Surah At-Tahrim 66:1-7 - Quran Translation Commentary

3. And when the Prophet confided a matter secretly to one of his wives, then when she disclosed it and Allah made the prophet aware of it, the prophet cautioned her (that wife) to some extent and avoided to some extent. When he told her thereof she asked him who informed you of this? He replied : the ONE Who is knower and Aware informed me.³

4. If both of you repent before Allah (it is better for you), your hearts are inclined toward it. And if both of you jointly displease him (then remember) Allah is His Protector and, thereafter, Jibrail and the righteous believers and the angels are his helpers.⁴

5. If the prophet divorces all of you, then no wonder if his Lord gives him, in your stead, wives better than you⁵ Muslims, believers, obedient, penitent, adorers, travellers,⁶ (for religious purposes) Previously married’ and virgins.

6. O Believers! Protect yourselves and your family members from the fires ⁸ the fuel whereof will be men and stones ⁹ appointed whereupon will he harshnatured and stern angels who never disobey Allah’s commands and (unfailingly) carry out whatever command they get. ¹⁰

7. O Disbelievers! Make no excuses this Day. You are being paid exactly for that which you were doing.¹¹

Commentary

1. Someone from the wives of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) had expresses her unhappiness over something. So, with a view to please them he forbid something in particular for himself. Though this particular thing was limited to his own self and he had also asked that respected wife to keep it a secret. Yet Allah almighty cautions the prophets instantly on their slips so that they may be rectified in time, and so that their character may not be damaged and people may also get a guidance.

It was merely a slip and the forbidding was not in the sense that Allah has prohibited it. Rather it was in the sense that he had with held it only for himself. When God Almighty cautioned him regarding this flaw, he also announced its pardoning then and there as is clear from the last phrase of this ayah. Now nobody has any right to look down upon an act which has already been pardoned by Almighty Allah.

What was that thing which the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) had forbidden for himself has not been mentioned in the Quran nor the holy prophet has made it known in any Hadeeth. So why should we try to dig it out? We must deem the brief narration of the Holy Quran sufficient which serves the main purpose. But the Rawees (narrators) have, using their imagination, described some events and the Mufassirs (commentators) have also copied or quoted them. Two of them are widely reported. One is about Mariah Qibtiyah who was the mother of Ibrahim, the son of the Holy Prophet. (He (Ibrahim) had expired in childhood)). With reference to Mariah Qibtiyah some such thing has been attributed to the Holy Prophet which is far below the dignity of his character. It is so low and absurd that in our opinion it is an insult to the prophet even to quote it. Imam Navavi has also made it very clear that no true tradition exists regarding Mariah Qibtiyah. And Allama Shiblee Nomani writes:

“This discussion was on the grounds of the principles of Rivaayat (narration). If sensibility is taken into account then there remains no need at all of search. The disgraceful event which has been described in narrations and especially the details mentioned in Tabari etc are such that they cannot be attributed even to an ordinary man. They can never be related to the Holy Prophet who was a portrait of purity.” (Seeratun Nabi, Urdu, Vol:1,P.150)

The other event is regarding forbidding honey for himself the summary of which is that the Holy Prophet used to stay near his respected wife Zainab binte Jahsh for some time and used to take (drink) some honey there. Ayesha says that I and Hafsa decided that the wife to whom he (prophet) goes thereafter should tell him that his mouth smells of Maghafeer (the fragrance of this wild flower is not pleasing). So the wives to whom he went told him accordingly. Thereupon he refused to take (drink) honey any more. Though this narration is in Bukhari it is unreliable for several reasons :-

First, there is a lot of contradiction in the narration about honey. In some it is mentioned that the prophet drank honey in the house of Zainab binte Jahsh and in some it is said that he took it in the house of Hafsa. This contradiction is seen in the narrations of Bukhari also. (Please see ‘Bukhari’ Kitab-ut- Talaq). It is also likewise in “Muslim”. (See ‘Muslim’, Kitab-ut-Talaq). When the narrator himself is in doubt about it how can one ever rely on his narration.

Second, It is mentioned in some narrations that Ayesha had asked only Hafsa that she should tell the Holy Prophet that his mouth smells of Maghafeer. But in other Rivayaat it is mentioned that Ayesha had told this thing to other wives too and they also did accordingly.

Third, the taste of the Holy Prophet was very high and refined. Why should he ever taste a kind of honey which had a detestable smell? Moreover, how was it that the smell was so lasting that it remained (in mouth) until the prophet visited all the wives one by one? What is this if not a fiction?! Can it ever be a fact?

Fourth, Honey is not only a permissible drink but in addition to it the Holy Quran has mentioned its speciality as a remedy for the ill. (Surah Nahl, Ayah 69). The Holy Prophet used to encourage people to take it. Then why should he forbid such a thing for himself?

Fifth, in a hadith of the same ‘Bukhari” Ibne Abbas has reported that Umar has mentioned the names of Ayesha and Hafsa as those who hold joined hands for showing displeasure (‘Tazahara’). But there is no mention of honey at Dawatul Quran 759 S. 66 all in this hadith. What has been mentioned in it is that all the holy wives of the holy prophet had demanded an increase in their maintenance amount (expenses) which had made the holy prophet gloomy. Then it mentions the holy prophet’s decision to remain separate from his wives for a month. Together with it is joined the event whereby the holy wives were given a choice either to live with the holy prophet or to get separated. Though this event (Takhyeer) is of the year 5 HE, Ayah 28 of Surah Ahzab was reveled in that connection. This Surah Ahzab was revealed in 5 HE, whereas Surah Tahreem was revealed in 9 HE.

It is thus seen that there is a lot of confusion in the narrations explaining the verses of Surah Tahreem. Hence these narrations (rivaayat) cannot be accepted merely on the basis of their Isnaad. Safety is only in sufficing with whatever has been mentioned briefly in the Holy Quran. Especially so because no blot should ever be put on the personality of the pious prophet. Nor is it proper that such an impression should be created that the holy wives had conspired jointly against the holy prophet. Whatever had happened, and only Allah knows better what had happened, was a kind of slip or flaw. Yet onward the holy wives have been severely admonished for this slip because they were dealing with a prophet of God. Moreover, their status was that of the mothers of the Muslims.

2.’That is, the expiation (breaking) of oaths which prohibit a thing which has been made lawful by Allah is absolutely permissible in the Shariat. Therefore they must be ended. Regarding the ‘Kaffarah’(expiation) for breaking an oath, orders have been issued in Surah Maidah, Ayah 89.

It should be borne in mind that Surah Maidah was revealed earlier and Surah Tahreem is a later revelation.

3. The holy prophet had told something secretly to one of his wives. But she revealed it to some other wife (of the prophet). Allah Almighty made the prophet aware of it. He in turn informed the wife who had revealed the secret that you did it. But according to his sweet nature he described the thing cursorily and did not show harshness. He pardoned it off. She, very astonishingly, asked as to how did he come to know, that is, who informed him of the same. The holy prophet replied the Knowing and the Aware Allah had informed him.

What was the secret thing or talk has not been explained either by the Quran or by the hadith. And there is no question of explanation, because, the caution which has been sent down by Allah is against the revealing of a secret (confidential) thing by one holy wife to another holy wife of the holy prophet. How then is it permissible on our part to try to dig for that secret and go on guessing? But the Rivaayat do contain such guessings and they are seen also in some Tafseers. We do not think it necessary to deal with such narrations. They are worthless in view of the reasons listed above. Of course the context shows that it was only one event, not many and it was about the forbidding by the holy prophet for himself something and it was something which he had told in confidence to one of his wives. But, as mentioned by us earlier, we do not know what it was.

By the way it also becomes clear from this ayah that the holy Messenger was receiving Divine Revelation in addition to the Holy Quran, because, there is no mention of the revelation of the said secret in the Holy Quran before Surah Tahreem. Numerous arguments prove that the holy prophet (peace be upon him) was getting ‘Vahy’ (Divine Revelation) in addition to Quran.

4. ‘Both of You’ means two wives of the holy prophet one of whom had revealed the secret to the another. Quran has not mentioned who they two were, as it is not necessary for us to know it. One of the Rawees (narrators) has mentioned two names. Another narrator has given two different names. The narration of Bukhari gives the names of Ayesha and Hafsa ( Muslim Bukhari Kitabut Talaq) where the rivaayat of Muslim says they were Ayesha, Safiyah and Saudah (Muslim Bukhari Kitabut Talaq). In view of this contradiction in narrations it is not correct to put allegation on any particular holy wife.

In any case, the one who had revealed this secret was indeed at fault. But the another one on whom it was revealed was also at fault. Probably the fault of the latter was that, after hearing that secret she felt that the Holy Prophet had not S. 66 760 Dawatul Quran confided in her and so she became displeased with him. Therefore both the ladies have been admonished to do ‘Taubah’ (to repent before Allah). There is a hint in this (admonition) that, despite their apparent behaviour their hearts were inclined toward ‘Taubah’. Side by side, they both have also been cautioned that in case they jointly continue to remain displeased with the holy prophet then they should remember that this sour attitude of theirs is not against any ordinary man but it is against a great personality whose status is that of a Divine Messenger and whose protector is Allah Almighty and whose helpers are Gabriel and angels and righteous believers. What will you gain by being displeased with such a towering personality and the distance which you are keeping from him will certainly not make his assembly any smaller. The help from righteous believers as well as from the angels is in the well known sense.

5. This also was a Word of admonition (caution) which was meant for all the holy wives collectively, so that all may be cautious for future. It is said: if the prophet divorces you, God Almighty will give him better wives than you who will have such and such virtues. This was to inspire the holy wives so that they may try their best to cultivate such virtues in themselves.

6.’Siyahat’ means a travel made for ‘Ibadat’ (religious purpose) (please see: ‘Lisanul Arab’, vol:2, page:494) like Hajj, Hijrat (migration), Jihad (holy war) etc. For further clarification please see Surah Taubah, note: 205.

7. Women who had lived as wives, either they are divorced or are widows can have many virtues and hence they are worthy of appreciation.

8. Make arrangements to save both yourselves and your kith and kin from the Hell fire. A Muslim’s responsibility relating to his family members is very great. He must make his wife and children aware of those things which drive one to Hell. He should teach them Deen (religion) correctly, should make them conversant with Allah’s commandments, must put emphasis on Salat particularly, and should instruct them to remain away from all kinds of evil. He should make his home environment such wherein they can lead an Islamic life. Now a days radio and T. V. have spoiled the home atmosphere very badly. It is very necessary to keep a control over such things so that no bad thing can be viewed in our homes.

It is the responsibility of every Muslim to give such religious training to his children which can make them religious-minded, which can enlighten their hearts with Imaan, whereby they may adopt good behaviour and which can make them gentle and civilised in life. But, it is observed that the Muslims care more for brightening the ‘worldly future’ of their children and are far less concerned about saving them from the torments of the Hell. On the Day of Resurrection (Qiyamat) they will realise how much careless they were about their children and how much irresponsible too.

9. The fuel of Hell-fire will be those men who die as disbelievers, besides those stones which were being worshipped. This means that the polytheists will continue to burn in Hell along with their idol deities so that they may realise that those whom they used to worship besides Allah have fetched them to the Hell. Now they are fuelling the Fire for them.

For further explanation please see Surah Anbiya, Note: 144.

10. Not to disobey Allah at all in any matter is the speciality of angels. Those angels who will be posted at Hell will be very harsh in nature and severe in their attitude. They will, therefore, never show any leniency toward the people of the Hell. They will go on tormenting them as commanded by Allah.

11. The disbelievers who will go to Hell will make excuses regarding their disbelief and polytheism. But there they will be told that it is now of no use to make excuses because, you are not being wronged at all; that what you are now suffering is the result of your own deeds.