Sūrat al-Taḥrīm

سورۃ التحریم

Sūrat al-Taḥrīm was revealed in Madīna; it has twelve (12) verses and two (2) rukūʿs.

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ لِمَ تُحَرِّمُ مَا أَحَلَّ اللَّهُ لَكَ ۖ تَبْتَغِي مَرْضَاتَ أَزْوَاجِكَ ۚ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

yā ayyuhā l-nabiyyu lima tuḥarrimu mā aḥalla llāhu laka tabtaghī marḍāta azwājika wa-llāhu ghafūrun raḥīm.

"O Prophet! Why do you forbid for yourself what Allah has made lawful for you, seeking to please your wives? And Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (al-Taḥrīm 66:1)

Yā ayyuhā l-nabiyyu — O Prophet! Lima tuḥarrimu — why do you make forbidden for yourself? What is it that Allah has declared lawful. Mā aḥalla llāhu laka — what Allah has made lawful for you — you make it forbidden. Tabtaghī marḍāta azwājik — for the sake of your wives' contentment, for the pleasure of your dear wives. Wa-llāhu ghafūrun raḥīm — and Allah is very forgiving and merciful.

Translation: "O Prophet! You make forbidden for yourself what Allah has made lawful — you seek the contentment of your wives in this — and Allah is Most Forgiving and Most Merciful."

Esteemed readers! This sūra deals with the household conditions of Allah's Messenger ﷺ and his wives. It is true that Allah Most High has not explained in detail the stories of some of His wives — those who want to understand the stories of Mughāfir, honey, etc. that appear in some commentaries — the key point here is that when the Prophet ﷺ was eating honey at the house of one of the wives, and the smell of it returned from his blessed breath, some other wives — out of their intense love and refined taste — said the wrong thing, and the Prophet ﷺ in the name of kindness to them confirmed and swore not to eat honey. Ḥaḍrat said: "I have not eaten honey" — but when he said this, the wife told him: "Someone told me." Ḥaḍrat said: "It was the ʿAlīm (All-Knowing) and Khabīr (Fully Aware) who informed me (of this secret)."

قَدْ فَرَضَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ تَحِلَّةَ أَيْمَانِكُمْ ۚ وَاللَّهُ مَوْلَاكُمْ ۖ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ

qad faraḍa llāhu lakum taḥillata aymānikum wa-llāhu mawlākum wa-huwa l-ʿalīmu l-ḥakīm.

"Allah has ordained for you the dissolution of your oaths — and Allah is your Protector, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise." (al-Taḥrīm 66:2)

Qad faraḍa llāhu lakum — Allah has made it incumbent for you, decreed it. Taḥillata aymānikum — the dissolution, the expiation of your oaths. If some person swears something and then acts against that oath, then the kafāra (expiation) for it has also been specified. Wa-llāhu mawlākum — and Allah is your Mawlā (Master, Friend, Protector). Wa-huwa l-ʿalīmu l-ḥakīm — and He is the All-Knowing, the Possessor of wisdom.

Translation: "Allah has made the expiation of your oaths obligatory for you — and Allah is your Protector and He is the All-Knowing and Wise."

وَإِذْ أَسَرَّ النَّبِيُّ إِلَىٰ بَعْضِ أَزْوَاجِهِ حَدِيثًا فَلَمَّا نَبَّأَتْ بِهِ وَأَظْهَرَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ عَرَّفَ بَعْضَهُ وَأَعْرَضَ عَن بَعْضٍ ۖ فَلَمَّا نَبَّأَهَا بِهِ قَالَتْ مَنْ أَنبَأَكَ هَٰذَا

wa-idh asarra l-nabiyyu ilā baʿḍi azwājihi ḥadīthan fa-lammā nabbaʾat bihi wa-aẓharahu llāhu ʿalayhi ʿarrafa baʿḍahu wa-aʿraḍa ʿan baʿḍin fa-lammā nabbaʾahā bihi qālat man anbaʾaka hādhā.

"And when the Prophet confided to one of his wives a certain matter — then when she divulged it and Allah informed him of it — he told her part of it and withheld part. And when he told her about it, she said: 'Who informed you of this?'" (al-Taḥrīm 66:3)

قَالَ نَبَّأَنِيَ الْعَلِيمُ الْخَبِيرُ

qāla nabbaʾaniya l-ʿalīmu l-khabīr.

"He said: 'The All-Knowing, the Fully Aware, informed me.'" (al-Taḥrīm 66:3)

Wa-idh asarra l-nabiyyu — and when the Prophet ﷺ kept a secret, confiding a matter privately, secretly, quietly. Sirr — a secret lodged in the heart's joy, which remains private. Ilā baʿḍi azwājih — to one of his wives, secretly. Ḥadīthan — a matter. Fa-lammā nabbaʾat bihi — then when the wife divulged it, disclosed the secret to others. Wa-aẓharahu llāhu ʿalayhi — and Allah informed the Prophet ﷺ of the wife's error. ʿArrafa baʿḍahu — then the Prophet ﷺ told the wife some of the things, made some known. Wa-aʿraḍa ʿan baʿḍin — and he passed over some things and was not explicit. Fa-lammā nabbaʾahā bihi — then when the Prophet ﷺ informed the wife. Qālat man anbaʾaka hādhā — the wife asked: who told you of this? Whose information did you receive?

Translation: "And when the Prophet (ﷺ) had kept a secret from one of his wives — then when that wife disclosed it — and Allah informed him of the disclosure of the secret — he then told the wife some of what he knew and glossed over some portions. Then when the wife was told — the wife asked: who told you? — Ḥaḍrat said: 'The ʿAlīm and Khabīr (Allah) gave me information.'"

إِن تَتُوبَا إِلَى اللَّهِ فَقَدْ صَغَتْ قُلُوبُكُمَا ۖ وَإِن تَظَاهَرَا عَلَيْهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ مَوْلَاهُ وَجِبْرِيلُ وَصَالِحُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۖ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ ظَهِيرٌ

in tatūbā ilā llāhi fa-qad ṣaghat qulūbukumā wa-in taẓāharā ʿalayhi fa-inna llāha huwa mawlāhu wa-jibrīlu wa-ṣāliḥu l-muʾminīna wa-l-malāʾikatu baʿda dhālika ẓahīr.

"If you two repent to Allah — for your hearts have indeed inclined (to sin) — and if you support each other against him, then indeed Allah is his Protector, and Jibrīl, and the righteous believers — and the angels after that are his helpers." (al-Taḥrīm 66:4)

In tatūbā ilā llāhi — if you two repent towards Allah. Fa-qad ṣaghat qulūbukumā — for your hearts have indeed inclined — for indeed a wrong idea had taken root in your hearts; your inclination had developed incorrectly — inappropriate inclination came — ṣagha, ṣagha — the Arabic expression meaning that the heart has inclined away. Wa-in taẓāharā ʿalayhi — and if you two form a coalition against the Prophet ﷺ, come out in opposition. Fa-inna llāha huwa mawlāhu — then Allah is the Prophet's Mawlā, his Helper and Patron. Wa-jibrīlu — and Jibrīl is also with him; all divine information and events will immediately arrive. Wa-ṣāliḥu l-muʾminīna — and the righteous Muslims, other good Muslims. Wa-l-malāʾikatu baʿda dhālika ẓahīr — and also the angels who are helpers and supporters; beyond the Prophet ﷺ, they too are his rear support.

Translation: "If you two turn in repentance towards Allah — for your hearts have indeed swerved (from virtue) — and if you two form a coalition against the Prophet, then Allah is his Protector, and Jibrīl and the other righteous Muslims and the angels — beyond this they are his rear support (and helpers)."

عَسَىٰ رَبُّهُ إِن طَلَّقَكُنَّ أَن يُبْدِلَهُ أَزْوَاجًا خَيْرًا مِّنكُنَّ مُسْلِمَاتٍ مُّؤْمِنَاتٍ قَانِتَاتٍ تَائِبَاتٍ عَابِدَاتٍ سَائِحَاتٍ ثَيِّبَاتٍ وَأَبْكَارًا

ʿasā rabbuhu in ṭallaqakunna an yubdilahu azwājan khayran minkunna muslimātin muʾminātin qānitātin tāʾibātin ʿābidātin sāʾiḥātin thayyibātin wa-abkārā.

"Perhaps his Lord, if he were to divorce you all, would give him in exchange wives better than you — submitting, believing, devout, repentant, worshipping, fasting — previously married and virgins alike." (al-Taḥrīm 66:5)

ʿAsā rabbuhu — it is possible from his Lord, it is hoped. In ṭallaqakunna — if the Prophet divorces you. An yubdilahu — He will replace them for him. Azwājan khayran minkunna — wives better than you — properly virtuous wives. Muslimātin — obedient, compliant. Muʾminātin — faithful believers. Qānitātin — the devout, worshippers. Tāʾibātin — repentant, those who keep returning to Allah. ʿĀbidāt — worshipping, devoted to worship. Sāʾiḥāt — fasting — those engaged in fasting. Thayyibāt — previously married, those who have known a husband. Wa-abkārā — and virgins, those whose husbands have never been seen.

Translation: "It is possible that if (the Prophet) divorces you all, his Lord will replace you very quickly with wives who are very good — submitting Muslims, believing, devout, repentant, worshipping, fasting — those who have seen a husband and virgins alike."

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَهْلِيكُمْ نَارًا وَقُودُهَا النَّاسُ وَالْحِجَارَةُ عَلَيْهَا مَلَائِكَةٌ غِلَاظٌ شِدَادٌ لَّا يَعْصُونَ اللَّهَ مَا أَمَرَهُمْ وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُونَ

yā ayyuhā lladhīna āmanū qū anfusakum wa-ahlīkum nāran waqūduhā l-nāsu wa-l-ḥijārata ʿalayhā malāʾikatun ghilāẓun shidādun lā yaʿṣūna llāha mā amarahum wa-yafʿalūna mā yuʾmarūn.

"O you who believe! Save yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones, over which are appointed angels — stern, severe — who do not disobey Allah in what He commands them, and who do (precisely) what they are commanded." (al-Taḥrīm 66:6)

Yā ayyuhā lladhīna āmanū — O believers! O Muslims! Qū anfusakum — save yourselves. Wa-ahlīkum — and your households, those related to you. Nārā — from the fire. Waqūduhā l-nāsu wa-l-ḥijāra — whose fuel is people and stones — whichever stones people used to worship. ʿAlayhā malāʾikatun — over it are angels appointed, stationed. Ghilāẓun — fierce, stern-hearted. Shidādun — severe, powerful. Lā yaʿṣūna llāha mā amarahum — they do not disobey in any matter the commands that Allah gives them. Wa-yafʿalūna mā yuʾmarūn — and they immediately execute the order given to them — by the command they execute at once.

Translation: "(O believers!) Save yourselves and your households from the fire — the fuel of which is people and stones — over which are very stern and strong-hearted angels — they do not disobey Allah's commands in any matter and immediately execute whatever order is given."

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَا تَعْتَذِرُوا الْيَوْمَ ۖ إِنَّمَا تُجْزَوْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

yā ayyuhā lladhīna kafarū lā taʿtadhirū l-yawma innamā tujzawna mā kuntum taʿmalūn.

"O you who disbelieve — make no excuses today! You are only being recompensed for what you used to do." (al-Taḥrīm 66:7)

Yā ayyuhā lladhīna kafarū — O disbelievers! O deniers! Lā taʿtadhirū — make no excuses now, give no pretexts, offer no nonsensical justifications. Al-yawma — today. Innamā tujzawna — today you will receive recompense. Mā kuntum taʿmalūn — for what you used to do, the deeds you used to perform — it is those very deeds that are being repaid to you.

Translation: "O disbelievers! Today no excuse will be accepted — you will be recompensed for these very deeds."

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا تُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ تَوْبَةً نَّصُوحًا عَسَىٰ رَبُّكُمْ أَن يُكَفِّرَ عَنكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَيُدْخِلَكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ يَوْمَ لَا يُخْزِي اللَّهُ النَّبِيَّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ ۖ نُورُهُمْ يَسْعَىٰ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَبِأَيْمَانِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا أَتْمِمْ لَنَا نُورَنَا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ۖ إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

yā ayyuhā lladhīna āmanū tūbū ilā llāhi tawbatan naṣūḥan ʿasā rabbukum an yukaffira ʿankum sayyiʾātikum wa-yudkhilakum jannātin tajrī min taḥtihā l-anhāru yawma lā yukhzī llāhu l-nabiyya wa-lladhīna āmanū maʿahu nūruhum yasʿā bayna aydīhim wa-bi-aymānihim yaqūlūna rabbanā atmim lanā nūranā wa-ghfir lanā innaka ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīr.

"O you who believe! Turn to Allah in sincere repentance — perhaps your Lord will cover over your sins and admit you into Gardens beneath which rivers flow — on the Day when Allah will not disgrace the Prophet and those who believe with him. Their light will run before them and on their right hands — they will say: 'Our Lord! Perfect our light for us and forgive us — for You are over all things powerful.'" (al-Taḥrīm 66:8)

Yā ayyuhā lladhīna āmanū — O believers! O Muslims! Tūbū ilā llāhi tawbatan naṣūḥan — turn towards Allah in repentance. What kind of repentance? Tawbatan naṣūḥan — sincere, pure repentance, repentance with full sincerity. ʿAsā rabbukum — it is hoped from your Lord, perhaps. An yukaffira ʿankum sayyiʾātikum — that He will expiate your sins, will pardon your faults. Wa-yudkhilakum — and He will admit you. Jannātin tajrī min taḥtihā l-anhār — into gardens in which rivers flow beneath — gardens in which there are always fresh flowing streams. Yawma lā yukhzī llāhu l-nabiyya wa-lladhīna āmanū maʿahu — on that Day, that Day when Allah will not disgrace the Prophet and those believers who came with the Prophet as Muslims. Nūruhum yasʿā — their light will run before them and along with the light of faith. Bayna aydīhim wa-bi-aymānihim — before them and on their right — the straight direction and the right side — because all virtue has been attributed to the right side. Yaqūlūna — they will be saying these prayers. Rabbanā atmim lanā nūranā — O our Lord! Complete our light and perfect it. Wa-ghfir lanā — and forgive us, cover our sins. Innaka ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīr — You have power over all things — without doubt You can do whatever You wish.

Translation: "O believers! Turn to Allah sincerely — perhaps your Lord will forgive your sins and admit you into gardens in which rivers run — on that Day do remember Allah and those people who came as Muslims with Him — their light will proceed before them — they will say: 'O our Lord! Perfect our light and keep covering our sins — You have power over all things.'"

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ جَاهِدِ الْكُفَّارَ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ وَاغْلُظْ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ وَمَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۖ وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ

yā ayyuhā l-nabiyyu jāhidi l-kuffāra wa-l-munāfiqīna wa-ghluẓ ʿalayhim wa-maʾwāhum jahannamu wa-biʾsa l-maṣīr.

"O Prophet! Strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites and be firm against them — their abode is Jahannam — and a wretched destination it is." (al-Taḥrīm 66:9)

Yā ayyuhā l-nabiyyu — O generous Prophet! Jāhidi l-kuffāra wa-l-munāfiqīn — make jihād against the disbelievers and against the hypocrites, combat them. Wa-ghluẓ ʿalayhim — and be firm with them, stand against them with firmness — every Muslim soldier is a soldier, and in the heart of one who has no faith there is no fear; they are forever ready to die. Wa-maʾwāhum jahannamu — and their dwelling is the fire of Hell. Wa-biʾsa l-maṣīr — and what a wretched destination — their final destination is very evil.

Translation: "O Prophet! Make jihād against the disbelievers and hypocrites and be firm against them — their dwelling is Hell — and what an evil destination."

ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا امْرَأَتَ نُوحٍ وَامْرَأَتَ لُوطٍ ۖ كَانَتَا تَحْتَ عَبْدَيْنِ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا صَالِحَيْنِ فَخَانَتَاهُمَا فَلَمْ يُغْنِيَا عَنْهُمَا مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا ۖ وَقِيلَ ادْخُلَا النَّارَ مَعَ الدَّاخِلِينَ

ḍaraba llāhu mathalan li-lladhīna kafarū mraʾata nūḥin wa-mraʾata lūṭin kānatā taḥta ʿabdayni min ʿibādinā ṣāliḥayni fa-khānatāhumā fa-lam yughniyā ʿanhumā mina llāhi shayʾan wa-qīla adkhulā l-nāra maʿa l-dākhilīn.

"Allah strikes as a parable for the disbelievers: the wife of Nūḥ and the wife of Lūṭ — they were under two of Our righteous servants, but they betrayed them — and they (the Prophets) availed them nothing against Allah — and it was said: 'Enter the Fire along with those who enter.'" (al-Taḥrīm 66:10)

Ḍaraba llāhu mathalan — Allah strikes an example. Li-lladhīna kafarū — for the disbelievers, for their lesson. Mraʾata nūḥin wa-mraʾata lūṭ — the wife of Nūḥ and the wife of Lūṭ. Kānatā taḥta ʿabdayni min ʿibādinā ṣāliḥayn — both were under two of our righteous servants — they were their wives, in their marriage. Fa-khānatāhumā — but those women betrayed their husbands; they were disloyal to them, made alliances with the enemies — they stayed with the disbelievers, were conspirators with the disbelievers. Fa-lam yughniyā ʿanhumā — then even being the wives of prophets did nothing for them — the prophets' being their husbands could not benefit them. Wa-qīla adkhulā l-nār — and those two women were given the command to enter the fire. Maʿa l-dākhilīn — into Hell, along with those who enter — the ones who are going in, the disbelievers — they will also enter together. Now they will enter Hell together with you as well.

Translation: "Allah provides a lesson (an example) for the disbelievers — the wife of Nūḥ and the wife of Lūṭ — who were among the wives of two of our righteous servants — but those women committed betrayal (treachery) against their husbands (the Prophets), so the fact of the prophets being their husbands before Allah was of no use to them, and they were given the command to enter Hell — those going in together with the disbelievers."

وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا لِّلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا امْرَأَتَ فِرْعَوْنَ إِذْ قَالَتْ رَبِّ ابْنِ لِي عِندَكَ بَيْتًا فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَنَجِّنِي مِن فِرْعَوْنَ وَعَمَلِهِ وَنَجِّنِي مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ

wa-ḍaraba llāhu mathalan li-lladhīna āmanū mraʾata firʿawna idh qālat rabbi bni lī ʿindaka baytan fī l-jannati wa-najjinī min firʿawna wa-ʿamalihi wa-najjinī mina l-qawmi l-ẓālimīn.

"And Allah strikes as a parable for the believers: the wife of Firʿawn — when she said: 'My Lord! Build for me near You a house in the Garden — and deliver me from Firʿawn and his deeds, and deliver me from the wrongdoing people.'" (al-Taḥrīm 66:11)

Wa-ḍaraba llāhu mathalan li-lladhīna āmanū — and Allah offers an example for the believers' comfort. Mraʾata firʿawn — the example of the wife of Firʿawn. Idh qālat — when she made supplication. Rabbi bni lī ʿindaka baytan fī l-janna — my Lord! Build me a house near You in the Garden. Wa-najjinī min firʿawna wa-ʿamalihi — and save me from Firʿawn and from the evil of his deeds. Wa-najjinī mina l-qawmi l-ẓālimīn — and rescue me from the evil of these oppressive people.

Translation: "And Allah offers an example (of comfort) for the believers — the example of the wife of Firʿawn — when she prayed: 'O my Lord! Build for me a house near You in the Garden and save me from Firʿawn and from his evil deeds — and rescue me (save me) from these oppressive people.'"

وَمَرْيَمَ ابْنَتَ عِمْرَانَ الَّتِي أَحْصَنَتْ فَرْجَهَا فَنَفَخْنَا فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِنَا وَصَدَّقَتْ بِكَلِمَاتِ رَبِّهَا وَكُتُبِهِ وَكَانَتْ مِنَ الْقَانِتِينَ

wa-maryama bnata ʿimrāna llatī aḥṣanat farjahā fa-nafakhnā fīhi min rūḥinā wa-ṣaddaqat bi-kalimāti rabbihā wa-kutubihī wa-kānat mina l-qānitīn.

"And Maryam, daughter of ʿImrān, who guarded her chastity — and We breathed into it (her garment) of Our Spirit — and she verified the words of her Lord and His books — and she was among the devoutly obedient." (al-Taḥrīm 66:12)

Wa-maryama bnata ʿimrān — and the second example is the example of Maryam, daughter of ʿImrān. Allatī aḥṣanat farjahā — who guarded her chastity, who protected her honour — she protected herself from all that is shameful. She was the abandoner of worldly matters and a singular station. Fa-nafakhnā fīhi min rūḥinā — and then We breathed Our Spirit into it — that is, by the power of Allah and without a father, ʿĪsā (upon him be peace) was born. Wa-ṣaddaqat bi-kalimāti rabbihā wa-kutubihī — and she verified the words of her Lord, continued to maintain and confirm these. Wa-kānat mina l-qānitīn — and she was among the obedient servants.

Translation: "And (the example of) Maryam bint ʿImrān — she guarded her honour — then We breathed Our Spirit into her and (Maryam) kept verifying her Lord's words and His books — and she was among the obedient (and among those servants who were obedient)."

(This page is the title page for Juzʾ 29 — Tabāraka alladhī — indicating the new section of the Qurʾān.)