Indexed OCR Text

341
Surah Al-Hadid 57 : 26 - 29
obligations. This interpretation is possible only if the word ibtida'
(invention) is taken in its literal sense. Had it been employed in its
religious or technical sense, the Qur'an would have denounced adoption
of monasticism in itself, because bid'ah (innovation in religion) in its
technical sense is deviation.
Sayyidna 'Abdullan Ibn Mas'ud's 40% foregoing narration makes it
clear that the groups that adopted monastic life attained salvation. If they
were guilty of committing religious innovation, they would never have
been counted among the saved ones, but rather among the deviant ones.
Is rahbaniyyah (Monasticism) absolutely Prohibited or is it a
relative Concept?
The fact is that rahbaniyyah (translated as monasticism) generally
means to give up some lawful things and pleasures. It has several stages,
one of which is to treat a permissible thing as impermissible doctrinally or
practically. This is distortion of religion. From this point of view,
monasticism is absolutely prohibited as declared by the Holy Qur'an at
several places, like verse [87] of Surah Al-Ma'idah that lays down the
principle ◌ْيَأَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ أمَنُوا لَاتُحَرِّمُوا طَيّبْتِ مَآ أَحَلَّ اللَّهُ لَكُم (O believers, do not prohibit
the good things which Allah has made lawful to you ... ) The prohibitive
verb ('do not prohibit') in this verse indicates that it relates to a situation
where a person holds unlawful what Allah has made lawful, either in his
belief or in practice, and as such it will amount to distortion or perversion
of the Divine laws.
The second stage is when a person does not, dogmatically or
practically, turn a lawful thing into unlawful, but gives it up for some
mundane or religious reason. In mundane affairs, a person might give up
eating a lawful thing on account of some disease. In religious matters, a
person might give up the company of people and mixing with them, lest
he should commit moral sins like lying and backbiting, or he might
abandon some permissible things temporarily in order to suppress his base
desires. This restriction is no more than a treatment of a spiritual disease.
When the treatment is over, the restriction is no longer observed. Some
Sufi adepts require a novice in the initial stages of his spiritual journey to
exercise ascetic discipline, such as eating little, sleeping little and mixing
little with people. This brings him to a state of greater harmony and
balance [I'tidal]. This ascetic discipline is a 'means' and not an 'end' in

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Surah Al-Hadid 57 : 26 - 29
itself. When the perfect balance is attained and the nafs (inner-self) is
brought under control, and there is no longer the danger of committing
sins, they are asked to give up the exercise. This in fact is not monasticism
but taqwa or righteousness which the religion requires and was practiced
by our predecessors, the blessed Companions, their followers and the
leaders in religion.
The third stage is when a person does not turn a permissible thing
into unlawful. However, he abstains from its use under the belief that its
giving up has more virtue and carries more reward, while such use is
proved through Sunnah (the practice of the Holy Prophet
This is in
fact ghuluww (over-indulgence). Many of the Prophetic Traditions
prohibit ghuluww.
The Holy Prophet
is reported to have said : لَاَرَهُبَانِيَّةَ فِى الإسلام (There is
no monasticism in Islam.) This relates to a situation where someone
abandons permissible things with the mistaken notion that it will bring
him reward. If the Children of Israel initiated monasticism for the
protection of their religion, it will fall under the second category of
righteousness. But the people of the book were given to ghuluww or
practicing religious fanaticism. If they turned lawful into unlawful, they
fell under the first category and are guilty of committing haram. If they
fall under the third category, then too they are guilty of committing
something that is condemned. Allah, the Pure and Exalted, knows best!
O those who believe, fear) يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ امَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَامِنُوا بِرَسُوْلِهِ يُؤْتِكُمْ كِفُلَيْنٍ مِنْ رَّحْمَتِهِ
Allah, and believe in His Messenger, and He will give you two shares [of
reward] out of His mercy, .. 28) The vocative expression فَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا "O
those who believe ... " in this verse refers to the People of the Book who
believed in Prophet 'Isa al. As a general rule, the Qur'an uses this
vocative expression for Muslims only, not for Jews or Christians. The
expression used for them is ahlul-kitab [People of the Book] because their
believing in Prophets Musa and 'Isa >JI Logle is not tantamount to being
'believers'. They need to believe in the Holy Prophet Muhammad
¿. Only
in that case can they be called الَّذِينَ أمَنُوا "O those who believe". But here the
Qur'an deviates from the general rule, and addresses them by the words,
"O those who believe" presumably because the concluding verse reminds
the Christians that believing in Prophet 'Isa Meal is not sufficient: the true
meaning of believing in Prophet 'Isa Meal dictates that they should believe

343
Surah Al-Hadid 57 : 26 - 29
in the Last Prophet . If they do, then they deserve to be called as
الَّذِیْنَ
.'those who believe' أمَنُوا
Then the verse promises the People of the Book that believe in the
Holy Prophet , their reward will be doubled. The first reward is on
account of their believing in Prophet 'Isa & or Musa Seal and following
their Shari'ah, and the second reward is for their believing in the Holy
Prophet
and acting upon his Shari'ah. The reason for their double
reward is that Jews and Christians were unbelievers until they believed
in the Holy Prophet
and no worship of an unbeliever is acceptable. It
required that any action they had performed according to a previous
Shari ah would go waste. But the present verse clarifies that when an
unbeliever embraces Islam, all his good actions are restored, hence he is
doubly rewarded.
so that the People of the Book may know .... 57:29) The) لِفَلَّايَعُلَمَ اَهْلُ الْكِتْبِ
negative particle la [no] is grammatically redundant [but rhetorically it
serves to emphasise the expression]. This final verse states that the
People of the Book need to know that faith in Prophet 'Isa Meal is not
necessarily faith in the Prophet Muhammad . In the circumstances,
they do not deserve any Divine grace unless they embrace faith in the
Last Prophet
Allah, the Pure and Exalted, knows best!
Alhamdulillah
The Commentary on
Surah Al-Hadid
Ends here

344
Surah Al-Mujadalah : 58 : 1 - 6
Surah Al-Mujadalah
(The Debate)
This Surah is Madani, and it has 22 verses and 3 sections
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
With the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Very-Merciful
Verses 1 - 6
قَدْ سَمِعَ اللّهُ قَوْلَ الَّتِىُ تُجَادِلُكَ فِىُ زَوْجِهَا وَتَشْتَكِىٌّ إِلَى اللهِ ﴾
وَاللَّهُ يَسْمَعُ تَحَاوُرَ كُمَّاء إِنَّ اللهَ سَمِيْعٌ بَصِيْرٌ ﴿١﴾ الَّذِيْنَ يُظهِرُوْنَ
مِنْكُمْ مِّنْ نِسَآئِهِمُ مَّاهُنَّ أُمَّهَتِهِمُ ، إِنْ أُمَّهُتُهُمْ إِلَّ الْيِ وَلَدْنَهُمُ +
وَإِنَّهُمْ لَيَقُوْلُوْنَ مُنْكَرًا مِّنَ الْقَوْلِ وَزُوْرًا ، وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَعَفُوٌّ غَفُورٌ ﴿٢﴾
وَالَّذِيْنَ يُظهِرُوْنَ مِنْ نِّسَآئِهِمْ ثُمَّ يَعُوُدُونَ لِمَا قَالُوا فَتَحْرِيُرُ رَقَبَةٍ مِّنْ
قَبْلِ أَنْ يَّتَمَآَسَّاء ذلِكُمُ تُوْعَظُوْنَ بِهِ * وَاللهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ ﴿٣﴾
فَمَنُ لَّمُ يَجِدُ فَصِيَامُ شَهُرَيْنٍ مُتَتَابِعَيْنٍ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يَّتَمَآَسَّاتٍ فَمَنُ لَّمُ
يَسْتَطِعُ فَإِطْعَامُ سِتِيْنَ مِسْكِيْنَاءِ ذلِكَ لِتُؤْمِنُوا بِاللّهِ وَرَسُوْلِهِ ،
وَتِلْكَ حُدُوْدُ اللهِ ، وَلِلْكَفِرِيْنَ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ﴿٤﴾ إِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ يُحَادُّونَ
اللهَ وَرَسُوْلَهُ، ◌ُبِتُوا كَمَا كُبِتَ الَّذِيْنَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ وَقَدْ أَنْزَلْنَا أَيْتٍ }
بَيّنْتٍ ، وَ لِلْكَفِرِيُنَ عَذَابٌ مُّهِيْنٌ ﴿6﴾ يَوْمَ يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللّهُ جَمِيْعًا
فَيُنِئُهُمُ بِمَا عَمِلُوا ﴿ اَحْضَهُ اللهُ وَنَسُوْهُ ، وَاللهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ
شَهيدٌ

345
Surah Al-Mujadalah : 58 : 1 - 6
Allah has heard the talk of the woman who was
debating with you about her husband, and was
complaining to Allah. And Allah was hearing the
conversation between both of you. Indeed, Allah is
All-Hearing, All-Knowing. [1] Those of you who declare
zihar 1 against their wives, they are not their mothers.
Their mothers are but only those who have given birth
to them. And undoubtedly they utter an evil word and a
lie. And Allah is surely Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful.
[2] And those who declare zihar against their wives,
then retract what they said, obligated on them is to free
the neck (of a slave) before the two (spouses) touch one
another. This is what you are advised with, and Allah is
Well-Aware of what you do. [3] But whoever does not
find (a slave) has to fast for two consecutive moths
before the two (spouses) touch one another. Then the
one who is not able to do so has to feed sixty indigent
persons. This is (laid down) so that you believe in Allah
and His Messenger. And these are the limits set by
Allah. And for the disbelievers there is a painful
punishment. [4] Surely those who oppose Allah and His
Messenger shall be disgraced, just as those before them
were disgraced. And We have sent down clear verses,
and for the disbelievers there is a humiliating
punishment [5] on the Day when Allah will raise all of
them, and will tell them what they did; Allah has its
full account, while they have forgotten it. And Allah is
witness to every thing. [6]
Commentary
Cause of Revelation
The initial verses of this Surah refer to a particular incident:
Sayyidna Aus Ibn Şamit 4
de said to his wife Sayyidah Khaulah bint
Tha labah ◌َّأنتٍ عَلَىَّ كَظَهُرِ أُمِّى ◌َحل which, literally, means 'You are to me like
the back of my mother.' Its underlying meaning is 'You are unlawful to
(1) Zihar is a term denoting a custom of the Arabs in the days of Ignorance. In case of
disagreement with their wives they used to say to them, "You are for me like the back
of my mother." After saying this, they used to take their wives as their real mothers
in being prohibited for them, and the ties of marriage were held to have been broken
for good, with no possibility of their restoration. These verses have been revealed in a
similar case where a husband (Aus ibn. Şamit) had declared zihar against his wife
(Khawlah) who approached the Holy Prophet
and complained about her husband.
The custom of the days of Ignorance was condemned, and the rules of Shari'ah about
zihar were laid down by these verses. (Muhammad Taqi Usmani)

346
Surah Al-Mujadalah : 58 : 1 - 6
me for cohabitation just like my mother.' Such an utterance, in the days
of ignorance, amounted to divorce - even worse because it was taken to
imply that the husband is rescinding all marital ties with his wife and, in
addition, he is classifying her within the prohibited degree or
permanently forbidden women like his mother. According to pre-Islamic
custom, reunion with the wife was possible after divorce, but not after
zihar, as she became permanently and absolutely forbidden. When this
incident took place, the aggrieved lady went to the Messenger of Allah
complaining about her husband and seeking redress for her problem
according to Shari'ah. Up to that point in time the Messenger of Allah had
not received any revelation concerning that legal issue. Therefore, he
pleaded his inability to do anything to help her in the absence of a
revealed ordinance and said to her: ◌َمَآ أُمِرُتُ فِىُ شَاكِ بِشَىْءٍ حَتّى الآن "I have not
yet received any ordinance regarding your matter." However he
expressed his opinion according to common custom and said: & Vi sri u
" "" "In my opinion, you have become forbidden to him." Having
heard this ruling, she pleaded: "O Allah's Messenger! He spent my
wealth, exhausted my youth and my womb bore abundantly for him.
When I became old, unable to bear children, he pronounced the zihar
formula on me. Where shall I go and how will my children do their
living?" According to another version, she said: by śsu "My husband did
not mention the word 'divorce', so how can this be counted as 'divorce'?"
According to another version, she pleaded to Allah: ◌َاَللَّهُمَّ إِنّى أَشْكُوْا إِلَيْك "O
Allah! I direct my complaint to You . This was the cause of the revelation
of verses [1-6] (Al-Durarul Manthur and Ibn Kathir) which clearly state that
Allah heard Sayyidah Khaulah's & complaint and revealed the rule of
Shari'ah to redress her grievances. Allah not only made matters easy for
her, but the rule has been eternally enshrined in the Holy Qur'an for all
sensible people to follow.
The noble Companions greatly respected Sayyidah Khaulah
because her case has been the cause of the revelation of the current set of
verses, which abolished once and for all the long-standing social evil that
was practiced in Arabia. Once Sayyidna 'Umar Faruq, the Great 4
was
on his way with some of the blessed Companions when he came across a
woman who stopped him. He instantly stopped and listened attentively to
her with his head bent down. He did not move till she completed what she

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Surah Al-Mujadalah : 58 : 1 - 6
wanted to say. Some of the noble Companions said: "O Commander of the
Faithful! You have held back such a large group of people for such a long
time on account of this old lady!" Sayyidna 'Umar 4
said: "Do you know
who this lady is? She is Sayyidah Khaulah de, the lady whose complaint
was heard in the seventh heaven. So, how can 'Umar not listen to her?
She should be heard for a longer period of time and with greater
attention. By Allah! If she did not take leave of her own accord, I would
have stood with her here till the nightfall." [Ibn Kathir]
ans & (Allah has heard .... 1) The reference in the verse is to
Sayyidah Khaulah 4%, the wife of Sayyidna Aus Ibn Samit 40, as
mentioned above. Thus this verse and the rest of the verses lay down not
only the rule of Shari'ah pertaining to zihar and redress the grievances of
women placed in such awkward situation, but the first verse also is in
honour of the pleading lady which consoles her, in that it says that Allah
was listening to her words when she was pleading her case. The word
mujadalah means 'to plead, argue or dispute consistently and
convincingly about one's problem or case'. According to some narratives,
when the Messenger of Allah
pleaded his inability to do anything for
her, as noted above, the aggrieved lady uttered spontaneously that 'you
receive ordinances in all matters, then how is it that no ordinance was
revealed to you in my case?' Thus the verse was revealed: QUI ,
" ... and was complaining to Allah ... [1]". [Qurțubi]
Sayyidah 'A'ishah
is reported to have said: " Pure is He, Whose
hearing encompasses all things. I heard what Khaulah bint Tha'labah
said about her husband while some of it I could not hear despite being so
close to her in the same room, but Allah heard all her conversation and
said :ُقَدْ سَمِعَ اللَّه 'Allah has heard ... '." [Bukhari, Ibn Kathir].
Zihār
Those of you who declare zihar against their) الَّذِيْنَ يُظهِرُونَ مِنْكُمُ مِّنُ نِسَآئِهِمْ
wives ... 58:2) The aorist yuzahiruna is derived from zihar. There was a
cruel custom in pre-Islamic Arabia, as pointed out earlier, where the
husband would utter the har formula انْتِ عَلَىَّ كَظَهُرِ أُمِّى 'You are to me as
my mother's back', and thus she would become permanently and
absolutely unlawful to him for cohabitation like the mother. Here the
word zahr (back) metonymically refers to batn 'stomach or womb'. [Qurtubi]

348
Surah Al-Mujadalah : 58 : 1 - 6
Definition of zihar and its effect in Shari'ah
In order to understand the definition of zihar in terms of Shari'ah, it
should be noted first that there are some women who are permanently
forbidden for a man, such as mother, sister, daughter and others in the
prohibited degree. Although looking at such women is permissible in
general, yet looking at some parts of their body is not permissible, (like
abdomen, back etc.) Now the definition of zihar is 'to compare one's wife
with any of such parts of the body of such prohibited women'. According
to the old Arab custom all conjugal relations ceased permanently between
a man and his wife when he would use these words; rather it was worse
than divorce. In the case of divorce, it was possible to retract and take
back the wife. But in the case of zihar, according to the old Arab custom,
it was not at all possible to restore the conjugal rights.
The current set of verses brought about reform in the custom in two
ways: [1] zihar has been declared a sinful act. If a person is placed in a
situation where he needs to separate from his wife, he must choose the
method of 'divorce'. Zihar should not be resorted to for this purpose,
because the utterance of zihar formula is absurd, nonsense and false.
Obviously, their wives are not their mothers, the Quran reads thus: 340
Their mothers are but only those who have ... " أُمَّهُتِهِمُ إِنْ أُمَّهُتُهُمُ إِلَّا الْفِىُ وَلَدْنَهُمْ
given birth to them ... [58:2]". The وَإِنَّهُمُ لَيَقُوُلُونَ مُنْكَرًا مِّنَ الْقَوْلِ وَزُورًا further says:
" ... and undoubtedly they utter an evil word and a lie ... [58:2]" In other
words, their utterance is false, meaning 'calling one's wife mother' is
contrary to truth and fact, and also a heinous sin.
[2] The second reform the Qur'an brought about is as follows: If an
ignorant person or a person unacquainted with the legal formalities of
Islam were to utter the zihar formula, his wife does not become
permanently unlawful to him, nor does he have an open licence to do as
he wishes - like enjoying intimacy with her. The guilty person will have to
pay a penalty for uttering such evil, false and obnoxious words. He
cannot take back his wife without first paying the prescribed expiation.
The following verse prescribes this expiation.
The Expiation for Zihar
And those who declare zihar against) وَالَّذِيْنَ يُظهِرُوُنَ مِنْ نِسَآئِهِمُ ثُمَّ يَعُوُدُونَ لِمَا قَالُوا
their wives, then retract what they said, ... 58:3). The preposition lam in
the phrase يَعُوُدُونَ لِمَا قَالُوا " ... retract what they said ... " is used in the sense of

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Surah Al-Mujadalah : 58 : 1 - 6
'an [from]. Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas 4
interprets 'retract' in the sense of
'regret': 'they regret what they said and wish to be intimate or cohabit
with their wives'. [Mazhar]]
The verse shows that the penalty has been imposed on the husband
for the purpose of making the wife lawful - without it she cannot become
lawful to him. zihar per se is not the cause of the expiation. In fact, zihar
is a heinous sin for which repentance and seeking pardon and forgiveness
وَإِنّ اللّهَ لَعَفُوٌّ غَفُورٌ [2] is absolutely necessary. The concluding part of verse
" ... Allah is surely Most-forgiving, Very-Merciful." points to this fact. In
other words, Allah in His great mercy has made allowance for man's
weaknesses and He is always ready to forgive his lapses, provided he
comes to Allah with a penitent heart and makes amends. However, if a
person did commit zihar and does not wish to take back his wife and enjoy
intimacy with her, expiation is not obligatory on him. However,
destroying a wife's conjugal rights is unlawful. If she demands, it is
obligatory for him to pay the expiation and take her back, should he wish
to do so; or if she demands, he must divorce her and set her free from the
bond of marriage. If he does not divorce her and set her free, then she has
the right to apply to a Qadi or an Islamic court to compel him to either pay
the expiation and take her back or to divorce her and set her free so that
she could contract a second marriage. Islamic works on jurisprudence set
down details of the laws pertaining to zihar.
The penalty for zihar is obligatory, which is given in this and the next
verse. There are three options: [1] 1335 ( ... obligated on them is to free
the neck [of a slave] ... ) [2] If a person cannot afford to do that, he must
keep fast for two consecutive months; and [3] if he is so weak or ill that he
cannot fast, then he must feed sixty poor people. The expiation will be
fulfilled if one poor person is given two meals for sixty days. Alternatively,
it is possible to give two meals to sixty poor persons on a single day. In
each case, the poor should be fed to their fill. Another possible alternative
is to give to a poor person about 1.6 kg wheat or 2.12 kg dates or barley
for sixty days or the equivalent price of these food items may be given.
The details of the law appertaining to zihar and its expiation are
available in the texts of Islamic jurisprudence.
It is recorded in Traditions that when Sayyidah Khaulah
complained to Allah's Messenger
about her husband and pleaded her

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Surah Al-Mujadalah : 58 : 1 - 6
case to Allah, verses relating to zihar and its expiation were revealed. So,
Allah's Messenger called for the husband. When he came, the Holy
Prophet
noticed that he was a weak-sighted old man. He recited to him
the verses resolving his case, and commanded him to emancipate a slave,
he said that he does not have the means to do that. The Holy Prophet
then asked him to fast two successive months, to which he replied: "By
Him Who has sent you as the true Messenger, if I do not have two or
three meals a day, I lose my sight completely." The Holy Prophet & said
"Then feed sixty poor people'. He said 'I do not have the ability for that
either, unless you help me'. The Holy Prophet
gave him some food
grain, and also other people gathered more food grain for him, which
amounted to the measure of sadaqatul-fitr for sixty poor men, and in this
way the expiation was made. [Ibn Kathir]
[This is [laid down ... ) ذلِكَ لِتُؤُمِنُوا بِاللهِ وَرَسُوْلِهٍ ﴿ وَتِلْكَ حُدُوْدُ اللهِ ﴿ وَلِلْكَفِرِيْنَ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
so that you believe in Allah and His Messenger. And these are the limits
set by Allah. And for the disbelievers there is a painful chastisement. 58:4)
This part of the verse contains the phrase 'so that you believe'. Belief here
implies 'to act upon the sacred laws, ordinances and injunctions or obey
the commandments of Allah and His Messenger'. Then the verse says that
the laws of expiation are limits set by Allah. It is prohibited to exceed
them. It indicates that in matters of marriage, divorce, incestuous
comparison and so on, Islam has abolished all traces of pre-Islamic pagan
elements of customs and practices, and set down the just and approved
code of conduct. Man is required to stick strictly to the parameters of
Islam. Those who oppose and deny the Divine limits will be tormented
most severely.
The Fate of those who Challenge Allah and His Apostle
Surely those who oppose) إِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ يُحَادُّوْنَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُوْلَه، كُبِتُوا كَمَا كُبِتَ الَّذِيْنَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ
Allah and His Messenger shall be disgraced, just as those before them
were disgraced .... 58:5) In the preceding verse, stress was laid on keeping
to Divine limits and to the sacred laws of Islam. The current verse warns
those who oppose or reject them. Their profane designs shall be foiled and
they shall be humiliated in this world and a condign torment shall be
inflicted on them in the Hereafter.
Allah has its full account, while they have forgotten ... ) احُضبهُ اللّهُ وَنَسُوُهُ
it .... 58:6) Man is very forgetful. He persists in committing sins and

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transgressions, but because he treats them as trivial and insignificant, he
is unable to remember and recall them. However, they are all recorded
and kept safely with Allah, even though the humans have done the
actions and forgotten them. Allah will call them to give an account of
them on the Day of Resurrection and chastise them.
Verses 7 - 13
أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِى السَّمُوْتِ وَمَا فِى الْأَرْضِ * مَايَكُونُ مِنْ
نَّجُوِى ثَلاثَةٍ إِلَّ هُوَ رَابِعُهُمُ وَلَا خَمُسَةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ سَادِسُهُمُ وَلَّا أَدُنى
مِنْ ذلِكَ وَلَا أَكْثَرَ إِلَّهُوَ مَعَهُمْ آَيْنَ مَا كَانُوْاَ ثُمَّ يُنِئُهُمْ بِمَا عَمِلُوْا
يَوْمَ الْقِيْمَةِ * إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٧﴾ آلَمُ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِيْنَ نُهُوْا
عَنِ النَّجُوَى ثُمَّ يَعُوْدُوْنَ لِمَا نُهُوْا عَنْهُ وَيَتَنْجَوْنَ بِالْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ
وَمَعُصِيَتِ الرَّسُوْلِ ، وَإِذَا جَاءُوُكَ حَيَّوُكَ بِمَالَمْ يُحَبِّكَ بِهِ اللهُ
وَيَقُوْلُونَ فِىِّ أَنْفُسِهِمْ لَوْلَا يُعَذِّبُنَا اللهُ بِمَا نَقُوُلُ ، حَسْبُهُمُ جَهَنَّمُ ٤
يَصْلَوْنَهَاء فَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيْرُ ﴿٨﴾ ◌َأَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ امَنُؤْا إِذَا تَنَاجَيْتُمُ فَلَا
تَتَنَاجَوْا بِالْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ وَمَعْصِيَتِ الرَّسُوْلِ وَتَنَاجُوا بِالْبِرِّ
وَالتَّقْوىِ ، وَاتَّقُوا اللهَ الَّذِىُّ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ ﴿٤﴾ إِنَّمَا النَّجُوَى مِنَ
الشَّيْطْنِ لِيَحْزُنَ الَّذِيْنَ امَنُوا وَلَيْسَ بِضَارِهِمْ شَيْئً إِلَّ بِذْنِ اللّهِء
وَعَلَى اللّهِ فَلَيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿١٠﴾ فَأَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ امَنُؤْا إِذَا قِيْلَ
لَكُمُ تَفَسَّحُوْا فِى الْمَجْلِسِ فَافُسَحُوا يَفْسَحِ اللَّهُ لَكُمُ وَإِذَا قِيْلَ
انْشُزُوا فَانْشُرُوا يَرْفَعِ اللّهُ الَّذِيْنَ امَنُوْا مِنْكُمُ " وَالَّذِيْنَ أُوْتُوا الْعِلْمَ
دَرَجِتٍ ﴿ وَاللّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ ﴿١١﴾ ◌َأَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ امَنُوْا إِذَا
نَاجَيْتُمُ الرَّسُوُلَ فَقَدِّمُوا بَيْنَ يَدَىُ نَجُوبِكُمُ صَدَقَةً + ذلِكَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ
وَأَطْهَرُ، فَإِنْ لَّمْ تَجِدُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿١٢﴾ ◌َأَشْفَقْتُمُ أَنْ

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تُقَدِّمُوا بَيْنَ يَدَىُ نَجُوبَكُمُ صَدَقْتٍ ﴿ فَإِذْلَمُ تَفْعَلُوا وَتَابَ اللهُ
عَلَيْكُمْ فَقِيمُوا الصَّلَوةَ وَاتُوا الزَّكْوَةَ وَأَطِيعُوا اللهَ وَرَسُوْلَهُ« وَاللهُ
خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعُمَلُونَ ﴿١٣﴾
Have you not seen that Allah knows all that is in the
heavens and all that is in the earth? No secret
consultation takes place between three, but He is
fourth of them, nor between five, but He is sixth of
them, nor between fewer than that or more, but He is
with them wherever they may be. Then He will tell
them on the Day of Judgment what they did. Surely
Allah is All-Knowing about every thing. [7]
Did you not see those who were forbidden from holding
secret counsels, then they do again what they were
forbidden to do? And they whisper for sinful act and
wrongdoing and disobedience of the prophet, and when
they come to you, they greet you the way Allah does not
greet you, and say to themselves, "Why does Allah not
punish us for what we say?" Enough for them is
Jahannam (Hell); they will enter it, and it is an evil
end. [8]
O those who believe, when you hold secret counsel, do
not whisper for sinful act and wrongdoing and
disobedience of the prophet, and do whisper for
righteousness and taqwa (God-fearing). And fear Allah,
before whom you will be gathered together. [9]
Whispering (for sinful acts) comes from the Shaitan
(Satan), so that he may grieve those who believe, while
it is not harmful to them in the least, except with
Allah's permission. And in Allah the believers must
place their trust. [10] O those who believe, when it is
said to you, "Make room (for others) in the sittings",
then make room, and Allah will make room for you (in
the Hereafter). And when it is said, "Rise up", then rise
up, and Allah will raise those, in ranks, who have
believed and are given knowledge. And Allah is
well-aware of what you do. [11] O those who believe,
when you consult the Messenger in private, then offer
something in charity before your consultation. That is
better for you and purer. But if you find nothing (to
offer), then Allah is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful. [12]
Have you become afraid of offering charities before

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your consultation? So when you did not do so, and
Allah has forgiven you, then establish salah, and pay
zakah, and obey Allah and His Messenger. And Allah is
well-aware of what you do. [13]
Commentary
Circumstances of Revelation
There are several incidents related to the revelation of the current set
of verses. [1] there was a peace agreement between the Jews and
Muslims. But when one of the Holy Prophet's
Companions would pass
by a gathering of Jews, they would speak among themselves in secret,
prompting the believer to think that they were plotting to harm or hurt
him. The Holy Prophet & advised them to give up their secret plots and
أَلَمُ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ نُهُوا عَن conspiracies but they did not heed. As a result, verse
.was revealed النَّجُوى
[2] Likewise, the hypocrites used to hold secret counsels or
إِنَّمَا النَّجُوى and إِذَا تَنَا جَيْتُمُ فَلاَ تَتَنَاجُوا :conferences, in consequence of which verses
.were revealed مِنَ الشَّيُطنِ
[3] When the Jews came to see the Holy Prophet , they, with a little
twist of the tongue, would invoke curses upon him by greeting him
mischievously 'As-Samu 'alaykum' Sile plus [death to you!] instead of
saluting him with the usual ◌ْالسَّلامُ عَلَيْكُم 'As-Salamu 'alaykum' [peace be
upon you]. On this occasion, verse J'- 3,4L ff, was revealed ..
[4] Ibn Kathir cites Imam Ahmad's narration in which it is reported
that the Jews used to greet in this way, changing the meaning of Islamic
greeting into an abusive statement, and then say, ◌ُلَوْلَا يُعَذِّبُنَا اللَّهُ بِمَا نَقُول 'Had
he been a Prophet, Allah would have punished us for the sin we
committed - why did He not punish us?'.
[5] Once the Holy Prophet
was sitting in the suffah of the mosque.
The congregation was large in the mosque. Some of the participants of the
battle of Badr arrived late and they could not find place to sit, nor did the
people sitting in the mosque make room for the late-comers. The Holy
Prophet g asked some of the people to stand up and leave. The
hypocrites, however, found this objectionable. He also asked the people to
spread out and make room for their fellow-believers and he prayed Allah
◌َيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ امَنُوا إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمْ تَفَسَّحُوا for such people to show His mercy them. Verse

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Surah Al-Mujadalah : 58 : 7 - 13
was revealed on that occasion. [Transmitted by Abu Hatim]. Piecing all the
elements of the narrations together, it is possible that at first the Holy
Prophet
might have asked the Companions to spread out and make
room for their companions. Some of them might have complied and others
probably did not. So, the Holy Prophet
might have admonished them
to stand up and leave as the students of seminaries are admonished to do
in a similar situation. Probably, the hypocrites objected to this.
[6] Some wealthy people used to come to the Holy Prophet
and
consult him in private for a long time which inconvenienced him and the
poor people would not get much time to consult him. For this reason, verse
was revealed. It is cited in Fathul Bayan from Zaid إِذَا نَاجَيْتُمُ الرَّسُولَ
IbnAslam, without any authoritative source, that the Jews and hypocrites
used to hold unnecessary private conferences with the Holy Prophet
The Muslims were perturbed by this because they gained the impression
that this type of consultation might be harmful. As a result verse ge (4
was إِذَا نَاجَيْتُمُ الرَّسُولَ 12 was revealed. When they did not heed, verse النَّجُوى
revealed which required them to spend something in charity before their
holding a private conference. At this point the fallacious people stopped
from consulting the Holy Prophet
, because their greed for wealth did
not allow them to do so.
[7] When verse ◌َإِذَا نَاجَيْتُمُ الرَّسُوْل was revealed requiring people to give
alms before private conferences with the Holy Prophet , many people
stopped even the necessary private consultation with him. So, verse [13]
says رحمه الله تعالى was revealed. Maulana Ashraf 'All Thanawi ءَ أَشْفَقْتُمُ أَنْ تُقَدِّمُوْا
that the concluding part of verse [12] فَإِنٌ لَّمْ تَجِدُوا ( ... but if you find nothing
[to offer], then Allah is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful ... 58:12) had already
given a concession to poor people from the requirement of charity before
consultation with the Holy Prophet
. However some people are neither
completely destitute nor are they completely wealthy, even though they
might have the minimum zakatable wealth. Probably, people in this
category might have felt it difficult to advance freewill alms, because on
the one hand, their means were limited, and on the other hand, they were
unsure whether they were indigent. As a result, they could neither pay
the charity, nor could they deem themselves exempt from the requirement
of the verse. They felt that consultation was not an act of worship or
devotion; and if they abandoned it, it could not be the cause of reproach.

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Therefore, they stopped consulting altogether. [All narratives are from
Ad-Durr-ul-Manthur]. These causes of revelation will help and facilitate the
comprehension of this passage. [Bayan-ul-Qur'an].
Ethics and Etiquette of Secret Consultation
Although the present verses were revealed in some particular events,
as detailed above, the rules laid down by them are of general application,
regardless of their cause of revelation. Thus the present verses contain
instructions about secret or private consultations. They are explained
below.
Secret conferences are normally convened with special confidants to
whom secrets are imparted trustingly. Members of the secret society are
satisfied that they will not be betrayed. It is on the basis of this confidence
that evil people design plots to oppress someone, or to kill him, or to usurp
his wealth and property, and so on. In verse [7], Allah mentions that His
knowledge is All-encompassing - it encompasses the entire creation. He is
observing or watching them, perfectly hearing their speech and seeing
them - whether in public or private, wherever and in whatever condition
they may be. No plots or conspiracies of any kind are hidden from Him. If
they commit any sin, they will not be able to escape the Divine
chastisement. Allah is present in all their secret meetings or conferences -
no matter how few or many people constitute their assembly. For
example, if there are three people in the assembly, Allah will be the
fourth one; and if there are five people in the gathering, Allah will be the
sixth one - nor numerically less or numerically more but He is with them
wheresoever they may be.
Verse 7 specifies 'three' and 'five' numbers probably because Allah
prefers that an assembly or congregation should comprise an odd number
of members. This is the essence of verse [7].
Mischief of the Jews
It was narrated earlier that there was a peace treaty between the
Holy Prophet
and the Jews. During this period, if one of the noble
Companions passed by an assembly of the Jews, they would confer
secretly among themselves in such a manner as to arouse suspicion and
anxiety in the mind of the believer making him think that they were
conspiring to injure or hurt him. Verse [8] آلَمُ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ نُهُوا عَنِ النَّجُوى (Did you

356
Surah Al-Mujadalah : 58 : 7 - 13
not see those who were forbidden to hold secret counsels, .... 58:8) prohibits
the holding of such secret conferences. This rule applies not only to the
enemies but also to the Muslims, in that they should not hold secret
conference to harm or hurt another Muslim. However, the Muslims and
others are allowed to hold secret conferences to promote good and
righteous causes . A narration of Sayyidna 'Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas 4e is
recorded in Bukhari, Muslim and other authentic collections, according to
which the Messenger of Allah
إِذَا كُنْتُمُ ثَلاثَةً فَلَا يَتَنَاجَا رَجُلَانِ دُوْنَ الْآخَرِ : has stated
If you were three, then two of you should not) حَتّى يَخْتَلِطُوا بِالنَّاسِ فَإِنَّ ذلِكَ يَحُزُنُه
hold secret conference leaving aside the third person [in another
narration of Muslim : 'except with his permission'] because this bad
manners would cause him anxiety and wound his feelings", [i.e. because
he will feel estranged or alienated and possibly suspicions may arise that
the two are plotting something against him and keeping it as a secret.]
[Mazharī]
Manners of the Secret Conference
O) يَأَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ امَنُوْا إِذَا تَنَاجَيْتُمْ فَلَا تَتَنَاجَوْا بِالْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ وَمَعُصِيَتِ الرَّسُوْلِ وَتَنَاجَوْا بِالْبِّرِّ وَالتَّقْوى
those who believe, when you hold secret counsel, do not whisper for sinful
act and wrongdoing and disobedience of the Messenger, and do whisper
for righteousness and taqwa [God-fearing] ... 58:9) In this and the
preceding verses secret societies of the unbelievers have been condemned,
but the condemnation is not unreserved or unqualified. The current verse
guides the Muslims to be conscious of the fact that Allah is fully aware of
their conversation and all of their conditions. Therefore, all their secret
conferences must be held for good purposes. It is the object or motive of a
particular conference that determines its nature. Thus in the present
verse, as indicated earlier, the believers have been allowed to hold secret
conferences only to promote good and righteous causes.
Return Good for Evil
It was narrated earlier that one of the evil practices of some of the
Jews of Madinah was that when they came to the Messenger of Allah
they greeted him by invoking curses upon him, thus: le fasi 'As-Samu
'alaykum' [death to you!] instead of saluting him with the usual LEJÍ
'le 'As-Salamu 'alaykum' [peace be upon you]. The word 'As-Sam'
means 'death' instead of 'As-Salam' which means 'peace'. The latter word
was distorted and pronounced with a little twist of the tongue, which

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Surah Al-Mujadalah : 58 : 7 - 13
sounded like the former word, but the difference between the two words
was so subtle that the Companions could hardly detect the difference. One
day, however, Sayyidah Siddiqah 'A'ishah un detected that the Jews
were invoking curses upon the Messenger of Allah
السَّامُ عَلَيْكُمْ by saying
السَّامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَلَعَنَكُمُ اللَّهُ وَغَضِبَ:As-Samu 'alaykum' [death to you!l, so she replied'
le 'As-Samu 'alaykum wa la'anakumullah wa ghadiba 'alaykum'
[death to you, and the curse of Allah be on you, and His wrath!]. The
Messenger of Allah
prevented her from this and said: "O 'A'ishah dge,
Allah does not like rudeness and foul speech." Sayyidah Şiddiqah 'A'ishah
due said: "O Messenger of Allah, did you not hear what they said." He said
to her: "Did you not hear my answering them back by saying Le, 'wa
'alaykum' [same to you]?" He further said to her 'Allah accepts our
supplication against them, but not theirs against us'. This event tells us
that even in response to the mischievous words of the infidels, the
Muslims should always adopt a soft and noble way.
Manners for Assemblies
O those who believe, when it) يَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ آمَنُوا إِذَا قِيْلَ لَكُمْ تَفَسَّحُوا فِى الْمَجْلِسِ فَافُسَحُوا
is said to you 'Make room [for others] in the sittings', then make room,
... 58:11) Allah teaches His servants good manners and enjoins upon them
to be kind to each other when they are sitting together. There are two
main rules of assemblies: The first rule states that people sitting in an
assembly should make space for those who came late. They should sit
together in such a way that there is enough room for others. If this is
done, Allah promises that He will widen their scope in the Hereafter.
However, it is not inconceivable that this space or room might be created
for them in the life of this world as well.
The second rule states: إِذَا قِيلَ انشُزُوا فَانُشُرُوا ('When it is said to you, 'Rise
up', then rise up ... 58:11) This means when people sitting in an assembly
are told to stand up and leave, they should stand up and leave. This verse
uses the passive voice [it is said] but it is not mentioned who says it or
who should say it. Authentic traditions make it plain that the late comer
himself cannot move somebody out of his place and use it for himself, nor
force his way into a gathering. Thus it is recorded in the Sahihain and in
the Musnad of Ahmad on the authority of 'Abdullah Ibn 'Umar dee that
the Messenger of Allah
لَا يُقِيُمُ الرَّجُلُ الرَّجُلَ مِنْ مَّجُلِسِهِ فَيَجْلِسُ فِيْهِ وَلَكِنُ تَفَسَّحُوْا : said
Here", "One of you should not move some other person up from his place

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Surah Al-Mujadalah : 58 : 7 - 13
and sit in it, but instead, spread out and make space for the comer." This
explicitly shows that it is not possible for the late-comer to tell anyone to
move out of his place and take his place. Therefore, it would appear that
the rule would apply to the master of ceremony or the organisers of the
assembly or the host. Hence, the meaning of the verse is: When the host
or his representative requests a member of the audience to stand up and
leave for a legitimate reason, they should comply and avoid clash with the
host. There are several reasons why this might become necessary. [1]
Occasionally, the host himself might need privacy for his own reason. [2]
He might need privacy to share confidential information with special
guests. [3] The capacity of the room cannot accommodate the late comers,
and no alternative arrangement can be made. So, the host is allowed to
courteously request some of the familiar guests to leave the room to make
space for the late-comers, provided it is certain that the leaving guests will
not suffer any loss. They will be able to benefit in another session.
However, the host or his representative must ensure that the guests do
not feel belittled or hurt in the process.
It was alluded earlier that this verse was revealed when the Holy
Prophet
E was sitting in the suffah of the mosque. The congregation had
filled up the suffah. Some of the participants of the battle of Badr arrived
late and they could not find place to sit, and remained standing. As a
mark of respect for them, the Holy Prophet % gave a general order to the
entire congregation to spread out and make room for their
fellow-believers, and prayed to Allah to make room for such people. Some
of them might have complied and there was no problem with them; and
probably others did not comply. So, the Holy Prophet
might have
admonished them to rise up and leave.
At any rate, this verse and Traditions related to the verse yield several
rules:
[1] The members of a conference must spread out and make space for
the late comers. [2] The late comers should not remove other members of
the conference and make room for themselves. [3] At times of need, the
host or the master of ceremony may courteously request some of the
members of the audience to leave. Late comers may not force their way
into a congested congregation, but take their position in a corner or a side
as recorded in Bukhari: The Messenger of Allah
was once sitting in the

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Surah Al-Mujadalah : 58 : 7 - 13
mosque and the people with him, when three persons arrived, one of them
could not find space in the congregation but found some space on one side
or in a corner and sat there. The Messenger of Allah
lauded him or
praised him highly.
Ruling
Another etiquette of an assembly is that if two persons are sitting
closely, a new comer should not intrude between them. In a hadith, the
Holy Prophet
g has explained this etiquette in the following words: j'y
It is not permissible for any man to break up the" لِرَجُلٍ أَنْ يُفَرِّقَ بَيْنَ اثْنَيْنِ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِمَا
meeting of two persons, who are sitting together, unless they themselves
permit him." [Ibn Kathir cited this Tradition and said that Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi
transmitted it on the authority of Usamah Ibn Laithiy 46].
The reasoning behind the ruling is that sometimes two persons sit
together for some specific purpose, and breaking them up might defeat
that purpose.
O those who believe, when you consult the) فَأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نَاجَيْتُمُ الرَّسُولَ
Messenger of Allah, ... 58:12) The Messenger of Allah
was preoccupied
day and night with educating the people and improving their quality of
life. In his general assemblies, all the members of the audience benefited
from his teachings. However, there were people who wanted private
meetings with the Holy Prophet
and he would grant them that.
Obviously, it was not possible to grant everyone's request as it required
time and effort, and that was difficult. The hypocrites made matters worse
when they asked for private audiences with the Holy Prophet
g in order
to hurt the sincere Muslims. Besides, the hypocrites held protracted
conferences with him. Some of the illiterate Muslims also held private
audiences with him for a longer time than normal or necessary. This
made things difficult for him. Allah provided a way to stop their irksome
behaviour by this verse which lightened the burden of the Holy Prophet
Initially, the verse provided that anyone who wishes to hold a private
conference with him must advance a freewill charity, the amount or
measure of which is not specified in the Qur'an. However, when this verse
was revealed Sayyidna 'Ali
was the first Companion to act upon it: He
offered one Dinar in charity and requested a private audience with the
Prophet .

360
Surah Al-Mujadalah : 58 : 14 - 22
Only Sayyidna 'Ali 4
Acted upon the verse
It is a remarkable co-incidence that most of the blessed Companions,
because of financial constraints, were unable to act upon this verse. Its
provision was repealed. Sayyidna 'Ali 4
used to say that there is a verse
in the Qur'an that none before me and none after me has ever acted upon
it. The meaning of the phrase 'none before me' is obvious. The phrase
'none after me' means 'none after me will practise it' because the verse is
abrogated. Although the ordinance is repealed, it achieved its basic
purpose. The Muslims, because of the dictates of their sincere love,
avoided their protracted audiences with the Prophet
so that he is not
inconvenienced in any way. The hypocrites avoided protracted audiences
with him because they feared that they would be recognized for what
they are and their hypocrisy would be exposed. Allah knows best!
Verses 14 - 22
اَلَمُ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِيْنَ تَوَلَّوْا قَوْمًا غَضِبَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِمُ + مَاهُمُ مِّنْكُمُ
وَلَامِنْهُمْ " وَيَحْلِفُوْنَ عَلَى الْكَذِبِ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُوْنَ ﴿١٤﴾ اَعَدَّ اللَّهُ
لَهُمُ عَذَابًا شَدِيْدًا ﴿ إِنَّهُمُ سَآءَ مَاكَانُوا يَعُمَلُونَ ﴿١٥) إِنَّخَذُوًّا
أَيْمَانَهُمُ جُنَّةً فَصَدُّوا عَنْ سَبِيْلِ اللهِ فَلَهُمُ عَذَابٌ مُّهِيُنٌ ﴿١٦﴾ لَنُ
تُغْنِىَ عَنْهُمْ أَمْوَالْهُمْ وَلَّا أَوْلَادُهُمْ مِّنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا أُولَئِكَ اَصُحِبُ
النَّارِ ◌ُ هُمْ فِيْهَا حُلِدُوْنَ ﴿١٧) يَوْمَ يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللّهُ جَمِيْعًا فَيَحْلِفُونَ لَهْ
كَمَا يَحْلِفُونَ لَكُمْ وَيَحْسَبُوْنَ انَّهُمُ عَلَى شَىْءٍ ﴿ آلاَ إِنَّهُمُ هُمُ
الْكَذِبُونَ ﴿١٨﴾ اِسْتَحْوَذَ عَلَيْهِمُ الشَّيُطْنُ فَانْسُهُمْ ذِكُرَاللهِ ،
أُولَئِكَ حِزُبُ الشَّيُطْنِ ، الّ إِنَّ حِزُبَ الشَّيْطنِ هُمُ الْخُسِرُونَ
﴿ ١٩﴾ إِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ يُحَدُّونَ اللهَ وَرَسُوْلَهٌ أُولَئِكَ فِى الْآَذَلِّيْنَ ﴿٢﴾
كَتَبَ اللّهُ لَأَغْلِبَنَّ أَنَا وَرُسُلِىٌ ﴿ إِنَّ اللّهَ قَوِىٌّ عَزِيزٌ ﴿٢١﴾ لَاتَجِدُ
قَوْمًا يُؤُمِنُونَ بِاللهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ يُوَأَدُّوْنَ مَنْ حَادَّ اللّهَ وَرَسُوْلَهُ