Tazkirul Quran · Tafsir · in English
المجادلة
Al-Mujadila
The Pleading Woman · Medinan · 22 ayahs
57:29–58:1Page 542
قَدۡ سَمِعَ ٱللَّهُ قَوۡلَ ٱلَّتِي تُجَٰدِلُكَ فِي زَوۡجِهَا وَتَشۡتَكِيٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَٱللَّهُ يَسۡمَعُ تَحَاوُرَكُمَآۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعُۢ بَصِيرٌ ١
Certainly has Allāh heard the speech of the one who argues [i.e., pleads] with you, [O Muḥammad], concerning her husband and directs her complaint to Allāh. And Allāh hears your dialogue; indeed, Allāh is Hearing and Seeing.
Before Islam, it was the custom in Arabia that if a man said to his wife, ‘To me you are like my mother’s back’ she was for ever forbidden for that man. This was called zihar. A Muslim of Madinah, Aws ibn as-Samit, once repeated these very words to his wife, Khawlah bint Tha‘labah. She came to the Prophet and related the incident. The Prophet, taking into account the old custom, opined that she stood forbidden for Aws ibn as-Samit. Khawlah was worried that her house and her children would be destroyed, and she started crying and wailing. On this occasion these verses were revealed and the Islamic rules on zihar were laid down.
58:2Page 542
ٱلَّذِينَ يُظَٰهِرُونَ مِنكُم مِّن نِّسَآئِهِم مَّا هُنَّ أُمَّهَٰتِهِمۡۖ إِنۡ أُمَّهَٰتُهُمۡ إِلَّا ٱلَّٰٓـِٔي وَلَدۡنَهُمۡۚ وَإِنَّهُمۡ لَيَقُولُونَ مُنكَرٗا مِّنَ ٱلۡقَوۡلِ وَزُورٗاۚ وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَعَفُوٌّ غَفُورٞ ٢
Those who pronounce ẓihār1 among you [to separate] from their wives - they are not [consequently] their mothers. Their mothers are none but those who gave birth to them. And indeed, they are saying an objectionable statement and a falsehood. But indeed, Allāh is Pardoning and Forgiving.
Saying to one’s wife, ‘To me you are like my mother’s back’. This was an old pagan custom which was known as zihar, by which one’s wife could be wrongfully divorced.
58:3–4Page 542
وَٱلَّذِينَ يُظَٰهِرُونَ مِن نِّسَآئِهِمۡ ثُمَّ يَعُودُونَ لِمَا قَالُواْ فَتَحۡرِيرُ رَقَبَةٖ مِّن قَبۡلِ أَن يَتَمَآسَّاۚ ذَٰلِكُمۡ تُوعَظُونَ بِهِۦۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرٞ ٣
And those who pronounce ẓihār from their wives and then [wish to] go back on what they said - then [there must be] the freeing of a slave before they touch one another. That is what you are admonished thereby; and Allāh is Aware of what you do.
فَمَن لَّمۡ يَجِدۡ فَصِيَامُ شَهۡرَيۡنِ مُتَتَابِعَيۡنِ مِن قَبۡلِ أَن يَتَمَآسَّاۖ فَمَن لَّمۡ يَسۡتَطِعۡ فَإِطۡعَامُ سِتِّينَ مِسۡكِينٗاۚ ذَٰلِكَ لِتُؤۡمِنُواْ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦۚ وَتِلۡكَ حُدُودُ ٱللَّهِۗ وَلِلۡكَٰفِرِينَ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ٤
And he who does not find [a slave] - then a fast for two months consecutively1 before they touch one another; and he who is unable - then the feeding of sixty poor persons. That is for you to believe [completely] in Allāh and His Messenger; and those are the limits [set by] Allāh. And for the disbelievers is a painful punishment.
Islam distinguishes between form and reality. That is why Islam has not recognised the old custom of a man’s calling a woman ‘mother’, although she is not his real mother, and then treating her as such for the purpose of divorcing her. Any such action is absurd, because it cannot change the laws of nature. It is clarified in the Quran that simply by acting in the above-mentioned manner, a man’s wife does not stand divorced. However, it has been made compulsory for the concerned person to pay a penalty and then go back to his wife. After committing an error, if a man pays a penalty in this way, he revives his faith, which he had discarded due to negligence or stupidity.
58:5–6Page 542
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُحَآدُّونَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ كُبِتُواْ كَمَا كُبِتَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡۚ وَقَدۡ أَنزَلۡنَآ ءَايَٰتِۭ بَيِّنَٰتٖۚ وَلِلۡكَٰفِرِينَ عَذَابٞ مُّهِينٞ ٥
Indeed, those who oppose Allāh and His Messenger are abased as those before them were abased. And We have certainly sent down verses of clear evidence. And for the disbelievers is a humiliating punishment
يَوۡمَ يَبۡعَثُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ جَمِيعٗا فَيُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا عَمِلُوٓاْۚ أَحۡصَىٰهُ ٱللَّهُ وَنَسُوهُۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ شَهِيدٌ ٦
On the Day when Allāh will resurrect them all and inform them of what they did. Allāh had enumerated it, while they forgot it; and Allāh is, over all things, Witness.1
To oppose the Truth is to oppose God, and to oppose God means opposing that Being by opposing whom a man harms himself. Man can never hide anything from God, nor is it possible for anybody to elude His grasp.
58:7–8Page 543
أَلَمۡ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعۡلَمُ مَا فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ مَا يَكُونُ مِن نَّجۡوَىٰ ثَلَٰثَةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ رَابِعُهُمۡ وَلَا خَمۡسَةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ سَادِسُهُمۡ وَلَآ أَدۡنَىٰ مِن ذَٰلِكَ وَلَآ أَكۡثَرَ إِلَّا هُوَ مَعَهُمۡ أَيۡنَ مَا كَانُواْۖ ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا عَمِلُواْ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ عَلِيمٌ ٧
Have you not considered that Allāh knows what is in the heavens and what is on the earth? There are not three in a private conversation but that He is the fourth of them,1 nor are there five but that He is the sixth of them - and no less than that and no more except that He is with them [in knowledge] wherever they are. Then He will inform them of what they did on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed Allāh is, of all things, Knowing.
أَلَمۡ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ نُهُواْ عَنِ ٱلنَّجۡوَىٰ ثُمَّ يَعُودُونَ لِمَا نُهُواْ عَنۡهُ وَيَتَنَٰجَوۡنَ بِٱلۡإِثۡمِ وَٱلۡعُدۡوَٰنِ وَمَعۡصِيَتِ ٱلرَّسُولِۖ وَإِذَا جَآءُوكَ حَيَّوۡكَ بِمَا لَمۡ يُحَيِّكَ بِهِ ٱللَّهُ وَيَقُولُونَ فِيٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡ لَوۡلَا يُعَذِّبُنَا ٱللَّهُ بِمَا نَقُولُۚ حَسۡبُهُمۡ جَهَنَّمُ يَصۡلَوۡنَهَاۖ فَبِئۡسَ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ ٨
Have you not considered those who were forbidden from private conversation [i.e., ridicule and conspiracy] and then return to that which they were forbidden and converse among themselves about sin and aggression and disobedience to the Messenger? And when they come to you, they greet you with that [word] by which Allāh does not greet you1 and say among themselves, "Why does Allāh not punish us for what we say?" Sufficient for them is Hell, which they will [enter to] burn, and wretched is the destination.
The universe with its complex system bears testimony to the fact that it is under the careful watch of a Higher Power. The evidence of this vigilance over the universe proves that man is also constantly under the eyes of his Creator. In view of this, indulging in secret activities against Truth is the act of blind people who are unable to read the attributes of God either in the expressly worded Quran directly, or in the unworded message of the universe indirectly. When certain hypocrites used to approach the Prophet Muhammad, instead of saying assalamu alaykum (peace be on you) they used to say assamu alaykum (death be upon you). This has always been the way of superficial persons. Such people derive pleasure from showing disrespect to true believers. They forget that at that very moment the whole of God’s creation will acclaim the truthful person, while they, with their narrow mentality, will have exhausted every last word of contempt and rejection.
58:9–10Page 543
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا تَنَٰجَيۡتُمۡ فَلَا تَتَنَٰجَوۡاْ بِٱلۡإِثۡمِ وَٱلۡعُدۡوَٰنِ وَمَعۡصِيَتِ ٱلرَّسُولِ وَتَنَٰجَوۡاْ بِٱلۡبِرِّ وَٱلتَّقۡوَىٰۖ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِيٓ إِلَيۡهِ تُحۡشَرُونَ ٩
O you who have believed, when you converse privately, do not converse about sin and aggression and disobedience to the Messenger but converse about righteousness and piety. And fear Allāh, to whom you will be gathered.
إِنَّمَا ٱلنَّجۡوَىٰ مِنَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِ لِيَحۡزُنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَلَيۡسَ بِضَآرِّهِمۡ شَيۡـًٔا إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِۚ وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَلۡيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ ١٠
Private conversation is only from Satan that he may grieve those who have believed,1 but he will not harm them at all except by permission of Allāh. And upon Allāh let the believers rely.
As a rule, secret whispering is an undesirable action. However, sometimes for some good reason, secret whispering has to be resorted to. In this case, the decisive factor is intention. If it is done with good intentions, it is legitimate but if it is done with evil intentions, it is sinful.
58:11Page 543
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمۡ تَفَسَّحُواْ فِي ٱلۡمَجَٰلِسِ فَٱفۡسَحُواْ يَفۡسَحِ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡۖ وَإِذَا قِيلَ ٱنشُزُواْ فَٱنشُزُواْ يَرۡفَعِ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مِنكُمۡ وَٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡعِلۡمَ دَرَجَٰتٖۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرٞ ١١
O you who have believed, when you are told, "Space yourselves" in assemblies, then make space; Allāh will make space for you.1 And when you are told, "Arise,"2 then arise; Allāh will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees. And Allāh is Aware of what you do.
It happens sometimes that, according to the protocol of a meeting, one person has to take precedence over another. Similarly, it sometimes happens that, against all expectations, certain people are asked to leave. To make such things a prestige issue is a sign of petty-mindedness: one who avoids doing so proves that, with regard to religious awareness, he has reached an elevated plane.
58:12–13Page 544
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا نَٰجَيۡتُمُ ٱلرَّسُولَ فَقَدِّمُواْ بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡ نَجۡوَىٰكُمۡ صَدَقَةٗۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيۡرٞ لَّكُمۡ وَأَطۡهَرُۚ فَإِن لَّمۡ تَجِدُواْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٞ رَّحِيمٌ ١٢
O you who have believed, when you [wish to] privately consult the Messenger, present before your consultation a charity. That is better for you and purer. But if you find not [the means] - then indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
ءَأَشۡفَقۡتُمۡ أَن تُقَدِّمُواْ بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡ نَجۡوَىٰكُمۡ صَدَقَٰتٖۚ فَإِذۡ لَمۡ تَفۡعَلُواْ وَتَابَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ فَأَقِيمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُواْ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَأَطِيعُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥۚ وَٱللَّهُ خَبِيرُۢ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ ١٣
Have you feared to present before your consultation charities? Then when you do not and Allāh has forgiven you, then [at least] establish prayer and give zakāh and obey Allāh and His Messenger. And Allāh is Aware of what you do.
It was the intention of Almighty God that only those who wished to meet the Prophet for some really serious purpose, should be allowed to come into his presence, while those who only wasted time in useless talk should be kept away. So, it became the rule that when one intended to meet the Prophet Muhammad, he should first give alms in the name of God, and if one could not afford to do so, he should perform some other righteous deed. These injuctions were originally intended to apply to the Prophet, but even after the Prophet the same conduct will be required toward the leaders of the community, according to their status.
58:14–16Page 544
۞ أَلَمۡ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ تَوَلَّوۡاْ قَوۡمًا غَضِبَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِم مَّا هُم مِّنكُمۡ وَلَا مِنۡهُمۡ وَيَحۡلِفُونَ عَلَى ٱلۡكَذِبِ وَهُمۡ يَعۡلَمُونَ ١٤
Have you not considered those who make allies of a people with whom Allāh has become angry? They are neither of you nor of them, and they swear to untruth while they know [they are lying].
أَعَدَّ ٱللَّهُ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٗا شَدِيدًاۖ إِنَّهُمۡ سَآءَ مَا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ ١٥
Allāh has prepared for them a severe punishment. Indeed, it was evil that they were doing.
ٱتَّخَذُوٓاْ أَيۡمَٰنَهُمۡ جُنَّةٗ فَصَدُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَلَهُمۡ عَذَابٞ مُّهِينٞ ١٦
They took their [false] oaths as a cover, so they averted [people] from the way of Allāh, and for them is a humiliating punishment.
The hypocrites of Madinah, who were at that time living in the community of Islam, joined hands with other hostile tribes. This is always true of those who are unable to accept the Truth whole-heartedly. Such people are apparently in consonance with everyone else but, in reality, they are loyal only to their own interests, despite having given assurances on oath of their being devotees of the Truth.
58:17–21Page 544
لَّن تُغۡنِيَ عَنۡهُمۡ أَمۡوَٰلُهُمۡ وَلَآ أَوۡلَٰدُهُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ شَيۡـًٔاۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلنَّارِۖ هُمۡ فِيهَا خَٰلِدُونَ ١٧
Never will their wealth or their children avail them against Allāh at all. Those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally
يَوۡمَ يَبۡعَثُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ جَمِيعٗا فَيَحۡلِفُونَ لَهُۥ كَمَا يَحۡلِفُونَ لَكُمۡ وَيَحۡسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمۡ عَلَىٰ شَيۡءٍۚ أَلَآ إِنَّهُمۡ هُمُ ٱلۡكَٰذِبُونَ ١٨
On the Day Allāh will resurrect them all, and they will swear to Him as they swear to you and think that they are [standing] on something.1 Unquestionably, it is they who are the liars.
ٱسۡتَحۡوَذَ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ فَأَنسَىٰهُمۡ ذِكۡرَ ٱللَّهِۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ حِزۡبُ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِۚ أَلَآ إِنَّ حِزۡبَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِ هُمُ ٱلۡخَٰسِرُونَ ١٩
Satan has overcome them and made them forget the remembrance of Allāh. Those are the party of Satan. Unquestionably, the party of Satan - they will be the losers.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُحَآدُّونَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥٓ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ فِي ٱلۡأَذَلِّينَ ٢٠
Indeed, the ones who oppose Allāh and His Messenger - those will be among the most humbled.
كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَأَغۡلِبَنَّ أَنَا۠ وَرُسُلِيٓۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٞ ٢١
Allāh has written [i.e., decreed], "I will surely overcome, I and My messengers." Indeed, Allāh is Powerful and Exalted in Might.
When a self-seeking man opposes the call for Truth, he thinks that he is thus making himself safe. But in the Hereafter, when he sees that the things on which he relied are of no avail on the day of judgement, he will be struck with horror. A hypocrite, in order to vindicate his position, indulges in tall talk to the extent of taking oaths as an assurance of his sincerity. After doing all this, he thinks that he has been very clever and that he has provided some support for himself. But when the blast of Doomsday opens the secrets of realities, he will come to know at that time that his attempts at vindication were simply a series of false words taught by Satan as ‘certain proof’ of his innocence.
58:22Page 545
لَّا تَجِدُ قَوۡمٗا يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأٓخِرِ يُوَآدُّونَ مَنۡ حَآدَّ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ وَلَوۡ كَانُوٓاْ ءَابَآءَهُمۡ أَوۡ أَبۡنَآءَهُمۡ أَوۡ إِخۡوَٰنَهُمۡ أَوۡ عَشِيرَتَهُمۡۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ كَتَبَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ ٱلۡإِيمَٰنَ وَأَيَّدَهُم بِرُوحٖ مِّنۡهُۖ وَيُدۡخِلُهُمۡ جَنَّٰتٖ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَاۚ رَضِيَ ٱللَّهُ عَنۡهُمۡ وَرَضُواْ عَنۡهُۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ حِزۡبُ ٱللَّهِۚ أَلَآ إِنَّ حِزۡبَ ٱللَّهِ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ ٢٢
You will not find a people who believe in Allāh and the Last Day having affection for those who oppose Allāh and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred. Those - He has decreed within their hearts faith and supported them with spirit1 from Him. And We will admit them to gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally. Allāh is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him - those are the party of Allāh. Unquestionably, the party of Allāh - they are the successful.
In this world success is for the believers (God’s party). Who are the ones who comprise this group of people devoted to God? They are those in whose hearts Faith is firmly embedded as the greatest reality. They should have such a strong relationship with God that they receive spiritual light from Him. Then, their attachment to Divine Realities should be so deep that their friendships and enmities should be based only on that. They should be nearest to those who have adopted the Divine Truth, and they should remain far away from those who have distanced themselves from the Divine Truth, even if they are their nearest and dearest ones or closest relatives.
Text: through the Quran Foundation. The ayahs: Quran Foundation. Sources and licences