English Translation and Tafsir of Surah Al-Mujadilah Ayah 1-4
58:1 Indeed, Allah has heard the words of her that disputes with you concerning her husband, and complains to Allah. And Allah hears your conservation. Truly, Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.
58:2 Those of you who divorce their wives by Zihar – they are not their mothers. Their mothers are only those who gave them birth. And indeed, they utter an ill word and a lie. And indeed, Allah is All-Pardoning, All-Forgiving.
58:3 And those of you who divorce their wives by Zihar, and they go back on what they have said, they shall set free a slave before they touch one another. By that, you are admonished, and Allah is All-aware of what you do.
58:4 And he who finds not the means, then he should fast two successive months before they touch one another. And if he is unable to do so, he should feed sixty poor persons. That is that you may believe in Allah and His Messenger. And these are the limits of Allah. And for the disbelievers is a painful torment.
Cause of Revelation of First Ayat in Surah Al-Mujadilah
58:1 Indeed, Allah has heard the words of her that disputes with you concerning her husband, and complains to Allah. And Allah hears your conservation. Truly, Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.
Abu Al-‘Aliyah reported that Khawla Bint Tha’labah came to Prophet Muhammad [peace be upon him] while Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, was washing his head. Khawla said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I have been married to my husband for a long time, and I have given birth to many children from him, but he has made zihar against me, namely, he divorced her by saying, ‘You are like the back of my mother to me.’ Messenger Muhammad said, ‘You are prohibited to him.’ Thus, Khawla said, ‘I complain to Allah about my need.’ Then she said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, ‘I have been married to my husband for a long time, and I have given birth to many children from my husband.’ Then, Messenger Muhammad said, ‘You are prohibited to him.’ Whenever Messenger Muhammad said to her, ‘You are prohibited to him.’ she would cry out and say, ‘I complain to Allah about my need.’ Then, the divine revelation came to Messenger Muhammad while Aisha was still washing his head. Thus, she beckoned to Khawla to stop speaking. Aisha said, ‘Whenever the divine revelation would come to Messenger Muhammad, something that is similar to a slumber would overcome him.’ When the coming of the divine revelation stopped, Messenger Muhammad said to Khawla, ‘Call you husband.’ Then, Messenger Muhammad recited to him, [58:1 Indeed, Allah has heard the words of her that disputes with you concerning her husband, and complains to Allah. And Allah hears your conservation. Truly, Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.] When Messenger Muhammad reached this ayah [58:3 And those of you who divorce their wives by Zihar, and they go back on what they have said, they shall set free a slave before they touch one another.] he said to the husband of Khawla, ‘Can you set free a slave?’ He said, ‘No, I cannot.’ Then, Messenger Muhammad recited, [58:4 And he who finds not the means, then he should fast two successive months before they touch one another.] The husband of Khawla said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I fear that if I do not eat three meals a day that I may become faint.’ Then, Messenger Muhammad recited, [And if he is unable to do so, he should feed sixty poor persons.] Messenger Muhammad said to him, ‘Can you feed sixty poor persons?’ The husband of Khawla said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I cannot feed sixty poor persons except if you help me to do so.’ Thus, Messenger Muhammad helped him and he fed sixty poor persons.
Sayyid Qutb, may Allah have mercy on him, wrote, ‘In this surah, as in almost all surahs of this part of the Quran, we shall live with some events that took place during the early stages of the Islamic society in Al-Madinah. These events contribute to molding, reforming, and preparing it to undertake its universal role, which Allah has appointed for it in the circle and preordainments of this universe. It is a huge role that begins with establishing a new, complete, and comprehensive conception of life in the souls of this nascent group. It aims to establish a realistic life based on this conception. Then, this nascent group shall convey it to the whole world to establish human life based on this conception for all humanity. And it is a huge role that necessitates complete preparation. Those Muslims, whom the preordainment prepared for this huge role, were ordinary people. Some of them were among the early emigrants from Makkah and the helpers among the inhabitants of Al-Madinah, whose faith became stronger, their understanding of the new creed became firm, and their souls became dedicated to this creed. They found out the real cause of their existence in this life and the reality of this large existence on earth. Their existence in the earth merged with the reality of the universe; thus, they became a means for realizing the preordainment of Allah in the universe. They neither deviated from their goal nor lagged in their march to it. Moreover, they found nothing in their hearts, but Allah as they are described in this surah, [58:22 You shall not find any people, who believe in Allah and the Last Day, love those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even though they be their fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or their clan. Those – Allah has established faith in their hearts and He has strengthened them with spirit from Himself. And He shall admit them into Gardens underneath which rivers flow; they shall abide therein. Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him. Those are the party of Allah. Lo! Surely, the party of Allah shall be the successful.] However, these first Muslims were a minority in comparison with the ever-increasing number of the Muslim community, especially after Islam became an intimidating power even before the victory that made Makkah under the authority of the Muslims. After this victory, people embraced Islam, but some of them did not have sufficient Islamic education and did not live enough time in an Islamic environment. Furthermore, some hypocrites, who favored their interests or safety with their sick hearts and opportunist souls, embraced Islam. They were wavering between the Muslim community and the strong powers among the opponents of Islam then, whether the disbelievers or the Jews. Educating and preparing these souls for their great role on the earth that was preordained for it needed strenuous efforts, endless patience, and slow treatment in small and serious matters alike. This undertaking was a massive formation movement that Islam and Messenger Muhammad undertook to build souls and establish the Muslim community and the Islamic state. It was based on the divine approach with the intention to understand and realize it and convey it to the farthest part of the earth in the form of a live image, not pages and words. In this surah and the whole of this part of the Quran, we shall see some of these huge efforts and part of the Quranic method when it comes to educating such souls and dealing with events, customs, and whims. We shall also see a part of the long conflict that took place between Islam and its enemies among the disbelievers, the Jews, and the hypocrites. We shall particularly see in this surah an inspiring image revealing the care of Allah for this nascent Muslim community while He was establishing it under His care, bringing it up by His method, and making it feel His care for it. Moreover, Allah was establishing His presence in its consciousness even in its most private affairs, its smallest matters, and its most hidden intentions. Allah, Exalted be He, put this fledgling community under His care and protection and encompassed it under His banner and shade. He took care to mold its ethics, customs, and traditions in such a manner that the community, which is under the care of Allah, belongs to Him, represents His party on the earth, and raises His banner on the earth to be recognized as His party, deserves. Therefore, this surah begins a wondrous image representing this unique period of human history when there was contact between heaven and the earth, which was a real, direct image, by sharing in the affairs of its daily life with an obvious involvement. [58:1 Indeed, Allah has heard the words of her that disputes with you concerning her husband, and complains to Allah. And Allah hears your conservation. Truly, Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.] Thus, we see that divine care intervenes in the daily affairs of a small, poor, humble family to decide the rule of Allah in its case. Indeed, Allah, Exalted be He, listened to the woman while she was discussing with Messenger Muhammad her matter. Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, could hardly hear the discussion though she was near the woman, which is an image that fills the heart with the certainty of the existence of Allah, His closeness to us, His love and care.’
Tafsir
58:1 Indeed, Allah has heard the words of her that disputes with you concerning her husband, and complains to Allah. And Allah hears your conservation. Truly, Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.
Indeed, Allah, Exalted be He, heard the words of the woman, Khawla, when she was complaining to Messenger Muhammad about the case of her husband, who made Zihar against her by saying, ‘You are like the back of my mother to me,’ which would make her unlawful to him like his mother. She was complaining about her grief and sorrow to Allah and Allah heard the conversation that took place between Messenger Muhammad and the woman for truly Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing. Allah, Exalted be He, hears all sounds and sees all things and nothing is hidden from Him.
It was reported that Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, passed with some people by a woman, who stopped for a long time and admonished him. She said, ‘O Umar, you used to be called Umeer when you were a child, and then you were called Umar. Then, you are called the Commander of the Believers. Thus, fear Allah, O Umar. Whoever is certain that he will die fears the passage of time; whoever is certain that reckoning on the Day of Judgment will take place fears the punishment.’ Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, kept listening to her. Then, it was said to him, ‘O Commander of the Believers, do you stop such a long time listening to this old woman? Umar said, ‘By Allah, if she would make me stop from the beginning of the day until it ends, I will keep listening to her save to perform an obligatory prayer. Do you know who this woman is? She is Khawla Bint Tha’labah. Allah has heard her speech while He is above seven heavens. Would Allah, the Lord of the worlds, hear speech, and Umar would not?’
Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said, ‘Praise be to Allah Whose Hearing encompasses all sounds. The pleading woman, Khawla, came to Messenger Muhammad to complain to Messenger about her husband and I was beside her on one side of the house, but I could not hear what she was saying.’
Sayid Qutb, may Allah have mercy on him, wrote, ‘This is the case that a surah in the Quran begins with, the everlasting book of Allah, which every part of this universe is responsive to every word thereof while they are being revealed by Allah. This surah opens with such a statement, [58:1 Indeed, Allah has heard the words of her that disputes with you concerning her husband, and complains to Allah.] Thus, Allah is present while this personal matter of an ordinary woman among Muslims is taking place. Listening to it does not prevent Him, Exalted be He, from conducting the affairs of the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, nor does it prevent Him from deciding any matter of the matters of heavens, and the earth. Indeed, it is a serious matter that such an amazing event takes place, and that a community of people feel that Allah is with them. He, Exalted be He, is present while their affairs, great and small, happen, and that He cares about their daily problems, responsive to their ordinary crisis though He, Exalted be He, is High, Great, All-Powerful, and Almighty.’
Then, the following ayah mentions the rule on az-Zihar and the atonement required to make amends for it.
58:2 Those of you who divorce their wives by Zihar – they are not their mothers. Their mothers are only those who gave them birth. And indeed, they utter an ill word and a lie. And indeed, Allah is All-Pardoning, All-Forgiving.
Those who make their wives like their mothers by saying, ‘You are like the back of my mother to me,’ namely, their wives are like their mothers in terms of prohibition – their wives are not their mothers. Rather, their mothers are those who gave them birth. Such a statement is a lie that they utter. Their wives can never be like their mothers.
And indeed, they utter an ill word and a lie. And indeed, Allah is All-Pardoning, All-Forgiving.
Those who divorce their wives by resorting to Zihar utter an ill word and a lie that Islamic Shariah prohibits. And indeed, Allah is All-Pardoning, All-Forgiving. Allah has given them the means to atone for their wicked statement as He forgives the sins of those who repent of their sins and perform righteous deeds for His sake.
It is clear from the abovementioned Ayah that az-Zihar is an abominable practice as it likens the wife to her husband’s mother, which is a sheer lie. This confirms that the practice of az-Zihar is prohibited in Islamic Shariah. It is worth mentioning that az-Zihar was considered divorce during the time of pre-Islamic era which made the wife prohibited to her husband for good.
58:3 And those of you who divorce their wives by Zihar, and they go back on what they have said, they shall set free a slave before they touch one another. By that, you are admonished, and Allah is All-aware of what you do.
Those who make Zihar whereby their wives become prohibited for them, and then they want to revoke their oath, go back on what they have said, and have normal relationship with their wives, they must atone for their oath.
They must set free a slave before having sexual intercourse with their wives. It is prohibited for them to have sexual intercourse with their wives before setting free a slave. This atonement is prescribed to admonish them so that they shall not repeat such a matter. Allah is All-aware of what they do and nothing of their deeds is hidden from Him, Exalted be He. Allah will justly recompense them for their deeds, good or evil.
Abul Allah Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, said, ‘[58:3 And those of you who divorce their wives by Zihar, and they go back on what they have said…] If a man said to his wife, ‘You are like the back of mother to me,’ he will be unlawful for her and he cannot have sexual relationship with her until he atones for his oath by setting free a slave. If he is unable to set free a slave, he must fast for two successive months before having sexual intercourse with his wife, and if he is unable to do so, he must feed sixty poor persons. Touching, which is mentioned in the ayah means having sexual intercourse with one’s wife.’
58:4 And he who finds not the means, then he should fast two successive months before they touch one another. And if he is unable to do so, he should feed sixty poor persons. That is that you may believe in Allah and His Messenger. And these are the limits of Allah. And for the disbelievers is a painful torment.
If the husband, who said to his wife, ‘You are like the back of my mother to me, does not find the means to set free a slave for a legitimate reason, then he must fast for two successive months before having sexual relationship with his wife to atone for his oath.
Not finding the means can be not finding money to buy a slave or the non-existence of slaves to buy, which is the case in our era.
And if he is unable to do so, he should feed sixty poor persons.
If the husband is unable to fast for a legitimate reason, he must feed sixty poor persons before having sexual relationship with his wife to atone for his oath. He must give every one of them one kilo and a half of wheat, date, or the like.
Inability to fast can be due to sickness, old age, or suffering unbearable hardship when fasting.
The scholars agree that the atonement for az-Zihar must be done in order just as they are mentioned in the ayah. First is freeing a slave, then, fasting two successive months, and then feeding sixty poor persons. They also agree that whoever has sexual relationship with his wife before atoning for his oath disobeys Allah and commits a sin. He will not be acquitted of the atonement until he fulfills it.
That is that you may believe in Allah and His Messenger. And these are the limits of Allah. And for the disbelievers is a painful torment.
That rule, which says that those who make Zihar must atone for their oath, is prescribed to believe in the law that Allah has ordained, do not transgress it, believe the Messenger of Allah and abide by the rules of the Shariah and do not go beyond it. Do not go back to commit Zihar, which is an ill word and a lie. These rules about the Zihar are the limits of Allah; thus, comply with them and do not go beyond them. Allah has made clear to the believers that Zihar is an act of disobedience and has told them its atonement to forgive and pardon their sins. For the disbelievers, who disbelieve in the Oneness of Allah and go beyond the limits that He has set, is a painful torment in Hell in the Hereafter.
Learned Lessons from Surah Al-Mujadilah Ayah 1-4
• Allah, Exalted be He, responds to the supplication of those who invoke Him sincerely believing that He will accept their invocation. Allah, Exalted be He, responded to the invocation of Khawla when she complained to Him and asked Him to remove her affliction. He, out of His mercy and bounty, has revealed ayat in the Quran about her case and prescribed rules that should be applied when Zihar takes place.
• Complaining to Allah at times of sorrow and afflictions is the most successful method for overcoming them. Allah positively responded to the complaint of Khawla Bint Tha’labah and relieved her of her hardship.
• Az-Zihar takes place by men, not women according to the opinion of the majority of the scholars. If a woman says to her husband, ‘You are like the back of my mother to me,’ she is not required to atone for her oath. That is because only the husband has the authority to divorce.
• Az-Zihar, namely, when the husband says to his wife, ‘You are like the back of my mother to me, is unlawful and it is an ill word and a lie that is uttered by the husband. That is because his wife is not his mother. His mother is the person who gave birth to him.
• Atonement for az-Zihar is setting free a slave, then fasting for two successive months, and then feeding sixty poor persons. The atonement for az-Zihar must be done before the couples have sexual intercourse with one another.
• It is obligatory to obey the commands of Allah and not go beyond them. Those who go beyond the limits of Allah will suffer a painful torment.
