16:101 An-Nahl (The Bee)

يذكر تعالى أن المكذبين بهذا القرآن يتتبعون ما يرونه حجة لهم، وهو أن الله تعالى هو الحاكم الحكيم، الذي يشرع الأحكام، ويبدل حكما مكان آخر لحكمته ورحمته، فإذا رأوه كذلك قدحوا في الرسول وبما جاء به و { قَالُوا إِنَّمَا أَنْتَ مُفْتَرٍ } قال الله تعالى: { بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ } فهم جهال لا علم لهم بربهم ولا بشرعه، ومن المعلوم أن قدح الجاهل بلا علم لا عبرة به، فإن القدح في الشيء فرع عن العلم به، وما يشتمل عليه مما يوجب المدح أو القدح.

يخبر تعالى عن ضعف عقول المشركين وقلة ثباتهم وإيقانهم وإنه لا يتصور منهم الإيمان وقد كتب عليهم الشقاوة وذلك أنهم إذا رأوا تغيير الأحكام ناسخها بمنسوخها قالوا لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم "إنما أنت مفتر" أي كذاب وإنما هو الرب تعالى يفعل ما يشاء ويحكم ما يريد وقال مجاهد "بدلنا آية مكان آية" أي رفعناها وأثبتنا غيرها وقال قتادة هو كقوله تعالى "ما ننسخ من آية أو ننسها" الآية.

The Idolators' Accusation that the Prophet was a Liar since some Ayat were abrogated, and the Refutation of their Claim

Allah tells us of the weak minds of the idolators, and their lack of faith and conviction. He explains that it is impossible for them to have faith when He has decreed that they are doomed. When they saw that some rulings had been changed by being abrogated, they said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ:

إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مُفْتَرٍ

(You are but a forger) meaning one who tells lies. But Allah is the Lord Who does whatever He wills, and rules as He wants.

بَدَّلْنَآ ءَايَةً مَّكَانَ ءَايَةٍ

(And when We change a verse (of the Qur'an) in place of another) Mujahid said: this means, "We remove one and put another in its place." Qatadah said: this is like the Ayah:

مَا نَنسَخْ مِنْ ءَايَةٍ أَوْ نُنسِهَا

(Whatever verse We change abrogate or omit the abrogated...)" (2:106). Allah said, in response to them:

قُلْ نَزَّلَهُ رُوحُ الْقُدُسِ

(Say: "Ruh-ul-Qudus has brought it...") meaning, Jibril,

مِّن رَّبِّكَ بِالْحَقِّ

(from your Lord with truth, ) meaning, with truthfulness and justice

لِيُثَبِّتَ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ

(for the conviction of those who believe,) so that they will believe what was revealed earlier and what was revealed later, and humble themselves towards Allah.

وَهُدًى وَبُشْرَى لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ

(and as a guide and good news for the Muslims.) meaning He has made it a guide and good news to the Muslims who believe in Allah and His Messengers.

And when We exchange a verse in place of a different verse by abrogating it and revealing another for the welfare of God’s servants — and God knows best what He reveals — they say that is the disbelievers say to the Prophet s ‘You are just a fabricator’ a liar making it up yourself. Nay most of them do not know the true nature of the Qur’ān and the benefit to God’s servants of abrogation.

Sequence of Verses

In the previous verse (98), there was an instruction to say اَعُوذ بِاللہ 'a udhu bil-lah' (I seek protection with Allah) while reciting the Qur’ an which indicates that the Shaitan puts scruples in the heart when one recites the Qur'an. In the verses cited above, there is a refutation of such Satanic instigations.

(And when We put a revelation in place of (another) revelation�) [16:101-102]. This verse was revealed when the idolaters said: �Muhammad is mocking his Companions; one day he commands them to do something and the next day he forbids them from doing it, or brings instead something which is easier. He is nothing but a calumniator who says things of his own invention�, and so Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse and the verse after it.