Tafsir of An-Nahl 16:116-117

"And do not say about what your tongues describe..."

The word al-kadhib (the lie) is in the accusative case (naṣb) governed by the verb lā taqūlū (do not say). The meaning is: "Do not say the lie regarding what your tongues describe of the cattle—in terms of lawfulness and prohibition—when you say, 'What is in the bellies of these cattle is exclusively for our males and forbidden to our wives' (al-Anʿām: 139), without that description being based on a revelation from God or an analogy derived from it."

The lām (in limā) is like the lām in your saying: "Do not say about what God has made lawful: 'This is forbidden.'"

His saying, "This is lawful and this is forbidden," is a substitute (badal) for "the lie." It is also permissible for it to be connected to taṣifu (describe), implying the act of speaking—meaning: "Do not say the lie regarding what your tongues describe, by saying: 'This is lawful and this is forbidden.'"

You may also put al-kadhib in the accusative as the object of taṣifu, and treat mā as a verbal particle (maṣdariyyah), and connect "This is lawful and this is forbidden" to lā taqūlū—meaning: "Do not say 'This is lawful and this is forbidden' because of what your tongues describe as a lie." That is: do not prohibit or permit based on a statement your tongues utter and that circulates in your mouths, not based on proof or evidence, but rather a naive statement and an empty claim.

If you ask: What is the meaning of "their tongues describe the lie"? I say: It is from the most eloquent and refined speech. It treats their statement as if it were the very essence and pure form of a lie. When their tongues utter it, they have adorned the lie with its adornment and shaped it with its shape, similar to the saying: "Her face describes beauty" and "Her eye describes enchantment."

It has been recited as al-kidhb (in the genitive case), as an adjective for the mā (the verbal particle), as if it were said: "For their describing of the lie," meaning the lying [act], like His saying: "with false blood" (bi-damin kadhib - Yūsuf: 18). The "description" refers to their describing the cattle as lawful or forbidden.

It has also been recited as al-kudhub (in the nominative case), the plural of kadhūb (liar), as an adjective for "tongues." In the accusative, it is for disparagement (shatm). It may also mean "lying words," or it is the plural of kadhāb (a great liar), as in your saying: kadhaba kadhāban. Ibn Jinni mentioned this.

The lām in li-taftarū (to invent) is the lām of consequence (taʿlil), which does not necessarily imply intent.

"A small enjoyment" is the predicate of an omitted subject, meaning: their benefit in what they are upon of the practices of the Jāhiliyyah is a small benefit, while its punishment is great.

"And to those who are Jews, We have forbidden that which We have already related to you; and We did not wrong them, but they were [used to] wronging themselves."