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,714 and you would have [in the Hereafter] a great punishment.
Notes
[714] Referring to those who would be dissuaded from Islām as a result of a Muslim's deceit and treachery.
Verse 94 of Surah An-Nahl (16:94), a Meccan surah, is in juz 14, on page 278 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 73 reciters.
Listen to verse 94 of Surah An-Nahl
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Tafsir of verse 94
Al-Mukhtasar
Do not make your oaths a means of deception thereby allowing you to trick and deceive one another, following your desires - breaking them whenever you wish and fulfilling them when you wish. If you do so your feet will slip from the straight path after being firm on it. You will taste the punishment on account of your deviation from Allah’s path and your misleading others from it and you will receive multiplied punishment.
Do not take your oaths as a means of deceit between yourselves, lest some feet will slip after they have been firm60, and you will taste the evil consequences of preventing people from the way of Allah, and for you there will be a great punishment.
Notes
[60] i.e., after their feet became firm in Islam.
And make not your oaths a means of deception among yourselves, lest a foot should slip after being firmly planted, and you may have to taste the evil (punishment in this world) of having hindered (men) from the Path of Allâh (i.e. Belief in the Oneness of Allâh and His Messenger, Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم), and yours will be a great torment (i.e. the Fire of Hell in the Hereafter).
Make not your oaths a deceit between you, lest a foot should slip after being firmly planted and ye should taste evil forasmuch as ye debarred (men) from the way of Allah, and yours should be an awful doom.
And take not your oaths, to practise deception between yourselves, with the result that someone's foot may slip after it was firmly planted, and ye may have to taste the evil (consequences) of having hindered (men) from the Path of Allah, and a Mighty Wrath descend on you.
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's way and grievous punishment be your (lot).
And do not take to yourselves your oaths fraudulently among yourselves for that a foot should slide back after firm (steadiness) and you should taste the odious (reward) for that you barred from the way of Allah; and you will have a tremendous torment.
And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed - all of them entirely. Then, [O Muḥammad], would you compel the people in order that they become believers?
