وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ لِمَا تَصِفُ أَلْسِنَتُكُمُ ٱلْكَذِبَ هَـٰذَا حَلَـٰلٌ وَهَـٰذَا حَرَامٌ لِّتَفْتَرُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْكَذِبَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْكَذِبَ لَا يُفْلِحُونَ 116
Translations
And do not say about what your tongues assert of untruth, "This is lawful and this is unlawful," to invent falsehood about Allāh. Indeed, those who invent falsehood about Allāh will not succeed.
Transliteration
Wa laa taqoolu lima tassifu alsinatukum al-kadhib hadha halalun wa hadha haramun li-taftaroo alallahi al-kadhib. Inna alladhina yaftaroon alallahi al-kadhib la yuflihuun.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah forbids the fabrication of religious rulings and false attributions to Allah regarding what is permissible (halal) and forbidden (haram). Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi explain that this addresses those who, out of ignorance or malice, invent religious laws without divine authority, particularly referencing pre-Islamic practices where Arabs would declare arbitrary things forbidden. The ayah emphasizes that those who lie and attribute falsehoods to Allah will never achieve success in this life or the hereafter.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the Meccan period and is part of Surah An-Nahl's broader discussion of divine blessings and the prohibition of innovation in religious matters. It contextually addresses the pre-Islamic Arab practice of declaring certain animals and crops unlawful (like the prohibition on livestock mentioned in 16:115), rebuking their fabricated religious claims without divine sanction.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever innovates something in this matter of ours that is not part of it, it will be rejected' (Sahih Bukhari & Muslim). Additionally, in Sunan Ibn Majah, the Prophet warned against declaring things forbidden based on personal opinion rather than revealed knowledge.
Themes
Key Lesson
Muslims must refrain from inventing religious rulings or declaring things halal or haram without clear evidence from the Quran and Sunnah; all religious matters must be grounded in authentic divine sources, and personal opinion or cultural tradition cannot substitute for revealed guidance.
Related Ayahs
وَلَا تَشْتَرُوا۟ بِعَهْدِ ٱللَّهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا ۚ إِنَّمَا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ هُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
And do not exchange the covenant of Allāh for a small price. Indeed, what is with Allāh is best for you, if only you could know.
يُنۢبِتُ لَكُم بِهِ ٱلزَّرْعَ وَٱلزَّيْتُونَ وَٱلنَّخِيلَ وَٱلْأَعْنَـٰبَ وَمِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ ۗ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
He causes to grow for you thereby the crops, olives, palm trees, grapevines, and of all the fruits. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who give thought.
وَيَجْعَلُونَ لِلَّهِ ٱلْبَنَـٰتِ سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥ ۙ وَلَهُم مَّا يَشْتَهُونَ
And they attribute to Allāh daughters - exalted is He - and for them is what they desire [i.e., sons].
قُلْ نَزَّلَهُۥ رُوحُ ٱلْقُدُسِ مِن رَّبِّكَ بِٱلْحَقِّ لِيُثَبِّتَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَهُدًى وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ
Say, [O Muḥammad], "The Pure Spirit [i.e., Gabriel] has brought it down from your Lord in truth to make firm those who believe and as guidance and good tidings to the Muslims."