SURAH (16) AN-NAHL (AYA 81 to 100)

وَاللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِمَّا خَلَقَ ظِلَالًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِنَ الْجِبَالِ أَكْنَانًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ سَرَابِيلَ تَقِيكُمُ الْحَرَّ وَسَرَابِيلَ تَقِيكُمْ بَأْسَكُمْ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُتِمُّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُسْلِمُونَ {16:81}

[Q16:81] Wallaahu ja'ala lakum mimmaa khalaqa zilaalanw wa ja'ala lakum minal jibaali aknaananw wa ja'ala lakum saraabeela taqeekumul harra wa saraabeela taqeekum baasakum; kazaalika yutimmu ni'matahoo alaikum la'allakum tuslimoon. 
[Q16:81] And ALLAH (SWT) has made for you of what He has created shelters, and He has given you in the mountains places of retreat, and He has given you garments to preserve you from the heat and coats of mail to preserve you in your fighting; even thus does He complete His favor upon you that haply you may submit.

[Q16:81] Dan ALLAH (SwT) menjadikan bagi kamu sebahagian dari yang diciptakanNya: Benda-benda untuk berteduh dan Dia menjadikan bagi kamu sebahagian dari gunung-ganang tempat-tempat berlindung dan Dia juga menjadikan bagi kamu pakaian-pakaian yang memelihara kamu dari panas dan sejuk, juga pakaian-pakaian yang memelihara kamu semasa berjuang. Demikianlah, Dia menyempurnakan nikmatNya kepada kamu, supaya kamu berserah diri kepadaNya dan mematuhi perintahNya. 

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(16:81) Allah has made for you from the many things He has created shelter from the sun. He has created for you places of refuge in the mountains and blessed you with such garments as protect you from heat *76 and garments which shield you in your fights. *77 Thus He perfects His blessings on you, *78 so that you should submit to Him.

*76 The Qur'an has not mentioned protection from cold for either of the two reasons: (1) Because the use of garments in the summer season is a symbol of cultural perfection and obviously there is no need to mention the lower stages of culture. Or (2) the use of garments in hot countries has specially been mentioned because the main use of garments there is for protection from the hot pestilential furious wind. Therefore, one has to cover one's head, neck, ears, and the whole of ones body to protect it from the hot wind which would otherwise scorch one to death.
*77 That is, "Armour". 
*78 "He perfects His blessings on you": AIIah makes provision for the minutest needs and necessities of every aspect of human life. For example, Iet us take the instance of the protection of the human body from external influences. We find that Allah has made such elaborate arrangements as require a complete book to relate them. These arrangements reach their perfection in the case of clothing and housing arrangement. Or, if we consider the food requirements we realize that it is of many varieties which fulfil every need. More than this: the means Allah has provided for food requirements of man are so numerous that the list of the varieties and the names of different kinds of food require a big volume. This is the perfection of the blessing of food. Likewise, one would see perfection of the blessings of Allah in the fulfillment of each and every human need and necessity. 

فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلَاغُ الْمُبِينُ {16:82}

[Q16:82] Fa in tawallaw fa innamaa 'alaikal balaaghul mubeen. 
[Q16:82] But if they turn back, then on you devolves only the clear deliverance (of the message).

[Q16:82] Kemudian, jika mereka masih berpaling ingkar maka sesungguhnya engkau (wahai Muhammad) hanya bertanggungjawab menyampaikan perintah-perintah ALLAH (SwT) dengan cara yang jelas nyata. 

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(16:82) But if they give no heed to you, O Muhammad!, (you need not worry) for, your only responsibility is to convey the plain Message of truth.

يَعْرِفُونَ نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُنْكِرُونَهَا وَأَكْثَرُهُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ {16:83}

[Q16:83] Ya'rifoona ni'matal laahi summa yunkiroonahaa wa aksaruhumul kaafiroon. 
[Q16:83] They recognize the favor of ALLAH (SWT), yet they deny it, and most of them are ungrateful.

[Q16:83] Mereka mengetahui nikmat ALLAH (SwT) (yang melimpah-limpah itu), kemudian mereka tergamak mengingkarinya dan kebanyakan mereka pula ialah orang-orang yang kufur ingkar.

Ni-mat means 1. bounty, 2. favour, 3. blessings.

ä  Imam Jafar bin Muhammad as Sadiq said:

"The ni-mat of ALLAH (SWT) was completed and perfected when the wilayah of Ali ibne Abi Talib was confirmed at Ghadir Khum by the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) by appointing him as the mawla (master) of the believers, just like him, to represent him in all affairs, after his departure from this world."

IF THE COMMENTARY OF MA-IDAH 5:5, 55 AND 67 IS STUDIED CAREFULLY, IT BECOMES CLEAR AND OBVIOUS THAT NI-MAT, IN THIS VERSE, REFERS TO THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) AND HIS AHLUL BAYT; and "they deny it" refers to those who deprived them of their divine rights, harassed, persecuted and killed them.

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(16:83) They recognise the blessing of Allah, yet they deny it, *79 for the majority of them are not inclined to accept the Truth.

*79 Here the denial of the blessings of Allah refers to practical denial by the disbelievers of Makkah. For they did not deny that all these blessings were from AIIah but along with this they believed that their saints and gods also had contributed towards them. This is why they associated their intercessors in their gratitude to Allah for these blessings. Nay, they were even more grateful to them than to Allah. Allah regards this association as denial of His blessings, ingratitude and forgetfulness of His favours. 

SECTION 12

Apostle Muhammad a witness over all witness

1.        The wicked on the Day of Judgment shall not be respited

2.        Every Apostle will be raised to bear witness over his people

3.        The Holy Prophet Muhammad shall bear witness over all the other witnesses.

وَيَوْمَ نَبْعَثُ مِنْ كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ شَهِيدًا ثُمَّ لَا يُؤْذَنُ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَلَا هُمْ يُسْتَعْتَبُونَ {16:84}

[Q16:84] Wa yawma nab'asu min kulli ummatin shaheedan summa laa yu'zanu lillazeena kafaroo wa laa hum yusta'taboon. 
[Q16:84] And on the day when We will raise up a witness out of every nation, then shall no permission be given to those who disbelieve, nor shall they be made to solicit favor.

[Q16:84] Dan (ingatkanlah kepada mereka yang musyrik tentang) hari Kami bangkitkan dari tiap-tiap umat, seorang saksi; kemudian tidak diizinkan bagi orang-orang yang kafir (memberi sebarang alasan) dan mereka pula tidak diminta memohon keredaan ALLAH (SwT).

Refer to the commentary of al Baqarah 2:143; Nisa 4:41 and Hud 11:18 and verse 89 of this surah.

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(16:84) (Do they realize what will happen) on the Day when We shall raise up a witness *80 from every community? Then the disbelievers shall not be given any opportunity to put forward any excuses *81

*80 The witness will be the Prophet of that community or his follower who invited that community to Tauhid and God-worship and warned it of the consequences of shirk and superstitious rites and customs and cautioned it against the accountability on the Day of Resurrection. He will bear witness of the fact that he had conveyed the true Message to those people, and that they committed evils deliberately and not in ignorance. 
*81 This does not mean that the criminals will not be given any opportunity to clear themselves but it means that their crimes will be proved to the hilt by means of irrefutable evidence which will leave no room for excuses. 

وَإِذَا رَأَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا الْعَذَابَ فَلَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمْ وَلَا هُمْ يُنْظَرُونَ {16:85}

[Q16:85] Wa izaa ra al lazeena zalamul 'azaaba falaa yukhaf fafu 'anhum wa laa hum yunzaroon. 
[Q16:85] And when those who are unjust shall see the chastisement, it shall not be lightened for them, nor shall they be respited.

[Q16:85] Dan apabila orang-orang yang melakukan kezaliman (dengan kekufurannya) itu melihat azab, maka tidak akan diringankan azab itu daripada mereka dan mereka pula tidak diberi tempoh.

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(16:85) nor shall they be asked to show penitence. *82 When once the transgressors will see the torment, their punishment shall neither be lightened for them after this nor shall any respite be given to them.

*82 That is, "They will not be given the opportunity to beg pardon of their Lord for their crimes. For that will be the time of judgment as the time of begging pardon would have ended long before this." The Qur'an and the Traditions are explicit on this point that the place for penitence is this world and not the Next World. Even in this world the opportunity is lost as soon as signs of death begin to appear, for the penitence at that time will be of no avail when a person knows that the time of his death has come. Respite for deeds expires as soon as one enters into the boundary of death, and the only thing that remains after that is the award of reward and punishment.

وَإِذَا رَأَى الَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا شُرَكَاءَهُمْ قَالُوا رَبَّنَا هَٰؤُلَاءِ شُرَكَاؤُنَا الَّذِينَ كُنَّا نَدْعُو مِنْ دُونِكَ ۖ فَأَلْقَوْا إِلَيْهِمُ الْقَوْلَ إِنَّكُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ {16:86}

[Q16:86] Wa izaa ra al lazeena ashrakoo shurakaaa'ahum qaaloo Rabbana haaa'ulaaa'i shurakaaa'unal lazeena kunnaa nad'oo min doonika fa alqaw ilaihimul qawla innakum lakaaziboon. 
[Q16:86] And when those who associate (others with ALLAH (SWT)) shall see their associate-gods, they shall say: Our Lord, these are our associate-gods on whom we called besides Thee. But they will give them back the reply: Most surely you are liars.

[Q16:86] Dan apabila orang-orang musyrik melihat makhluk-makhluk dan benda-benda yang mereka jadikan sekutu-sekutu ALLAH (SwT), mereka berkata: Wahai Tuhan kami, inilah dia yang kami jadikan sekutu-sekutu (bagiMu), yang kami sembah mereka dengan meninggalkanMu. Maka dengan serta-merta makhluk-makhluk yang puja itu menolak dakwaan mereka dengan berkata: Sesungguhnya kamu adalah berdusta.  

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(16:86) When the people, who had committed shirk in this world, will see those whom they had made associates with Allah, they will say, "Our Lord! here are those associate-deities whom we used to invoke beside Thee". At this their deities will retort, "You are liars." *83

*83 It does not mean that they would deny the fact that the mushriks used to invoke their help. They will call them liars in the sense that they had made them deities without their knowledge, information and permission, as if to say, "We never told you to leave Allah aside and pray to us for help. As a matter of fact, we never approved of this, nay, we were utterly unaware of this that you were invoking us. It was an utter lie that you considered us to be able to hear your prayers, answer them and help you out of your difficulties. As you yourselves were responsible for this shirk, why arc you involving us in its consequences?" 

وَأَلْقَوْا إِلَى اللَّهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ السَّلَمَ ۖ وَضَلَّ عَنْهُمْ مَا كَانُوا يَفْتَرُونَ {16:87}

[Q16:87] Wa alqaw ilal laahi yawma'izinis salama wa dalla 'anhum maa kaanoo yaftaroon. 
[Q16:87] And they shall tender submission to ALLAH (SWT) on that day; and what they used to forge shall depart from them.

[Q16:87] Dan pada hari itu mereka semua menyerah diri bulat-bulat kepada ALLAH (SwT) dan hilang lenyaplah dari mereka (yang musyrik itu) apa yang telah mereka ada-adakan (sebagai sekutu-sekutu ALLAH (SwT)). 

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(16:87) At that time all of them will proffer submission before Allah and all they used to forge in this world shall vanish from them. *84

*84 That is, "All those things on which they had relied will prove to be false, for they will not fmd anyone to hear their supplication nor anyone to remove their hardships. Nay, there will be none who will come forward and say, "These are my dependents: so no action should be taken against them".

الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَصَدُّوا عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ زِدْنَاهُمْ عَذَابًا فَوْقَ الْعَذَابِ بِمَا كَانُوا يُفْسِدُونَ {16:88}

[Q16:88] Allazeena kafaroo wa saddoo 'an sabeelil laahi zidnaahum 'azaaban fawqal 'azaabi bimaa kaanoo yufsidoon. 
[Q16:88] (As for) those who disbelieve and turn away from ALLAH (SWT)'s way, We will add chastisement to their chastisement because they made mischief.

[Q16:88] Orang-orang yang kafir dan menghalangi (dirinya serta orang lain) dari jalan ALLAH (SwT), Kami tambahi mereka azab seksa di samping azab (yang menimpa mereka), disebabkan mereka membuat kerosakan. 

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(16:88) We will inflict double torment *85 on those who followed the way of disbelief and hindered others from the Way of Allah on account of the chaos they spread in this world.

*85 Double torment: one for their own disbelief and the other for hindering others from the Way of Allah.

وَيَوْمَ نَبْعَثُ فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ ۖ وَجِئْنَا بِكَ شَهِيدًا عَلَىٰ هَٰؤُلَاءِ ۚ وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ تِبْيَانًا لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ {16:89}

[Q16:89] Wa yawma nab'asu fee kulli ummmatin shaheedan 'alaihim min anfusihim wa ji'naa bika shaheedan 'alaa haaa'ulaaa'; wa nazzalnaa 'alaikal Kitaaba tibyaanal likulli shai'inw wa hudanw wa rahmatanw wa bushraa lilmuslimeen. 
[Q16:89] And on the day when We will raise up in every people a witness against them from among themselves, and bring you as a witness against these-- and We have revealed the Book to you explaining clearly everything, and a guidance and mercy and good news for those who submit.

[Q16:89] Dan (ingatkanlah tentang) hari Kami bangkitkan dalam kalangan tiap-tiap umat, seorang saksi terhadap mereka, dari golongan mereka sendiri dan Kami datangkanmu (wahai Muhammad) untuk menjadi saksi terhadap mereka ini (umatmu) dan Kami turunkan kepadamu Al-Quran menjelaskan tiap-tiap sesuatu dan menjadi hidayat petunjuk, serta membawa rahmat dan berita yang menggembirakan, bagi orang-orang Islam.

THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD), WHO CAME WITH THE BOOK (A GUIDE, A MERCY AND GLAD TIDINGS TO THOSE WHO SUBMIT THEMSELVES TO ALLAH (SWT)) EXPLAINING ALL THINGS, IS A WITNESS OVER ALL THE WITNESSES. In addition to verses mentioned in the commentary of verse 84 of this surah, please refer to Bani Israil 7:71 and An Nur 24:24.

Ë  EVIDENCE GIVEN BY A WITNESS CAN BE ACCEPTED ONLY WHEN THE WITNESS HAS WITNESSED THE EVENT WHICH IS BEING EXAMINED.

Every messenger of ALLAH (SWT) will give evidence about the response of his people to whom he was sent to preach the message of ALLAH (SWT); WHILE THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) WILL BE A WITNESS OVER ALL THE PROPHETS AND MESSENGERS OF ALLAH (SWT) WHO WILL BE RAISED AS WITNESSES OVER THEIR RESPECTIVE FOLLOWERS.

v  The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) said:

"I was the prophet of ALLAH (SWT) when Adam was in the process of creation."

¥  IT IMPLIES THAT HE WAS PRESENT IN THIS WORLD FROM THE VERY BEGINNING AND WILL BE HERE TILL THE END TO WITNESS THAT WHICH HAD HAPPENED AND THAT WHICH IS TAKING PLACE.

IT IS NOTHING BUT A FABRICATED AND MISCHIEVOUS TALE, very popular among the common Muslims, that when Jibra-il came to him he could not recognise him, and was frightened so much that he began to tremble in fear; AND AT LAST came to his senses when his wife and her uncle, Warqa bin Nawfil, told him that he was chosen as the last messenger of ALLAH (SWT).

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(16:89) (O Muhammad, warn them of) the Day when We shall call a witness from among every community to testify against it. And We shall call you to testify against these people; (that is why) We have sent down to you this Book which makes plain everything *86 and is guidance, blessing and good news to those who have surrendered themselves entirely.' *87

*86 The Qur'an makes manifest everything on which depends guidance or deviation, success or failure: whose knowledge is essential for following the Right Way: which clearly distinguishes Truth from falsehood. In this connection one should guard against that meaning of this sentence and the like in the Qur'an according to which some people interpret "everything" to mean "the knowledge of all sciences, arts, etc.," and in order to prove the correctness of their interpretation, they have to pervert the real meaning of the Qur'an. 
*87 This Book is a guidance for those who surrender to it as a Divine Book and follow it in every aspect of life. Then it will bring Allah's blessings upon them, and will give them the good news that they will come out successful in the Court of Allah on the Day of Judgment. Or, the contrary, those people who reject it shall not only be deprived of guidance and blessing but will also find it as a testimony against themselves on the Day of Resurrection when Allah's Messenger will stand up to testify against them. This Book will prove to be a strong argument against them, for Allah's Messenger will say that he had conveyed its Message which made manifest the distinction between Truth and falsehood. 

SECTION 13

To keep up Covenants and promises

Justice and Charity enjoined – Whatever is with man shall perish and whatever is with God remains forever – Patience and Charity enjoined.

إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنْكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ ۚ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ {16:90}

[Q16:90] Innal laaha yaamaru bil 'adli wal ihsaani wa eetaaa'i zil qurbaa wa yanhaa 'anil fahshaaa'i wal munkari walbagh-i' ya'izukum la'allakum tazakkkaroon. 
[Q16:90] Surely ALLAH (SWT) enjoins the doing of justice and the doing of good (to others) and the giving to the kindred, and He forbids indecency and evil and rebellion; He admonishes you that you may be mindful.

[Q16:90] Sesungguhnya ALLAH (SwT) menyuruh berlaku adil dan berbuat kebaikan, serta memberi bantuan kepada kaum kerabat dan melarang daripada melakukan perbuatan-perbuatan yang keji dan mungkar serta kezaliman. Dia mengajar kamu (dengan suruhan dan laranganNya ini), supaya kamu mengambil peringatan mematuhiNya.

ALLAH (SWT) COMMANDS [1] JUSTICE, [2] KINDNESS AND [3] GIVING TO KINSFOLK THAT WHICH IS THEIR DUE, therefore when the ruling party refused to acknowledge the rights of Bibi Fatimah in the matter of the inheritance of the garden of Fadak, they, in fact, accused the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) of not carrying out the command of ALLAH (SWT) given in this verse.

Please refer to the commentary of Anfal 8:41; Bani Israil 17:26; Rum 30:38; and Hashr 59:7, in the light of which Imam Muhammad bin Ali al Baqir said: "In 'giving to the relatives' relatives refers to the relatives of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad)."

§  Uthman ibn Mazun, one of the very early believers, said:

"I became a Muslim because of my friendship with the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), otherwise it was not a sincere avowal of belief; but when this verse was revealed I was with him and it changed my motivated and superficial declaration of faith into the "from the bottom of the heart" devotion to the religion of Islam. I went to Abu Talib and recited it before him. He said: 'O people of Quraysh! Follow Muhammad. You will achieve success and walk on the right path. He does not command you to do anything but what is right, virtuous and the best.' Then I went to Walid ibn Mughayra who, after hearing this verse said: 'Muhammad has said a very good saying; and if his ALLAH (SWT) has said it then certainly it is an excellent virtue.'"

ABU TALIB WHOLEHEARTEDLY BELIEVED IN THE TRUTHFULNESS OF HIS NEPHEW AND HIS TEACHINGS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.

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(16:90) Allah enjoins justice, generosity and kind treatment with kindred, *88 and forbids indecency, wickedness and oppression. *89 He admonishes you so that you may learn a lesson.

*88 In this brief sentence Allah has enjoined three most important things on which alone depends the establishment of a sound and healthy society: 
The first of these is JUSTICE which has two aspects.
To make such arrangements as may enable everyone to get one's due rights without stint. Justice does not, however, mean equal distribution of rights, for that would be absolutely unnatural. In fact, JUSTICE MEANS EQUITABLE DISPENSATION OF RIGHTS WHICH IN CERTAIN CASES MAY MEAN EQUALITY. For example, aII citizens should have equal rights of citizenship but in other cases equality in rights would be injustice. For instance, equality in social status and rights between parents and their children will obviously be wrong. Likewise those who render services of superior and inferior types cannot be equal in regard to wages and salaries. What AIIah enjoins is that the full rights of everyone should be honestly rendered whether those be moral, social, economic legal or political in accordance with what one justly deserves.
The second thing enjoined is "IHSAN" which has no equivalent in English. This means to be good, generous, sympathetic, tolerant, forgiving, polite, cooperative, selfless, etc. In collective life this is even more important than justice; FOR JUSTICE IS THE FOUNDATION OF A SOUND SOCIETY BUT IHSAN IS ITS PERFECTION. On the one hand, justice protects society from bitterness and violation of rights: on the other, ihsan makes it sweet and joyful and worth living. It is obvious that no society can flourish if every individual insists on exacting his pound of flesh. At best such a society might be free from conflict but there cannot be love, gratitude, generosity, sacrifice, sincerity, sympathy and such humane qualities as produce sweetness in life and develop high values.
The third thing which has been enjoined is GOOD TREATMENT TOWARDS ONE'S RELATIVES which in fact is a specific form of ihsan. It means that one should not only treat one's relatives well, share their sorrows and pleasures and help them within lawful limits but should also share one's wealth with them according to one's means and the need of each relative. This enjoins on everyone who possesses ample means to acknowledge the share of one's deserving relatives along with the rights of one's own person and family. The Divine Law holds every well-to-do person in a family to be responsible for fulfilling the needs of aII his needy kith and kin. The Law considers it a great evil that one person should enjoy the pleasures of life while his own kith and kin are starving. As it considers the family to be an important part of society, it lays down that the first right of needy individuals is on its well-to-do members and then on the others. Likewise it is the first duty of the well-to-do members of the family to fulfil the needs of their own near relatives and then those of others. The Holy Prophet has emphasized this fact in many Traditions, according to which a person owes rights to his parents, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters, other relatives, etc., in accordance with the nearness of their relationships. On the basis of this fundamental principle, Caliph Umar made it obligatory on the first cousins of an orphan to support him. In the case of another orphan he declared that if he had no first cousins he would have made it obligatory on distant cousins to support him. Just imagine the happy condition of the society every unit of which supports its every needy individual in this way-most surely that society will become high and pure economically, socially, and morally. 
*89 In contrast to the above-mentioned three virtues, Allah prohibits three vices which ruin individuals and the society as a whole: 
(1) The Arabic word FAHSHA applies to all those things that are immodest, immoral or obscene or nasty or dirty or vulgar, not fit to be seen or heard, because they offend against recognized standards of propriety or good taste, e.g., adultery, fornication, homo-sexuality, nakedness, nudity, theft, robbery, drinking, gambling, begging, abusive language and the like. Likewise it is indecent to indulge in giving publicity to any of these evils and to spread them, e.g., false propaganda, calumny, publicity of crimes, indecent stories, dramas, films, naked pictures, public appearance of womenfolk with indecent make-ups, free mixing of sexes, dancing and the like. 
(2) MUNKAR applies to all those evils which have always been universally regarded as evils and have been forbidden by all divine systems of law. 
(3) BAGHY applies to those vices that transgress the proper limits of decency and violate the rights of others, whether those of the Creator or His Creation. 

وَأَوْفُوا بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ إِذَا عَاهَدْتُمْ وَلَا تَنْقُضُوا الْأَيْمَانَ بَعْدَ تَوْكِيدِهَا وَقَدْ جَعَلْتُمُ اللَّهَ عَلَيْكُمْ كَفِيلًا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ{91}

[Q16:91] Wa awfoo bi Ahdil laahi izaa 'aahattum wa laa tanqudul aimaana ba'da tawkeedihaa wa qad ja'altumul laaha 'alaikum kafeelaa; innal laaha ya'lamu maa taf'aloon. 
[Q16:91] And fulfill the covenant of ALLAH (SWT) when you have made a covenant, and do not break the oaths after making them fast, and you have indeed made ALLAH (SWT) a surety for you; surely ALLAH (SWT) knows what you do.

[Q16:91] Dan sempurnakanlah pesanan-pesanan dan perintah-perintah ALLAH (SwT) apabila kamu berjanji dan janganlah kamu merombak (mencabuli) sumpah kamu sesudah kamu menguatkannya (dengan nama ALLAH (SwT)), sedang kamu telah menjadikan ALLAH (SwT) sebagai Penjamin kebaikan kamu; sesungguhnya ALLAH (SwT) sedia mengetahui akan apa yang kamu lakukan.

In 10 Hijra, on the 18th of Dhilhajj, the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) obtained an oath of allegiance to Ali ibne Abi Talib from all his followers (refer to Ma idah 5:67), BUT they did not fulfil the covenant made with ALLAH (SWT) and His prophet, though He commands them, in this verse, not to break their oaths after they had confirmed them and made ALLAH (SWT) their surety.

THIS VERSE ENJOINS FULFILMENT OF ALL 1. PROMISES, 2. UNDERTAKINGS, 3. PACTS OR COVENANTS PARTICULARLY WHEN ALLAH (SWT) HAS BEEN MADE THE SURETY, PROVIDED THEY ARE NOT UNGODLY OR CONTRARY TO ISLAMIC INJUNCTIONS as implied by the phrase ahdillah.

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(16:91) Fulfil your covenant with Allah when you have made a Covenant with Him, and do not break your oaths after they have been confirmed and you have made Allah your witness. Allah is fully aware of all your actions.

وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّتِي نَقَضَتْ غَزْلَهَا مِنْ بَعْدِ قُوَّةٍ أَنْكَاثًا تَتَّخِذُونَ أَيْمَانَكُمْ دَخَلًا بَيْنَكُمْ أَنْ تَكُونَ أُمَّةٌ هِيَ أَرْبَىٰ مِنْ أُمَّةٍ ۚ إِنَّمَا يَبْلُوكُمُ اللَّهُ بِهِ ۚ وَلَيُبَيِّنَنَّ لَكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مَا كُنْتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ {16:92}

[Q16:92] Wa laa takoonoo kallatee naqadat ghazlahaa mim ba'di quwwatin ankaasaa; tattakhizoona aimaanakum dakhlalam bainakum an takoona ummatun hiya arbaa min ummah; innnamaa yablookumul laahu bih; wa la yubaiyinanna lakum yawmal Qiyaamati maa kuntum fee takhtalifoon. 
[Q16:92] And be not like her who unravels her yarn, disintegrating it into pieces after she has spun it strongly. You make your oaths to be means of deceit between you because (one) nation is more numerous than (another) nation. ALLAH (SWT) only tries you by this; and He will most certainly make clear to you on the resurrection day that about which you differed.

[Q16:92] Dan janganlah kamu menjadi seperti perempuan yang telah merombak satu persatu benda yang dipintalnya, sesudah dia selesai memintalnya kuat teguh; dengan kamu menjadikan sumpah kamu sebagai tipu daya (untuk mencabuli perjanjian yang telah dimeteraikan) sesama kamu, disebabkan adanya satu golongan yang lebih ramai dari golongan lain. Sesungguhnya ALLAH (SwT) hanya mahu menguji kamu dengan yang demikian itu dan Dia sudah tentu akan menerangkan kepada kamu, pada hari kiamat, apa yang kamu berselisihan padanya. 

In continuation of the preceding verse it is stated THAT TO BREAK THE COVENANT OF ALLAH (SWT) IS LIKE THE FOOLISH ACT OF A WOMAN WHO USES LABOUR AND SKILL TO SPIN GOOD AND STRONG YARN AND THEN UNTWIST ITS CONSTITUENT STRANDS AND BREAK THEM INTO LOOSE PIECES.

Ì  Bibi Zaynab, the daughter of Ali and Fatimah, quoted this verse before the Muslims who gathered in the streets of Kufa, when she was brought there after the martyrdom of Imam Husayn at Karbala.

THEY HAD BROKEN THEIR COVENANT MADE WITH ALLAH (SWT) AND HIS PROPHET BECAUSE **THEY FOUND THAT ONE PARTY MORE NUMEROUS THAN ANOTHER AND **COMPLETELY FORGOT THAT THE VICISSITUDES OF FORTUNE WAS A TEST APPOINTED BY ALLAH (SWT).

v  The word ummat has been used here for imam as in al Baqarah 2:143; Ali Imran 3:104 and 110.

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(16:92) Do not behave like that woman who had spun yarn laboriously and then had herself broken it into pieces. *90 You make your mutual oaths a means of mutual deceit in your affairs so that one people might take undue advantage over the other whereas Allah puts you to trial by these pledges. *91 Allah will certainly reveal to you the truth about all your differences on the Day of Resurrection. *92

*90 In this verse, Allah has enjoined three kinds of Covenants which have been mentioned in the order of their importance. The first of these Covenants is the one between man and his Allah which is the most important of all. The second in importance is the Covenant between one man or one group of men and another man or another group of men, which is taken with Allah as a witness or in which the name of God has been used. The third Covenant is that which has been made without using Allah's name. Though this is third in importance, its fulfilment is as important as that of the first two and the violation of any of these has been prohibited.
*91 In this connection it should be noted that AIlah has rebuked the people for the worst form of violation of treaties which has been creating the greatest disorder in the world. It is a pity that even "big" people consider it to be a virtue to violate treaties in order to gain advantages for their people in political, economic and religious conflicts. At one time the leader of one nation enters into a treaty with another nation for the interest of his own people but at another time the same leader publicly breaks the very same treaty for the interest of his people, or secretly violates it. It is an irony that such violations are made even by those people who are honest in their private lives. Moreover, it is regretable that their own people do not protest against them; nay, they eulogize them for such shameful feats of diplomacy. Therefore, Allah warns that every such TREATY IS A TEST OF THE CHARACTER OF THOSE WHO ENTER INTO IT, and of their nations. They might gain some apparent advantage for their people in this way, but they will not escape their consequences on the Day of Judgment.
*92 This is to warn that decision about differences and disputes that lead to conflict, will be made on the Day of Judgment. Therefore, these should not be made an excuse to break agreements and treaties. Even if one is wholly in the right and the opponent is wholly in the wrong, it is not right for the former to break treaties or make false propaganda or employ other deceitful methods to defeat the other. If one does so, it will go against him on that Day because RIGHTEOUSNESS DEMANDS THAT ONE SHOULD NOT ONLY BE RIGHT IN ONE'S THEORIES AND AIMS BUT SHOULD ALSO USE RIGHT METHODS AND EMPLOY RIGHT MEANS. This warning has especially been given to those religious groups and sects who always suffer from this misunderstanding that they have a right to defeat their opponents because they are on the side of God and their opponents are rebels against Allah: therefore, there is no obligation on them to stick to their treaties with their opponents. This was what the Arab Jews practiced, declaring, "There is no moral obligation on us in regard to the pagan Arabs, and we are rightly entitled to practise dishonesty and deceit that might be of advantage to us and harmful to the disbelievers". 

وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَجَعَلَكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَلَٰكِنْ يُضِلُّ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ ۚ وَلَتُسْأَلُنَّ عَمَّا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ {16:93}

[Q16:93] Wa law shaaa'al laahu laja'alakum ummmatanw waahidatanw wa laakiny yudillu many-yashaaa'u wa yahdee many-yashaaa'; wa latus'alunna 'ammaa kuntum ta'maloon. 

[Q16:93] And if ALLAH (SWT) please He would certainly make you a single nation, but He causes to err whom He pleases and guides whom He pleases; and most certainly you will be questioned as to what you did.
[Q16:93] Dan jika ALLAH (SwT) menghendaki, tentulah Dia menjadikan kamu satu umat (yang bersatu dalam agama ALLAH (SwT) yang satu); akan tetapi ALLAH (SwT) menyesatkan sesiapa yang dikehendakiNya (menurut undang-undang peraturanNya) dan memberi petunjuk kepada sesiapa yang dikehendakiNya (menurut undang-undang peraturanNya) dan sesungguhnya kamu akan ditanya kelak tentang apa yang kamu telah kerjakan.

Refer to the commentary of Ma-idah 5:48; Ibrahim 14:4 and Hud 11:118.

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(16:93) Had Allah so willed (that you may not have any differences,) He would have made you all a single community, *93 but He leads astray whom He will and shows guidance to whom He will. *94 And be sure that He will take you to account for all your doings.

*93 This further supports the previous warning. It means that it would be wrong for any champion of Allah's religion to arrogate to himself the use of every sort of method and means irrespective of whether they are right or wrong to propagate his own religion (considering it to be Allah's Religion) and try to destroy opposite religions. For this would be utterly against the will of AIlah: if Allah had willed that there should be no religious differences, He could have deprived mankind of the freedom of choice. In that case, there would have been no need for Allah to get help of any such up-holder of His Religion, who uses disgraceful means for this purpose. Allah could have created all mankind to be inherent believers and obedient servants by depriving them of the power and option of disbelief and sin. Then there would have been none who could have dared to deviate from belief and obedience. 
*94 This is to SHOW THAT ALLAH HIMSELF HAS GIVEN MAN THE POWER AND FREEDOM TO FOLLOW ANY OUT OF THE MANY WAYS. That is why Allah makes arrangements for the guidance of the one who intends to follow the right way, and let’s go astray the one who desires to deviate. 

وَلَا تَتَّخِذُوا أَيْمَانَكُمْ دَخَلًا بَيْنَكُمْ فَتَزِلَّ قَدَمٌ بَعْدَ ثُبُوتِهَا وَتَذُوقُوا السُّوءَ بِمَا صَدَدْتُمْ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۖ وَلَكُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ{16:94}

[Q16:94] Wa laa tattakhizooo aimaanakum dakhalam bainakum ftazilla qadamum ba'da subootihaa wa tazooqus sooo'a bimmaa sadattum 'an sabeelil laahi wa lakum 'azaabun 'azeem. 
[Q16:94] And do not make your oaths a means of deceit between you, lest a foot should slip after its stability and you should taste evil because you turned away from ALLAH (SWT)'s way and grievous punishment be your (lot).

[Q16:94] Dan janganlah kamu jadikan sumpah kamu sebagai tipu daya sesama kamu kerana dengan yang demikian itu akan menyebabkan tergelincir kaki kamu sesudah ia tetap teguh (di atas jalan yang benar) dan kamu pula akan merasai balasan buruk (di dunia) dengan sebab kamu menghalangi manusia dari jalan ALLAH (SwT) dan bagi kamu juga disediakan azab yang besar (di akhirat kelak). 

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(16:94) And (O Muslims,) do not make your oaths the means of deceiving one another lest (someone's) foot should slip after being firmly fixed *95 and you may suffer the consequences of debarring other people from the Way of Allah, and undergo a severe torment.

*95 That is, "Someone,who might have been convinced of Islam, seeing your dishonest conduct should become disgusted and hold back from joining the Believers" .For he might argue like this: "As these Muslims are not much different from the disbelievers in their morals and dealings, there is no reason why I should join them. "

وَلَا تَشْتَرُوا بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا ۚ إِنَّمَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ هُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ {16:95}

[Q16:95] Wa laa tashtaroo bi 'ahdil laahi samanan qaleelaa; innamaa 'indal laahi huwa khairul lakum in kuntum ta'lamoon. 

[Q16:95] And do not take a small price in exchange for ALLAH (SWT)'s covenant; surely what is with ALLAH (SWT) is better for you, did you but know.
[Q16:95] Dan janganlah kamu jadikan pesanan-pesanan dan perintah ALLAH (SwT) sebagai modal untuk mendapat keuntungan dunia yang sedikit; sesugguhnya apa yang ada di sisi ALLAH (SwT) (dari balasan yang baik), itulah sahaja yang lebih baik bagi kamu, kalaulah kamu mengetahui.  

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(16:95) Do not barter away the Covenant *96 of Allah for paltry gains: *97 Indeed what is with Allah is far better for you if you knew it.

*96 That is, "The Covenant that you may make in the name of Allah as a representative of His religion."
*97 It does not mean that they should barter away Allah's Covenant for some big gain. What it implies is that any worldly gain howsoever great, is insignificant as compared with the worth of Allah's Covenant. Therefore, it will be a losing bargain to barter that away for any worldly gain, which is after all paltry. 

مَا عِنْدَكُمْ يَنْفَدُ ۖ وَمَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ بَاقٍ ۗ وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّ الَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا أَجْرَهُمْ بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ {16:96}

[Q16:96] maa 'indakum yanfadu wa maa 'indal laahi baaq; wa lanajziyannal lazeena sabarooo ajjrahum bi ahsani maa kaanoo ya'maloon. 
[Q16:96] What is with you passes away and what is with ALLAH (SWT) is enduring; and We will most certainly give to those who are patient their reward for the best of what they did.

[Q16:96] (Sebenarnya) apa yang ada pada kamu akan habis dan hilang lenyap dan apa yang ada di sisi ALLAH (SwT) tetap kekal dan sesungguhnya Kami membalas orang-orang sabar dengan memberikan pahala yang lebih baik dari apa yang mereka telah kerjakan. 

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(16:96) Whatever is with you is transitory and whatever is with Allah is ever-lasting. And We will reward those, who practise fortitude *98 according to their best deeds.

*98 Those who practise fortitude are the people who will always stand Firm in the struggle between right and truth on one side and greed and lust on the other. They bear every loss for the sake of righteousness and spurn away every gain that they might obtain by adopting unlawful means. They patiently wait for the rewards of their good deeds in the Hereafter. 

مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِنْ ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنْثَىٰ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً ۖ وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْرَهُمْ بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ {97}

[Q16:97] Man 'amila saaliham min zakarin aw unsaa wa huwa mu'minun falanuhyiyannahoo hayaatan taiiyibatanw wa lanajzi yannnahum ajrahum bi ahsani maa kaanoo ya'maloon. 
[Q16:97] Whoever does good whether male or female and he is a believer, We will most certainly make him live a happy life, and We will most certainly give them their reward for the best of what they did.

[Q16:97] Sesiapa yang beramal soleh, dari lelaki atau perempuan, sedang dia beriman, maka sesungguhnya Kami akan menghidupkan dia dengan kehidupan yang baik dan sesungguhnya kami akan membalas mereka, dengan memberikan pahala yang lebih dari apa yang mereka telah kerjakan. 

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(16:97) Whosoever does righteous deeds, whether male or female, provided he is a Believer, We will surely grant him live a pure life in this world. *99 And We will reward such people (in the Hereafter) according to their best deeds. *100

*99 This verse removes the wrong notions of both the Muslims and the disbelievers who are of the opinion that those who adopt a just honest and pious attitude, are most surely losers in this world, though they might be gainers in the Hereafter. AIlah removes this misunderstanding, as if to say, "This presumption of yours is wrong. THE RIGHTEOUS ATTITUDE NOT ONLY LEADS TO A HAPPY LIFE IN THE HEREAFTER, BUT IT ALSO GUARANTEES, BY ALLAH'S GRACE, A PURE AND HAPPY LIFE EVEN IN THIS WORLD. " And this is a fact: those people who are sincerely righteous, honest, pure and fair in their dealings. Enjoy a much better life in this world, for they enjoy that confidence and real honour and respect because of their spotless character, which is not enjoyed by those who lack these virtues. They obtain such pure and outstanding successes as are denied to those who employ dirty and disgusting ways to win success. Above all, they enjoy, even though they might be living in huts, that peace of mind and satisfaction of conscience which is denied to the wicked dwellers of mansions and palaces.
*100 That is, "Their rank in the Hereafter shall be determined according to their best deeds". In other words, "If a person has done both small and great virtues," he will be awarded that high rank which he would merit according to his greatest virtues. 

فَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ الْقُرْآنَ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ {16:98}

[Q16:98] Fa izaa qara tal Quraana fasta'iz billaahi minashh Shai taanir rajeem. 
[Q16:98] So when you recite the Qur’an, seek refuge with ALLAH (SWT) from the accursed Shaitan,

[Q16:98] Oleh itu, apabila engkau membaca Al-Quran, maka hendaklah engkau terlebih dahulu) memohon perlindungan kepada ALLAH (SwT) dari hasutan Syaitan yang kena rejam.  

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(16:98) Then, when you begin to recite the Qur'an, seek Allah's refuge against the accursed Satan, *101

*101 This does not mean that one should merely repeat the Arabic words: (I seek Allah's refuge against the accursed Satan). It means that one should have a sincere desire and do one's utmost to guard against Satan's evil suggestions when one is reciting the Holy Qur'an and should not allow wrong and irrelevant doubts and suspicions to enter one's heart. One should try to see everything contained in the Qur'an in its true light, and refrain from mixing it up with one's self-invented theories or ideas foreign to the Qur'an so as to construe its meaning against the will of Allah. Moreover, one should feel that the most sinister and avowed design of Satan is that the reader should not obtain any gudiance from the Quran. This is why Satan tries his utmost to delude the reader and pervert him from getting guidance from it, and mislead him into wrong ways of thinking. Therefore, the reader should be fully on his guard against Satan and seek Allah's refuge for help so that Satan should not be able to deprive him of the benefits froth this source of guidance, for one who fails to get guidance from this source, will never be able to get guidance from any where else. Above all, the one who seeks to obtain deviation from this Book, is so entangled in deviation that he can never get out of this vicious circle.
The context in which this verse occurs here is to serve as an introduction to the answers to the questions which the mushriks of Makkah were raising against the Qur'an. They have been warned that they could appreciate the blessing of the Qur'an only if they would try to see it in its true light by seeking Allah's protection against Satan's misleading suggestions, and not by raising objections against 1I. Otherwise Satan dces not Iet a man understand the Qur'an and its teachings.

إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ لَهُ سُلْطَانٌ عَلَى الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ {16:99}

[Q16:99] Innahoo laisa lahoo sultaanun 'alal lazeena aamanoo wa 'alaa Rabbihim yatawakkaloon. 
[Q16:99] Surely he has no authority over those who believe and rely on their Lord.

[Q16:99] Sesungguhnya Syaitan itu tidak mempunyai sebarang pengaruh terhadap orang-orang yang beriman dan yang berserah bulat-bulat kepada Tuhan mereka.  

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(16:99) for no power has he over those who believe and put their trust in their Lord;

إِنَّمَا سُلْطَانُهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ يَتَوَلَّوْنَهُ وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ بِهِ مُشْرِكُونَ {16:100}

[Q16:100] Innnamaa sultaanuhoo 'alal lazeena yatawallawnahoo wallazeena hum bihee mushrikoon. 
[Q16:100] His authority is only over those who befriend him and those who associate others with Him.

[Q16:100] Sesungguhnya pengaruh Syaitan itu hanyalah terhadap orang-orang yang menjadikan dia pemimpin mereka dan orang-orang yang dengan sebab hasutannya melakukan syirik kepada ALLAH (SwT). 

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(16:100) he has power only over those who make him their patron and practise shirk by his temptation.