and Allah
أَعْلَمُ
aʿlamu
(is) most knowing
بِمَا
bimā
of what
يُنَزِّلُ
yunazzilu
He sends down
قَالُوٓا۟
qālū
they say
إِنَّمَآ
innamā
Only
أَنتَ
anta
you
مُفْتَرٍۭ ۚ
muf'tarin
(are) an inventor
بَلْ
bal
Nay
أَكْثَرُهُمْ
aktharuhum
most of them
لَا
lā
(do) not
يَعْلَمُونَ
yaʿlamūna
know
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.
And when We substitute one verse in place of another [104]—and Allah knows best what He reveals—they say, "You are only making it up!" But most of them do not know [105].
[104]
When is the Day of Judgment? Different Answers to One Question:
This may refer to the different answers given on various occasions to the disbelievers’ question or objection. For example, the disbelievers would often ask: “When will this Day of Judgment that you keep talking about actually come?” At one place, the answer given is that it will come suddenly in such a way that you will not even be aware of it. At another place, the answer is that when it comes, your believing at that time will be of no benefit. At a third place, the answer is that when it comes, there will not be any delay or advancement in it, not even for a moment. And at a fourth place, the answer is given: say to them that its knowledge is only with Allah, and I am only His Messenger.
The Nature of Abrogating and Abrogated Rulings:
And it may also mean that in the Quran, the accounts of previous nations and prophets are sometimes mentioned briefly, sometimes in detail, sometimes with one aspect in view, and sometimes with another aspect. The same is the case with rulings, in which gradualness has been taken into consideration, and this gradualness is due to people’s intellect and understanding, or their lack of readiness at one time and readiness at another. And since Allah Almighty is aware of all kinds of circumstances, the demand of His wisdom is that He reveals rulings according to the requirements of the circumstances. And its example is like that of a wise doctor who first prescribes one medicine for a patient, then changes the medicine according to the patient’s condition.
[105]
The Accusation of Fabricating the Quran Due to Change in Rulings:
In such cases of change, the disbelievers begin to say that this cannot be the word of Allah. Allah is already aware of everything. Why then are there changes in His rulings or different answers to one question? It must be that this Prophet has fabricated this speech himself—sometimes giving one answer, sometimes another. In response to this, Allah said that this response of the disbelievers is based merely on ignorance. The reason for the change in rulings is not, God forbid, that Allah did not know beforehand, but the real reason is people’s readiness or lack thereof, and the requirements of the circumstances.
[104]
When is the Day of Judgment? Different Answers to One Question:
This may refer to the different answers given on various occasions to the disbelievers’ question or objection. For example, the disbelievers would often ask: “When will this Day of Judgment that you keep talking about actually come?” At one place, the answer given is that it will come suddenly in such a way that you will not even be aware of it. At another place, the answer is that when it comes, your believing at that time will be of no benefit. At a third place, the answer is that when it comes, there will not be any delay or advancement in it, not even for a moment. And at a fourth place, the answer is given: say to them that its knowledge is only with Allah, and I am only His Messenger.
The Nature of Abrogating and Abrogated Rulings:
And it may also mean that in the Quran, the accounts of previous nations and prophets are sometimes mentioned briefly, sometimes in detail, sometimes with one aspect in view, and sometimes with another aspect. The same is the case with rulings, in which gradualness has been taken into consideration, and this gradualness is due to people’s intellect and understanding, or their lack of readiness at one time and readiness at another. And since Allah Almighty is aware of all kinds of circumstances, the demand of His wisdom is that He reveals rulings according to the requirements of the circumstances. And its example is like that of a wise doctor who first prescribes one medicine for a patient, then changes the medicine according to the patient’s condition.
[105]
The Accusation of Fabricating the Quran Due to Change in Rulings:
In such cases of change, the disbelievers begin to say that this cannot be the word of Allah. Allah is already aware of everything. Why then are there changes in His rulings or different answers to one question? It must be that this Prophet has fabricated this speech himself—sometimes giving one answer, sometimes another. In response to this, Allah said that this response of the disbelievers is based merely on ignorance. The reason for the change in rulings is not, God forbid, that Allah did not know beforehand, but the real reason is people’s readiness or lack thereof, and the requirements of the circumstances.
