Sūrat al-Aḥzāb

سورۃ الاحزاب

This surah was revealed in Medina. It contains seventy-three (73) āyāt and nine (9) sections (rukūʿ).

بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Bismillāhi r-Raḥmāni r-Raḥīm.

"In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful."

يَٰأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِيُّ ٱتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُطِعِ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ وَٱلۡمُنَٰفِقِينَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا

Yā-ayyuhā-n-Nabiyyu-ttaqi-llāha wa-lā tuṭiʿi-l-kāfirīna wa-l-munāfiqīn; inna-llāha kāna ʿaliyyan ḥakīmā.

"O Prophet! Fear Allah and do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites. Indeed Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise." (al-Aḥzāb 33:1)

Yā-ayyuhā-n-Nabiyy — O Prophet ﷺ — ittaqi-llāha — fear Allah; keep yourself within the bounds of His will and command. Wa-lā tuṭiʿi-l-kāfirīna wa-l-munāfiqīn — and do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites: do not follow their suggestions or comply with their requests. At first glance this seems addressed to the Prophet ﷺ, but in reality it is the Muslims who are addressed — the Prophet ﷺ is protected by Allah from being swayed. Inna-llāha kāna ʿaliyyan ḥakīmā — Verily Allah is All-Knowing, exercising wisdom and judgment in everything.

Translation: O Prophet! Fear Allah, and do not obey the disbelievers and hypocrites (do not accept any of their counsel). There is certainly no doubt that Allah is All-Knowing and All-Wise.

وَٱتَّبِعۡ مَا يُوحَىٰ إِلَيۡكَ مِن رَّبِّكَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا

Wa-ttabiʿ mā yūḥā ilayka min rabbik; inna-llāha kāna bimā taʿmalūna khabīrā.

"And follow what is revealed to you from your Lord. Indeed Allah is All-Aware of what you do." (al-Aḥzāb 33:2)

Wa-ttabiʿ mā yūḥā ilayk — and follow what is revealed to you — the waḥy (divine revelation) that comes to you from your Lord; its obedience is ordained. Inna-llāha kāna bimā taʿmalūna khabīrā — Indeed Allah is fully informed of all that you do — everything you carry out He knows with certainty.

Translation: And (O Prophet ﷺ!) follow what is revealed to you from your Lord — indeed Allah is All-Aware of all your deeds.

وَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى ٱللَّهِۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ وَكِيلًا

Wa-tawakkal ʿala-llāh; wa-kafā bi-llāhi wakīlā.

"And put your trust in Allah, and sufficient is Allah as a Disposer of affairs." (al-Aḥzāb 33:3)

Wa-tawakkal ʿala-llāh — and put all your trust in Allah; rely entirely upon Allah. Wa-kafā bi-llāhi wakīlā — and Allah is sufficient as a guardian and disposer of all affairs — He alone is sufficient to manage everything.

Translation: And put your trust in Allah — and Allah suffices as a Disposer of affairs (He is sufficient).

مَا جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لِرَجُلٍ مِّن قَلۡبَيۡنِ فِي جَوۡفِهِۥ وَمَا جَعَلَ أَزۡوَٰجَكُمُ ٱللَٰءِي تُظَٰهِرُونَ مِنۡهُنَّ أُمَّهَٰتِكُمۡ وَمَا جَعَلَ أَدۡعِيَآءَكُمۡ أَبۡنَآءَكُمۡۚ ذَٰلِكُمۡ قَوۡلُكُم بِأَفۡوَٰهِكُمۡ وَٱللَّهُ يَقُولُ ٱلۡحَقَّ وَهُوَ يَهۡدِي ٱلسَّبِيلَ

Mā jaʿala-llāhu li-rajulin min qalbayni fī jawfih; wa-mā jaʿala azwājakumu-llāʾi tuẓāhirūna minhunna ummahātikum; wa-mā jaʿala adʿiyāʾkum abnāʾkum; dhālikum qawlukum bi-ʾfwāhikum wa-llāhu yaqūu-l-ḥaqqa wa-huwa yahdī-s-sabīl.

"Allah has not placed two hearts within any man's interior, nor has He made your wives whom you declare to be as your mothers' backs [actually] your mothers, nor has He made your adopted sons your [actual] sons. That is merely your saying by your mouths; and Allah speaks the truth and He guides to the right way." (al-Aḥzāb 33:4)

Mā jaʿala-llāhu li-rajulin min qalbayni fī jawfih — Allah has not placed two hearts within any man's chest. There is only one heart within the chest — the heart is a single organ. Wa-mā jaʿala azwājakumu-llāʾi tuẓāhirūna minhunna ummahātikum — and He has not made those wives of yours to whom you pronounce ẓihār (the pre-Islamic form of divorce, in which a man says to his wife "you are to me like the back of my mother") actually your mothers. Wa-mā jaʿala adʿiyāʾkum abnāʾkum — and He has not made your adopted sons your actual sons. Dhālikum qawlukum bi-ʾfwāhikum — all of this is merely words from your mouths; just statements you make by tongue. Wa-llāhu yaqūu-l-ḥaqq — but Allah speaks the truth and the truth alone; wa-huwa yahdī-s-sabīl — and He guides to the right way.

Translation: Allah has not placed two hearts in any man's chest. Nor has He made the wives from whom you pronounce ẓihār your actual mothers, nor has He made your adopted sons your actual sons. That is merely what your mouths say. Allah speaks the truth and guides to the right path.

اـدۡعُوهُمۡ لِءَابائِهِمۡ هُوَ أَقۡسَطُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِۚ فَإِن لَّمۡ تَعۡلَمُوٓاْ ءَابَٰءَهُمۡ فَإِخۡوَٰنُكُمۡ فِي ٱلدِّينِ وَمَوَٰلِيكُمۡ وَلَيۡسَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ جُنَاحٌ فِيمَآ أَخۡطَأۡتُم بِهِۥ وَلَٰكِن مَّا تَعَمَّدَتۡ قُلُوبُكُمۡ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا

Udʿūhum li-ābāʾiihim huwa aqsaṭu ʿinda-llāh; fa-in lam taʿlamū ābāʿahum fa-ikhwānukum fi-d-dīni wa-mawālīkum; wa-laysa ʿalaykum junāḥun fīmā akhtaʾtum bihi wa-lākin mā taʿammadata qulūbukum; wa-kāna-llāhu ghafūran raḥīmā.

"Call them by the names of their fathers — that is more just with Allah. But if you do not know their fathers, then they are your brothers in religion and your close friends. There is no sin upon you for what you err in, but only what your hearts intentionally commit. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful." (al-Aḥzāb 33:5)

Udʿūhum li-ābāʾiihim — Call them (adopted sons) by the names of their fathers — attribute them to their actual fathers; huwa aqsaṭu ʿinda-llāh — that is more just, more equitable and right in Allah's sight. Fa-in lam taʿlamū ābāʿahum — but if you do not know who their fathers are — fa-ikhwānukum fi-d-dīn — then they are your brothers in religion — wa-mawālīkum — and your close, trusted friends; you may address them as brothers, as comrades. Wa-laysa ʿalaykum junāḥun fīmā akhtaʾtum bihi — there is no sin upon you for any error in this matter — that is, for any inadvertent mistake you may make in addressing them; wa-lākin mā taʿammadata qulūbukum — but what the hearts deliberately and intentionally do is blameworthy. Remember that intent and will are the foundation. “Verily deeds are judged by intentions” (innā al-aʿmālu bi-n-niyyāt). Keep your innermost thoughts sound. Wa-kāna-llāhu ghafūran raḥīmā — and Allah is Forgiving and Merciful — some errors He forgives and shows mercy.

Translation: Call them (your adopted sons) by their fathers' names — this is more just before Allah. But if you do not know their fathers, they are your brothers in religion and your close allies. There is no sin on you for anything you err in — but only for what your hearts intentionally commit. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

ٱلنَّبِيُّ أَوۡلَىٰ بِٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ مِنۡ أَنفُسِهِمۡ وَأَزۡوَٰجُهُۥٓ أُمَّهَٰتُهُمۡۚ وَأُولُواْ ٱلۡأَرۡحَامِ بَعۡضُهُمۡ أَوۡلَىٰ بِبَعۡضٍ فِي كِتَٰبِ ٱللَّهِ مِنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَٱلۡمُهَٰجِرِينَ إِلَّآ أَن تَفۡعَلُوٓاْ إِلَىٰٓ أَوۡلِيَآئِكُمۡ مَعۡرُوفًاۚ كَانَ ذَٰلِكَ فِي ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ مَسۡطُورًا

An-Nabiyyu awlā bi-l-muʾminīna min anfusihim wa-azwājuhu ummahātuhum; wa-ʾfulū-l-arḥāmi baʿḍuhum awlā bi-baʿḍin fī kitābi-llāhi mina-l-muʾminīna wa-l-muhājirīna illā an tafʾalū ilā awliyāʾkum maʿrūfan; kāna dhālika fī-l-kitābi mastūrā.

"The Prophet is more deserving of the believers than their own selves, and his wives are their mothers. And those of [blood] relationship are more deserving of [inheritance from] one another in the Book of Allah than [other] believers and emigrants, except that you may do a favour toward your friends. That is written in the Book." (al-Aḥzāb 33:6)

An-Nabiyyu awlā bi-l-muʾminīna min anfusihim — The Prophet ﷺ has more right over the believers than they have over their own selves — the Prophet's obedience must be given precedence over all others, and his love for the believers must surpass their love for one another. It is more necessary to love the Prophet ﷺ than to love their own selves. Wa-azwājuhu ummahātuhum — and his wives ﷺ are the mothers of the Muslims, and the Prophet ﷺ is like the father of the believers. Wa-ʾfulū-l-arḥāmi baʿḍuhum awlā bi-baʿḍ — and blood relatives have greater priority to one another in Allah's Book — among believers and among emigrants. Illā an tafʾalū ilā awliyāʾkum maʿrūfān — unless you wish to do a recognised act of kindness toward your friends; kāna dhālika fī-l-kitābi mastūrān — this is written and inscribed in Allah's Book; it is present in the Preserved Tablet and is Allah's word.

Translation: The Prophet ﷺ has greater right over the believers than they themselves have. And his wives are the mothers of the Muslims. Blood relatives have greater claims on one another in the Book of Allah than believers and emigrants in general — except that you may act in known kindness toward your friends. This is inscribed in the Book.

وَإِذۡ أَخَذۡنَا مِنَ ٱلنَّبِيِّينَ مِيثَٰقَهُمۡ وَمِنكَ وَمِن نُوحٍ وَإِبۡرَٰهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَى ٱبۡنِ مَرۡيَمَۚ وَأَخَذۡنَا مِنۡهُم مِيثَٰقًا غَلِيظًا

Wa-idh akhadhna mina-n-nabiyyīna mīthāqahum wa-minka wa-min Nūḥin wa-Ibrāhīma wa-Mūsā wa-ʿīsā-bni Maryam; wa-akhadnā minhum mīthāqan ghaliẓā.

"And 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." (al-Aḥzāb 33:7)

Wa-idh akhadhna mina-n-nabiyyīna mīthāqahum — and when We took from the prophets their binding covenant — We made them bind themselves by a covenant; wa-minka — and from you (O Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ) — wa-min Nūḥin wa-Ibrāhīma wa-Mūsā wa-ʿīsā-bni Maryam — and from Noah and Abraham and Moses and Jesus the son of Mary, upon them all be peace — wa-akhadhna minhum mīthāqan ghaliẓā — and We took from them a firm, weighty, and binding covenant. They have all pledged: they are bound by this covenant.

Translation: And 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, firm covenant.

لِيَسۡئَلَ ٱلصَّــَدِقِينَ عَن صِدۡقِهِمۡ وَأَعَدَّ لِلۡكَٰفِرِينَ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا

Li-yasʾalَ-ṣ-ṣādiqīna ʿan ṣidqihim wa-aʿadda li-l-kāfirīna ʿadhāban alīmā.

"That He may question the truthful about their truthfulness; and He has prepared for the disbelievers a painful punishment." (al-Aḥzāb 33:8)

Li-yasʾalَ-ṣ-ṣādiqīna ʿan ṣidqihim — so that He may question the truthful concerning their truthfulness — so that an accounting of the truthful and honest may take place regarding how they fulfilled their pledges; wa-aʿadda li-l-kāfirīna ʿadhāban alīmān — and He has prepared for the disbelievers a painful punishment.

Translation: That He may question the truthful about their truthfulness — and He has prepared for the disbelievers a painful punishment.

The author — Bahrul Uloom Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Qadeer Siddiqui Rahmatullah Alaih — adds an exhortation: Dear friends! This command gives us the command of abandoning the friendship of disbelievers and hypocrites. One who is an enemy of God is our enemy too — and a friend of the disbelievers and hypocrites is also an enemy of God. The heart cannot hold friendship for two opposing sides — a single heart has room for only one loyal friend. It is a great corruption of the self and the soul to nurture bad thoughts. It is forbidden to call any woman “mother” unless she truly is one's mother — and it is likewise forbidden to call anyone one's adopted son unless one truly knows him to be so. But if no father's name is known, then one may be addressed as a religious brother and companion.

Look: the Prophet ﷺ's life is more precious to us than our own — it is obligatory to honour him. His wives are the mothers of the Muslims — it is wrong to speak ill of them. Proximity and kinship call for the greatest consideration. Look: blood kinship is the strongest tie — it must be maintained. Dear friends are necessary — and it is permissible to show kindness toward friends. This is written in the Preserved Tablet and is the word of Allah.

يَٰأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ اذۡكُرُوْ نِعۡمَةَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ إِذۡ جَآءَتۡكُمۡ جُنُودٌ فَأَرۡسَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ رِيحًا وَجُنُودًا لَّمۡ تَرَوۡهَا وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ بَصِيرًا

Yā-ayyuhā-lladhīna āmanūu-dhkurū niʿmata-llāhi ʿalaykum idh jāʾatkum junūdun fa-arsalnā ʿalayhim rīḥan wa-junūdan lam tarawhā; wa-kāna-llāhu bimā taʿmalūna baṣīrā.

"O you who believe! Remember Allah's favour upon you when armies came against you and We sent upon them a wind and armies you did not see. And Allah was All-Seeing of what you do." (al-Aḥzāb 33:9)

This verse refers to the Battle of the Trench (Ghazwat al-Khandaq). Yā-ayyuhā-lladhīna āmanūu-dhkurū niʿmata-llāhi ʿalaykum — O believers, remember Allah's immense favour upon you. Idh jāʾatkum junūd — when the various armies and forces came against you — this refers to the event of the combined forces (the Confederates); fa-arsalnā ʿalayhim rīḥān — then We sent upon them a fierce, violent wind from the sky — storms came battered them; wa-junūdan lam tarawhā — and also armies that you did not see — (the armies of angels) — We sent an unseen army as well. Wa-kāna-llāhu bimā taʿmalūna baṣīrān — And Allah was ever watching all that you do.

Translation: O believers! Remember Allah's favour upon you when armies came against you — We sent against them a fierce wind and armies that you could not see — and Allah was Seeing all that you did.

إِذۡ جَآءُوكُم مِنۡ فَوۡقِكُمۡ وَمِنۡ أَسۡفَلَ مِنكُمۡ وَإِذۡ زَاغَتِ ٱلۡأَبۡصَٰرُ وَبَلَغَتِ ٱلۡقُلُوبُ ٱلۡحَنَاجِرَ وتَظُنُّونَ بِٱللَّهِ ٱلظَّنُونَ

Idh jāʾakum min fawqikum wa-min asfala minkum wa-idh zāghati-l-abṣāru wa-balaghati-l-qulūbu-l-ḥanājira wa-taẓunnūna bi-llāhi-ẓ-ẓunūnā.

"When they came upon you from above you and from below you, and when eyes shifted and hearts reached the throats and you were thinking about Allah various thoughts." (al-Aḥzāb 33:10)

Idh jāʾakum min fawqikum wa-min asfala minkum — When they came upon you from the upper reaches and from the lower side as well — from above and from below; wa-idh zāghati-l-abṣār — and when the eyes went askew — the eyes became unfocused in terror; wa-balaghati-l-qulūbu-l-ḥanājir — and hearts reached the throats — in extreme fear the hearts seemed to shoot up to the throats; wa-taẓunnūna bi-llāhi-ẓ-ẓunūnā — and various conjectures about Allah were being made — when people were making all manner of guesses and thoughts about the Divine — the word ẓunn means conjecture; and when it reaches waṣl (junction with a definite noun), in Urdu it transitions to a profound sense of uncertainty and despair.

Translation: When they came upon you from above and from below, and the eyes became unfocused (from terror), and hearts reached the throats (knotted with fear) — and you were forming all manner of conjectures about Allah.

هُنَٰلِكَ ابۡتُلِيَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ وَزُلۡزِلُواْ زِلۡزَالًا شَدِيدًا

Hunālika-btuli-ya-l-muʾminūna wa-zulzilū zilzālan shadīdā.

"It was there that the believers were tested and were shaken with a severe shaking." (al-Aḥzāb 33:11)

Hunālika — and there — ubtuliya-l-muʾminūn — the believers were put to the test; they were placed in a most severe testing situation at that time. Wa-zulzilū zilzālan shadīdan — and they were shaken with a very severe and powerful shaking — thrown into a state of extreme alarm and distress.

Translation: It was there that the believers were truly tested and shaken with a severe trembling.

وَإِذۡ يَقُولُ ٱلۡمُنَٰفِقُونَ وَٱلَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ مَّا وَعَدَنَا ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥٓ إِلَّا غُرُورًا

Wa-idh yaqūu-l-munāfiqūna wa-lladhīna fī qulūbihim maraḍun mā waʿadanā-llāhu wa-rasūluhu illā ghurūrā.

"And when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts was a disease said: Allah and His Messenger promised us nothing but delusion." (al-Aḥzāb 33:12)

Wa-idh yaqūu-l-munāfiqūn — and when the hypocrites said: wa-lladhīna fī qulūbihim maraḍ — and those in whose hearts was the disease of doubt and hypocrisy: mā waʿadanā-llāhu wa-rasūluhu illā ghurūrn — the promise that Allah and His Messenger gave us was nothing but a deception — just a lie and deception.

Translation: And when the hypocrites and those with diseased hearts said: Allah and His Messenger promised us nothing but delusion.

وَإِذۡ قَالَتۡ طَآئِفَةٌ مِّنۡهُمۡ يَٰأَهۡلَ يَثۡرِبَ لَا مُقَامَ لَكُمۡ فَٱرۡجِعُواْۚ وَيَسۡتَأۡذِنُ فَرِيقٌ مِّنۡهُمُ ٱلنَّبِيَّ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ بُيُوتَنَا عَوۡرَةٌ وَمَا هِيَ بِعَوۡرَةٍ إِن يُرِيدُونَ إِلَّا فِرَارًا

Wa-idh qālat ṭāʾfatun minhum yā-ahla Yathriba lā muqāma lakum fa-rjiʿū; wa-yastaʾdhinu farīqun minhumu-n-Nabiyya yaqūlūna inna buyūtanā ʿawratun wa-mā hiya bi-ʿawratin in yurīdūna illā firārā.

"And when a group of them said: O people of Yathrib, there is no position for you [here], so go back. And a party of them was asking permission of the Prophet, saying: Our homes are exposed — though they were not exposed; they only wanted to flee." (al-Aḥzāb 33:13)

Wa-idh qālat ṭāʾfatun minhum — and when a group from among them said: yā-ahla Yathrib — O people of Yathrib (Medina)! lā muqāma lakum — there is no ground for you to stand on here, no opportunity to stay; fa-rjiʿū — return home! And one group from among them was asking permission from the Prophet ﷺ to leave, saying: inna buyūtanā ʿawratun — our homes are unguarded and exposed; but in reality they were not unguarded at all; in yurīdūna illā firārā — they wanted nothing except to flee. Their sole aim was desertion.

Translation: And when a group of them said: O people of Yathrib, there is no standing here for you — so go back! And one group of them was asking permission of the Prophet ﷺ to leave — saying our homes are exposed (unguarded) — though they were not. Their sole intention was to flee.

وَلَوۡ دُخِلَتۡ عَلَيۡهِم مِّنۡ أَقۡطَارِهَا ثُمَّ سُئِلُواْ ٱلۡفِتۡنَةَ لَءَاتُوهَا وَمَا تَلَبَّثُوْ بِهَآ إِلَّا يَسِيرًا

Wa-law dukhilat ʿalayhim min aqṭārihā thumma suʾilū-l-fitnata la-ātawhā wa-mā talabbithu bihā illā yasīrā.

"Had entry been made against them from all sides, and they had been asked to apostatize, they would have done so with little hesitation." (al-Aḥzāb 33:14)

Wa-law dukhilat ʿalayhim min aqṭārihā — and had the enemy entered upon them from all sides of Medina — thumma suʾilū-l-fitna — and had they been asked to cause fitna (sedition, revolt against Islam) — la-ātawhā — they would have accepted it; they would have complied — wa-mā talabbithu bihā illā yasīran — and they would not have hesitated over it except for a very short time.

Translation: Had the enemy entered upon them from all sides of Medina and then demanded sedition from them, they would have agreed with barely a moment's hesitation.

وَلَقَدۡ كَانُواْ عَٰهَدُواْ ٱللَّهَ مِن قَبۡلُ لَا يُوَلُّونَ ٱلۡأَدۡبَارَۚ وَكَانَ عَهۡدُ ٱللَّهِ مَسۡءُولًا

Wa-laqad kānū ʹāhadū-llāha min qablu lā yuwalluna-l-adbār; wa-kāna ʿahdu-llāhi masʾūlā.

"And they had already covenanted with Allah before: they would not turn their backs. And the covenant of Allah is answerable." (al-Aḥzāb 33:15)

Wa-laqad kānū ʹāhadū-llāha min qabl — and indeed they had previously made a covenant with Allah before the Prophet ﷺ — they had pledged in front of the Prophet ﷺ lā yuwalluna-l-adbār — that they would never turn their backs (never flee from battle); wa-kāna ʿahdu-llāhi masʾūlān — and the covenant made with Allah is something about which one is held accountable; it will be called into question.

Translation: And previously they had pledged to Allah that they would never turn their backs. And the covenant with Allah is accountable.

قُل لَّن يَنفَعَكُمُ ٱلفِرَارُ إِن فَرَرۡتُم مِّنَ ٱلۡمَوۡتِ أَوِ ٱلۡقَتۡلِ وَإِذًا لَّا تُمَتَّعُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

Qul lan yanfaʾkumu-l-firāru in fararatum mina-l-mawti aw-l-qatli wa-idhan lā tumattaʿūna illā qalīlā.

"Say: Flight will never benefit you if you flee from death or killing; and then you would not be given enjoyment except for a little." (al-Aḥzāb 33:16)

Qul lan yanfaʾkumu-l-firār — Say: Flight will never benefit you; even if you run away it will be of no use. In fararatum mina-l-mawti aw-l-qatl — if you flee from death or from being slain — wa-idhan lā tumattaʿūna illā qalīlān — and even then you would enjoy worldly life only a little more; a brief, insignificant additional time.

Translation: Say (O Prophet ﷺ!): Fleeing will never benefit you, even if you flee from death and slaughter — and even in that case you would enjoy worldly life only a little longer.

قُلۡ مَن ذَٱلَّذِي يَعۡصِمُكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ إِنۡ أَرَادَ بِكُمۡ سُوُءًا أَوۡ أَرَادَ بِكُمۡ رَحۡمَةًۚ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ لَهُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَلِيًّا وَلَا نَصِيرًا

Qul man dha-lladhī yaʿṣimukum mina-llāhi in arāda bikum sūʾan aw arāda bikum raḥmatan; wa-lā yajidūna lahum min dūni-llāhi waliyyan wa-lā naṣīrā.

"Say: Who is it that can protect you from Allah if He intends harm for you, or if He intends mercy for you? And they will not find for themselves any protector or helper besides Allah." (al-Aḥzāb 33:17)

Qul man dha-lladhī yaʿṣimukum mina-llāh — Say: Who is there to protect you from Allah — in arāda bikum sūʾan — if He wishes something harmful to come upon you — from Allah's power there is no refuge; aw arāda bikum raḥmatan — or if He wishes to bestow His mercy upon you? Wa-lā yajidūna lahum min dūni-llāhi waliyyan wa-lā naṣīrā — and besides Allah they will find no protector and no helper for themselves.

Translation: Say (O Prophet ﷺ!): Who is there to protect you from Allah if He intends harm for you, or if He wills His mercy for you? They will find no protector or helper besides Allah.

قدۡ يَعۡلَمُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡمُعَوِّقِينَ مِنكُمۡ وَٱلۡقَٰئِلِينَ لِإِخۡوَٰنِهِمۡ هَلُمَّ إِلَيۡنَا وَلَا يَأۡتُونَ ٱلۡبَأۡسَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

Qad yaʿlamu-llāhu-l-muʿawwiqīna minkum wa-l-qāʾlilīna li-ikhwānihim halumma ilaynā wa-lā yaʾtuna-l-baʾsa illā qalīlā.

"Allah already knows those of you who hinder and those who say to their brothers: Come to us — and they do not come to the battle except a little." (al-Aḥzāb 33:18)

Qad yaʿlamu-llāhu-l-muʿawwiqīna minkum — Allah knows well those from among you who hold back and obstruct — those who prevent others from joining the battle line. Wa-l-qāʾlilīna li-ikhwānihim halumma ilaynā — and those who say to their brothers: Come to us — encouraging them to retreat and come over to their side away from the battle. Wa-lā yaʾtuna-l-baʾsa illā qalīlān — and they themselves come to the battle only a very little — they barely participate.

Translation: Allah knows well those among you who obstruct and those who say to their brothers: Come over to us — and they themselves come to the fighting only a little.

أَشِحَّةً عَلَيۡكُمۡۚ فَإِذَا جَآءَ ٱلۡخَوۡفُ رَأَيۡتَهُمۡ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَيۡكَ تدُورُ أَعۡيُنُهُمۡ كَٱلَّذِي يُغۡشَى عَلَيۡهِ مِنَ ٱلۡمَوۡتِۚ فَإِذَا ذَهَبَ ٱلۡخَوۡفُ سَلَقُوكُم بِأَلۡسِنَةٍ حِدَادِۚ أَشِحَّةً عَلَى ٱلۡخَيۡرِۚ أَولَٰئِكَ لَمۡ يُؤۡمِنُوْ فَأَحۡبَطَ ٱللَّهُ أَعۡمَٰلَهُمۡۚ وَكَانَ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرًا

Ashiḥḥatan ʿalaykum; fa-idhā jāʾa-l-khawfu raʾytatahum yanẓurūna ilayka tadūru aʿyūunuhum ka-lladhī yughshā ʿalayhi mina-l-mawt; fa-idhā dhahaba-l-khawfu salaqūkum bi-alsininḤiddād; ashiḥḥatan ʿala-l-khayr; ulāʾka lam yuʾminū fa-aḥbaṭa-llāhu aʿmālahum; wa-kāna dhālika ʿala-llāhi yasīrā.

"Covetous toward you. When fear comes, you see them looking at you with eyes rolling like one overcome by death. But when fear departs, they assail you with sharp tongues, covetous of wealth. Those have not believed, so Allah has rendered their deeds worthless — and that is easy for Allah." (al-Aḥzāb 33:19)

Ashiḥḥatan ʿalaykum — they are covetous and miserly toward you — they are deeply niggardly. Fa-idhā jāʾa-l-khawf — when the time of fear comes, when war approaches — raʾytatahum yanẓurūna ilayka — you see them looking toward you — tadūru aʿyūunuhum — their eyes rolling — ka-lladhī yughshā ʿalayhi mina-l-mawt — like one who is about to faint from the proximity of death: just like a person on whom death is coming and unconsciousness is overtaking. Fa-idhā dhahaba-l-khawf — but when fear departs, when danger has passed — salaqūkum bi-alsininḤiddād — they cut you with sharp tongues, slashing with biting words — they taunt with the sharpest of tongues, disparaging you and boasting about (their concern for) property and wealth; ashiḥḥatan ʿala-l-khayr — extremely miserly when it comes to good things. Ulāʾka lam yuʾminū — these people did not truly believe, not from the heart; fa-aḥbaṭa-llāhu aʿmālahum — therefore Allah has caused all their deeds to be rendered null and void. Wa-kāna dhālika ʿala-llāhi yasīrān — and that is easy for Allah.

Translation: They are miserly toward you. When fear comes you see their eyes rolling as though death is overtaking them. But when fear departs, they lacerate you with sharp tongues, being extremely niggardly when it comes to good — these people never truly believed, so Allah has nullified their deeds. And that is easy for Allah.

يَحۡسَبُونَ ٱلۡأَحۡزَابَ لَمۡ يَذۡهَبُواْۚ وَإِن يَأۡتِ ٱلۡأَحۡزَابُ يَوَدُّوْ لَوۡ أَنَّهُمۡ بَادُونَ فِي ٱلۡأَعۡرَابِ يَسۡأَلُونَ عَنۡ أَنبَآئِكُمۡ وَلَوۡ كَانُوْ فِيكُمۡ مَّا قَتَلُوْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

Yaḥsabūna-l-aḥzāba lam yadhhabwa; wa-in yaʾti-l-aḥzābu yawwaddū law annahum bādūna fi-l-aʿrābi yasʾalūna ʿan anbāʾkum wa-law kānū fīkum mā qatalū illā qalīlā.

"They think the confederate forces have not gone — and if the confederate forces come, they would wish they were in the desert among the Bedouin, asking about news of you; and if they were among you, they would hardly fight at all." (al-Aḥzāb 33:20)

Yaḥsabūna-l-aḥzāba lam yadhhabwā — they think the Confederate army hasn't left yet — they guess that the enemy army is still there and has not departed. Wa-in yaʾti-l-aḥzābu — and if those Confederate forces were to come again — yawwaddū law annahum bādūna fi-l-aʿrāb — they would wish they were living out in the desert among the Bedouin — far away from the field of battle, settled in the wilderness; yasʾalūna ʿan anbāʾkum — inquiring from a distance about the news of the Muslim community; wa-law kānū fīkum mā qatalū illā qalīlān — and even if they were actually among you (on the Muslim side), they would fight only a little.

Translation: They imagine the Confederates have not departed. And if the Confederates were to come again, they would wish they were out in the Bedouin wilderness, far away, merely inquiring about news of you — and even if they were with you they would hardly fight at all.

(The section — Rukuwaḥ 15 — closes with a brief historical note:)

This rukuwa refers to the Battle of the Trench (Ghazwat al-Khandaq) and the Battle of the Confederates. The Jews of Medina — specifically the Banū Naḍīr — collaborated with the Quraysh to mobilise a combined force of twelve thousand warriors against Medina. They surrounded Medina from all sides and laid a complete siege. The Prophet ﷺ, on the counsel of Salmān al-Fārisī, had a trench dug around Medina. The believers were themselves in the trench. One night a fierce wind and storm broke; the ground began to shake, rocks and earth were hurled at the enemy — and their tents were scattered. They were forced to disband in disarray. Then Allah aided His Prophet ﷺ and the Muslims: He saved them from the mischief of the disbelievers and kafirs. The Jews had betrayed their pledge to the Prophet ﷺ — that if Quraysh attacked they would help the Muslims defend Medina. In their treachery, once the Confederate Quraysh forces began to scatter, Allah punished those treacherous Jews.

لَقَدۡ كَانَ لَكُمۡ فِي رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ أُسۡوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرۡجُوْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلۡيَوۡمَ ٱلۡءَاخِرَ وَذَكَرَ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرًا

Laqad kāna lakum fī rasūli-llāhi uswatun ḥasanatun li-man kāna yarjū-llāha wa-l-yawma-l-ākhira wa-dhakara-llāha kathīrā.

"There was certainly for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern of conduct — for him who has hope in Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much." (al-Aḥzāb 33:21)

Laqad kāna lakum fī rasūli-llāhi uswatun ḥasanatun — indeed for you there is, in the Messenger of Allah, a beautiful, the best pattern and model to follow; li-man kāna yarjū-llāha wa-l-yawma-l-ākhir — for the one who has hope in Allah and the Last Day — meaning this is specifically for that person who cherishes hope in Allah and in the Last Day; wa-dhakara-llāha kathīrān — and who remembers Allah abundantly.

Translation: Indeed there is for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent example — for whoever has hope in Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much.

وَلَمَّا رَآى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ ٱلۡأَحۡزَابَ قَالُوْ هَٰذَا مَا وَعَدَنَا ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥٓ وَصَدَقَ ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥٓ وَمَا زَادَهُمۡ إِلَّآ إِيمَٰنًا وَتَسۡلِيمًا

Wa-lammā raʾa-l-muʾminūna-l-aḥzāba qālū hādhā mā waʿadanā-llāhu wa-rasūluhu wa-ṣadaqa-llāhu wa-rasūluhu wa-mā zādahum illā īmānan wa-taslīmā.

"And when the believers saw the confederate forces, they said: This is what Allah and His Messenger promised us, and Allah and His Messenger spoke the truth. And it only increased them in faith and in submission." (al-Aḥzāb 33:22)

Wa-lammā raʾa-l-muʾminūna-l-aḥzāb — and when the believers saw the confederate armies: qālū hādhā mā waʿadanā-llāhu wa-rasūluh — they said: This is what Allah and His Messenger promised us — this is exactly what Allah's Messenger ﷺ had foretold, that the disbelievers and enemies would come against us from all directions and we would be protected. Wa-ṣadaqa-llāhu wa-rasūluh — and Allah and His Messenger told the truth. Wa-mā zādahum illā īmānan wa-taslīmān — and this only increased them in faith, in certainty of belief and in full obedience and submission to Allah and His Messenger.

Translation: And when the believers saw the confederate forces, they said: This is what Allah and His Messenger promised us — and Allah and His Messenger spoke the truth! And this only increased them in faith and submission.

(The author — Bahrul Uloom Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Qadeer Siddiqui Rahmatullah Alaih — notes:) There is a difference of opinion among scholars regarding whether faith (īmān) can increase and decrease or not. Some hold the view that faith neither increases nor decreases — it is indivisible and cannot be augmented or diminished. The Muʿtazila are of the opinion that faith cannot find a middle state between faith and disbelief. Khārijites hold that a major sinner is not a believer — and sinners according to them fall into unbelief. The position of Ahl al-Sunna wa-l-Jamāʿa is: that if a group from among Muslims fights another group of Muslims, the combatants may still be called believers, for Allah Most High says: wa-in ṭāʾfatāni mina-l-muʾminīna iqtatalu f-aṣliḥū baynahumā — “And if two groups of believers fight, then reconcile between them” — meaning that despite fighting each other, they are still called muʾminūn. Our faith is certainly the highest — our faith in the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is a supreme reality. Therefore this verbal dispute is of no great concern to me — in any case īmān in its essence is common to all.

مِنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ رِجَالٌ صَدَقُوْ مَا عَٰهَدُوْ ٱللَّهَ عَلَيۡهِۚ فَمِنۡهُم مَّن قَضَىٰ نَحۡبَهُۥٓ وَمِنۡهُم مَّن يَنتَظِرُۚ وَمَا بَدَّلُوْ تَبۡدِيلًا

Mina-l-muʾminīna rijālun ṣadaqu mā ʹāhadū-llāha ʿalayhi; fa-minhum man qaḍā naḥbahuh; wa-minhum man yantaẓir; wa-mā baddalū tabdīlā.

"Among the believers are men who were true to what they pledged to Allah. Among them are those who have fulfilled their vow (by dying), and among them are those who still await — and they have not changed in the least." (al-Aḥzāb 33:23)

Mina-l-muʾminīna rijālun ṣadaqu mā ʹāhadū-llāha ʿalayh — among the believers there are men who have proven true to what they pledged to Allah — they showed with deeds what they had promised Allah. Fa-minhum man qaḍā naḥbahuh — among them are those who fulfilled their duty (by giving their lives in martyrdom): their duty is complete; wa-minhum man yantaẓir — and among them are those who are still waiting — they await their turn on the path. Wa-mā baddalū tabdīlān — and they have not altered or changed their covenant in the least.

Translation: Among the believers are men who were true to their covenant with Allah. Some of them have fulfilled their vow (by dying as martyrs). Others still await. And they have not changed their covenant in the least.

لِيَجۡزِيَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّــَدِقِينَ بِصِدۡقِهِمۡ وَيَعَذِّبَ ٱلۡمُنَٰفِقِينَ إِن شَآءَ أَوۡ يَتُوبَ عَلَيۡهِمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا

Li-yajziya-llāhu-ṣ-ṣādiqīna biṣdiqihim wa-yuʺdhdhiba-l-munāfiqīna in shāʾ aw yatūba ʿalayhim; inna-llāha kāna ghafūran raḥīmā.

"That Allah may reward the truthful for their truth, and punish the hypocrites if He wills, or relent toward them. Indeed Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful." (al-Aḥzāb 33:24)

Li-yajziya-llāhu-ṣ-ṣādiqīna biṣdiqihim — so that Allah may requite the truthful ones for their truthfulness — giving them the full reward of their steadfastness. Wa-yuʺdhdhiba-l-munāfiqīna in shāʾ — and punish the hypocrites if He wills — if they continue in their evil state and die upon it; aw yatūba ʿalayhim — or else accept their repentance if they return to Allah. Inna-llāha kāna ghafūran raḥīmā — Indeed Allah is always Forgiving and Merciful.

Translation: So that Allah may reward the truthful for their truthfulness — and punish the hypocrites if He wills or accept their repentance — indeed Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

وَرَدَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوْ بِغَيۡظِهِمۡ لَمۡ يَنَالُوْ خَيۡرًاۚ وَكَفَى ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ٱلۡقِتَالَۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ قَوِيًّا عَزِيزًا

Wa-radda-llāhu-lladhīna kafarū bi-ghayẓihim lam yanālū khayran; wa-kafā-llāhu-l-muʾminīna-l-qitāl; wa-kāna-llāhu qawiyyan ʿazīzā.

"And Allah turned back those who disbelieved in their rage, having gained no advantage; and Allah spared the believers the fight. And Allah is ever Powerful and Mighty." (al-Aḥzāb 33:25)

Wa-radda-llāhu-lladhīna kafarū bi-ghayẓihim — and Allah turned back the disbelievers in their rage and fury — He repulsed the unbelievers' army, filled with anger and bile; lam yanālū khayran — they obtained no benefit from their campaign, their army gained nothing. Wa-kafā-llāhu-l-muʾminīna-l-qitāl — and Allah sufficed for the believers in the fighting; Allah saved the Muslims from the battle — He handled it entirely on their behalf. Wa-kāna-llāhu qawiyyan ʿazīzān — and Allah is All-Powerful and Mighty in honour and dominance.

Translation: Allah turned back the disbelievers in their rage — they obtained no benefit. And Allah saved the believers from the fighting. Allah is ever Powerful and Mighty (Irresistible).

وَأَنزَلَ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَٰهَرُوهُمۡ مِّنۡ أَهۡلِ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ مِنۡ صَيَٰصِيهِمۡ وَقَذَفَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ ٱلرُّعۡبَ تَقۡتُلُونَ فَرِيقًا وَتَأۡسِرُونَ فَرِيقًا

Wa-anzala-lladhīna ẓāharūhum min ahli-l-kitābi min ṣayāṣīihim wa-qadhafa fī qulūbihimu-r-ruʾba taqtulūna farīqan wa-taʾsirūna farīqā.

"And He brought down those of the People of the Book who supported them from their strongholds and cast terror into their hearts. You killed some and took others captive." (al-Aḥzāb 33:26)

Wa-anzala-lladhīna ẓāharūhum min ahli-l-kitāb — and He brought down those People of the Book who had backed the disbelievers — the Jews who had provided rear support to the Quraysh — min ṣayāṣīihim — from their fortresses and strongholds — from their positions of security; wa-qadhafa fī qulūbihimu-r-ruʾba — and He cast terror into their hearts; taqtulūna farīqan — you killed a group of them; wa-taʾsirūna farīqān — and took another group as captives.

Translation: And He brought down those People of the Book who had backed the disbelievers from their fortresses, and cast terror into their hearts. You killed some of them and took others captive.

وَأَوۡرَثَكُمۡ أَرۡضَهُمۡ وَدِيَٰرَهُمۡ وَأَمۡوَٰلَهُمۡ وَأَرۡضًا لَّمۡ تَطَٰؤُوهَاۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٍ قَدِيرًا

Wa-awrathaKum arḍahum wa-diyārahum wa-amwālahum wa-arḍan lam taṭāʾuhā; wa-kāna-llāhu ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīrā.

"And He caused you to inherit their lands and their homes and their wealth and a land you had not yet trodden. And Allah is over all things competent." (al-Aḥzāb 33:27)

Wa-awrathakum arḍahum wa-diyārahum wa-amwālahum — and He made you the inheritors of their lands, their homes, and their wealth; wa-arḍan lam taṭāʾuhā — and also a land you had not yet set foot upon — lands you had not previously reached, still far away and distant; wa-kāna-llāhu ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīrān — and Allah is All-Powerful over everything.

Translation: He made you inheritors of their lands, their homes, and their wealth — and of a land you had not yet reached. And Allah is over all things All-Powerful.

يَٰأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِيُّ قُل لِّأَزۡوَٰجِكَ إِن كُنتُنَّ تُرِدۡنَ ٱلۡحَيُوةَ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَزِينَتَهَا فَتَعَالَيۡنَ أُمَتِّعَكُنَّ وَأُسَرَّحَكُنَّ سَرَاحًا جَمِيلًا

Yā-ayyuhā-n-Nabiyyu qul li-azwājika in kuntunna turidna-l-ḥayāta-d-dunyā wa-zīnatahā fa-taʾalālayna umattiʾkkunna wa-usarriḥkunna sarāḥan jamīlā.

"O Prophet! Say to your wives: If you desire the life of this world and its adornment, then come, I will provide for you and release you in a beautiful manner." (al-Aḥzāb 33:28)

Yā-ayyuhā-n-Nabiyy — O Prophet ﷺ — qul li-azwājika — say to your wives: in kuntunna turidna-l-ḥayāta-d-dunyā wa-zīnatahā — if you desire this worldly life and its adornment, its luxuries and its splendours: fa-taʾalālayna umattiʾkkunna — then come, I will give you your provision and maintenance; wa-usarriḥkunna sarāḥan jamīlan — and release you with a gracious release, a beautiful departure. I will let you go most honourably.

Translation: O Prophet! Say to your wives: If you desire the life of this world and its adornments, then come — I will give you your provision and release you graciously.

Yā-ayyuhā-n-Nabiyy — the opening of āya 33:28 continued — The author — Bahrul Uloom Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Qadeer Siddiqui Rahmatullah Alaih — explains the tarjuma of this address: "O Prophet! Say to your wives: If you desire the worldly life and its adornment, then come — I will give you your maintenance (matāʿ) and I will provide you generously — but I will also send you away (namely: I will divorce you). I will restore you to your families honourably." This was the word of offer and choice (takhyīr) addressed to the noble wives — the choice between remaining as wives of the Prophet ﷺ with all that entails of patience in reduced circumstances, or departing with their provisions into an ordinary worldly life.

وَإِن كُنتُنَّ تُرِدۡنَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ وَٱلدَّارَ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ أَعَدَّ لِلۡمُحۡسِنَٰتِ مِنكُنَّ أَجۡرًا عَظِيمًا

Wa-in kuntunna turidna-llāha wa-rasūlahū wa-d-dāra-l-ākhirata fa-inna-llāha aʿadda li-l-muḥsināti minkkunna ajran ʿaẓīmā.

"And if you desire Allah and His Messenger and the Abode of the Hereafter, then indeed Allah has prepared for the doers of good among you an immense reward." (al-Aḥzāb 33:29)

Wa-in kuntunna turidna-llāha — and if you desire Allah; wa-rasūlahū — and His Messenger ﷺ; wa-d-dāra-l-ākhirata — and the Abode of the Hereafter, setting the next world before this world; fa-inna-llāha aʿadda — then verily Allah has prepared; li-l-muḥsināti minkkunna — for the virtuous and excellent ones among you — muḥsinināt is the plural of muḥsina, meaning those who do righteous and beautiful deeds; ajran ʿaẓīmān — a mighty and immense reward.

Translation: And if you desire Allah and His Messenger and the Abode of the Hereafter — then verily Allah has prepared for the excellent ones among you an immense reward.

يَٰنِسَآءَ ٱلنَّبِيِّ مَن يَأۡتِ مِنكُنَّ بِفَٰحِشَةٍۢ مُّبَيِّنَةٍۢ يُضَٰعَفۡ لَهَا ٱلۡعَذَابُ ضِعۡفَيۡنِۚ وَكَانَ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرًا

Yā-nisāʾa-n-Nabiyyi man yaʾti minkkunna bi-fāḥishatin mubayyanatin yuḍāʿaf lahā-l-ʿadhābu ḍiʿfayni; wa-kāna dhālika ʿala-llāhi yasīrā.

"O wives of the Prophet! Whoever among you commits a manifest indecency — her punishment shall be doubled twofold. And that is easy for Allah." (al-Aḥzāb 33:30)

Yā-nisāʾa-n-Nabiyyi — O wives of the Prophet ﷺ! Man yaʾti minkkunna bi-fāḥishatin mubayyanatin — whoever among you comes with a manifest immorality — a clearly and openly indecent act: yuḍāʿaf lahā-l-ʿadhābu ḍiʿfayni — for her the punishment shall be doubled twice over — she is the Prophet's ﷺ wife, and the betrayal of such a sacred bond would be a heinous enormity; wa-kāna dhālika ʿala-llāhi yasīrān — and this is easy upon Allah, not difficult at all.

Translation: O wives of the Prophet! Whoever among you commits a manifest indecency — her punishment will be doubled twofold. And that is easy for Allah.

The author — Bahrul Uloom Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Qadeer Siddiqui Rahmatullah Alaih — addresses the learned: Venerating the Prophet ﷺ is obligatory, and this veneration extends necessarily to his noble wives — for they are the ummahāt al-muʾminīn, the Mothers of the Believers. Speaking concerning them requires the utmost care and caution. Allah Most High has assigned them a doubled recompense — for the noble wives of the Prophet ﷺ, both good and ill are doubly reckoned. This is the divine law of consequence in proportion to honour and station. Purified women (muṭahharāt) are spoken of in all the ḥadīth literature relating to domestic life — and those who consider them lightly or who render disrespect to them from their homes cause the religion to appear absent. To say anything improper about the Prophet's ﷺ wives — save yourself; fear Allah and guard your tongue.

Wa-man yaqnut — The Second Division (Juzʾ 22)

Note: Page 74 carries the decorative title page of Juzʾ 22 of Tafsīr Ṣiddīqī, bearing the heading كَذَٰلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ ٱلۡأٓيَٰتِ لِقَوۡمٍۢ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ — "Thus do We expound the signs for a people who reflect."

وَمَن يَقۡنُتۡ مِنكُنَّ لِلَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ وَتَعۡمَلۡ صَٰلِحًا نُّؤۡتِهَآ أَجۡرَهَا مَرَّتَيۡنِ وَأَعۡتَدۡنَا لَهَا رِزۡقًا كَرِيمًا

Wa-man yaqnut minkkunna li-llāhi wa-rasūlihī wa-taʿmal ṣāliḥan nuʾtihā ajrahā marratayni wa-aʿtadnā lahā rizqan karīmā.

"And whoever among you is devoutly obedient to Allah and His Messenger and does righteous deeds — We shall give her her reward twice over, and We have prepared for her a generous provision." (al-Aḥzāb 33:31)

Wa-man yaqnut — and whoever submits in devoted obedience (qunūt): obedience, devotion, compliance; minkkunna li-llāhi wa-rasūlihī — from among you, O Prophet's ﷺ wives — to Allah and His Messenger; wa-taʿmal ṣāliḥan — and performs righteous deeds — good works; nuʾtihā ajrahā marratayni — We shall give her her reward twice over — doubly, meaning the Prophet's ﷺ wives will receive doubled reward; wa-aʿtadnā lahā — and We have prepared for her; rizqan karīmān — a noble and generous provision — an excellent, ample sustenance.

Translation: And whoever among you is devoutly obedient to Allah and His Messenger and performs righteous deeds — We shall give her her reward twice, and We have prepared for her a generous provision.

يَٰنِسَآءَ ٱلنَّبِيِّ لَسۡتُنَّ كَأَحَدٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ إِنِ ٱتَّقَيۡتُنَّ فَلَا تَخۡضَعۡنَ بِٱلۡقَوۡلِ فَيَطۡمَعَ ٱلَّذِي فِي قَلۡبِهِۦ مَرَضٌۚ وَقُلۡنَ قَوۡلًا مَّعۡرُوفًا

Yā-nisāʾa-n-Nabiyyi lastunna ka-aḥadin mina-n-nisāʾi ini-ttaqaytunna fa-lā takhḍaʿna bi-l-qawli fa-yaṭmaʿa-lladhī fī qalbihī maraḍun wa-qulna qawlan maʿrūfā.

"O wives of the Prophet! You are not like any ordinary woman — if you are God-fearing. So do not be soft in speech lest he in whose heart is disease should covet, but speak in an honourable manner." (al-Aḥzāb 33:32)

Yā-nisāʾa-n-Nabiyyi — O wives of the Prophet ﷺ! Lastunna ka-aḥadin mina-n-nisāʾi — you are not like any ordinary women — when the Prophet ﷺ addresses someone, could anyone be as honoured as one of his ﷺ wives? Allah Most High Himself declared: Qul innamā ana basharun mithlukum yūḥā ilayy — "Say: I am only a man like you — yet revelation is sent to me." That distinction belongs to him ﷺ alone. Consider: once a particular individual came to our gathering — he was also a man — a very common person — he said: "We are all human; in humanity we are all equal." I said to him: "I say it is a completely true report — you are like Iblīs and Adam in being zinda (alive), and Iblīs is like Adam in being created from clay; therefore you are saying something deeply incorrect." I said: "Consider, it would be very bad before any king — let someone go and say: 'Come, do as I am a man like you.' Such words are thoroughly improper." Ini-ttaqaytunna — if you keep God-consciousness — this verse is conditional on taqwā. Fa-lā takhḍaʿna bi-l-qawli — therefore do not be soft, yielding or submissive in speech — do not speak in an overly gentle or sweet voice so as to attract attention; fa-yaṭmaʿa-lladhī fī qalbihī maraḍun — lest the one in whose heart is disease (corruption and moral illness) should covet and be tempted; wa-qulna qawlan maʿrūfān — and speak in an upright, correct, conventional manner — a proper honourable word, in accordance with proper decorum.

Translation: O wives of the Prophet! You are not like any ordinary women — if you are God-fearing. So do not speak in a soft and enticing manner lest the one with disease in his heart should covet — rather speak in an upright honourable manner. Do not, by softening your voice, create corrupt imaginings in anyone's mind; speak straightforwardly in a measured way.

وَقَرۡنَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ وَلَا تَبَرَّجۡنَ تَبَرُّجَ ٱلۡجَٰهِلِيَّةِ ٱلۡأُولَىٰ وَأَقِمۡنَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتِينَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَأَطِعۡنَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥٓۚ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيُذۡهِبَ عَنكُمُ ٱلرِّجۡسَ أَهۡلَ ٱلۡبَيۡتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمۡ تَطۡهِيرًا

Wa-qarna fī buyūtikkunna wa-lā tabarrajna tabarruja-l-jāhiliyyati-l-ūlā wa-aqimna-ṣ-ṣalāta wa-ātīna-z-zakāta wa-aṭiʿna-llāha wa-rasūlah; innamā yurīdu-llāhu li-yudhhiba ʿankkumu-r-rijsa ahla-l-bayti wa-yuṭahhirakum taṭhīrā.

"And remain in your homes, and do not display yourselves as was the display of the former times of ignorance. And establish the prayer, give the zakāt, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Indeed Allah only wishes to remove from you all impurity, O People of the Household, and to purify you completely." (al-Aḥzāb 33:33)

Wa-qarna fī buyūtikkunna — and remain settled in your homes — stay within your houses and do not go out heedlessly; wa-lā tabarrajna — and do not display yourselves; tabarruja-l-jāhiliyyati-l-ūlā — with the display of the first pre-Islamic age of ignorance — the pre-Islamic custom (jāhiliyya) by which women would adorn and parade themselves; wa-aqimna-ṣ-ṣalāta — and establish the prayer — be steadfast in prayer; wa-ātīna-z-zakāta — and give the zakāt; wa-aṭiʿna-llāha wa-rasūlahū — and obey Allah and His Messenger ﷺ; innamā yurīdu-llāhu — verily Allah alone intends and wills this — it is only for this purpose; li-yudhhiba ʿankkumu-r-rijsa — to remove all impurity from you — rijs is filth, pollution; ahla-l-bayti — O People of the House! — the people of the Prophet's ﷺ household; wa-yuṭahhirakum taṭhīrān — and to purify you — to cleanse you — purifying, making clean and spotless.

Translation: Remain in your homes and do not parade yourselves in the manner of the first age of ignorance. Establish the prayer, give the zakāt, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Indeed Allah wishes only to remove all impurity from you, O People of the Household, and to purify you completely.

The author — Bahrul Uloom Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Qadeer Siddiqui Rahmatullah Alaih — directs attention to an important clarification: reflect carefully upon this verse! The command to the Prophet's ﷺ wives to remain in their homes is a binding instruction. This same command applies to the entire Muslim community (umma), for whatever command is given to the Prophet's ﷺ wives is equally binding on all women of the umma — and equally on all men. Unfortunately, the veiled Muslim women (mukhaddara muslimat) who do observe purdah are also constantly parading themselves (tabarruj) — now even purdah has become a form of display! The consequence of this is seen: in one gathering recently, the number of women exceeded that of men at a mixed event — this is the outcome. Allah has said wa-qarna fī buyūtikkunna — the command is plain.

Moreover: "Who is this verse for? Who is the ahl al-bayt?" The word ahl al-bayt appears in the Qurʾān, and in the Arab usage the ahl of a house means its people — the persons most strongly connected to it. In speaking of the ahl al-bayt of the Prophet ﷺ, the primary referents are his ﷺ wives — for a woman is far more connected to her husband's home than even his children are. The wives are the most intimate ahl of the Prophet's ﷺ household — namely: Sayyida Fāṭima رضي الله عنها — Imām Ḥasan رضي الله عنه — Imām Ḥusayn رضي الله عنه. Their rank comes after Banū Hāshim. The Prophet ﷺ was resident in ʿAlī's رضي الله عنه home, and on one occasion the Prophet ﷺ came and took his blessed cloak and covered all four (ʿAlī, Fāṭima, Ḥasan, Ḥusayn) saying: "These are my household members" — Ḥaḍrat Umm Salama رضي الله عنها entered and tried to come inside — the Prophet ﷺ said: "You are among those women who share in this good. You are a wife of the Prophet ﷺ." Those who oppose this — those who say that the Prophet's ﷺ wives are not counted among the ahl al-bayt — they are among those people who have no respect for the Qurʾānic verses, who come far after in ranking — these people care nothing at all for the Qurʾān — there is no trace of the Qurʾān in their hearts. Remember well: Āl Firʿawn means all those who follow Pharaoh — in the same way, Āl Muḥammad ﷺ means all Muslims — and those who in their hearts oppose them have no portion in the honour of the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ.

وَٱذۡكُرۡنَ مَا يُتۡلَىٰ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ مِنۡ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡحِكۡمَةِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ لَطِيفًا خَبِيرًا

Wa-dhkurna mā yutlā fī buyūtikkunna min āyāti-llāhi wa-l-ḥikmah; inna-llāha kāna laṭīfan khabīrā.

"And remember what is recited in your homes of the signs of Allah and wisdom. Indeed Allah is ever Subtle, All-Aware." (al-Aḥzāb 33:34)

Wa-dhkurna — and remember — O Prophet's ﷺ wives; mā yutlā fī buyūtikkunna — what is recited in your homes — that which is recited: min āyāti-llāhi wa-l-ḥikmati — from the signs of Allah and from wisdom — from the āyāt (the Qurʾānic verses) and the ḥikma (ḥadīth and prophetic wisdom): mā yutlā means from what the Prophet ﷺ recites (the Qurʾān and ḥadīth); inna-llāha kāna laṭīfan khabīrān — verily Allah is always Laṭīf (Subtle, Gentle, Most Kind) and Khabīr (All-Aware, All-Informed) — Subtle in reaching the hidden depths; He knows the interiors of hearts — the Subtle One. His reach is beyond our comprehension — He is All-Aware and watchful.

Translation: (O Prophet's ﷺ wives!) Remember what is recited in your homes of Allah's signs and wisdom. Indeed Allah is ever Subtle, All-Aware.

إِنَّ ٱلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ وَٱلۡمُسۡلِمَٰتِ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَٰتِ وَٱلۡقَٰنِتِينَ وَٱلۡقَٰنِتَٰتِ

(Continuation of āya 33:35 — the verse continues across pages 77–78:)

وَٱلصَّٰدِقِينَ وَٱلصَّٰدِقَٰتِ وَٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ وَٱلصَّٰبِرَٰتِ وَٱلۡخَٰشِعِينَ وَٱلۡخَٰشِعَٰتِ وَٱلۡمُتَصَدِّقِينَ وَٱلۡمُتَصَدِّقَٰتِ وَٱلصَّٰٓئِمِينَ وَٱلصَّٰٓئِمَٰتِ وَٱلۡحَٰفِظِينَ فُرُوجَهُمۡ وَٱلۡحَٰفِظَٰتِ وَٱلذَّٰكِرِينَ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرًا وَٱلذَّٰكِرَٰتِ أَعَدَّ ٱللَّهُ لَهُم مَّغۡفِرَةً وَأَجۡرًا عَظِيمًا

Inna-l-muslimīna wa-l-muslimāti wa-l-muʾminīna wa-l-muʾmināti wa-l-qānitīna wa-l-qānitāti wa-ṣ-ṣādiqīna wa-ṣ-ṣādiqāti wa-ṣ-ṣābirīna wa-ṣ-ṣābirāti wa-l-khāshiʿīna wa-l-khāshiʿāti wa-l-mutaṣaddiqīna wa-l-mutaṣaddiqāti wa-ṣ-ṣāʾimīna wa-ṣ-ṣāʾimāti wa-l-ḥāfiẓīna furūjahum wa-l-ḥāfiẓāti wa-dh-dhākirīna-llāha kathīran wa-dh-dhākirāti aʿadda-llāhu lahum maghfiratan wa-ajran ʿaẓīmā.

"Indeed the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women, the devoutly obedient men and devoutly obedient women, the truthful men and truthful women, the patient men and patient women, the humble men and humble women, the charitable men and charitable women, the fasting men and fasting women, the men who guard their chastity and the women who guard it, and the men who remember Allah much and the women who remember — Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and an immense reward." (al-Aḥzāb 33:35)

Inna-l-muslimīna wa-l-muslimāti — indeed the Muslim men and Muslim women — undoubtedly the surrendered, submitted (to Islam) men and women; wa-l-muʾminīna wa-l-muʾmināti — and the believing men and believing women — those who hold firm belief and conviction in their hearts; wa-l-qānitīna wa-l-qānitāti — and the devoutly obedient men and women — those who serve and obey Allah with total compliance; wa-ṣ-ṣādiqīna wa-ṣ-ṣādiqāti — and the truthful men and women — the sincere and upright. Wa-ṣ-ṣābirīna wa-ṣ-ṣābirāti — and the patient men and women — those who endure affliction and hardship, calamities, trials — patient in bearing every burden; wa-l-khāshiʿīna wa-l-khāshiʿāti — and the humble men and women — those who live in reverence and awe (khushūʿ wa khushuʿ) before Allah — those who live in humility and self-abasement; wa-l-mutaṣaddiqīna wa-l-mutaṣaddiqāti — and the charitable men and women — those who give generously in charity (ṣadaqa); wa-ṣ-ṣāʾimīna wa-ṣ-ṣāʾimāti — and the fasting men and women — those who fast regularly; wa-l-ḥāfiẓīna furūjahum wa-l-ḥāfiẓāti — and the men who guard their private parts and the women who guard them — preserving their chastity, protecting their honour, modesty and purity; wa-dh-dhākirīna-llāha kathīran wa-dh-dhākirāt — and the men who remember Allah abundantly and the women who remember Him — those who engage in the dhikr of Allah frequently, invoking Allah copiously; aʿadda-llāhu lahum maghfiratan wa-ajran ʿaẓīmān — Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward.

Translation: Indeed the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women, the devoutly obedient men and obedient women, the truthful men and truthful women, the patient men and women, the humble men and women, the charitable men and women, the fasting men and women, the men and women who guard their chastity, and the men and women who remember Allah abundantly — Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and an immense reward.

The author — Bahrul Uloom Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Qadeer Siddiqui Rahmatullah Alaih — comments: Yaqīnan — beyond all doubt — the strength of īmān is proportional to the rightness of one's acts. Remember this. Islam is the name of direction and inclination of attention towards the acts and ʿaqāʾid (doctrines) of Islam. Conviction (yaqīn) produces the same — if it is of a sound degree, one becomes a solid and reliable (mustaqim) person. This is because the guarantee of yaqīn is that I do things in conformity with how I say I will do them. Why? Because the guarantee of yaqīn is that actions must match conviction. A weak and fluctuating īmān is a flaw — acting on it, one finds the commands of Allah more or less unwillingly complied with. Indeed īmān is in need of certain qualities to be complete: it will become complete. Wa-l-qānitīna wa-l-qānitāti — the obedient and devout in obedience and compliance to Allah; wa-ṣ-ṣādiqīna wa-ṣ-ṣādiqāti — the truthful and upright, the straight-speaking — wa-ṣ-ṣābirīna wa-ṣ-ṣābirāti — the patient — patient in worship, calamities of hardship and trials, those who bear afflic­tion, hardship and ease; those who are steadfast in suffering; wa-l-khāshiʿīna wa-l-khāshiʿāti — and in humility and submissiveness before Allah — those who live in self-lowering and humility; wa-l-mutaṣaddiqīna wa-l-mutaṣaddiqāti — and those who give in charity — generous givers; wa-ṣ-ṣāʾimīna wa-ṣ-ṣāʾimāti — and the men who fast and the women who fast; wa-l-ḥāfiẓīna furūjahum wa-l-ḥāfiẓāti — and those who guard their private parts — men and women — preserving their modesty and chastity; wa-dh-dhākirīna-llāha kathīran wa-dh-dhākirāti — and those who remember Allah greatly — men and women — those who perform dhikr Ilāhī abundantly; aʿadda-llāhu lahum maghfiratan wa-ajran ʿaẓīmān — Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward.

Translation: Indeed the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and women, the obedient-to-Allah men and women, the straight-speaking men and women, the patient men and women — patient in afflictions and in obedience — and the humble men and women, the charitable men and women, and the fasting men and women, and those who guard their private parts and honour, and the men and women who remember Allah greatly — Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and great reward.

وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤۡمِنٍۢ وَلَا مُؤۡمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥٓ أَمۡرًا أَن يَكُونَ لَهُمُ ٱلۡخِيَرَةُ مِنۡ أَمۡرِهِمۡۗ وَمَن يَعۡصِ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ فَقَدۡ ضَلَّ ضَلَٰلًا مُّبِينًا

Wa-mā kāna li-muʾminin wa-lā muʾminatin idhā qaḍā-llāhu wa-rasūluhū amran an yakūna lahumu-l-khiyaratu min amrihim; wa-man yaʿṣi-llāha wa-rasūlahū fa-qad ḍalla ḍalālan mubīnā.

"And it is not for any believing man or believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter, to have any choice in their affair. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has clearly gone astray." (al-Aḥzāb 33:36)

Wa-mā kāna li-muʾminin wa-lā muʾminatin — and it does not befit any believing man or any believing woman — it is not proper for them; idhā qaḍā-llāhu wa-rasūluhū amran — when Allah and His Messenger ﷺ have determined a matter — decided and decreed something; an yakūna lahumu-l-khiyaratu min amrihim — for them to have any choice in their affair — to have any say of their own or to have an individual preference — they are slaves of Allah; when Allah and His Messenger ﷺ decree something, they must submit without reservation. Wa-man yaʿṣi-llāha wa-rasūlahū — and whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger ﷺ — whoever goes against Allah's commands and rebels against them; fa-qad ḍalla ḍalālan mubīnān — he has clearly gone astray — he has plunged into manifest and obvious deviation — from clear error he has fallen into manifest misguidance.

Translation: And it is not fitting for any believing man or woman — when Allah and His Messenger ﷺ have decreed a matter — that they should have any choice in their affair. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger ﷺ has manifestly gone astray.

وَإِذۡ تَقُولُ لِلَّذِيٓ أَنۡعَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِ وَأَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَيۡهِ أَمۡسِكۡ عَلَيۡكَ زَوۡجَكَ وَٱتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ وَتُخۡفِي فِي نَفۡسِكَ مَا ٱللَّهُ مُبۡدِيهِ وَتَخۡشَى ٱلنَّاسَ وَٱللَّهُ أَحَقُّ أَن تَخۡشَىٰهُ فَلَمَّا قَضَىٰ زَيۡدٌ مِّنۡهَا وَطَرًا زَوَّجۡنَٰكَهَا لِكَيۡ لَا يَكُونَ عَلَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ حَرَجٌ فِيٓ أَزۡوَٰجِ أَدۡعِيَآئِهِمۡ إِذَا قَضَوۡاْ مِنۡهُنَّ وَطَرًاۚ وَكَانَ أَمۡرُ ٱللَّهِ مَفۡعُولًا

Wa-idh taqūlu li-lladhī anʿama-llāhu ʿalayhi wa-anʿamta ʿalayhi amsik ʿalayka zawjaka wa-ttaqi-llāha wa-tukhfī fī nafsika ma-llāhu mubdīhi wa-takhshā-n-nāsa wa-llāhu aḥaqqu an takhshāh; fa-lammā qaḍā zaydun minhā waṭaran zawwajnākahā li-kay lā yakūna ʿala-l-muʾminīna ḥarajun fī azwāji adʿiyāʾihim idhā qaḍaw minhunna waṭarā; wa-kāna amru-llāhi mafʿūlā.

"And when you said to the one whom Allah had blessed and whom you had blessed: 'Keep your wife and fear Allah' — and you concealed within yourself what Allah was to reveal, and you feared the people, whereas Allah has more right to be feared. So when Zayd had accomplished what he needed from her, We joined her in marriage to you, so that there should be no impediment for the believers in respect of the wives of their adopted sons when they have accomplished what they need from them. And the command of Allah is ever accomplished." (al-Aḥzāb 33:37)

Wa-idh taqūlu — and when you were saying — recall when you were saying (to whom?); li-lladhī anʿama-llāhu ʿalayhi — to the one upon whom Allah had conferred favour — He made him a Muslim, saved him from disbelief and Allah's punishment; wa-anʿamta ʿalayhi — and upon whom you ﷺ had conferred favour — you ﷺ honoured him, freed him from slavery and made him a Muslim; amsik ʿalayka zawjaka — "Keep your wife with you" — retain your wife, do not divorce her; wa-ttaqi-llāh — and fear Allah — be God-fearing, observe piety; wa-tukhfī fī nafsika ma-llāhu mubdīhī — and you were concealing in your heart that which Allah was going to reveal — the matter which Allah was going to make manifest you were hiding within yourself — namely: that divorce (ṭalāq) between Zayd and Zaynab would occur and it would not be possible for their marriage to continue; and that the Prophet ﷺ would then be commanded to marry Zaynab; wa-takhshā-n-nāsa — and you were fearing the people — you ﷺ were apprehensive about what the people of Quraysh and others of famous temperament and contentious disposition might say; wa-llāhu aḥaqqu an takhshāh — whereas Allah is more worthy of being feared — you ought to be more fearful of Allah than of people; fa-lammā qaḍā zaydun minhā waṭaran — so when Zayd had fulfilled his need from her — when Zayd had accomplished what he needed (when their marriage had run its course and he divorced Zaynab); zawwajnākahā — We married her to you — We joined her in marriage to you, the Prophet ﷺ; li-kay lā yakūna ʿala-l-muʾminīna ḥarajun — so that there might be no constraint or impediment upon the believers; fī azwāji adʿiyāʾihim — in regard to the wives of their adopted sons — so that it be established in law that an adopted son (mutabannā) is not a real son; idhā qaḍaw minhunna waṭarān — when they (the adopted sons) have accomplished what they need of those (marriages — i.e., divorced them); wa-kāna amru-llāhi mafʿūlān — and the command of Allah is ever done — Allah's decree will be fulfilled and come to pass.

Translation: And recall when you were saying to the one upon whom Allah had bestowed His favour and upon whom you had bestowed your favour: "Keep your wife and fear Allah" — and you were concealing in your heart what Allah was going to reveal — and you were fearing the people whereas Allah has more right that you fear Him. So when Zayd had accomplished his need of her, We joined her in marriage to you — so that there might be no constraint for the believers regarding the wives of their adopted sons once they have fulfilled their need. And the command of Allah is ever accomplished.

The author — Bahrul Uloom Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Qadeer Siddiqui Rahmatullah Alaih — explains the historical context: The Prophet ﷺ was informed by the mercy of Allah that this event would come to pass; Zayd ibn Muḥammad was a freed Arab slave who had been purchased at a young age — the Messenger of Allah ﷺ purchased him and raised him as an adopted son — so Zayd became known as Zayd ibn Muḥammad — Zayd son of Muḥammad — Zayd ibn Muḥammad became famous. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ subsequently freed him. From their side, Zayd's own relatives — his uncles on his mother's side — came and wished to restore him and took him away — Zayd declined and chose to remain with the Prophet ﷺ instead. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ freed him and from his kufū (standing) had him married to his cousin Zaynab bint Jaḥsh رضي الله عنها. Yet Zaynab and her brother considered it beneath them — because Zaynab was of the noble Quraysh and they felt he was not of equal family standing. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ counselled them and persuaded them and the marriage took place. Yet the differences and domestic quarrels between Zayd and Zaynab persisted — day after day they quarrelled — Zayd was naturally eager to divorce Zaynab and Zaynab naturally wished to be separated — and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would advise Zayd to keep Zaynab as his wife (amsik ʿalayka zawjaka) and to fear Allah — he feared this would give grounds for the Quraysh of ill temperament and contentious character to speak ill — he feared the people — whereas Allah is more worthy of being feared. Then when Zayd finally completed his full purpose with Zaynab — that is, when Zayd irrevocably divorced Zaynab — We joined her in marriage to you — so that it be established for all Muslims that it is no prohibition for a man to marry the former wife of his adopted son — so that the Muslims might not hold any belief of constraint regarding the wives of their adopted sons in respect of this kind of prohibition. So when they (the adopted sons) have completed their purpose — when they divorce their wives — We gave those women to be given in marriage. And the command of Allah will inevitably be fulfilled.

The actual historical event is this: Zayd was a freed Arab (ʿAtīq ʿArabī) whose early childhood he had passed with some relatives who had purchased him young — the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had him and raised him and nurtured him to manhood — Zayd ibn Muḥammad became famous — the Messenger of Allah ﷺ

freed him and arranged for his betrothal to Zaynab bint Jaḥsh رضي الله عنها — who was of noble Quraysh lineage — from their side there was hesitation, but the Prophet ﷺ intervened and the marriage was solemnised. Incompatibility and friction between the two remained constant. Eventually when Zayd divorced Zaynab and fulfilled his need of her, Allah joined her in marriage to the Prophet ﷺ — so that there would be no constraint whatsoever upon Muslims in marrying the former wives of their adopted sons after they have divorced them. The command of Allah is always accomplished.

[Continuation of the Commentary on the Marriage of Zaynab and the Dismissal of the Spurious Narratives]

He [Zayd] did it as a further honour for them [the Prophet's household] — for he married his own paternal cousin Zaynab to them. Bibi Zaynab came from a noble family, the Quraysh of high lineage. He [Zayd] had always regarded Zayd as his own servant rather than a son, and treated him as an inferior. Between the two of them there was always a severe difference of opinion. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would step in to reconcile them and would urge Zayd to retain his wife and not to divorce her. Yet the matter came to tongue — for to call divorce a great shame is an Arab custom. In the end Zayd divorced Bibi Zaynab and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, in order to console her and remove her sorrow, married her himself.

The incident is no more than this, and people have fabricated an entire romance upon it. I do not wish to repeat that story here. Yet for the benefit of those who examine things, I will point out a few indicators that show the whole story to be a fabrication from start to finish. (1) The Arab custom is to keep the door of one's house locked, and whenever someone wishes to enter they knock and are admitted. (2) In entering someone's house one should say "al-salāmu ʿalaykum, a-ādkhulu?" — "Peace be upon you, may I enter?" — and it is incumbent upon those behind the curtain to draw back. (3) The noble wives of the Prophet ﷺ were not in the open courtyards of the house; the Prophet ﷺ kept them in seclusion and never once unveiled Bibi Zaynab before anyone. (4) Bibi Zaynab never displayed herself before any person — and neither the Prophet ﷺ nor his household ever said such a thing. Then who told this tale? It was told by the enemies of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, the thousands of whisperers and vilifiers — and this entire matter is nothing but a whispering of theirs.

مَا كَانَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ مِنْ حَرَجٍ فِيمَا فَرَضَ اللَّهُ لَهُ ۖ سُنَّةَ اللَّهِ فِي الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِن قَبْلُ ۚ وَكَانَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ قَدَرًا مَّقْدُورًا

Mā kāna ʿalā l-nabiyyi min ḥarajin fī-mā faraḍa Allāhu lahu — sunnata Allāhi fī l-ladhīna khalaw min qablu — wa-kāna amru Allāhi qadaran maqdūrā.

"There is no blame upon the Prophet concerning that which Allah has imposed upon him. [Such is] the Way of Allah with those who passed away before — and the command of Allah is a decree determined." (al-Aḥzāb 33:38)

Mā kāna ʿalā l-Nabiyyi min ḥarajin — there is no difficulty, no impropriety, upon the Prophet ﷺ in that which Allah has obligated for him — fī-mā faraḍa Allāhu lahu — this is what Allah has ordained for him. Sunnata Allāhi fī l-ladhīna khalaw — this is the established way of Allah as it passed for those before — min qablu — meaning from those who have gone before; this was also permitted for them, so there is no innovation here. Wa-kāna amru Llāhi qadaran maqdūrā — and the command of Allah is a foreordained decree, settled before all else.

Translation: The way that has come down from before and the way Allah has kept in operation — in observing it the Prophet ﷺ has no difficulty at all. This is an established command of Allah and that settled decree which He has established from before.

الَّذِينَ يُبَلِّغُونَ رِسَالَاتِ اللَّهِ وَيَخْشَوْنَهُ

Al-ladhīna yuballighūna risālāti Allāhi wa-yakhshawnahu.

"Those who convey the messages of Allah and fear Him." (al-Aḥzāb 33:39)

وَلَا يَخْشَوْنَ أَحَدًا إِلَّا اللَّهَ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِاللَّهِ حَسِيبًا

Wa-lā yakhshawna aḥadan illā Allāha — wa-kafā bi-Llāhi ḥasībā.

"And they do not fear anyone except Allah — and sufficient is Allah as Accountant." (al-Aḥzāb 33:39)

Al-ladhīna yuballighūna risālāti Llāhi — those who convey Allah's message, who reach it to others. Wa-yakhshawnahu — and they fear Him, they fear Allah. Wa-lā yakhshawna aḥadan illā Allāha — and they do not fear anyone except Allah. Wa-kafā bi-Llāhi ḥasībā — and Allah alone is sufficient as Reckoner; to take account on behalf of Allah, only Allah's reckoning is needed — there is no need to fear others. Then [the verse implies]: it is enough for Him to cause others to fear.

Translation: Those who convey Allah's message and fear Him, and fear no one save Allah, and deem Allah alone sufficient as Reckoner.

مَّا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَبَا أَحَدٍ مِّن رِّجَالِكُمْ وَلَٰكِن رَّسُولَ اللَّهِ وَخَاتَمَ النَّبِيِّينَ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمًا

Mā kāna Muḥammadun abā aḥadin min rijālikum wa-lākin rasūla Llāhi wa-khātama l-nabiyyīn — wa-kāna Llāhu bi-kulli shayʾin ʿalīmā.

"Muḥammad is not the father of any of your men, but [he is] the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets — and Allah has knowledge of all things." (al-Aḥzāb 33:40)

Mā kāna Muḥammadun abā aḥadin min rijālikum — Muḥammad ﷺ is not the father of any of your men — meaning an adoptive son could never become a real son. Wa-lākin rasūla Llāhi — but he is the Messenger of Allah. Wa-khātama l-nabiyyīn — and the last of the Prophets, the Final Prophet. Wa-kāna Llāhu bi-kulli shayʾin ʿalīmā — and Allah knows all things well.

Translation: Muḥammad ﷺ is not the father of any of your men, but he is Allah's Messenger and the Final Prophet — and Allah knows all things well.

Dear friends! Khātam means seal — Arabs use it at the end of everything. Khātam also has two meanings. The first meaning: last — meaning Muḥammad ﷺ is the last Prophet; no prophet will come after him. The second meaning: most excellent — the afḍal al-anbiyāʾ — the best of the Prophets; because it is established from the aḥādīth that: "Lā nabiyya baʿdī" — "There is no prophet after me." This is the time of fitna — every day a new pretender appears. One person wrote to me saying: "Since you are an elder of Ṣiddīqi lineage and an offspring of Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq, if you believe me and accept my prophethood you will gain a rank equal to Ṣiddīq Akbar, and in the next world I will testify for you." It is a wonder that people follow such open deniers! In Islām, after the Prophet ﷺ no prophethood can be correct — the Dajjāl had been appearing from long before.

Those who appear [claiming prophethood] — there are aḥādīth mentioning them. It is not that one should be unaware of the religion — but it is necessary to be unaware of the world. Without being acquainted with religion, making a claim to prophethood is absurd. Some people follow them — it is a wonder that in these open times such people meet with followers. People [who become followers] think: worldly-knowledge great people are fools and unlettered, those who follow such people know better — but in fact these people are claiming prophethood and do not know anything of religion, of history, and of the world.

An anecdote: A certain person put forward a claim to prophethood before Hārūn al-Rashīd. The Caliph had in his hand the lock of the treasury. He placed it before him and said: "Open it with a miracle, then I will accept your prophethood." A woman sitting there also made such a claim [to prophethood]. It is astonishing that in these open times such ignorant claimants to prophethood find followers!

An anecdote: It so happened that a person was passing through a mental asylum. He saw there a well-dressed man with a turban and beard sitting calmly. The person spoke with him — conversed pleasantly — the scholar of that place said: "You speak so well and your knowledge is good — why then have they put you in the asylum?" The great ʿālim replied: "Because I said I am a prophet but the people did not accept me." — The second man mentioned there had a very dishevelled turban. When the person came to him, the second man said: "I am better — the one I just sent you to is a great liar because he was claiming prophethood — and I myself am the one who sent him, so when would he become a prophet?" I dispatched him — he came — so he was a prophet? Then in the end I myself made him one.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيرًا

Yā ayyuhā l-ladhīna āmanū udhkurū Llāha dhikran kathīrā.

"O you who believe! Remember Allah with much remembrance." (al-Aḥzāb 33:41)

Yā ayyuhā l-ladhīna āmanū — O you who believe! Udhkurū Llāha — remember Allah, do His dhikr. Dhikran kathīrā — much remembrance, very much.

Translation: O believers! Remember Allah abundantly.

Dear friends! Dhikr is the opposite of nisyān (forgetfulness) and ghafla (heedlessness) — remembrance is with the tongue and also with the heart. One person may have the name of Allah on his tongue yet the heart is devoid of His thought — yet that too is dhikr. Dhikr has types: dhikr-e-lisānī — verbal — meaning to say Allah's name on the tongue; dhikr-e-qalbī — of the heart — meaning to keep Allah's attention in the heart and mind; dhikr-e-rūḥānī — of the spirit — meaning the attention of the heart and spirit is taken entirely towards Allah. Verbal dhikr proceeds well — it is the taḥqīqī ẓikr of the heart that draws one further. With continuous dhikr a warmth is produced and the laziness and lethargy of the soul departs.

One who performs loud verbal dhikr (dhikr-e-jahrī) — for the people around him — produces in the first instance a rush of fervour and outcry. Then the silent dhikr (dhikr-e-khufyā) teaches a stillness and tranquillity of soul. Therefore, Allah Most High says: writing an Allah's name even one hundred thousand times is worth giving as zakāt (ṣadaqa) — some scholars state this. For details, consult Kashkūl — Hazrat Shah Kalīm Allāh Jahānābādī's work — and the statements of Hazrat Shah Jamīl Allāh, the Walī of Allah, and our Shaykhs, including Hazrat Shah Rafīʿ al-Dīn — of whatever lineage.

In any case: the one who remembers Allah is living, and the one who forgets Allah is dead, however much he may appear to be sitting alive.

Zindagī zinda-dilī kā nām hai — murda dil khāk jiyā karte hain

(Life is the name of a living heart — the heart that is dead, of what use is its living?)

وَسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا

Wa-sabbiḥūhu bukratan wa-aṣīlā.

"And glorify Him morning and evening." (al-Aḥzāb 33:42)

Wa-sabbiḥūhu — and glorify Him, do His tasbīḥ. Bukratan — it stands for namāz here — namāz being called the juzw (part) by the whole, just as it is said "qūmū li-Llāhi qānitīn" and "wa-rkāʿū maʿa l-rākiʿīn" — bukratan wa-aṣīlā — morning and evening — continuously throughout.

Translation: And perform glorification (and prayer) of Allah morning and evening.

هُوَ الَّذِي يُصَلِّي عَلَيْكُمْ وَمَلَائِكَتُهُ لِيُخْرِجَكُم مِّنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ ۚ وَكَانَ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَحِيمًا

Huwa l-ladhī yuṣallī ʿalaykum wa-malāʾikatuhu li-yukhrija-kum mina l-ẓulumāti ilā l-nūr — wa-kāna bi-l-muʾminīna raḥīmā.

"It is He who sends His blessings upon you, and His angels [as well], that He may bring you out from darkness into light — and He is Ever Merciful to the believers." (al-Aḥzāb 33:43)

Huwa l-ladhī yuṣallī ʿalaykum — He it is who sends His mercy upon you — close to the meaning of ṣalāt is nearness, because namāz is nearness to Allah and worship. Those who pray ṣalāt, their prayers are called by the name ṣalawāt — and the angels too send blessings and peace [upon you]. Wa-malāʾikatuhu — and His angels (when the word ṣalāt is attributed to Allah Most High it means sending mercy down; and when attributed to others, it means seeking mercy and intercession — Sayyuḍallī nārā — meaning those who are in Hell). Li-yukhrija-kum mina l-ẓulumāti ilā l-nūr — to bring you out from darkness towards light — meaning take you from the darkness of ignorance to the light of knowledge. Darkness (ẓulmat) is a symbol of ignorance, and light (nūr) of knowledge. The worst of darknesses is jahl-e-murakkab — compound ignorance — meaning to not believe in Allah or to claim partnership with Him, to reject the divine ordinances — that is shirk and kufr. After this, there are manifold troublesome things. Allah wants His servants to return to Him — that they remember Him, remain in His worship, and that they shed the vanities of the self and worship Him. Wa-kāna bi-l-muʾminīna raḥīmā — and Allah is very merciful to the Muslims and the believers.

Translation: It is He (Allah) who sends mercy upon you and the angels too seek mercy — [He does so] that He may take you out from darkness to light — and He is very merciful to the believers.

That He may bring you out from darkness and shadows to light — and He is very merciful to the Muslims.

تَحِيَّتُهُمْ يَوْمَ يَلْقَوْنَهُ سَلَامٌ ۚ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا كَرِيمًا

Taḥiyyatuhum yawma yalqawnahu salāmun — wa-aʿadda lahum ajran karīmā.

"Their greeting on the Day they meet Him will be: 'Peace!' — and He has prepared for them a noble reward." (al-Aḥzāb 33:44)

Taḥiyyatuhum — their greeting, their salutation — it means salāmat, the prayer for life and wellbeing. Yawma yalqawnahu — on the Day they come before His court, when they stand in His presence. Salāmun — they will address one another with salām. Wa-aʿadda lahum — and He has prepared for them. Ajran karīmān — a noble reward — ajr means recompense, and it is very great, with great honour.

Translation: On that day when they enter the Divine Court they will greet one another with salām — and Allah has established a great reward for them.

Dear friends! Today saying al-salāmu ʿalaykum is considered against fashion — large social gatherings call it "bad manners." And ordinary people have accepted this from the serpent's tongue of Europe. Truly Europe has bitten these people and we have died of its venom while they themselves have died. We are theirs in their debt. Those ordinary people say very little — al-salāmu ʿalaykum — the greetings of servitude and obedience and the Hindu greeting. What a pity — not a trace of Islamic culture remains. No Islamic civilization is left — no manners for Muslims — no customs or traditions for Muslims — neither what to eat nor how to sit — some people have even changed their names, so that they call themselves Ali's slave here and Muḥammad's slave there — "A.M." for short. When there is no religion, culture, or civilization in your heart, you are like a coloured European today, and tomorrow the colour of Hinduism will dominate you. Go slightly here, slightly there — in truth there is no place for them — these are the chanters of gold and silver without any standing. At every gathering they keep half their mouths in a beard and compel [themselves] to be subservient — look at their condition at the time of wealth and power — Allah has made you men and forces you to try to become a woman — in truth He has given you no honour in your own heart. When there is no honour in your heart, no one else will honour you — Allah will give honour to Muslims and self-respect, and will grant the self-respect of the self and character.

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ شَاهِدًا وَمُبَشِّرًا وَنَذِيرًا

Yā ayyuhā l-nabiyyu innā arsalnāka shāhidan wa-mubashshiran wa-nadhīrā.

"O Prophet! Indeed, We have sent you as a witness and a bearer of glad tidings and a warner." (al-Aḥzāb 33:45)

Yā ayyuhā l-nabiyyu — O Prophet! Nabīʾ — the original meaning is the one who brings news — Nab means a messenger. The author says:

The general meaning of nabī is — Innā arsalnāka — we have indeed sent you. Shāhidan — a witness — mashhūd — a witness and one seen. There are two kinds of witness: one who has the personal information and the second who is the witness observing from a third party, narrating what he has heard from others. The rule in law is that when the original witness is present, the secondary report upon hearing alone is not acceptable. Some people say that angels know all conditions and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ knows all conditions — we are all informed of those conditions. The full witness is the one who has himself observed — therefore the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is himself the observer. Hazrat Ghawth Pāk (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates one hadith: "Lā yushākku aḥadukum shawkatan illā wajadtu almahā" — "Not a thorn pricks any of you but I feel its pain" — in the Qurʾān Sharīf: ʿAzīzun ʿalayhi mā ʿanittum — "Dear to him is what distresses you" — meaning all those things which cause suffering to Muslims are difficult for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to bear. This is the sign of someone being the walī amr — the guardian — for whom every difficulty of the one he is responsible for causes him pain. A hadith says: if anyone sends one ṣalāt (blessings) upon the Prophet ﷺ, he receives mercy in return — a hadith also says: that Allah sends ten blessings upon whoever sends one blessing upon the Prophet ﷺ — in the world there are millions of Muslims who send blessings upon the Prophet of Allah ﷺ day and night and the Prophet ﷺ receives all those blessings. Some elders say: whoever comes to the house [of the Prophet ﷺ] and says al-salāmu ʿalaykum yā rasūla Llāh without conviction, it is as though he is addressing the walls — because the Prophet ﷺ is the most rafīʿ wa-ʿālī — exalted and supreme — his Highness is not lost in these wrongdoers. In reality his ﷺ love is not in the hearts of those who are materialists — because it has become known to us that in the world we can be honoured in visiting the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and can achieve the honour of his address. Those Muslim scholars who maintain a certain firmness and steadiness are to be admired — that they hold that spirituality is truer than a few things — if anyone comes to them, spirituality fills them from within. A young man once received a spiritual inspiration — he was an ordinary youth at the time — he had no particular qualifications — but he spoke English and French with great fluency and in Urdu too he was extremely eloquent. If this spirit wished to recite some lowly action, it would depart quickly — in a moment it would be gone in a perspiration. If it recited any ʿamalī ʿilmī action — some ʿalawī action — and recited a Qurʾānic verse, as it read the verse the spirit would remain and stay still. "Faqīr has nothing," said some, "a few things, some water for you to write — our Mawlānā told this spirit: Send greetings for eight days and it will depart and after the eighth day it will be well and the sick will recover."

It remained energetic and powerful — I had these verses [taʿwīdhāt] with me and was reciting them — Inna l-ladhīna fatanū l-muʾminīna wa-l-muʾmināti thumma lam yatūbū fa-lahum ʿadhābu jahannama wa-lahum ʿadhābu l-ḥarīq wa-Huwa l-Samīʿu l-ʿAlīm — Idfa ʿ bi-llatī hiya aḥsanu — Aʿūdhu bi-Rabbi l-falaq and Aʿūdhu bi-Rabbi l-nās — bi-ghayri ql [best reconstruction: without uttering] — in any case, whenever I was confronted with the spirits, by the grace of Allah and the elders of the religion after him (the Prophet ﷺ) and the buzurgān-e-dīn [the spiritual masters of religion], I would manage to get through. [This is a true incident.]

Wa-mubashshiran wa-nadhīrā — and one who gives glad tidings and one who warns.

Translation: O Prophet! We have sent you as witness and as one who gives glad tidings and as one who warns.

وَدَاعِيًا إِلَى اللَّهِ بِإِذْنِهِ وَسِرَاجًا مُّنِيرًا

Wa-dāʿiyan ilā Llāhi bi-idhnihi wa-sirājan munīrā.

"And as one who invites to Allah by His permission, and as a luminous lamp." (al-Aḥzāb 33:46)

Wa-dāʿiyan ilā Llāhi — and an inviter towards Allah — calling people to Allah. Bi-idhnihi — by His command, by His permission. Wa-sirājan munīrān — and a luminous lamp — the Prophet ﷺ was not a lamp that another lamp illuminates — he is an āftāb, a sun, of his own. From him, hundreds of thousands of ṣaḥābah lit their lamps of light — and those hundreds of thousands of ṣaḥābah lit the lamps of millions of the umma — and so to this day hundreds of millions have received imān and education, giving light to others and lighting the lamps of others, coming forward:

Diye se diyā yūṃ jaltā rahegā

(From lamp to lamp will this continue to burn.)

Translation: And by Allah's command, an inviter towards Him (an inviter towards Allah) and a luminous lamp.

وَبَشِّرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِأَنَّ لَهُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ فَضْلًا كَبِيرًا

Wa-bashshiri l-muʾminīna bi-anna lahum mina Llāhi faḍlan kabīrā.

"And give glad tidings to the believers that for them from Allah is a great bounty." (al-Aḥzāb 33:47)

Wa-bashshiri l-muʾminīna — and give the believers glad tidings, give them good news. Bi-anna lahum — that for them. Mina Llāhi — from Allah's side. Faḍlan kabīrān — a very great bounty.

Translation: And give the believers glad tidings and good news that from Allah's side a great bounty has been prepared for them.

Dear friends! Think of Allah's grace and generosity — these praises (naʿt) are always recited and we always celebrate them. And thanks to Allah's grace and generosity, every nation and community keeps reviving the memories of the events of its elders and following in its elders' footsteps — let us walk with them. Is celebrating Mīlād al-Nabī a bidʿa (innovation)? If that were a bidʿa, then going with Ādam ʿalayhi al-salām's household for celebrating it — and the Qurʾān is filled with it and the Qurʾān is filled with innovations — repent — the enmity of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ will keep you from religion in this world — khusra l-dunyā wa-l-ākhira.

We celebrate and thank Allah's generosity and mercy — and from this side of ours, celebrating this joy. The Qurʾān in another place: Wa-bi-faḍli Llāhi fa-l-yafraḥū — "At the grace of Allah let them rejoice." And with Allah's grace and generosity, to every nation and community, the author gives — reminding repeatedly of the events of their elders and walking in their elders' footsteps — is the new rule of rejoicing. If performing dhikr [of the Prophet ﷺ] is a bidʿa? If you go from Ādam ʿalayhi al-salām down, and take all the Prophets' progeny with you for faith in the nubuwwa — what objection do you have — as for the bidʿa of Islām: tawba — the enmity of the Messenger ﷺ will not hold the religion — khusra l-dunyā wa-l-ākhira.

وَلَا تُطِعِ الْكَافِرِينَ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ وَدَعْ أَذَاهُمْ وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِاللَّهِ وَكِيلًا

Wa-lā tuṭiʿi l-kāfirīna wa-l-munāfiqīna wa-daʿ adhāhum wa-tawakkal ʿalā Llāhi — wa-kafā bi-Llāhi wakīlā.

"And do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and disregard their harm, and rely upon Allah — and sufficient is Allah as Trustee." (al-Aḥzāb 33:48)

Wa-lā tuṭiʿi l-kāfirīna wa-l-munāfiqīna — and do not follow the commands of the disbelievers and hypocrites, do not listen to them. Wa-daʿ adhāhum — and leave their harassment, their annoyance — pay no heed to the harm they cause. Wa-tawakkal ʿalā Llāhi — and rely upon Allah alone, keep trust in Him. Wa-kafā bi-Llāhi wakīlā — and Allah alone is sufficient as Trustee — Allah is sufficient, your Guardian is only Allah — Allah is enough to take care of your matters.

Translation: (O Prophet!) Do not listen to the disbelievers and hypocrites even one word, do not heed their harassment — rely upon Allah alone, keep trust in Him — Allah is sufficient to take care of your affairs.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نَكَحْتُمُ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ ثُمَّ طَلَّقْتُمُوهُنَّ مِن قَبْلِ أَن تَمَسُّوهُنَّ فَمَا لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ عِدَّةٍ تَعْتَدُّونَهَا ۖ فَمَتِّعُوهُنَّ وَسَرِّحُوهُنَّ سَرَاحًا جَمِيلًا

Yā ayyuhā l-ladhīna āmanū idhā nakaḥtumu l-muʾmināti thumma ṭallaqtumūhunna min qabli an tamassūhunna fa-mā lakum ʿalayhinna min ʿiddatin taʿtaddūnahā — fa-mattaʿūhunna wa-sarriḥūhunna sarāḥan jamīlā.

"O you who believe! When you marry believing women and then divorce them before you have touched them, then there is no waiting period (ʿidda) for you to count upon them — so make provision for them and release them in a gracious manner." (al-Aḥzāb 33:49)

Yā ayyuhā l-ladhīna āmanū — O believers! Idhā nakaḥtumu l-muʾmināti — when you marry believing women. Thumma ṭallaqtumūhunna — then you give them divorce. Min qabli an tamassūhunna — before you have touched them — meaning before having physical relations. Fa-mā lakum ʿalayhinna min ʿiddatin taʿtaddūnahā — then there is no ʿidda (ʿidda = waiting period) which you can count as your right over them — meaning: the woman who is divorced without consummation — ʿidda is for her to determine whether she is pregnant. When she was not touched at all, then ʿidda is not even appropriate. Hence there is no ʿidda. Fa-mattaʿūhunna — then provide for them something — give them some things. Wa-sarriḥūhunna sarāḥan jamīlā — and send them away nicely, depart with them in a fine manner — sending away graciously.

Translation: O believers! When you marry believing women and then divorce them before having relations — thereafter there is no ʿidda for you to count upon them — give them something and send them off graciously.

[Commentary on the ʿIdda and Permissible Marriage Allocations for the Prophet ﷺ]

Clarify that if mahr was not fixed (muʿayyan) and the woman was not touched, then the full mahr is not obligatory — only to give one set of garments (juṛā kapṛe) is sufficient. If mahr was fixed and she was taken as a wife yet before consummation she was given divorce, then khalwat-e-ṣaḥīḥa (valid seclusion) would have occurred — khalwat-e-ṣaḥīḥa is sufficient so that the full mahr is to be given. If there was no physical relation at all, in this place there was no physical consummation, but [best reconstruction: the marriage contract was validly effected] then the full mahr must be paid — it is the husband's deficiency.

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِنَّا أَحْلَلْنَا لَكَ أَزْوَاجَكَ الَّاتِي آتَيْتَ أُجُورَهُنَّ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ يَمِينُكَ مِمَّا أَفَاءَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ وَبَنَاتِ عَمِّكَ وَبَنَاتِ عَمَّاتِكَ وَبَنَاتِ خَالِكَ وَبَنَاتِ خَالَاتِكَ الَّاتِي هَاجَرْنَ مَعَكَ وَامْرَأَةً مُّؤْمِنَةً إِن وَهَبَتْ نَفْسَهَا لِلنَّبِيِّ إِنْ أَرَادَ النَّبِيُّ أَن يَسْتَنكِحَهَا خَالِصَةً لَّكَ مِن دُونِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۗ قَدْ عَلِمْنَا مَا فَرَضْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ فِي أَزْوَاجِهِمْ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُمْ لِكَيْلَا يَكُونَ عَلَيْكَ حَرَجٌ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا

Yā ayyuhā l-nabiyyu innā aḥlalnā laka azwājaka l-lātī ātayta ujūrahunna wa-mā malakat yamīnuka mimmā afāʾa Llāhu ʿalayka wa-banāti ʿammika wa-banāti ʿammātika wa-banāti khālika wa-banāti khālātika l-lātī hājarna maʿaka wa-mraʾatan muʾminatan in wahabat nafsahā li-l-nabiyyi in arāda l-nabiyyu an yastankiḥahā — khāliṣatan laka min dūni l-muʾminīna — qad ʿalimnā mā faraḍnā ʿalayhim fī azwājihim wa-mā malakat aymānuhum li-kaylā yakūna ʿalayka ḥarajun — wa-kāna Llāhu ghafūran raḥīmā.

"O Prophet! Indeed, We have made lawful for you your wives to whom you have given their bridal gifts, and those whom your right hand possesses of what Allah has restored to you [from the enemy], and the daughters of your paternal uncles and the daughters of your paternal aunts and the daughters of your maternal uncles and the daughters of your maternal aunts who emigrated with you, and a believing woman who offers herself to the Prophet — if the Prophet wishes to marry her — as a privilege for you only, not for other believers. We have already known what We have made obligatory upon them regarding their wives and those whom their right hands possess — so that there will be no difficulty upon you. And Allah is Ever Forgiving, Ever Merciful." (al-Aḥzāb 33:50)

Yā ayyuhā l-nabiyyu — O Prophet! Innā aḥlalnā laka — indeed We have made lawful for you. Azwājaka — your wives — those whom you have given their mahr. Al-lātī ātayta ujūrahunna — those to whom you have paid their bridal gifts. Wa-mā malakat yamīnuka — and the slave-girls and captives which your right hand possesses. Mimmā afāʾa Llāhu ʿalayka — from the war-spoils (māl-e-ghanīmat) which Allah has given to you. Fayʾan fayʾan — war-spoils. Fa-āyan — he who comes back; returning to you — meaning those captives from the kuffār who have been brought to you. Then after this: Wa-banāti ʿammika — and your paternal uncles' daughters; these too are lawful for you — wa-banāti ʿammātika — and your paternal aunts' daughters; wa-banāti khālika — and your maternal uncles' daughters; wa-banāti khālātika — and your maternal aunts' daughters — al-lātī hājarna maʿaka — those who migrated with you, those daughters of your relations who made hijra with you. Wa-mraʾatan muʾminat — and a believing woman also — in wahabat nafsahā li-l-nabiyyi — if she presents herself to the Prophet ﷺ, if she gave herself. In arāda l-nabiyyu an yastankiḥahā — if the Prophet ﷺ wishes to marry her.

Translation: O Prophet! We have made lawful for you: the wives whose mahr you have paid, and the slave-girls (who are your lawful possessions) which Allah has given you as spoils of war, and your paternal uncles' daughters and your paternal aunts' daughters and your maternal uncles' daughters and your maternal aunts' daughters who migrated with you — and also that believing woman who presented herself to the Prophet ﷺ, if the Prophet ﷺ wishes to marry her — this permission is for you alone, not for other Muslims. We know well what We have ordained for them regarding their wives and slave-girls — so that no difficulty should fall upon you — and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

In wahabat nafsahā li-l-nabiyyi — if she gave herself to the Prophet ﷺ — some people say: without a mahr the Prophet ﷺ's wife would not accept. Provided the Prophet ﷺ wished to make her his wife — khāliṣatan laka min dūni l-muʾminīna — this is specifically for you, not for other Muslims. Qad ʿalimnā mā faraḍnā ʿalayhim — We know well the ordinances We have imposed upon others. Fī azwājihim wa-mā malakat aymānuhum — We have set forth what is determined for their wives and slave-girls. Li-kaylā yakūna ʿalayka ḥarajun — so that no difficulty befalls you. Wa-kāna Llāhu ghafūran raḥīmā — and Allah is Most Forgiving and Merciful — a great pardoner, very kind.

Translation: O Prophet! We have made lawful for you the wives for whom you have paid the mahr and the slave-girls (your lawful possessions) whom Allah Most High has given you as spoils of war — (also lawful for you) are the daughters of your paternal uncles and aunts and your maternal uncles' daughters and aunts' daughters who migrated with you (they are lawful), and that Muslim woman (also lawful for you) who gave herself to the Prophet ﷺ — if the Prophet ﷺ wishes to marry her — these (permissions) are specifically for you, not for other Muslims. We know well what We have ordained for them regarding their wives and slave-girls — so that no difficulty should fall upon you — and Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Dear friends! It was the time of the last age of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. When the Prophet ﷺ married Bibi Khadīja al-Kubrā, Hazrat ﷺ was twenty-five years old and Bibi Khadīja (may Allah be pleased with her) was forty years old — at that time he passed all his youth with Bibi Khadīja. When Bibi Khadīja passed away, Hazrat ﷺ was fifty years old — that period had passed. The era of his life passed like this — he was generally a stranger to others in his own tribe, particularly the Quraysh — they held him in great respect because the people of that tribe did not consider the individuals of his tribe as worth knowing. Hazrat ﷺ sent this counsel to him and [Allah] gave permission that from wives he keep those he wished in his house and send those he wished elsewhere. Hazrat ﷺ kept all his wives in his house. Every day there was a turn for one wife — Hazrat ﷺ was in Bibi ʿĀʾisha's house when afflicted with the illness of death — general Muslims cannot keep more than four wives — the Prophet ﷺ cannot be compared on the basis of opinion with others — Dāwūd ʿalayhi al-salām had those many wives and other Prophets had numerous wives. Hazrat [the Prophet] ﷺ had a thousand narratives — Karshan jī — in one night he visited an old and aged widow, then Hazrat ﷺ went to the next, benefiting the household. The Prophet ﷺ objection about other Prophets having four wives and he himself having the means — Muslims have permission for four wives — give up four, and make a nikāḥ with another — but Hazrat ﷺ could not marry any other woman beyond those existing. It is one kind of restriction — a type of expansion is also there for the Prophet ﷺ's general welfare. He would always keep a check on shirk and give a smaller portion to shirk. If Muslims are permitted to have four wives — the Hindu religion too allows more — in that great battle a pāṇḍū had five brothers and Draupadi was the one wife of all five — in this world there are millions of men being killed, and in the town there are crores of women without husbands — if the permission for plurality of marriage is not given, then these women are like bastards — they will fill the world with illegitimate and illegal children.

The Prophet ﷺ's wives were given permission — they were given the permission to confine him — yet if they could not bear the difficulty, the Prophet ﷺ said they could choose. But the pure wives, [choosing between] the Prophet ﷺ and the world — they chose the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and chose contentment and poverty — and they became Ummahāt al-Muʾminīn — meaning the mothers of all Muslims. Meaning: after the Prophet ﷺ's passing, no one can marry any of his wives.

Kār-e-pākān rā qiyās az khud magīr

Gar che bāshad dar nūshtan shīr-shīr

Shīr ān bāshad ki andar bādiha

Shīr ān bāshad ki mardumī khūrad

(Do not judge the actions of the pure ones by your own standards — though the writing be "lion-lion" — the lion that is found in wine is a lion indeed, and the lion that devours men is also a lion.)

Shīr ān bāshad ki mardumī mi-khūrad — O fools! Stop objecting to the Prophets and ruin not your religion — enter not the fire and al-saqar.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَدْخُلُوا بُيُوتَ النَّبِيِّ إِلَّا أَن يُؤْذَنَ لَكُمْ إِلَىٰ طَعَامٍ غَيْرَ نَاظِرِينَ إِنَاهُ وَلَٰكِنْ إِذَا دُعِيتُمْ فَادْخُلُوا فَإِذَا طَعِمْتُمْ فَانتَشِرُوا وَلَا مُسْتَأْنِسِينَ لِحَدِيثٍ ۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكُمْ كَانَ يُؤْذِي النَّبِيَّ فَيَسْتَحْيِي مِنكُمْ ۖ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَسْتَحْيِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ ۚ وَإِذَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُنَّ مَتَاعًا فَاسْأَلُوهُنَّ مِن وَرَاءِ حِجَابٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ أَطْهَرُ لِقُلُوبِكُمْ وَقُلُوبِهِنَّ ۚ وَمَا كَانَ لَكُمْ أَن تُؤْذُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَلَا أَن تَنكِحُوا أَزْوَاجَهُ مِن بَعْدِهِ أَبَدًا ۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكُمْ كَانَ عِندَ اللَّهِ عَظِيمًا

Yā ayyuhā l-ladhīna āmanū lā tadkhulū buyūta l-nabiyyi illā an yuʾdhana lakum ilā ṭaʿāmin ghayra nāẓirīna ināhu wa-lākin idhā duʿītum fa-dkhulū fa-idhā ṭaʿimtum fa-ntashirū wa-lā mustāʾnisīna li-ḥadīth — inna dhālikum kāna yuʾdhī l-nabiyya fa-yastaḥyī minkum — wa-Llāhu lā yastaḥyī mina l-ḥaqqi — wa-idhā saʾaltumūhunna matāʿan fa-s'alūhunna min warāʾi ḥijāb — dhālikum aṭharu li-qulūbikum wa-qulūbihinna — wa-mā kāna lakum an tuʾdhū rasūla Llāhi wa-lā an tankiḥū azwājahu min baʿdihi abadan — inna dhālikum kāna ʿinda Llāhi ʿaẓīmā.

"O you who believe! Do not enter the houses of the Prophet except when you have been given permission for a meal, not waiting for its preparation. But when you are invited, enter; and when you have eaten, disperse, and do not seek to remain for conversation — indeed, that was troubling the Prophet and he was shy of [dismissing] you, but Allah is not shy of the truth. And when you ask [his wives] for something, ask them from behind a screen — that is purer for your hearts and their hearts. And it is not [lawful] for you to harm the Messenger of Allah or to ever marry his wives after him — indeed, that would be, in the sight of Allah, an enormity." (al-Aḥzāb 33:53)

Yā ayyuhā l-ladhīna āmanū — O believers! Lā tadkhulū buyūta l-nabiyyi — do not enter the Prophet ﷺ's houses — do not go inside. Illā an yuʾdhana lakum — except when permission is given to you — a command is given — ilā ṭaʿāmin — for food, to eat. Ghayra nāẓirīna ināhu — but do not keep staring at the plates — wait at the door expecting. Wa-lākin idhā duʿītum — but when you are invited, they call you to come inside. Fa-idhā ṭaʿimtum fa-ntashirū — then when you have eaten, go away — scatter and go to your homes. Wa-lā mustāʾnisīna li-ḥadīth — and do not sit lingering in conversation — do not talk idly. Inna dhālikum kāna yuʾdhī l-nabiyya — because surely this is a nuisance for the Prophet ﷺ — this is troublesome to him. Fa-yastaḥyī minkum — and he is shy before you — but he maintains your consideration — the Prophet ﷺ would not say anything but your consideration demanded restraint. Wa-Llāhu lā yastaḥyī mina l-ḥaqqi — and Allah does not refrain from saying the truth — it is not in Allah's practice to be shy of saying true things. Your consideration for the Prophet ﷺ means he would not rebuke you. Wa-idhā saʾaltumūhunna matāʿan — and when you ask [his wives] for something. Fa-s'alūhunna min warāʾi ḥijāb — ask them from behind a veil — ask from behind the curtain.

Look! The command is that the Prophet ﷺ's wives who are the mothers of all Muslims — ask them for something from behind a curtain — this is also a right of women to sit with men — especially since:

Kaṭī coṭiyān sab kī fashon ke hāthon — Pas ab nāk katne kī taiyāriān hain

(The braids of all have been cut at the hands of fashion — now preparations are being made to cut the nose)

Dhālikum aṭharu li-qulūbikum wa-qulūbihinna — this is a more purifying thing for your hearts and for their hearts — this is the way to the purity of hearts. Through this the heart remains pure. Wa-mā kāna lakum — and you have no right. An tuʾdhū rasūla Llāhi — to give harm to the Messenger of Allah — to send trouble to him. Wa-lā an tankiḥū azwājahu — and nor are you permitted to marry the Prophet's ﷺ wives — min baʿdihi abadan — after his passing, ever. Inna dhālikum kāna ʿinda Llāhi ʿaẓīmā — this matter with Allah is very great — this is a terrible act, a grave sin.

Translation: O believers! Do not enter the Prophet ﷺ's houses — but you may be given permission when you are invited — when invited, go inside — then when you have eaten, go away (bi-khush) — do not sit lingering in conversation (and go home) — this is troublesome for the Prophet ﷺ — but he considers your feelings (and says nothing to you). Allah does not refrain from saying the truth — your consideration. If you need something from those (wives), ask from behind a curtain — this is an excellent way to purify your hearts and their hearts — you may not give harm to the Messenger of Allah's ﷺ messenger — nor after him may you ever marry his wives — this matter with Allah is a grave sin.

إِن تُبْدُوا شَيْئًا أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمًا

In tubdū shayʾan aw tukhfūhu fa-inna Llāha kāna bi-kulli shayʾin ʿalīmā.

"Whether you reveal a thing or conceal it — indeed, Allah has knowledge of all things." (al-Aḥzāb 33:54)

In tubdū shayʾan — if you make anything manifest — show it openly. Aw tukhfūhu — or hide it, keep it concealed. Fa-inna Llāha kāna bi-kulli shayʾin ʿalīmān — then indeed Allah knows all things — Allah knows every thing well.

Translation: If you reveal something or conceal it — Allah knows all things.

لَّا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِنَّ فِي آبَائِهِنَّ وَلَا أَبْنَائِهِنَّ وَلَا إِخْوَانِهِنَّ وَلَا أَبْنَاءِ إِخْوَانِهِنَّ

Lā junāḥa ʿalayhinna fī ābāʾihinna wa-lā abnāʾihinna wa-lā ikhwānihinna wa-lā abnāʾi ikhwānihinna.

"There is no blame upon them [the Prophet's wives] regarding their fathers, their sons, their brothers, or their brothers' sons." (al-Aḥzāb 33:55)

وَلَا أَبْنَاءِ أَخَوَاتِهِنَّ وَلَا نِسَائِهِنَّ وَلَا مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُنَّ ۗ وَاتَّقِينَ اللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدًا

Wa-lā abnāʾi akhawātihinna wa-lā nisāʾihinna wa-lā mā malakat aymānuhunna — wa-ttaqīna Llāha — inna Llāha kāna ʿalā kulli shayʾin shahīdā.

"And their sisters' sons, and their women, and those [slaves] whom their right hands possess — and let them fear Allah — indeed, Allah is Ever Witness over all things." (al-Aḥzāb 33:55)

Lā junāḥa ʿalayhinna — there is no sin upon these women. Fī ābāʾihinna — regarding their fathers, and concerning the fathers and grandfathers. Wa-lā abnāʾihinna — and nor regarding their sons, those related to sons. Wa-lā ikhwānihinna — and nor regarding brothers; wa-lā abnāʾi ikhwānihinna — and nor regarding the sons of brothers; and not regarding the sons of sisters; wa-lā nisāʾihinna — and not regarding their own women; and not regarding the slave-girls whose hand has been taken — because there is no mafāsidat (ill occasion) in their coming before these women to serve them. Wa-ttaqīna Llāha — and fear Allah — and also guard yourselves from Allah's wrath, protect yourselves from His anger. Inna Llāha kāna ʿalā kulli shayʾin shahīdān — undoubtedly Allah sees all things well — He is present and watching — there is nothing hidden from Him.

Translation: (For the Prophet ﷺ's wives) there is no sin in their own fathers and their sons, and in their brothers and brothers' sons and sisters' sons and their own women and their slave-girls — and fear Allah — Allah knows all things well.

إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا

Inna Llāha wa-malāʾikatahu yuṣallūna ʿalā l-nabiyyi — yā ayyuhā l-ladhīna āmanū ṣallū ʿalayhi wa-sallimū taslīmā.

"Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet — O you who believe! Send blessings upon him and greet him with a worthy salutation." (al-Aḥzāb 33:56)

Inna Llāha — undoubtedly Allah. Wa-malāʾikatahu — and His angels. Yuṣallūna — send blessings and seek mercy. I have written here that the meaning of ṣalāt is nearness — ṣalawāt have two sides, for they say in the ṣalawāt: muṣallī ghūṛa — the horse of the front runner — and those horses of the next are near the first horse's side — so ṣalāt means to draw near to Allah, and to send blessings and peace is the meaning when attributed to the angels and the act of sending ṣalawāt means to implore nearness to Allah — ʿalā l-nabiyyi — upon the Prophet ﷺ. Yā ayyuhā l-ladhīna āmanū — O believers! Ṣallū ʿalayhi — send blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ — do the duʿāʾ of drawing near to Allah. Wa-sallimū — and send salutation — do the duʿāʾ of salāmat. Taslīmān — salutation — mujallā — ghūṛa — first horse — muṣallā — second horse.

Translation: Certainly Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ — O believers! You too send blessings and salutation upon them — send much ṣalāt and salām well.

Dear friends! Ṣallū is a compulsory command (amr wājib) and an unavoidable obligation — the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has stated: "Inna awlā l-nāsi bī akthuruhum ʿalayya ṣalātan" — "The closest of all people to me is the one who sends the most blessings upon me." Hazrat ﷺ also stated: "bi-ḥasabi l-marʾi mina l-bukhl an lā yuṣallī ʿindī wa-lā yabkhalu bi-dhikrī" — meaning it is miserliness for a person to come to my mention and not send blessings upon me — and he ﷺ also said: "Man ṣallā ʿalayya ṣalātan wāḥidatan katabat lahu ʿashr ḥasanāt wa-muḥiyyat ʿanhu ʿashr sayyiʾāt" — "Whoever sends one blessing upon me, ten good deeds are recorded for him and ten sins are erased" — meaning whoever sends one blessing upon me, Allah sends ten blessings upon him, and ten sins are removed for him.

The rule of the world is that the person who wants to draw one as one's friend remembers that person frequently — you consider the Messenger of Allah ﷺ your friend and keep them as your beloved — then recite blessings and send ṣalāt day and night — in sending blessings and salāt there is only the Prophet ﷺ's name — not even Allah's name — recite blessings and you will remember Allah too — it will be remembered through the Prophet's relationship as well.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ لَعَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ عَذَابًا مُّهِينًا

Inna l-ladhīna yuʾdhūna Llāha wa-rasūlahu laʿanahumu Llāhu fī l-dunyā wa-l-ākhirati wa-aʿadda lahum ʿadhāban muhīnā.

"Indeed, those who harm Allah and His Messenger — Allah has cursed them in this world and the Hereafter, and has prepared for them a humiliating punishment." (al-Aḥzāb 33:57)

Inna l-ladhīna yuʾdhūna Llāha wa-rasūlahu — those people who cause harm to Allah and the Messenger ﷺ — in their words the sin is apparent — because how can anyone cause harm to Allah? The meaning is clear: the one who says something indecent and offensive about the Prophet ﷺ — laʿanahumu Llāhu fī l-dunyā wa-l-ākhirati — Allah has cursed them in this world and the next — and cursing the Prophet ﷺ is also considered as harming Allah Himself. They say "Wayḥaka anā ʿabdun min ʿabīdi Muḥammadin" — woe to you, I am from among the servants of Muḥammad ﷺ. Hazrat Fārūq Aʿẓam (may Allah be pleased with him) states in his first sermon: "Kuntu ʿabdahā wa-khādimahā" — I was his servant and also his attendant. When the lion of Allah and the lion of the Messenger ﷺ are proud of being a servant of the Prophet ﷺ, what will be the state of those misfortunes who think calling oneself a ʿabd al-nabī (servant of the Prophet) and a ghulām-e-Muḥammad (slave of Muḥammad) is shirk — and the people who call ʿAbdu l-nabī and Ghulām Muḥammad [as names] to be shirk?

Ke khāk-e-dars-e-niyyat-e-khāk bar sarā

(That the dust of the threshold of sincerity falls upon the head)

Muḥammad ﷺ's servitude and obedience to Allah means that we are proud to be a slave of God — lā ḥawla wa-lā quwwata illā bi-Llāh — it is apparent that Allah created no one as someone else's property — here the meaning of ʿabd (servant) and farmānbardār (obedient) is the one who follows orders. What pride for us as a Muslim that we will always be proud to be a slave of Muḥammad ﷺ! The sinners are those who call the Prophet ﷺ's obedience unacceptable. Laʿanahumu Llāhu fī l-dunyā wa-l-ākhirati — (of the sinners) Allah curses them in this world and the Hereafter. Wa-aʿadda lahum ʿadhāban muhīnān — and for them He has prepared an insulting and humiliating punishment.

Translation: Those who give harm to Allah and the Messenger ﷺ — Allah curses them in this world and the Hereafter — and for them He has prepared a punishment of disgrace and humiliation.

وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ بِغَيْرِ مَا اكْتَسَبُوا فَقَدِ احْتَمَلُوا بُهْتَانًا وَإِثْمًا مُّبِينًا

Wa-l-ladhīna yuʾdhūna l-muʾminīna wa-l-muʾmināti bi-ghayri mā ktasabū fa-qad iḥtamalū buhtānan wa-ithman mubīnā.

"And those who harm believing men and women without cause — they have indeed carried the burden of false accusation and a manifest sin." (al-Aḥzāb 33:58)

Wa-l-ladhīna yuʾdhūna l-muʾminīna wa-l-muʾmināt — and those people who cause harm to believing men and women. Bi-ghayri mā ktasabū — without cause — without any reason they have done this. Fa-qad iḥtamalū — they have laid it upon themselves — accepted it. Buhtānan — a falsehood — a clear lie. Wa-ithman mubīnā — a manifest sin — a clear and open sin.

Translation: And those who harm believing men and women — while they have done nothing — then they are placing accusations upon them (insults) and openly taking the burden of sin upon themselves.

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُل لِّأَزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِن جَلَابِيبِهِنَّ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَدْنَىٰ أَن يُعْرَفْنَ فَلَا يُؤْذَيْنَ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا

Yā ayyuhā l-nabiyyu qul li-azwājika wa-banātika wa-nisāʾi l-muʾminīna yudnīna ʿalayhinna min jalābībihinna — dhālika adnā an yuʿrafna fa-lā yuʾdhayna — wa-kāna Llāhu ghafūran raḥīmā.

"O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their outer garments close about themselves — that is most suitable so that they will be recognised and not harmed. And Allah is Ever Forgiving, Ever Merciful." (al-Aḥzāb 33:59)

Yā ayyuhā l-nabiyyu — O Prophet! Qul — say — li-azwājika — to your wives. Wa-banātika — and to your daughters. Wa-nisāʾi l-muʾminīna — and the Muslim women. Yudnīna ʿalayhinna — pull tightly over themselves — take a firm grasp. Min jalābībihinna — of their own cloaks (chādaron). Dhālika adnā an yuʿrafna — this is near to making them recognised, close to the cause that they will be known — so that they will be identified as honourable women and will not be harmed. Fa-lā yuʾdhayna — and disgraceful people cannot cause them harm. Wa-kāna Llāhu ghafūran raḥīmān — and Allah is Forgiving and Merciful — the Forgiving and Merciful Lord.

Translation: O Prophet! Tell your wives and daughters and Muslim women to pull their cloaks firmly over their bodies — this is close to [ensuring] that they are recognised as honourable women and bad-mannered people cannot harm them — and Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Dear friends! The parda (covering) issue has gained much importance today — the condition of Muslim women's name has become this: that kaiʾī (several) women come wearing trousers and blāuz (blouse), and both sinah (chest) and mouth (face) are open and bare — to remain in front in a moving vehicle is common — from God's side a few sacred bonds were [set up] — purchased and sold in shops — to talk to doctors is an ordinary matter — what is necessary to be present with their own husbands alongside — to recommend for travel — such women are also available to them — to watch their performances — the darzī (tailor) near them, to have measurements taken and the waist pulled in — wife and daughters taken to the cinema — and they perform for them and some ḥayyāʾ (modesty) to those women — the result of this is the fire of divine wrath descending and the heart becomes heated — the wise and those who keep their eyes open — it is no small wonder for us. Our task is to keep far off the things against Islamic culture and civilization and to keep at a distance — if you see the result of this in their punishment — it is astonishing that Muslim women are not observed by men in parda — and Hindu women are beginning to be in parda. Akbar Allāhābādī truly said: the pardah-nishīn women are better than those who keep their faces uncovered before strange men — and this matter also seems strange to the mind of a rational person.

Ḍrāmah mein jab laṛke kām karte hain laṛkiyān — to kyā zanāna kām adā kāriān hain

Bhalā haiz-linon se kyon kar chhupein gī — jo chehron se ẓāhir sipāhiān hain

(When boys perform women's roles in drama — are those then female performers? Why would they hide themselves from those who display their faces as soldiers?)

لَّئِن لَّمْ يَنتَهِ الْمُنَافِقُونَ وَالَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ وَالْمُرْجِفُونَ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ لَنُغْرِيَنَّكَ بِهِمْ ثُمَّ لَا يُجَاوِرُونَكَ فِيهَا إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

La-in lam yantahi l-munāfiqūna wa-l-ladhīna fī qulūbihim maraḍun wa-l-murjifūna fī l-madīnati la-nughriyannaka bihim thumma lā yujāwirūnaka fīhā illā qalīlā.

"If the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is disease and the rumour-mongers in the city do not desist, We will certainly urge you against them, then they will not remain your neighbours in it except for a little while." (al-Aḥzāb 33:60)

La-in lam yantahi l-munāfiqūna — if the hypocrites do not desist. Wa-l-ladhīna fī qulūbihim maraḍun — and those whose hearts carry the disease of nifāq (hypocrisy) — their intentions are impure. Wa-l-murjifūna fī l-madīnati — and those who in Madīna spread false rumours and raise troublesome news. La-nughriyannaka bihim — We will certainly set you upon them — lam-nughriyanna — We will make them subservient. Thumma lā yujāwirūnaka fīhā illā qalīlā — then they will not be able to remain with you in Madīna — they will flee — illā qalīlān — but a few vile and contemptible people will remain.

We will set you upon them — then these hypocrites will not be able to remain near you in Madīna — they will run — illā qalīlān — but it happened that the hypocrites fled from Madīna. Disgraceful and humiliated they remained.

Translation: If the hypocrites and those with the disease of hypocrisy in their hearts and those who spread false rumours in Madīna do not cease — We will set you upon them — and they will not remain with your Madīna — but a few for only a short while.

مَّلْعُونِينَ ۖ أَيْنَمَا ثُقِفُوا أُخِذُوا وَقُتِّلُوا تَقْتِيلًا

Malʿūnīna — aynamā thuqifū ukhidhū wa-quttilū taqtīlā.

"Accursed — wherever they are found they will be seized and killed completely." (al-Aḥzāb 33:61)

Malʿūnīna — they are accursed — they have been cast far from Allah's mercy. Aynamā thuqifū — wherever they are found. Ukhidhū — they will be seized, arrested. Wa-quttilū taqtīlān — and they will be killed utterly — struck down and scattered in pieces.

Translation: These accursed ones — wherever they are found they will be seized and excellently struck down and will be killed.

سُنَّةَ اللَّهِ فِي الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِن قَبْلُ ۖ وَلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّةِ اللَّهِ تَبْدِيلًا

Sunnata Llāhi fī l-ladhīna khalaw min qablu — wa-lan tajida li-sunnati Llāhi tabdīlā.

"This is the way of Allah with those who passed away before — and you will never find in the way of Allah any change." (al-Aḥzāb 33:62)

Sunnata Llāhi — this is the way of Allah. Fī l-ladhīna khalaw min qablu — those who have gone before — relating to those people [who passed] before. Wa-lan tajida li-sunnati Llāhi tabdīlān — and you will find no change in Allah's established way — you will not abandon your own way that Allah has given.

Translation: This is Allah's way and this is the same method with those who have passed before — (O addressed one) you will not find that Allah has changed His way.

يَسْأَلُكَ النَّاسُ عَنِ السَّاعَةِ ۖ قُلْ إِنَّمَا عِلْمُهَا عِندَ اللَّهِ ۚ وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّ السَّاعَةَ تَكُونُ قَرِيبًا

Yasʾaluka l-nāsu ʿani l-sāʿati — qul innamā ʿilmuhā ʿinda Llāhi — wa-mā yudrīka laʿalla l-sāʿata takūnu qarībā.

"The people ask you about the Hour — say: knowledge of it is only with Allah — and what would make you know? Perhaps the Hour is near." (al-Aḥzāb 33:63)

Yasʾaluka l-nāsu ʿani l-sāʿati — the people ask you about the Day of Judgement. Qul — say to them — innamā ʿilmuhā ʿinda Llāhi — its knowledge is only with Allah. Wa-mā yudrīka — and what do you know? — laʿalla l-sāʿata — perhaps the Day of Judgement. Takūnu qarībā — may be near — it is possible the Day of Judgement is almost at hand.

Translation: The people ask you about the Day of Judgement — tell them: its knowledge is only with Allah — and you do not know what is known — it is possible that the Day of Judgement is very near.

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَعَنَ الْكَافِرِينَ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ سَعِيرًا

Inna Llāha laʿana l-kāfirīna wa-aʿadda lahum saʿīrā.

"Indeed, Allah has cursed the disbelievers and has prepared for them a blazing Fire." (al-Aḥzāb 33:64)

Inna Llāha laʿana l-kāfirīna — undoubtedly Allah curses the disbelievers — He distances them from His mercy, keeping them away. Wa-aʿadda lahum — and has prepared for them. Saʿīrān — a blazing Fire — jahannam, the fire — the burning consuming fire.

Translation: Allah curses the disbelievers and for them He has kindled the fire of jahannam.

خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا ۖ لَّا يَجِدُونَ وَلِيًّا وَلَا نَصِيرًا

Khālidīna fīhā abadan — lā yajidūna waliyyan wa-lā naṣīrā.

"They will abide therein forever — they will find no protector and no helper." (al-Aḥzāb 33:65)

Khālidīna fīhā abadan — they will remain in that fire forever. Lā yajidūna — they will not find. Waliyyan wa-lā naṣīrān — neither a friend nor any helper giving succour — no caring beloved, no helper and supporter.

Translation: (In the fire) they will remain forever — they will find no friend and no helper.

يَوْمَ تُقَلَّبُ وُجُوهُهُمْ فِي النَّارِ يَقُولُونَ يَا لَيْتَنَا أَطَعْنَا اللَّهَ وَأَطَعْنَا الرَّسُولَا

Yawma tuqallabu wujūhuhum fī l-nāri yaqūlūna yā laytanā aṭaʿnā Llāha wa-aṭaʿnā l-rasūlā.

"The Day their faces are turned over in the Fire, they will say: 'Oh! If only we had obeyed Allah and obeyed the Messenger!'" (al-Aḥzāb 33:66)

Yawma tuqallabu — the time when they will be turned over and tossed — wujūhuhum — their faces — fī l-nāri — in the Fire — yaʿnī fī l-nār — they will be in Hell — when they are writhing in it they will sometimes turn this way and sometimes that. Yaqūlūna — they will say. Yā laytanā — would that we had — aṭaʿnā Llāha — obeyed Allah, followed His commands — wa-aṭaʿnā l-rasūlā — and obeyed the Prophet ﷺ. Rasūlā — the state of the Prophet ﷺ is always in alif and waṣl — only in the state of alif and waṣl is it written.

Translation: Remember that day when in the fire they will be turned — they will say: if only we had obeyed Allah and the Prophet ﷺ's obedience.

وَقَالُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّا أَطَعْنَا سَادَتَنَا وَكُبَرَاءَنَا فَأَضَلُّونَا السَّبِيلَا

Wa-qālū rabbanā innā aṭaʿnā sādatanā wa-kubarāʾanā fa-aḍallūnā l-sabīlā.

"And they will say: 'Our Lord! Indeed, we obeyed our masters and our elders, and they led us astray from the way.'" (al-Aḥzāb 33:67)

Wa-qālū — and they also said. Rabbanā — our Lord! Innā aṭaʿnā — we obeyed. Sādatanā — our masters. Wa-kubarāʾanā — the elders. Fa-aḍallūnā l-sabīlā — so they led us astray from the path — they turned us from the straight path.

Then they will say: Rabbī — our Lord! — we obeyed our masters and our leaders — Sādatanā — our elders — wa-kubarāʾanā — our big men — fa-aḍallūnā l-sabīlā — so they led us astray from the way — they made the straight path crooked — kept us from the right way. — al-sabīlā — the path; I myself am also in a halting (waqf) state — in the state of alif and waṣl only it is to be read.

Translation: They will say: O our Lord! We obeyed our masters and our elders and they led us astray from the path (and led us astray from the right way).

رَبَّنَا آتِهِمْ ضِعْفَيْنِ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ وَالْعَنْهُمْ لَعْنًا كَبِيرًا

Rabbanā ātihim ḍiʿfayni mina l-ʿadhābi wa-lʿanhum laʿnan kabīrā.

"Our Lord! Give them double punishment and curse them with a mighty curse." (al-Aḥzāb 33:68)

Rabbanā — our Lord! Ātihim — give them. Ḍiʿfayni — double — mina l-ʿadhābi — of punishment — two doubling punishments upon them — one for their disobedience and the second for leading others astray. Wa-lʿanhum — and great cursing of them — a very great curse. Laʿnan kabīrān — driving them from the dignity of His honour — expelling them.

Translation: O our Lord! Give them double punishment and put a big great curse on them.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ آذَوْا مُوسَىٰ فَبَرَّأَهُ اللَّهُ مِمَّا قَالُوا ۚ وَكَانَ عِندَ اللَّهِ وَجِيهًا

Yā ayyuhā l-ladhīna āmanū lā takūnū ka-l-ladhīna ādhaw Mūsā fa-barraʾahu Llāhu mimmā qālū — wa-kāna ʿinda Llāhi wajīhā.

"O you who believe! Do not be like those who harmed Mūsā — then Allah cleared him of what they said — and he was, in the sight of Allah, distinguished." (al-Aḥzāb 33:69)

Yā ayyuhā l-ladhīna āmanū — O believers! Lā takūnū — do not become. Ka-l-ladhīna — like those people. Ādhaw Mūsā — who caused harm to Mūsā ʿalayhi al-salām — who attached unjust accusations to him. Fa-barraʾahu Llāhu — then Allah cleared him — declared him free of faults and defects. Mimmā qālū — from what they said. Wa-kāna ʿinda Llāhi wajīhān — and he was with Allah in a position of honour and majesty.

Translation: O Muslims! Do not be like those who wronged and harmed Mūsā ʿalayhi al-salām (unjust accusations upon him) — and Allah cleared him from what they said (what they falsely alleged — proved him free of faults). And Mūsā ʿalayhi al-salām was with Allah a person of honour (dignity).

Dear friends! There are also Muslims who say that the intercession of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is because of his dignity and honour — in the Qurʾān it says li-tuʿazzirūhu wa-tuwaqqirūhu — meaning to give honour and reverence. And these unwise people say: what honour does Allah have for them — and it is those for whom the Qurʾān says they have no honour with Allah.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَقُولُوا قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا

Yā ayyuhā l-ladhīna āmanū ittaqū Llāha wa-qūlū qawlan sadīdā.

"O you who believe! Fear Allah and say straightforward words." (al-Aḥzāb 33:70)

Yā ayyuhā l-ladhīna āmanū — O believers! Ittaqū Llāha — fear Allah — keep away from His wrath. Wa-qūlū — and say. Qawlan sadīdā — a straight and upright word — steady and firm speech.

Translation: O Muslims! Fear Allah and say a true and proper word (let your every word be straight and correct).

يُصْلِحْ لَكُمْ أَعْمَالَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ ۗ وَمَن يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ فَازَ فَوْزًا عَظِيمًا

Yuṣliḥ lakum aʿmālakum wa-yaghfir lakum dhunūbakum — wa-man yuṭiʿi Llāha wa-rasūlahu fa-qad fāza fawzan ʿaẓīmā.

"He will set right your deeds for you and forgive your sins — and whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has already achieved a great success." (al-Aḥzāb 33:71)

Yuṣliḥ lakum aʿmālakum — so that He will correct your deeds — accept them. Qūlū — say it — this is its reply — it has a straight honest voice. The reply is this: that it is honest and correct — so all your good deeds will be corrected. Wa-yaghfir lakum dhunūbakum — and He will forgive your sins. Wa-man yuṭiʿi Llāha wa-rasūlahu — and the one who obeys Allah and the Messenger ﷺ — follows their commands. Fa-qad fāza fawzan ʿaẓīmā — he will attain great success — a great desired goal. This is the great salvation and great success.

Translation: So that He will set your deeds right and forgive your sins — and the one who obeys Allah and the Messenger ﷺ — he will be very successful. (His is the aim of every good ambition.)

إِنَّا عَرَضْنَا الْأَمَانَةَ عَلَى السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَالْجِبَالِ فَأَبَيْنَ أَن يَحْمِلْنَهَا وَأَشْفَقْنَ مِنْهَا وَحَمَلَهَا الْإِنسَانُ ۖ إِنَّهُ كَانَ ظَلُومًا جَهُولًا

Innā ʿaraḍnā l-amānata ʿalā l-samāwāti wa-l-arḍi wa-l-jibāli fa-abayna an yaḥmilanāhā wa-ashfaqna minhā wa-ḥamalahā l-insānu — innahu kāna ẓalūman jahūlā.

"Indeed, We offered the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, and they declined to bear it and feared it — but the human being undertook it; indeed, he was most unjust and most ignorant." (al-Aḥzāb 33:72)

Innā ʿaraḍnā l-amānata — We presented Our amāna — with the complete knowledge of its names, attributes, and ordinances, and it was comprehension of the Truth — We presented it to the skies. ʿAlā l-samāwāti wa-l-arḍi wa-l-jibāli — to the skies, the earth, and the mountains. Fa-abayna an yaḥmilanāhā — then all of them refused to lift it — refused to accept the amāna. Wa-ashfaqna minhā — and they were afraid of it. Wa-ḥamalahā l-insānu — and the human being lifted it. Innahu kāna ẓalūman jahūlā — he was a big oppressor and ignorant one.

Āsmān bār-e-amānat natawānist kashīd — qurʿah fāl ba-nām-e-man dīwāna zad

Bār yakī jahān sūr uṭṭhā ke paṛā huā — kām kā magar ṭuṭā qalb nātawān apnā

(The heavens could not bear the weight of the Trust — the lot was cast in the name of this madman — what a weight the whole world could not lift — but my own weak, broken heart managed to do the work.)

Translation: We offered Our amāna to the skies, the earth, and the mountains — and all of them refused to lift it — and they were afraid of it — and the human being lifted it — he was indeed a great oppressor and ignorant.

Dear friends! What was this amāna? There are different opinions among people. Some say it was shariʿatī taklīf (religious obligation) and divine ordinances. Some say it was not obligatory — what were the ordinances of the Prophet ﷺ? Some say it was ḥukūmat wa-niẓām (governance and order). Man is the viceroy of Allah — the human is to maintain the order of the world and the system — all the world makes the effort to maintain the order. Some say it was the names and attributes of the ilāhī — some say it is this burden of divine attributes which no one lifted — such a precious great thing which no one accepted except the human being — this same thing always coming back to me — I am itself its base — this same great thing called amānat is muḥabbat (love). Some say it is amānat that is muḥabbat — because because of love the human being becomes ignorant — this is its cause — the one who does not take the amānat is the oppressor of his own nafs (self) — oppressing oneself — and those in his own side acknowledge this.

لِيُعَذِّبَ اللَّهُ الْمُنَافِقِينَ وَالْمُنَافِقَاتِ وَالْمُشْرِكِينَ وَالْمُشْرِكَاتِ وَيَتُوبَ اللَّهُ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا

Li-yuʿadhdhibha Llāhu l-munāfiqīna wa-l-munāfiqāti wa-l-mushrikīna wa-l-mushrikāti wa-yatūba Llāhu ʿalā l-muʾminīna wa-l-muʾmināt — wa-kāna Llāhu ghafūran raḥīmā.

"So that Allah may punish the hypocritical men and women and the polytheistic men and women — and Allah may turn in mercy upon the believing men and women. And Allah is Ever Forgiving, Ever Merciful." (al-Aḥzāb 33:73)

What was the result of taking up this amāna? What happened in the end? Li-yuʿadhdhibha Llāhu l-munāfiqīna wa-l-munāfiqāti wa-l-mushrikīna wa-l-mushrikāt — the outcome is this: that those ordinances of the Divine that they will not accept — meaning they will not put God and the Messenger ﷺ before them — the disbelievers, hypocrites, and polytheist men and women will receive divine punishment. Wa-yatūba Llāhu ʿalā l-muʾminīna wa-l-muʾmināt — and those who keep the divine ordinances established — and those who love Allah and the Messenger ﷺ — they will in the end fana' (annihilate) in them — the repentance of Allah will be turned upon them — meaning Allah's acceptance of their repentance. Wa-kāna Llāhu ghafūran raḥīmān — and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful — pardoning, the same. Very merciful is He — He keeps His mercy concealed within it.

Translation: (The outcome is this) that Allah will punish the hypocritical men and women and the polytheistic men and women — and Allah will turn in mercy toward the believing men and women (the ones of correct knowledge and correct action) — accepting their repentance and granting them forgiveness — and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.