Surah An-Nahl — Verse 94

Meanings of Key Words:

• Dakhalan (دَخَلًا): Deception, treachery, or using something as a means to cause harm or fraud between people.
• Tazilla (تَزِلَّ): To slip or stumble.
• Thubutiha (ثُبُوتِهَا): Its firmness or steadfastness.
• As-Su’ (السُّوء): The evil punishment or harm.
• Sadadtum (صَدَدتّم): You turned away or hindered.

Tafsir (Explanation):

Allah, the Most High, addresses the believers with a profound warning: do not make your oaths a means of deception and treachery among yourselves. This means you should not swear by Allah to mislead others, break your promises when it suits your desires, or use your oaths as a tool to seize the rights of others or to cause discord. Such behavior is a grave betrayal of trust, for oaths are sacred bonds meant to affirm truthfulness, not to serve as instruments of fraud.

When you engage in such treachery, your feet will slip after having been firmly established. This is a powerful metaphor: just as a traveler who was standing securely on solid ground can suddenly lose balance and fall, so too can a believer who was steadfast upon the path of faith and righteousness stumble into misguidance and ruin. The slip here refers to deviation from the straight path of Islam after having once been guided upon it. The consequence is that you will taste the evil punishment in this world—through humiliation, loss of trust, societal corruption, and the painful results of your own actions—because you turned people away from the way of Allah. When others see your betrayal and broken promises, they lose confidence in the religion you claim to follow, and thus you become a barrier between them and the truth. Your example drives them away from Islam, and you bear the sin of their misguidance.

And for you in the Hereafter is a mighty and severe punishment—a painful torment that awaits those who corrupt their faith and lead others astray through their deceitful conduct.

Da’wah Reflection:

O beloved servant of Allah, reflect deeply on the sanctity of your word. In Islam, a promise is a covenant, and an oath is a testimony before Allah Himself. When you remain truthful and faithful to your commitments, you elevate your rank in the sight of Allah and earn the trust of humanity. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "The signs of a hypocrite are three: when he speaks, he lies; when he promises, he breaks it; and when he is entrusted, he betrays." So be among the truthful, for truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise. Guard your oaths, honor your promises, and let your character be a living invitation to the beauty of Islam. By doing so, you will not only secure your own footing upon the path of guidance, but you will also become a beacon that draws others toward the light of faith. And know that Allah’s promise of a great reward for the steadfast and truthful far outweighs any fleeting worldly gain obtained through deception.