Which Surah and Juz is Quran 16:116 from?

This ayah is from Surah An-Nahl (The Bee), the 16th surah of the Quran. It appears in Juz 14.

Are there hadiths related to Quran 16:116?

Yes — there are 5 hadiths related to this ayah from Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Sunan Abu Dawud, Sahih al-Bukhari.

What tafsir is available for Quran 16:116?

Commentary on this ayah is available from Ibn Kathir, Ibn Kathir, Ibn Abbas, Al-Jalalayn — classical scholars of Quranic exegesis.

What topics does Quran 16:116 relate to?

This ayah connects to these Quranic topics: Allah, Truthfulness, Ethics of Speech, Divine Command, Day of Judgment.

Ayah 115

إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْمَيْتَةَ وَٱلدَّمَ ...

16:116An-Nahl

Q: What does Quran 16:116 mean?

Quran 16:116 (Surah An-Nahl, Ayah 116) translates to: "And do not say about what your tongues assert of untruth, "This is lawful and this is unlawful," to invent falsehood about Allah. Indeed, those who invent falsehood about Allah will not succeed."

Ayah 117

مَتَٰعٌۭ قَلِيلٌۭ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۭ...

وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ لِمَا تَصِفُ أَلْسِنَتُكُمُ ٱلْكَذِبَ هَٰذَا حَلَٰلٌۭ وَهَٰذَا حَرَامٌۭ لِّتَفْتَرُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْكَذِبَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْكَذِبَ لَا يُفْلِحُونَ

Wa laa taqooloo limaa tasifu alsinatukumul kaziba haaza halaalunw wa haazaa haraamul litaftaroo 'alal laahil kazib; innal lazeena yaftaroona 'alal laahil kaziba laa yuflihoon

And do not say about what your tongues assert of untruth, "This is lawful and this is unlawful," to invent falsehood about Allah. Indeed, those who invent falsehood about Allah will not succeed.

Themes in this ayah

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True success & loss97 Justice & honesty55

Scores run 0–100: how strongly this ayah speaks to a theme. 70+ is central, 50+ is clear, under 50 is weak.

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16:116Ayah 1128

3 ayahs in An-Nahl are strongly about true success. This is one of them.

← Previous on True success & loss16:109Assuredly, it is they, in the Hereafter, who will be the losers.

Tafsir

Scholars offer complementary perspectives

View Full Tafsir: Al-Jalalayn on 16:116→

And do not say concerning that which your own tongues qualify falsehood such as ‘This is lawful and this is unlawful’ for what God respectively has not made lawful and what He has not made unlawful in order to invent lies against God by attributing such claims to Him. Truly those who invent lies against God will not prosper.

"O you people False witness is tantamount to Shirk with Allah" Then the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w)recited: So shun the Rijs of the idols, and shun false speech.

Sunan Abu Dawud #4991‘Abd Allah (b. Mas’ud) reported the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) as saying :Sahih

Avoid falsehood, for falsehood leads to wickedness, and wickedness to hell; and if a man continues to speak falsehood and makes falsehood his object, he will be recorded in Allah’s presence as a great liar. And adhere to truth, for truth leads to good deeds, and good deeds lead to paradise. If a man continues to speak the truth and makes truth his object, he will be recorded in Allah’s presence as eminently truthful.

Jami` at-Tirmidhi #2368Khuraim bin Fatik Al-Asadi narrated that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) performed the Subh (Fajr)prayer. Then when he turned he got up to stand and said:Sahih

"O you people! False witness is tantamount to Shirk with Allah."Saying it three times, then he recited this Ayah And shun false speech Until the end of the Ayah.

Sunan Abu Dawud #2363Narrated Abu Hurairah:Sahih

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: If anyone does not abandon falsehood and action is accordance with it, Allah has no need that he should abandon his food and drink. The narrator Ahmad (b. Yunus) said: I learnt the chain of narrators from Ibn Abi Dhi'b, and a man by his side made me understand the tradition. I think he was his cousin.

Sahih al-Bukhari #5828Narrated Abu Huraira:Sahih

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whoever does not give up false statements (i.e. telling lies), and evil deeds, and speaking bad words to others, Allah is not in need of his (fasting) leaving his food and drink."