Tafsir of An-Nahl 16:91-92

An-Nahl (The Bee): Verses 91–92

When the Almighty previously summarized all commands and prohibitions in the first verse, He now details some of those categories, beginning with the command to fulfill covenants. There are several points regarding this verse:

Issue 1: Interpretations of "The Covenant of Allah" (بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ)

1. The Pledge of Allegiance (Bay'ah): The author of Al-Kashshaf suggests it refers to the pledge of allegiance to the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) regarding Islam, based on the verse: "Indeed, those who pledge allegiance to you are only pledging allegiance to Allah" (Al-Fath: 10). This means: Do not break the oaths of allegiance after confirming them by invoking Allah's name.
2. Every Self-Imposed Commitment: It refers to every covenant a person undertakes by their own choice. Ibn Abbas said: A promise is part of a covenant. Maymun ibn Mahran said: Fulfill your covenant with whomever you make it, whether Muslim or disbeliever, for the covenant belongs to Allah.
3. Jihad and Financial Obligations: Al-Asamm suggested it refers to Jihad and the obligatory rights Allah has imposed on wealth.
4. The Oath by Allah (Yamin): This view holds that the covenant is the oath sworn by Allah. However, this view stipulates that the oath must only be fulfilled if breaking it is not better. This is because the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: "Whoever swears an oath and sees that something else is better than fulfilling it, let him do what is better and then offer expiation."
5. All Obligations Requiring Fulfillment: Al-Qadi suggested that the covenant encompasses every matter whose fulfillment is required by its very nature. The evidence of reason and transmitted reports (hearing) are stronger in necessitating fulfillment than an oath. Therefore, these two sources of evidence do not permit alteration or deviation, whereas an oath might, and sometimes it is even recommended to act contrary to the oath.

A Counter-Argument: One might argue that since Allah says, "And fulfill the covenant of Allah when you have covenanted" (إِذَا عَاهَدتُّمْ), this must be specific to covenants undertaken by one's own choice, as the phrase "when you have covenanted" indicates this meaning. If so, the interpretation given by Al-Qadi (point 5) is not valid.

Furthermore, the end of the verse states, "And have made Allah your surety" (وَقَدْ جَعَلْتُمُ اللَّهَ عَلَيْكُمْ كَفِيلًا), which implies the verse addresses those who believe in Allah and the Messenger.

Also, this covenant should not be interpreted as the oath (Yamin), because if it were, the subsequent phrase, "And do not break your oaths after their confirmation" (وَلَا تَنقُضُوا الْأَيْمَانَ بَعْدَ تَوْكِيدِهَا), would be redundant, as fulfilling a covenant and refraining from breaking an oath are closely related (commanding an action implies prohibiting its omission).

However, if we say the fulfillment of the covenant is general and includes the oath, then Allah's specific mention of the oath afterwards indicates that the oath is the foremost type of covenant requiring observance.

Conclusion on Interpretation: Therefore, the most appropriate interpretation is that "the covenant of Allah" refers to what a person undertakes by their own choice. This includes the pledge of faith in Allah and His Messenger, the covenant of Jihad, and the commitment to fulfill vows (Nudhur) and matters confirmed by an oath.

Discussion on "And do not break your oaths after their confirmation" (وَلَا تَنقُضُوا الْأَيْمَانَ بَعْدَ تَوْكِيدِهَا)

First Point: Al-Zajjaj stated that wakadtu and akkadtu (both meaning 'I confirmed') are two valid linguistic forms, with the original root being the waw (و) which was replaced by the hamza (ء).

Second Point (Hanafi View on Oaths): The companions of Abu Hanifa argue that the Vain Oath (Yamin al-Laghw) is the Sinful Oath (Yamin al-Ghumus). Their evidence is this verse, which prohibits breaking confirmed oaths. Therefore, every oath must be capable of being fulfilled or broken (i.e., incurring guilt upon breaking). Since the Sinful Oath cannot be fulfilled or broken (it is inherently sinful), it must not be included among the oaths mentioned here. Al-Wahidi used this verse to argue that the Vain Oath is merely saying "No, by Allah" or "Yes, by Allah" in common speech, arguing that the phrase "after their confirmation" distinguishes between oaths confirmed by resolve/contract and the vain oath.

Third Point: The prohibition, "And do not break your oaths after their confirmation," is general but has exceptions. We have established that if the greater good dictates breaking an oath, it is permissible.

"And have made Allah your surety" (وَقَدْ جَعَلْتُمُ اللَّهَ عَلَيْكُمْ كَفِيلًا): The "Waw" here is the Waw al-Hal (the circumstantial waw). It means: Do not break them, while you have made Allah your surety for fulfillment, because whoever swears by Allah has effectively made Allah the guarantor of fulfilling that oath due to the oath itself.

"Indeed, Allah knows what you do" (إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ): This contains both encouragement and warning. It means He will recompense you for your actions: good for good, and evil for evil.

Allah then emphasizes the obligation to fulfill covenants and the prohibition against breaking them by stating: "And be not like her who unwound her yarn, after it had been strong, into disarray" (وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّتِي نَقَضَتْ غَزْلَهَا مِن بَعْدِ قُوَّةٍ أَنكَٰاثًا). There are several issues here:

Issue 1: The Identity of the Woman in the Analogy

1. Specific Person: Some say she was a woman from Quraysh named Raytah, or Raitah, or perhaps nicknamed Ja'ra', who was foolish. She and her maids would spin yarn, and once it was spun and tightly twisted, she would order them to unravel what they had spun.
2. General Description: The intent of the analogy is to describe the action, not to specify a particular person. The purpose of analogies is to deter the accountable person from an ugly act or invite them to a good one, which is achieved without specifying the individual.

Issue 2: Meaning of "After it had been strong" (مِن بَعْدِ قُوَّةٍ)

It means after she had the strength/ability to spin it tightly and twist it well.

Issue 3: Meaning of "Into disarray/tangles" (أَنكَٰاثًا)

Al-Azhari said the singular is nakth. It refers to yarn made from wool or hair that is twisted and woven. Once the weaving is firm, she cuts it and unravels the twisted threads, fluffing them up and mixing them with the wool to spin again. Nakth is also the verbal noun (Masdar). Hence, one says, "So-and-so broke his covenant" (Nakatha 'ahdahu) if he breaks it after firming it up, just as one unravels the twisted wool thread.

Issue 4: Grammatical Status of "Ankāthan" (أَنكَٰاثًا)

1. As a Verbal Noun (Masdar): Al-Zajjaj claimed it is in the accusative case because it means the verbal noun, as nakadhtu means 'I unraveled,' and 'I unraveled' means 'I unraveled.' This is incorrect, as ankāth is the plural of nakth (a noun), so how can it mean the verbal noun?
2. As a Second Object: Al-Wahidi suggested it is a second object, similar to saying, "He broke it into pieces" (kasarahu aqta'an), meaning he made it pieces. Similarly here: "She unraveled her yarn ankāthan" means she made her yarn into ankāth.
3. As an Emphatic Circumstantial Adverb (Hal): It functions as an emphatic circumstantial adverb describing the state resulting from the action.

Issue 5: Connection to the Preceding Text

Ibn Qutaybah stated that this verse is connected to the preceding one: "Fulfill the covenant of Allah when you have covenanted, and do not break your oaths after their confirmation, lest you become like the woman who spun her yarn and made it strong, then broke it, turning it into tangles."

"Taking your oaths as a means of deceit among yourselves" (تَتَّخِذُونَ أَيْمَانَكُمْ دَخَلًا بَيْنَكُمْ): Al-Wahidi said Dakhala and Daghala mean treachery and deceit. Al-Zajjaj said anything tainted by defect is called madkhul (affected by dakhala). Others said Dakhala is what is introduced into something with corruption.

"Lest one nation be more numerous than another nation" (أَن تَكُونَ أُمَّةٌ هِىَ أَرْبَىٰ مِنْ أُمَّةٍ): Arbā means 'more numerous' or 'greater.' Something yarbū (grows) can increase in number, strength, or honor. Mujahid said: They used to swear allegiance to allies, then they would break those oaths to align with those who were more powerful or honorable. Allah forbade them from this.

The meaning of "Lest it be" (أَن تَكُونَ) is: You take your oaths as deceit among yourselves because one nation is greater than another in number, strength, or honor.

The phrase "Taking your oaths as deceit among yourselves" is an interrogative statement expressing disapproval. The meaning is: Do you take your oaths as deceit among yourselves because one nation is greater in strength and number than another nation?

"It is only by this that Allah tests you" (إِنَّمَا يَبْلُوكُمُ اللَّهُ بِهِ): This means Allah tests you by what He commands and forbids, which has already been mentioned.

"And He will surely make clear to you on the Day of Resurrection that wherein you used to differ" (وَلَيُبَيِّنَنَّ لَكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ): The truth-teller will be distinguished from the falsehood-teller by the degrees of reward and punishment that become manifest. And Allah knows best.

"And if Allah had willed, He could have made you one nation" (وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَجَعَلَكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً): If Allah had willed, He could have created you all as one community (in belief or nature).

"But He lets go astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills" (وَلَٰكِن يُضِلُّ مَن يَشَاءُ وَيَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ): This refers to the consequence of their choices regarding guidance and misguidance.

"And you will surely be asked about what you used to do" (وَلَتُسْأَلُنَّ عَمَّا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ): You will be questioned concerning your deeds.