Upholding Justice, Fulfilling Covenants, and the Promise of a Righteous Life

An-Nahl — Verses 90–97 | Explore this Quran theme on Muallim

۞ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ ۚ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ ٩٠

Verily, Allah enjoins Al-Adl (i.e. justice and worshipping none but Allah Alone - Islamic Monotheism) and Al-Ihsan [i.e. to be patient in performing your duties to Allah, totally for Allah's sake and in accordance with the Sunnah (legal ways) of the Prophet SAW in a perfect manner], and giving (help) to kith and kin (i.e. all that Allah has ordered you to give them e.g., wealth, visiting, looking after them, or any other kind of help, etc.): and forbids Al-Fahsha' (i.e. all evil deeds, e.g. illegal sexual acts, disobedience of parents, polytheism, to tell lies, to give false witness, to kill a life without right, etc.), and Al-Munkar (i.e. all that is prohibited by Islamic law: polytheism of every kind, disbelief and every kind of evil deeds, etc.), and Al-Baghy (i.e. all kinds of oppression), He admonishes you, that you may take heed.

۞ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ
Verily, Allah enjoins Al-Adl (i.e. justice and worshipping none but Allah Alone - Islamic Monotheism)
وَالْإِحْسَانِ
and Al-Ihsan [i.e. to be patient in performing your duties to Allah, totally for Allah's sake and in accordance with the Sunnah (legal ways) of the Prophet SAW in a perfect manner]
وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ
and giving (help) to kith and kin (i.e. all that Allah has ordered you to give them e.g., wealth, visiting, looking after them, or any other kind of help, etc.)
وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ
and forbids Al-Fahsha' (i.e. all evil deeds, e.g. illegal sexual acts, disobedience of parents, polytheism, to tell lies, to give false witness, to kill a life without right, etc.)
وَالْمُنكَرِ
and Al-Munkar (i.e. all that is prohibited by Islamic law: polytheism of every kind, disbelief and every kind of evil deeds, etc.)
وَالْبَغْيِ ۚ
and Al-Baghy (i.e. all kinds of oppression)
يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ
He admonishes you, that you may take heed.

وَأَوْفُوا بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ إِذَا عَاهَدتُّمْ وَلَا تَنقُضُوا الْأَيْمَانَ بَعْدَ تَوْكِيدِهَا وَقَدْ جَعَلْتُمُ اللَّهَ عَلَيْكُمْ كَفِيلًا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ ٩١

And fulfill the Covenant of Allah (Bai'a: pledge for Islam) when you have covenanted, and break not the oaths after you have confirmed them, and indeed you have appointed Allah your surety. Verily! Allah knows what you do.

وَأَوْفُوا بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ
And fulfill the Covenant of Allah
إِذَا عَاهَدتُّمْ
when you have covenanted
وَلَا تَنقُضُوا الْأَيْمَانَ
and break not the oaths
بَعْدَ تَوْكِيدِهَا
after you have confirmed them
وَقَدْ جَعَلْتُمُ اللَّهَ عَلَيْكُمْ كَفِيلًا ۚ
and indeed you have appointed Allah your surety
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ
Verily! Allah knows what you do

وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّتِي نَقَضَتْ غَزْلَهَا مِن بَعْدِ قُوَّةٍ أَنكَاثًا تَتَّخِذُونَ أَيْمَانَكُمْ دَخَلًا بَيْنَكُمْ أَن تَكُونَ أُمَّةٌ هِيَ أَرْبَىٰ مِنْ أُمَّةٍ ۚ إِنَّمَا يَبْلُوكُمُ اللَّهُ بِهِ ۚ وَلَيُبَيِّنَنَّ لَكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ ٩٢

And be not like her who undoes the thread which she has spun after it has become strong, by taking your oaths a means of deception among yourselves, lest a nation may be more numerous than another nation. Allah only tests you by this [i.e. who obeys Allah and fulfills Allah's Covenant and who disobeys Allah and breaks Allah's Covenant]. And on the Day of Resurrection, He will certainly make clear to you that wherein you used to differ [i.e. a believer confesses and believes in the Oneness of Allah and in the Prophethood of Prophet Muhammad SAW which the disbeliever denies it and that was their difference amongst them in the life of this world].

وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّتِي نَقَضَتْ غَزْلَهَا مِن بَعْدِ قُوَّةٍ
And be not like her who undoes the thread which she has spun after it has become strong,
أَنكَاثًا تَتَّخِذُونَ أَيْمَانَكُمْ دَخَلًا بَيْنَكُمْ
by taking your oaths a means of deception among yourselves,
أَن تَكُونَ أُمَّةٌ هِيَ أَرْبَىٰ مِنْ أُمَّةٍ ۚ
lest a nation may be more numerous than another nation.
إِنَّمَا يَبْلُوكُمُ اللَّهُ بِهِ ۚ
Allah only tests you by this [i.e. who obeys Allah and fulfills Allah's Covenant and who disobeys Allah and breaks Allah's Covenant].
وَلَيُبَيِّنَنَّ لَكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ
And on the Day of Resurrection, He will certainly make clear to you that wherein you used to differ [i.e. a believer confesses and believes in the Oneness of Allah and in the Prophethood of Prophet Muhammad SAW which the disbeliever denies it and that was their difference amongst them in the life of this world].

وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَجَعَلَكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَلَٰكِن يُضِلُّ مَن يَشَاءُ وَيَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَلَتُسْأَلُنَّ عَمَّا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ ٩٣

And had Allah willed, He could have made you (all) one nation, but He sends astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills. But you shall certainly be called to account for what you used to do.

وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ
And had Allah willed,
لَجَعَلَكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً
He could have made you (all) one nation,
وَلَٰكِن يُضِلُّ مَن يَشَاءُ
but He sends astray whom He wills
وَيَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ ۚ
and guides whom He wills.
وَلَتُسْأَلُنَّ عَمَّا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
But you shall certainly be called to account for what you used to do.

وَلَا تَتَّخِذُوا أَيْمَانَكُمْ دَخَلًا بَيْنَكُمْ فَتَزِلَّ قَدَمٌ بَعْدَ ثُبُوتِهَا وَتَذُوقُوا السُّوءَ بِمَا صَدَدتُّمْ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۖ وَلَكُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ ٩٤

And make not your oaths, a means of deception among yourselves, lest a foot may slip after being firmly planted, and you may have to taste the evil (punishment in this world) of having hindered (men) from the Path of Allah (i.e. Belief in the Oneness of Allah and His Messenger, Muhammad SAW), and yours will be a great torment (i.e. the Fire of Hell in the Hereafter).

وَلَا تَتَّخِذُوا أَيْمَانَكُمْ دَخَلًا بَيْنَكُمْ
And make not your oaths, a means of deception among yourselves
فَتَزِلَّ قَدَمٌ بَعْدَ ثُبُوتِهَا
lest a foot may slip after being firmly planted
وَتَذُوقُوا السُّوءَ بِمَا صَدَدتُّمْ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۖ
and you may have to taste the evil (punishment in this world) of having hindered (men) from the Path of Allah
وَلَكُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ
and yours will be a great torment (i.e. the Fire of Hell in the Hereafter)

وَلَا تَشْتَرُوا بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا ۚ إِنَّمَا عِندَ اللَّهِ هُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ٩٥

And purchase not a small gain at the cost of Allah's Covenant. Verily! What is with Allah is better for you if you did but know.

وَلَا تَشْتَرُوا بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا ۚ
And purchase not a small gain at the cost of Allah's Covenant.
إِنَّمَا عِندَ اللَّهِ هُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ
Verily! What is with Allah is better for you
إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
if you did but know.

مَا عِندَكُمْ يَنفَدُ ۖ وَمَا عِندَ اللَّهِ بَاقٍ ۗ وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّ الَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا أَجْرَهُم بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ٩٦

Whatever is with you, will be exhausted, and whatever with Allah (of good deeds) will remain. And those who are patient, We will certainly pay them a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do.

مَا عِندَكُمْ
Whatever is with you
يَنفَدُ ۖ
will be exhausted
وَمَا عِندَ اللَّهِ
and whatever with Allah (of good deeds)
بَاقٍ ۗ
will remain
وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّ الَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا
And those who are patient, We will certainly pay them
أَجْرَهُم بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do

مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَىٰ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً ۖ وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْرَهُم بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ٩٧

Whoever works righteousness, whether male or female, while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter).

مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا
Whoever works righteousness
مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَىٰ
whether male or female
وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ
while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism)
فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً ۖ
verily, to him We will give a good life
وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْرَهُم بِأَحْسَنِ مَا
(in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision)
كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
and We shall pay them certainly a reward
in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter)