Sūrah al-Aḥzāb

O Prophet! Fear God and pay no heed to what these disbelievers and hypocrites say. There is no doubt that God is All-Knowing, All-Wise. Follow what is being revealed to you by your Lord. In reality, God is aware of all that you do. And trust God and sufficient is God to trust.

God has not placed two hearts in the chest of any person [so that he should simultaneously believe in two contradictory things]. Consequently, neither has he made your wives with whom you do ẓihār as your mothers nor made your adopted sons as your own sons. All these are utterances of your tongue. But God says the truth and it is He alone Who shows the right path. Call the adopted sons after their fathers. It is this which is more just in the sight of God. Then if you do not know their fathers, they are your brethren in religion and your allies. The mistake you have committed in this matter, you will not be held answerable for it, but there definitely is accountability on your hearts’ intent. And God is Forgiving, Ever-Merciful.

[On the same principle,] the right of the Prophet is more on those who believe in him than even that of their own selves and his wives are their mothers, but blood relations have more rights on one another in the law of God than all other believers and immigrants except if you want to do some kindness to those who are related to you. This is written in precisely this Book.²

[Follow it, O Prophet] and remember when from all the prophets We took their pledge and from you also and from Noah and Abraham and Moses and Jesus son Mary as well and We took a very firm pledge from them [that they must faithfully deliver Our message] so that God questions the upright about their uprightness and the disbelievers and hypocrites about their disbelief and hypocrisy, and for the disbelievers He has prepared a painful torment.

Believers! [Pay no heed to them; God is sufficient for you and] remember God’s favour on you when armies one after the other launched an onslaught on you; so, We unleashed on them a tempestuous wind and armies you could not see, and [have conviction that] God continues to observe whatever you do. Recall when they attacked you from above you and from below you, when your eyes had lost focus [because of fear] and hearts were scared stiff and you had begun entertaining all sorts of thoughts about God. At that time, the believers were put to test and were badly shaken.

And when the hypocrites would say and they also whose hearts were afflicted with an ailment: “The promises made with us by God and His messenger were mere deception.” And when one of their groups said: “People of Yathrib! There is now no chance for you to stay; so, turn back.” And one of their groups was seeking permission from the Prophet. It would say: “Our dwellings are in danger,” even though they were not in danger. They only wanted to flee. If they had been attacked from around their dwellings; then invited to wrongdoing, they would have fallen into it and very few of them would have stopped from this. Before this, they had promised God that they will not show their backs and [one day] promises made with God will be taken account of. Tell them: If you run away from death or execution, then this running away will not be of any benefit to you and even if you survive, you will only benefit for a few days. Ask them: Who is it that will be able to save you from God if He intends to harm you or can stop His mercy if He wants to be merciful to you? In reality, they shall not find any supporter or helper for themselves against God.

God knows full well those among you who stop others from this battle [for His cause] and have been saying to their brothers: “Come to us,” and while evading you they too have been taking little part in battles. Thus when the time of danger arrives, you see them that they are looking towards you as if their eyes are rolling around, as if someone has been struck by the unconsciousness of death. Then when danger subsides, in their greed for wealth, they assail you with sharp tongues. These people did not accept faith; so God wasted their deeds and this is very easy for God. They are thinking that the armies of the enemy have not left as yet and, if these armies return, they will desire to be somewhere in the village with the Bedouins and from there keep asking about your news. [This is better because] even if they had been among you, they would have taken little part in war.

[People!] In the messenger of God was the best example [of steadfastness and resolve] for you [at that time], for those who expect to meet God and [to see] the Hereafter and remember God in abundance. And [the situation] of the true believers [at that time was such that] when [they] saw the armies, they cried out: “This is the same thing which God and His messenger had promised us and what God and His messenger said was absolutely true.” And, [instead of causing any weakness in these people,] this thing increased their faith and obedience even more.

There are those stalwarts among the believers also who have fulfilled what they promised God. Then there is he among them who has fulfilled what he was liable to and he also who is waiting. They have not the slightest changed it. [This test was conducted] so that God reward the truthful for their truthfulness and punish the hypocrites if He intends to or show mercy to them if He desires and accept their repentance [if they repent]. Indeed, God is Forgiving, Ever-Merciful.

[Did you not see that] God made the disbelievers turn back in absolute failure with anger in their hearts and on behalf of Muslims, God became sufficient to wage war. God is very Strong; extremely Powerful. And those among the People of the Book who had helped them, God brought them down too from their strongholds and struck terror in their hearts such that you were killing one of their factions and imprisoning the other. And made you the inheritors of their lands, their houses and their wealth and of that land also which you have yet to set your foot upon. In reality, God has power over everything.

[After being frustrated on this frontier, these hypocrites now want to create mischief in your houses. Hence,] O Prophet! Tell your wives: If you seek the life of this world and its finery, come I shall release you honourably by giving you some provisions. And if you seek God and His messenger and the abode of the Hereafter, then, while disregarding all these things, seek it fervently because God has prepared a great reward for those who show a conciliatory attitude in a gracious manner.

Wives of the Prophet! For anyone of you guilty of blatant vulgarity, there is a twofold punishment for her and this is an easy proposition for God. And those of you who will remain obedient to God and His messenger and do righteous deeds, We shall give them their two fold reward and We have prepared an honourable sustenance for them.

Wives of the Prophet! You are not like common women. If you fear God, do not adopt a soft tone [with these people] so that he who has an ailment in his heart should have any false hope and speak to them in the conventional way.

Abide still in your homes and do not display your finery as was done in the previous age of jāhiliyyah. And attend to your prayers, keep paying zakāh and be diligent in the obedience of God and His Messenger. Women of this House! God only wants to cleanse you from [the] filth [these hypocrites want to besmear you with] and to fully purify you. And communicate what is taught to you of the revelations of God and His wisdom. Indeed, God is Very Discerning and All-Knowing.³

[However, all His favours and blessings are not confined to this house only.] In reality, men and women who are Muslims, true believers, worshippers, truthful, patient, humble before God, charitable, who fast, guard their private parts and remember God in abundance, God has prepared for them also forgiveness and a great reward.

[These hypocrites are now also casting aspersions on the decisions of God and His messenger. They should know that] there is no option left for a believing man or woman that if God and His messenger decide a matter, then they have a say in that matter of theirs. And [they should know that] he who disobeys God and His messenger, then he is in open error.

[They stirred this mischief at the time] when you were repeatedly saying to one who had received the favour of God and your favour too: “Retain your wife with you and fear God.” And you were hiding in your heart that which God was going to reveal. And you were fearing people, even though God is more worthy that you fear Him. Then when Zayd broke his relationship with [his] wife, We wedded her to you so that there remains no difficulty on the believers in the matter of marriage with the wives of their adopted sons when they have dissolved their relationship with them. And the command of God had to be fulfilled.⁴

There is no difficulty for the Prophet for what God has made mandatory on him. Such has also remained the practice of God about [His] previous [prophets] and the directive of God is a decided verdict. They who would deliver the messages of God and would fear Him only and none besides Him. [Thus you also fear Him alone O Prophet and rest assured that] God is sufficient to take account.

[In reality,] Muḥammad is the father of no male among you; in fact, he is the Messenger of God and the seal of the prophets. [Hence he alone had to fulfil this responsibility] and God has knowledge of all things.⁵

Believers! [Pay no heed to their hue and cry and] remember God in abundance and glorify Him morning and evening. It is He Who sends His mercy on you and His angels too pray for you for this so that He brings you into light from widespread darkness, and He is very affectionate to the believers. The day they will meet Him, their greeting [from Him] will be salām, and for them He has prepared a very honourable reward.

O Prophet! [you also pay no heed.] We have sent you forth as a witness, a bearer of glad tidings, a warner and as one who will call men to God by His leave and as a shining lamp [which guides people out from darkness. Fulfil these responsibilities of yours] and give glad tidings to those who believe in you that for them there is a great favour from the Almighty. Pay no heed to what these disbelievers and hypocrites say and ignore all their afflictions and trust God and sufficient is God to trust.

[There is no need to observe any ‘iddat in this marriage to which We have directed the Messenger because] Believers! when you marry Muslim women, then divorce them without touching them they are not liable for any ‘iddat for your sake that you may count. However, [in this situation also, it is necessary that] you give them some provisions of life and release them in a befitting way.

[And for this, there is not even any need to divorce any wife because, in spite of this marriage,] We have made lawful to you all wives whom you have paid their dowers O Prophet, and [not merely them; besides them] made lawful those [free women] whom God gave you as a war bounty and from among them they come in your possession and the daughters of your paternal uncles and aunts and the daughters of your maternal uncles and aunts who have migrated with you and any believing woman if she wants to give herself to the Prophet, if the Prophet wishes to marry her. This directive is specifically for you distinct from other believers. We know what We have imposed on them as obligation regarding their wives and slave girls. For this reason, this is a directive only for you so that there be no difficulty for you [in discharging your duties] and God is Forgiving, Ever-Merciful. [And regarding the marital rights of your wives, now it is not necessary for you to observe equality.] You can keep any of them away from you and keep any of them near you and it is no sin for you to again call any of them who you had kept away [at some time]. [We have made this clarification so that after it,] it is more likely that they shall remain contented and not be sorrowful and all [of them] feel satisfied with whatever you give them. God knows what is in your hearts and God is All-Knowing and Most-Forbearing. After this, other women besides these are now not lawful for you nor can you change them for other wives, however much their beauty may attract you. Your slave-women, nevertheless, are an exception. And God does watch over all things.

[These hypocrites are not desisting from their pranks. So,] believers from now on, do not go into the houses of the Prophet except if you are allowed to come for some meal. Even then you should not wait for its preparation. However, when you are called, enter [at that time]; then when you have eaten, disperse and do not sit conversing about. This bothers the Messenger but he is lenient to you and God is not lenient to anyone in saying the truth. And when you have to ask something from the wives of the Prophet, ask from behind the curtain. This is purer for your hearts also and for their hearts too. It is not permissible for you to hurt God’s Messenger nor is it permissible for you to ever marry his wives after him. This is very grave in God’s sight. Whether you reveal something or conceal it, it is equal for God because God is aware of everything.

It shall be no sin for the Prophet’s wives to come before their fathers, their sons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons, their sisters’ sons, their women of acquaintance, or their slave-women. [O Women of the Household of the Prophet!] Keep fearing God; Indeed, God observes all things.

[These hypocrites do not know.] In reality, God and His angels are sending blessings of mercy to the Prophet. Believers! [for you also, the correct attitude is that] you too send blessings of peace and prayers to him. God has laid His curse both in this world and in the next on those who are harassing God and His Messenger, and has prepared for them a humiliating punishment. And those who harass believing men and believing women [in this way by slandering them] even though they did nothing should also know that they shall bear the guilt of a great slander and a grievous sin.

[In order to protect yourself from their pranks,] O Prophet! enjoin your wives, your daughters, and the wives of all Muslims to draw over them a shawl from their shawls [when they go out to places where danger lurks]. It is possible from this that they be recognized; then not be harassed. In spite of this, [if they make a mistake,] God is Forgiving, Ever-Merciful.⁶

If, [after these measures also,] these hypocrites and those too who have the ailment in their hearts and those who incite the people of Madīnah by spreading lies do not desist, We shall rouse you against them. Then their days with you in this city shall be numbered. Cursed they shall be; wherever found, they would be seized and mercilessly killed. Precisely this is the established practice of God for those in the past, and you shall never find any change in this established practice of God.

[When you sound a warning regarding this fate,] people ask you about the Hour of Judgement: [“Why is what you are threatening us with not coming?”] Tell them: Only God has its knowledge and what do you know, it may well be that the Hour of Judgement has come near.

In reality, God has laid His curse on such disbelievers and has prepared for them a raging fire. They shall abide in it forever. There they will neither find any supporter for themselves nor any helper. The day when their faces will be rolled about in the fire, they will say: “Would that we had obeyed God and obeyed His messenger,” and will say: “Our Lord! we listened to our leaders and to our elders; so, they misled us. Our Lord! Give them a twofold punishment and lay on them a mighty curse.”

Believers! [Learn a lesson from this and in the case of your prophet] do not become like those people who harassed Moses; so, God absolved him of their allegations and he held great respect before God. Believers! Fear God and speak straight; as a reward, God will set right your deeds for you and forgive your sins. In reality, he who obeyed God and His messenger attained great success.

[This demand of obedience is on the basis of the power to exercise their will that We blessed human beings with.] We had presented this trust before the earth, the heavens and the mountains but they had declined and became scared of it, but human beings bore it. In reality, they are very unjust and ones who are overwhelmed with emotions. It was presented so that God [as its essential consequence] punish hypocrite men and hypocrite women and idolatrous men and idolatrous women and bless believing men and believing women with His favours. God is Forgiving, Ever-Merciful.