• Every soul shall be recompensed in full for what all it has earned

• To eat only the clean and good things allowed

• Prohibited food

• Forgiveness only for those who repent and amend

An-Nahl (The Bee) Verses 111 – 119

يَوْمَ تَأْتِي كُلُّ نَفْسٍ تُجَادِلُ عَنْ نَفْسِهَا وَتُوَفَّىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَا عَمِلَتْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ

(Remember) the day when every soul shall come, pleading for itself, and every soul shall be recompensed fully for what (all) it hath done, and they will not be dealt with unjustly. (16:111)

وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا قَرْيَةً كَانَتْ آمِنَةً مُطْمَئِنَّةً يَأْتِيهَا رِزْقُهَا رَغَدًا مِنْ كُلِّ مَكَانٍ فَكَفَرَتْ بِأَنْعُمِ اللَّهِ فَأَذَاقَهَا اللَّهُ لِبَاسَ الْجُوعِ وَالْخَوْفِ بِمَا كَانُوا يَصْنَعُونَ

And setteth forth God a similitude: “(Like) a town safe and secure, cometh unto it its sustenance in abundance from every side, then it turned ungrateful to the bounties of God, therefore God made it taste of (getting enveloped into) the extreme1of hunger and dread for what they were doing. (16:112)2

وَلَقَدْ جَاءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْهُمْ فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَأَخَذَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ وَهُمْ ظَالِمُونَ

And indeed did come unto them (Our) Apostle from among themselves, but they belied him, so seized them a torment while they were unjust. (16:113)

فَكُلُوا مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ اللَّهُ حَلَالًا طَيِّبًا وَاشْكُرُوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ

So eat ye of what God hath provided you lawful and good (things), and give ye thanks for God’s bounty if unto Him ye worship. (16:114)

إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَيْتَةَ وَالدَّمَ وَلَحْمَ الْخِنْزِيرِ وَمَا أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ بِهِ فَمَنِ اضْطُرَّ غَيْرَ بَاغٍ وَلَا عَادٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ

Verily He hath forbidden unto you what dieth of itself and blood and the flesh of swine and that over which hath been invoked any name other than God’s; but whosoever be forced to the necessity, nor desiring nor (wilfully) transgressing the limit, then verily God is Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. (16:115)3

وَلَا تَقُولُوا لِمَا تَصِفُ أَلْسِنَتُكُمُ الْكَذِبَ هَٰذَا حَلَالٌ وَهَٰذَا حَرَامٌ لِتَفْتَرُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ لَا يُفْلِحُونَ

And utter ye not whatever lie describe your tongues (saying): “This is lawful and this is for bidden,” to forge a lie against God; Verily, those who forge a lie against God succeed not. (16:116)4

مَتَاعٌ قَلِيلٌ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

It is a very little means of enjoyment and for them is a painful torment. (16:117)

وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ هَادُوا حَرَّمْنَا مَا قَصَصْنَا عَلَيْكَ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَمَا ظَلَمْنَاهُمْ وَلَٰكِنْ كَانُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ

And unto those who were Jews We had forbidden what We have (already) related unto thee from before; And We did them not any injustice, but they were unto their own selves unjust. (16:118)5

ثُمَّ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لِلَّذِينَ عَمِلُوا السُّوءَ بِجَهَالَةٍ ثُمَّ تَابُوا مِنْ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ وَأَصْلَحُوا إِنَّ رَبَّكَ مِنْ بَعْدِهَا لَغَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ

Yet verily thy Lord, unto those who do an evil (deed) in ignorance, and turn (repent) after that and make amends, Verily thy Lord is Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. (16:119)6

• 1. Covered with - or totally overwhelming.
• 2. This is a parable applicable to any act of ungratefulness towards the bounties of God or it is illustrated in the very next verse, 16:113. Literally Garment.
• 3. This prohibitory order belongs to the end of the Meccan period or the early days of the ministry of the Holy Prophet.
• 4. Refer to verses 6:136-158 the verse dealing with forged prohibition by the disbelievers and the real prohibitory order of God.
• 5. Refer to verses 6:136-158.
• 6. Refer to verse 4:17.