وَلَا تَتَّخِذُوٓا۟ أَيْمَـٰنَكُمْ دَخَلًۢا بَيْنَكُمْ فَتَزِلَّ قَدَمٌۢ بَعْدَ ثُبُوتِهَا وَتَذُوقُوا۟ ٱلسُّوٓءَ بِمَا صَدَدتُّمْ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَلَكُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ 94
Translations
And do not take your oaths as [means of] deceit between you, lest a foot slip after it was [once] firm, and you would taste evil [in this world] for what [people] you diverted from the way of Allāh, and you would have [in the Hereafter] a great punishment.
Transliteration
Wa lā tattakhidhū aymānakum dakhalān baynakum fataziila qadamun ba'da thubūtihā wa tadhūqū as-sū'a bimā sadadtum 'an sabīli -llāhi wa lakum 'adhābun 'adhīm
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah warns against using oaths (oaths) as a means of deception or as a pretext to harm others and violate agreements among yourselves. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the prohibition targets those who swear falsely or break their oaths for material gain or to oppress others. The verse warns that such actions will cause one's feet to slip from the path of guidance, leading to tasting the evil consequences of turning away from Allah's way, with a severe punishment awaiting those who persist in this transgression.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah An-Nahl, revealed in Mecca during the early Islamic period when the community faced economic and social pressures. The verse addresses the broader Meccan context where false oaths and commercial deception were prevalent practices, warning believers against adopting the corrupt ethical standards of pre-Islamic Arabian society.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The greatest sins are to associate partners with Allah, to disobey parents, and to make a false oath.' (Sahih Bukhari 2654). Additionally, the Prophet warned: 'Whoever takes a false oath to deprive a Muslim of his property will meet Allah while He is angry with him.' (Sahih Muslim 1657)
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers must guard their oaths with utmost sincerity and honesty, understanding that false or broken oaths undermine social trust and spiritual standing before Allah. Let this ayah inspire careful introspection about our commitments and promises, recognizing that integrity in our word is both a moral obligation and a means of maintaining our spiritual stability.
Related Ayahs
وَمَا ذَرَأَ لَكُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مُخْتَلِفًا أَلْوَٰنُهُۥٓ ۗ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يَذَّكَّرُونَ
And [He has subjected] whatever He multiplied for you on the earth of varying colors. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who remember.
وَٱلْخَيْلَ وَٱلْبِغَالَ وَٱلْحَمِيرَ لِتَرْكَبُوهَا وَزِينَةً ۚ وَيَخْلُقُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
And [He created] the horses, mules and donkeys for you to ride and [as] adornment. And He creates that which you do not know.
وَإِذَا رَءَا ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ ٱلْعَذَابَ فَلَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمْ وَلَا هُمْ يُنظَرُونَ
And when those who wronged see the punishment, it will not be lightened for them, nor will they be reprieved.
أَفَأَمِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ مَكَرُوا۟ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ أَن يَخْسِفَ ٱللَّهُ بِهِمُ ٱلْأَرْضَ أَوْ يَأْتِيَهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ
Then, do those who have planned evil deeds feel secure that Allāh will not cause the earth to swallow them or that the punishment will not come upon them from where they do not perceive?