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 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.
91. And fulfill the covenant of Allah when you have made one, and do not break your oaths after confirming them, while you have made Allah your guarantor [94]. Surely, Allah knows what you do.
[94]
Three Types of Covenants or Agreements:
In this verse, Allah Almighty has mentioned three types of covenants and has instructed to fulfill them. The first is the Covenant of Alast, and this is the most important, and its mention has already passed at several places before. The second is the covenant which one individual makes with another individual, making Allah a witness and making it firm. Similarly, the third are those sworn agreements which one tribe makes with another tribe, one nation with another nation, or one government with another government. In short, whatever type of agreement it may be, one should try to fulfill it in every case and should not seek ways to escape from it. One should not act opportunistically or out of self-interest. To break a covenant after seeing favorable conditions for oneself, and to make unlawful interpretations of it to serve one's own interests, is the work of hypocrites.
[94]
Three Types of Covenants or Agreements:
In this verse, Allah Almighty has mentioned three types of covenants and has instructed to fulfill them. The first is the Covenant of Alast, and this is the most important, and its mention has already passed at several places before. The second is the covenant which one individual makes with another individual, making Allah a witness and making it firm. Similarly, the third are those sworn agreements which one tribe makes with another tribe, one nation with another nation, or one government with another government. In short, whatever type of agreement it may be, one should try to fulfill it in every case and should not seek ways to escape from it. One should not act opportunistically or out of self-interest. To break a covenant after seeing favorable conditions for oneself, and to make unlawful interpretations of it to serve one's own interests, is the work of hypocrites.
