Tazkirul Quran · Tafsir · in English
الأحزاب
Al-Ahzab
The Combined Forces · Medinan · 73 ayahs
33:1–3Page 418
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِيُّ ٱتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُطِعِ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ وَٱلۡمُنَٰفِقِينَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمٗا ١
O Prophet, fear Allāh and do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites. Indeed, Allāh is ever Knowing and Wise.
وَٱتَّبِعۡ مَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَيۡكَ مِن رَّبِّكَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرٗا ٢
And follow that which is revealed to you from your Lord. Indeed Allāh is ever, of what you do, Aware.
وَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى ٱللَّهِۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ وَكِيلٗا ٣
And rely upon Allāh; and sufficient is Allāh as Disposer of affairs.1
The Prophet Muhammad was the call-giver of the purest Truth. In this world, one who rises as such has to face the most discouraging circumstances. He remains a stranger in his surroundings. The prevalent creed, based as it is on worldly considerations, does not accord with the Hereafter-oriented religion of the missionary. Time-serving tendencies clash with his fearless policy of following the Truth. Religion has been made subservient to communal beliefs, while the missionary demands that religion should be based purely on worship of God. Under these circumstances, if a preacher succumbs to the pressure of his surroundings and makes compromises, he may attract many supporters. If he is firm in the way of Truth, he will find no support except that of the one and only God. But, the call-giver must not adopt the first alternative under any circumstances. He has to trust in God, stick to the unadulterated Truth and hope that as God is All-knowing and Wise, He will definitely help His subject.
33:4–5Page 418
مَّا جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لِرَجُلٖ مِّن قَلۡبَيۡنِ فِي جَوۡفِهِۦۚ وَمَا جَعَلَ أَزۡوَٰجَكُمُ ٱلَّٰٓـِٔي تُظَٰهِرُونَ مِنۡهُنَّ أُمَّهَٰتِكُمۡۚ وَمَا جَعَلَ أَدۡعِيَآءَكُمۡ أَبۡنَآءَكُمۡۚ ذَٰلِكُمۡ قَوۡلُكُم بِأَفۡوَٰهِكُمۡۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَقُولُ ٱلۡحَقَّ وَهُوَ يَهۡدِي ٱلسَّبِيلَ ٤
Allāh has not made for a man two hearts in his interior. And He has not made your wives whom you declare unlawful1 your mothers. And He has not made your claimed [i.e., adopted] sons your [true] sons. That is [merely] your saying by your mouths, but Allāh says the truth, and He guides to the [right] way.
ٱدۡعُوهُمۡ لِأٓبَآئِهِمۡ هُوَ أَقۡسَطُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِۚ فَإِن لَّمۡ تَعۡلَمُوٓاْ ءَابَآءَهُمۡ فَإِخۡوَٰنُكُمۡ فِي ٱلدِّينِ وَمَوَٰلِيكُمۡۚ وَلَيۡسَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ جُنَاحٞ فِيمَآ أَخۡطَأۡتُم بِهِۦ وَلَٰكِن مَّا تَعَمَّدَتۡ قُلُوبُكُمۡۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورٗا رَّحِيمًا ٥
Call them1 by [the names of] their fathers; it is more just in the sight of Allāh. But if you do not know their fathers - then they are [still] your brothers in religion and those entrusted to you. And there is no blame upon you for that in which you have erred but [only for] what your hearts intended. And ever is Allāh Forgiving and Merciful.
A man does not have two hearts in his chest. This shows that contradictory thinking does not fit in with the scheme of creation. When a man has been given one heart, his thinking should also be one. It cannot be that in one and the same heart, sincerity coexists with hypocrisy, devotion to God with a time-serving mentality, justice with oppression and vanity with modesty. Of the two alternatives, man can have only the God-fearing one, and that is as it should be. This is a matter of principle, and under it are covered the pre-Islamic conventions of divorce (zihar) and adoption. It was the custom among pre-Islamic Arabs that if a man said to his wife, ‘You are like my mother’s back for me’, then his wife was treated as forbidden for him forever, just as his mother was forbidden for him. Similarly, in the matter of an adopted son, they held the belief that he became just like a real son. He was given the same status as a real son in every respect. The Quran abolished this custom completely. It has been made clear in the Quran that it is against the system underlying creation for the status of a real mother to be the same as that of an adoptive mother or the status of an adopted son to be the same as that of a real son. If a man commits an error unknowingly, he is pardonable before God. But, if a man is fully aware of the reality of an affair, and in spite of that he does not desist from wrongdoing, he ceases to be pardonable.
33:6Page 418
ٱلنَّبِيُّ أَوۡلَىٰ بِٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ مِنۡ أَنفُسِهِمۡۖ وَأَزۡوَٰجُهُۥٓ أُمَّهَٰتُهُمۡۗ وَأُوْلُواْ ٱلۡأَرۡحَامِ بَعۡضُهُمۡ أَوۡلَىٰ بِبَعۡضٖ فِي كِتَٰبِ ٱللَّهِ مِنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَٱلۡمُهَٰجِرِينَ إِلَّآ أَن تَفۡعَلُوٓاْ إِلَىٰٓ أَوۡلِيَآئِكُم مَّعۡرُوفٗاۚ كَانَ ذَٰلِكَ فِي ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ مَسۡطُورٗا ٦
The Prophet is more worthy of the believers than themselves,1 and his wives are [in the position of] their mothers. And those of [blood] relationship are more entitled [to inheritance] in the decree of Allāh than the [other] believers and the emigrants, except that you may do to your close associates a kindness [through bequest]. That was in the Book2 inscribed.
A Prophet during his life-time is, in person, of prime importance to the faithful and after his death he is so in principle. The reason for this is that Prophet is God’s representative on earth. In order to maintain the dignity and importance of the Prophet’s teachings, it is necessary that his existence should be sacred in the eyes of the people. Even his wives should be held in high esteem as mothers. After the prophet and his wives, relations with other members of society or community are determined on the basis of the principle of ‘blood-relatives being the nearest’ and, accordingly, people have rights over each other. Sometimes, in fulfillment of requirements in religious matters, the sharing of rights among non-relatives may be established temporarily, as was done after the migration (hijrah) to Madinah in the early days. But, as a permanent social arrangement, real relatives have preferential claims and it will be so always.
33:7–8Page 419
وَإِذۡ أَخَذۡنَا مِنَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ مِيثَٰقَهُمۡ وَمِنكَ وَمِن نُّوحٖ وَإِبۡرَٰهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَى ٱبۡنِ مَرۡيَمَۖ وَأَخَذۡنَا مِنۡهُم مِّيثَٰقًا غَلِيظٗا ٧
And [mention, O Muḥammad], when We took from the prophets their covenant and from you and from Noah and Abraham and Moses and Jesus, the son of Mary; and We took from them a solemn covenant
لِّيَسۡـَٔلَ ٱلصَّٰدِقِينَ عَن صِدۡقِهِمۡۚ وَأَعَدَّ لِلۡكَٰفِرِينَ عَذَابًا أَلِيمٗا ٨
That He may question the truthful about their truth.1 And He has prepared for the disbelievers a painful punishment.
The plan according to which Almighty God has created human beings is designed to put man to the test. To this end he is provided with all the amenities of life and sustenance in an atmosphere of freedom. Thereafter to confer upon him, according to his deeds, eternal rewards or eternal punishment. The life of a man being for the purpose of trial requires that he be made fully aware of the real position, in advance. For this purpose, Almighty God established the institution of prophets. Prophethood is not fulfilled by making announcements on a loudspeaker. It is a task which is extremely trying to the patience. Therefore, all the prophets were made to vow that they would perform this crucial task of conveying the message of God, all the while observing its every requirement and doing full justice to it without the slightest shortcoming.
33:9–11Page 419
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱذۡكُرُواْ نِعۡمَةَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ إِذۡ جَآءَتۡكُمۡ جُنُودٞ فَأَرۡسَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ رِيحٗا وَجُنُودٗا لَّمۡ تَرَوۡهَاۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ بَصِيرًا ٩
O you who have believed, remember the favor of Allāh upon you when armies came to [attack] you and We sent upon them a wind and armies [of angels] you did not see. And ever is Allāh, of what you do, Seeing.
إِذۡ جَآءُوكُم مِّن فَوۡقِكُمۡ وَمِنۡ أَسۡفَلَ مِنكُمۡ وَإِذۡ زَاغَتِ ٱلۡأَبۡصَٰرُ وَبَلَغَتِ ٱلۡقُلُوبُ ٱلۡحَنَاجِرَ وَتَظُنُّونَ بِٱللَّهِ ٱلظُّنُونَا۠ ١٠
[Remember] when they came at you from above you and from below you, and when eyes shifted [in fear], and hearts reached the throats, and you assumed about Allāh [various] assumptions.
هُنَالِكَ ٱبۡتُلِيَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ وَزُلۡزِلُواْ زِلۡزَالٗا شَدِيدٗا ١١
There the believers were tested and shaken with a severe shaking.
At the battle of Ahzab (in the fifth year of Hijrah) there was a combined attack by Arab tribes and Jews on Madinah. The number of attackers in this battle was about thirteen thousand and the Muslims were not capable of fighting this huge army. But, Almighty God, by His special devices, caused Islam’s enemies to become so terror-stricken that they themselves abandoned the siege of Madinah and retreated. Such difficulties befall the Islamic mission firstly in order to separate the sincere from the insincere and secondly to show to the enemy forces that God Himself is a supporter of His religion. He will not allow it to be vanquished.
33:12–17Page 419
وَإِذۡ يَقُولُ ٱلۡمُنَٰفِقُونَ وَٱلَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٞ مَّا وَعَدَنَا ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥٓ إِلَّا غُرُورٗا ١٢
And [remember] when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is disease said, "Allāh and His Messenger did not promise us except delusion,"
وَإِذۡ قَالَت طَّآئِفَةٞ مِّنۡهُمۡ يَٰٓأَهۡلَ يَثۡرِبَ لَا مُقَامَ لَكُمۡ فَٱرۡجِعُواْۚ وَيَسۡتَـٔۡذِنُ فَرِيقٞ مِّنۡهُمُ ٱلنَّبِيَّ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ بُيُوتَنَا عَوۡرَةٞ وَمَا هِيَ بِعَوۡرَةٍۖ إِن يُرِيدُونَ إِلَّا فِرَارٗا ١٣
And when a faction of them said, "O people of Yathrib,1 there is no stability for you [here], so return [home]." And a party of them asked permission of the Prophet, saying, "Indeed, our houses are exposed [i.e., unprotected]," while they were not exposed. They did not intend except to flee.
وَلَوۡ دُخِلَتۡ عَلَيۡهِم مِّنۡ أَقۡطَارِهَا ثُمَّ سُئِلُواْ ٱلۡفِتۡنَةَ لَأٓتَوۡهَا وَمَا تَلَبَّثُواْ بِهَآ إِلَّا يَسِيرٗا ١٤
And if they had been entered upon from all its [surrounding] regions and fitnah [i.e., disbelief] had been demanded of them, they would have done it and not hesitated over it except briefly.
وَلَقَدۡ كَانُواْ عَٰهَدُواْ ٱللَّهَ مِن قَبۡلُ لَا يُوَلُّونَ ٱلۡأَدۡبَٰرَۚ وَكَانَ عَهۡدُ ٱللَّهِ مَسۡـُٔولٗا ١٥
And they had already promised Allāh before not to turn their backs [i.e., flee]. And ever is the promise to Allāh [that about which one will be] questioned.
قُل لَّن يَنفَعَكُمُ ٱلۡفِرَارُ إِن فَرَرۡتُم مِّنَ ٱلۡمَوۡتِ أَوِ ٱلۡقَتۡلِ وَإِذٗا لَّا تُمَتَّعُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلٗا ١٦
Say, [O Muḥammad], "Never will fleeing benefit you if you should flee from death or killing; and then [if you did], you would not be given enjoyment [of life] except for a little."
قُلۡ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِي يَعۡصِمُكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ إِنۡ أَرَادَ بِكُمۡ سُوٓءًا أَوۡ أَرَادَ بِكُمۡ رَحۡمَةٗۚ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ لَهُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَلِيّٗا وَلَا نَصِيرٗا ١٧
Say, "Who is it that can protect you from Allāh1 if He intends for you an ill or intends for you a mercy?" And they will not find for themselves besides Allāh any protector or any helper.
Realizing that the situation at the battle of Ahzab, was fraught with danger, the hypocrites were terrified and started exploring ways and means of fleeing. But the true and faithful ones firmly placed their reliance on God. They knew very well that God was before them and He was behind them. To run away from the danger of the enemies of Islam amounted to placing oneself in danger of God’s chastisement, which was by far the greater hazard. They firmly believed that if they were steadfast in the face of their enemies, God’s help would be forthcoming. On the other hand, they knew that if they fled the Islamic front, they would not be able to save themselves from either destruction in this world or God’s terrible scourge in the Hereafter.
33:18–20Page 420
۞ قَدۡ يَعۡلَمُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡمُعَوِّقِينَ مِنكُمۡ وَٱلۡقَآئِلِينَ لِإِخۡوَٰنِهِمۡ هَلُمَّ إِلَيۡنَاۖ وَلَا يَأۡتُونَ ٱلۡبَأۡسَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا ١٨
Already Allāh knows the hinderers1 among you and those [hypocrites] who say to their brothers, "Come to us,"2 and do not go to battle, except for a few,3
أَشِحَّةً عَلَيۡكُمۡۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ ٱلۡخَوۡفُ رَأَيۡتَهُمۡ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَيۡكَ تَدُورُ أَعۡيُنُهُمۡ كَٱلَّذِي يُغۡشَىٰ عَلَيۡهِ مِنَ ٱلۡمَوۡتِۖ فَإِذَا ذَهَبَ ٱلۡخَوۡفُ سَلَقُوكُم بِأَلۡسِنَةٍ حِدَادٍ أَشِحَّةً عَلَى ٱلۡخَيۡرِۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ لَمۡ يُؤۡمِنُواْ فَأَحۡبَطَ ٱللَّهُ أَعۡمَٰلَهُمۡۚ وَكَانَ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرٗا ١٩
Indisposed1 toward you. And when fear comes, you see them looking at you, their eyes revolving like one being overcome by death. But when fear departs, they lash you with sharp tongues, indisposed toward [any] good. Those have not believed, so Allāh has rendered their deeds worthless, and ever is that, for Allāh, easy.
يَحۡسَبُونَ ٱلۡأَحۡزَابَ لَمۡ يَذۡهَبُواْۖ وَإِن يَأۡتِ ٱلۡأَحۡزَابُ يَوَدُّواْ لَوۡ أَنَّهُم بَادُونَ فِي ٱلۡأَعۡرَابِ يَسۡـَٔلُونَ عَنۡ أَنۢبَآئِكُمۡۖ وَلَوۡ كَانُواْ فِيكُم مَّا قَٰتَلُوٓاْ إِلَّا قَلِيلٗا ٢٠
They think the companies have not [yet] withdrawn.1 And if the companies should come [again], they would wish they were in the desert among the bedouins, inquiring [from afar] about your news. And if they should be among you, they would not fight except for a little.
There are those who lag behind at the time when sacrifice is required, but who feel ashamed of this shortcoming. Then there are others who do not make sacrifices when they are called for, but who feel no shame on this account. This amounts to adding arrogance to neglect of duty. A shortcoming may be pardonable, but arrogance is not. Even if some apparently good deeds are performed by those who are flawed by arrogance, they are worthless, because the essence of a good deed is sincerity, and that is the very thing which is lacking. Shirking the duty of making sacrifices for a religious cause is invariably the result of a love for worldly affairs. Man loses his faith for the sake of saving his worldly assets. When materially-minded people see that worldly advantage is coupled with religion, they display their oratorical skill in speaking in favour of religion, in order to show off their connection with religion and then they extract the maximum advantage from this. But when following religion means sacrifice, they lose interest in becoming men of religion. Wandering Arabs.
33:21–24Page 420
لَّقَدۡ كَانَ لَكُمۡ فِي رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ أُسۡوَةٌ حَسَنَةٞ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرۡجُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلۡيَوۡمَ ٱلۡأٓخِرَ وَذَكَرَ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرٗا ٢١
There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allāh an excellent pattern1 for anyone whose hope is in Allāh and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allāh often.
وَلَمَّا رَءَا ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ ٱلۡأَحۡزَابَ قَالُواْ هَٰذَا مَا وَعَدَنَا ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥ وَصَدَقَ ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥۚ وَمَا زَادَهُمۡ إِلَّآ إِيمَٰنٗا وَتَسۡلِيمٗا ٢٢
And when the believers saw the companies, they said, "This is what Allāh and His Messenger had promised us, and Allāh and His Messenger spoke the truth." And it increased them only in faith and acceptance.
مِّنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ رِجَالٞ صَدَقُواْ مَا عَٰهَدُواْ ٱللَّهَ عَلَيۡهِۖ فَمِنۡهُم مَّن قَضَىٰ نَحۡبَهُۥ وَمِنۡهُم مَّن يَنتَظِرُۖ وَمَا بَدَّلُواْ تَبۡدِيلٗا ٢٣
Among the believers are men true to what they promised Allāh. Among them is he who has fulfilled his vow [to the death], and among them is he who awaits [his chance]. And they did not alter [the terms of their commitment] by any alteration -
لِّيَجۡزِيَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّٰدِقِينَ بِصِدۡقِهِمۡ وَيُعَذِّبَ ٱلۡمُنَٰفِقِينَ إِن شَآءَ أَوۡ يَتُوبَ عَلَيۡهِمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ غَفُورٗا رَّحِيمٗا ٢٤
That Allāh may reward the truthful for their truth and punish the hypocrites if He wills or accept their repentance. Indeed, Allāh is ever Forgiving and Merciful.
The lives of the Prophet and his companions were of an exemplary, godly character and were meant to be followed by all the faithful till the Day of Judgement. They set an example to show what it means to seek God’s pleasure and merit success in the Hereafter; what is meant by remembering God; how to be steady and persevering in difficult times; how reliance is placed on the promises of God; what ever-increasing faith is and how it is achieved; and how to fulfill the vows taken before God. The Prophet and his companions set the final example in all these matters. Under the most difficult circumstances, they did not falter. They were the embodiment of Islamic thought and Islamic character in all matters. Before the arrival of the moment of trial, they were firm in their acceptance of Truth and even after the arrival of that moment they remained unwavering. Then, it was the life of the Prophet and his companions which set an example and showed that no decision was taken by God, unless one was put to the test. It is the way of God that He creates severe conditions so as to separate the truly faithful from the false claimants. In this Divine precept and practice, there was no exception earlier and neither will there be any exception in future.
33:25–27Page 421
وَرَدَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِغَيۡظِهِمۡ لَمۡ يَنَالُواْ خَيۡرٗاۚ وَكَفَى ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ٱلۡقِتَالَۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ قَوِيًّا عَزِيزٗا ٢٥
And Allāh repelled those who disbelieved, in their rage, not having obtained any good. And sufficient was Allāh for the believers in battle, and ever is Allāh Powerful and Exalted in Might.
وَأَنزَلَ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَٰهَرُوهُم مِّنۡ أَهۡلِ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ مِن صَيَاصِيهِمۡ وَقَذَفَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ ٱلرُّعۡبَ فَرِيقٗا تَقۡتُلُونَ وَتَأۡسِرُونَ فَرِيقٗا ٢٦
And He brought down those who supported them among the People of the Scripture1 from their fortresses and cast terror into their hearts [so that] a party [i.e., their men] you killed, and you took captive a party [i.e., the women and children].
وَأَوۡرَثَكُمۡ أَرۡضَهُمۡ وَدِيَٰرَهُمۡ وَأَمۡوَٰلَهُمۡ وَأَرۡضٗا لَّمۡ تَطَـُٔوهَاۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدِيرٗا ٢٧
And He caused you to inherit their land and their homes and their properties and a land which you have not trodden.1 And ever is Allāh, over all things, competent.
At the Battle of Ahzab, or the Trenches, conditions were very severe. But, in this battle the stage of regular fighting was never reached. Almighty God sent stormy winds and an army of angels against the enemies and terrified them to such an extent that they themselves fled the battlefield. The Jews of Madinah (the Banu Qurayzah) had entered into a pact of peace with the Muslims, but on the occasion of the Battle of Ahzab, they betrayed the Muslims. In breach of the pact, they supported the idolaters. Therefore, when the army of the attackers left Madinah, the Prophet Muhammad, as ordained by God, invaded the areas occupied by the Banu Qurayzah and the Islamic forces besieged their forts. The siege lasted for twenty five days. When they surrendered, everything that they possessed was forfeited.
33:28–30Page 421
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِيُّ قُل لِّأَزۡوَٰجِكَ إِن كُنتُنَّ تُرِدۡنَ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَزِينَتَهَا فَتَعَالَيۡنَ أُمَتِّعۡكُنَّ وَأُسَرِّحۡكُنَّ سَرَاحٗا جَمِيلٗا ٢٨
O Prophet, say to your wives, "If you should desire the worldly life and its adornment, then come, I will provide for you and give you a gracious release.
وَإِن كُنتُنَّ تُرِدۡنَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ وَٱلدَّارَ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ أَعَدَّ لِلۡمُحۡسِنَٰتِ مِنكُنَّ أَجۡرًا عَظِيمٗا ٢٩
But if you should desire Allāh and His Messenger and the home of the Hereafter - then indeed, Allāh has prepared for the doers of good among you a great reward."
يَٰنِسَآءَ ٱلنَّبِيِّ مَن يَأۡتِ مِنكُنَّ بِفَٰحِشَةٖ مُّبَيِّنَةٖ يُضَٰعَفۡ لَهَا ٱلۡعَذَابُ ضِعۡفَيۡنِۚ وَكَانَ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرٗا ٣٠
O wives of the Prophet, whoever of you should commit a clear immorality - for her the punishment would be doubled two fold, and ever is that, for Allāh, easy.
The Hijrah (migration to Madinah) had greatly disrupted the economy of the Muslims. Moreover, after the Hijrah, the enemies of Islam kept the Muslims continuously engaged in wars. As a result, the economic condition of the Muslims had seriously deteriorated. The greatest impact of this condition was on the Prophet Muhammad. It was difficult to provide even the bare necessities of life to the members of his household. Things reached the stage when his consorts were forced to demand maintenance. What his consorts asked for was basic necessities, but this was mentioned by God as a demand for worldly glitter—possibly too forceful an expression, just like the expression ‘shameful acts’ (fahishah). The Prophet had been assigned the most important mission in history, i.e. bringing to an end the age of polytheism and ushering in an era of monotheism. Under these circumstances, it was not possible for him to give importance to anything else. So, the consorts of the Prophet were told that either they should live contentedly with the Prophet and display greater endurance or, if that was not acceptable, to seek separation gracefully, but that raising domestic problems and thus diverting the attention of the Prophet could not be countenanced.
Text: through the Quran Foundation. The ayahs: Quran Foundation. Sources and licences