Surah 33. Al-Ahzab

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Verses [Section]: 1-8[1], 9-20 [2], 21-27 [3], 28-34 [4], 35-40 [5], 41-52 [6], 53-58 [7], 59-68 [8], 69-73 [9]

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Quran Text of Verse 28-34یٰۤاَیُّهَاO ProphetالنَّبِیُّO ProphetقُلْSayلِّاَزْوَاجِكَto your wivesاِنْIfكُنْتُنَّyouتُرِدْنَdesireالْحَیٰوةَthe lifeالدُّنْیَا(of) the worldوَ زِیْنَتَهَاand its adornmentفَتَعَالَیْنَthen comeاُمَتِّعْكُنَّI will provide for youوَ اُسَرِّحْكُنَّand release youسَرَاحًا(with) a releaseجَمِیْلًا good وَ اِنْBut ifكُنْتُنَّyouتُرِدْنَdesireاللّٰهَAllahوَ رَسُوْلَهٗand His Messengerوَ الدَّارَand the Homeالْاٰخِرَةَ(of) the Hereafterفَاِنَّthen indeedاللّٰهَAllahاَعَدَّhas preparedلِلْمُحْسِنٰتِfor the good-doersمِنْكُنَّamong youاَجْرًاa rewardعَظِیْمًا great یٰنِسَآءَO wivesالنَّبِیِّ(of) the ProphetمَنْWhoeverیَّاْتِcommitsمِنْكُنَّfrom youبِفَاحِشَةٍimmoralityمُّبَیِّنَةٍclearیُّضٰعَفْwill be doubledلَهَاfor herالْعَذَابُthe punishmentضِعْفَیْنِ ؕtwo foldوَ كَانَAnd that isذٰلِكَAnd that isعَلَیforاللّٰهِAllahیَسِیْرًا easy 33. Al-Ahzab Page 422وَ مَنْAnd whoeverیَّقْنُتْis obedientمِنْكُنَّamong youلِلّٰهِto Allahوَ رَسُوْلِهٖand His Messengerوَ تَعْمَلْand doesصَالِحًاrighteousnessنُّؤْتِهَاۤWe will give herاَجْرَهَاher rewardمَرَّتَیْنِ ۙtwiceوَ اَعْتَدْنَاand We have preparedلَهَاfor herرِزْقًاa provisionكَرِیْمًا noble یٰنِسَآءَO wivesالنَّبِیِّ(of) the Prophet!لَسْتُنَّYou are notكَاَحَدٍlike anyoneمِّنَamongالنِّسَآءِthe womenاِنِIfاتَّقَیْتُنَّyou fear (Allah)فَلَاthen (do) notتَخْضَعْنَbe softبِالْقَوْلِin speechفَیَطْمَعَlest should be moved with desireالَّذِیْhe whoفِیْinقَلْبِهٖhis heartمَرَضٌ(is) a diseaseوَّ قُلْنَbut sayقَوْلًاa wordمَّعْرُوْفًاۚappropriate وَ قَرْنَAnd stayفِیْinبُیُوْتِكُنَّyour housesوَ لَاand (do) notتَبَرَّجْنَdisplay yourselvesتَبَرُّجَ(as was the) displayالْجَاهِلِیَّةِ(of the times of) ignoranceالْاُوْلٰیthe formerوَ اَقِمْنَAnd establishالصَّلٰوةَthe prayerوَ اٰتِیْنَand giveالزَّكٰوةَzakahوَ اَطِعْنَand obeyاللّٰهَAllahوَ رَسُوْلَهٗ ؕand His MessengerاِنَّمَاOnlyیُرِیْدُAllah wishesاللّٰهُAllah wishesلِیُذْهِبَto removeعَنْكُمُfrom youالرِّجْسَthe impurityاَهْلَ(O) Peopleالْبَیْتِ(of) the Houseوَ یُطَهِّرَكُمْAnd to purify youتَطْهِیْرًاۚ(with thorough) purification وَ اذْكُرْنَAnd rememberمَاwhatیُتْلٰیis recitedفِیْinبُیُوْتِكُنَّyour housesمِنْofاٰیٰتِ(the) Versesاللّٰهِ(of) Allahوَ الْحِكْمَةِ ؕand the wisdomاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahكَانَisلَطِیْفًاAll-Subtleخَبِیْرًا۠All-Aware

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Translation of Verse 28-34

(33:28) O Prophet,⁴¹ tell your wives: “If you seek the world and its embellishments, then come and I will make some provision for you and release you in an honourable way.

(33:29) But if you seek Allah and His Messenger and the Abode of the Hereafter, then surely Allah has prepared a great reward for those of you who do good.”⁴²

(33:30) Wives of the Prophet, if any of you commit flagrant indecency, her chastisement shall be doubled.⁴³ That is easy for Allah.⁴⁴

(33:31) But whoever of you is obedient to Allah and His Messenger and does good deeds, Allah will double her reward.⁴⁵ We have prepared for her a generous provision.

(33:32) Wives of the Prophet, you are not like other women.⁴⁶ If you fear Allah, do not be too complaisant in your speech lest those with diseased hearts should covet you; but speak in a straight forward manner.⁴⁷

(33:33) And stay in your homes⁴⁸ and do not go about displaying your allurements as in the former Time of Ignorance.⁴⁹ Establish Prayer, give Zakah, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah only wishes to remove uncleanness from you, O members of the (Prophet's) household, and to purify you completely.⁵⁰

(33:34) Remember the Signs of Allah and the words of wisdom which are rehearsed in your homes.⁵¹ Verily Allah is All-Subtle,⁵² All-Aware.

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Commentary

41. Verses 28-35 of this surah were revealed during the Campaigns of Ahzab and Bana Qurayzah. Muslim narrates a tradition from Jabir Ibn ‘Abd Allah. It states that one-day Abu Bakr and ‘Umar called on the Prophet (peace be on him) and saw him sitting in the company of his wives. Addressing ‘Umar he said: “They are sitting around me as you see and they are asking for maintenance”. Upon hearing this both Abu Bakr and ‘Umar scolded their daughters [who were wives of the Prophet], saying that they were harassing the Prophet (peace be on him) and asking him to provide them with something that he did not have. (Muslim, Kitab al-Talaq, Bab Bayan anna Takhyir Imra'tihi la Yakun ...) One thus learns that the Prophet (peace be on him) was faced with acute financial problems during this period. This demand at a time when his mind was acutely occupied with the battle raging between the forces of unbelief and Islam, irked him all the more.

42, At the time of the revelation of this verse, the Prophet (peace be on him) had four wives — Sawdah, ‘A’ishah, Hafsah and Umm Salamah. In other words, he had not by then married Zaynab. (Ibn al-’Arabi, Ahkam al-Qur'an, comments on verses 28-29.) When this verse was revealed, the Prophet (peace be on him) first spoke to ‘A’ishah saying: “I want to have a word with you. You need not hurry in answering. You may consult your parents and then inform me of your decision”. Then he told her the content of the verse revealed to him and then recited this verse to her.

She replied: “Do I have to consult my parents in this matter? Without any hesitation I seek ‘Allah and His Messenger and the Abode of the Hereafter’”. Then the Prophet (peace be on him) called on his other wives and told them the same. All of them gave the same reply that ‘A’ishah had given. (Muslim, Kitab al-Talaq, Bab Bayan anna Takhyir Imra’tihi la Yakun ...; Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad, narrated by Jabir ibn ‘Abd Allah and Nasa'I, Kitab al-Talaq, Bab al-Tawqit fi al-Jana’iz.) The term takhyir signifies a husband authorising his wife to decide unilaterally between continuing to live with or separating from him. Since God had asked the Prophet (peace be on him) to offer this choice to his wives, he accordingly took his wives into his confidence. However, had any of them opted for separation, this would not have been automatic.

Rather, the Prophet (peace be on him) would have released them from the bond of wedlock, as is borne out by the text of the verse: “... I will make some provision for you and release you in an honorable way”.

It was, nonetheless, obligatory for the Prophet (peace be on him) to grant them separation if any of them so desired. For, it was inconsistent with his position as a Prophet not to honor his promise. Moreover, after such separation, that wife would no longer have belonged to the category of “mothers of the believers”. It seems that it would not have been unlawful then for any Muslim to marry them, for they would have chosen separation from the Prophet (peace be on him) out of their love for “the world and its embellishments” and this purpose would obviously remain unaccomplished if they were deprived of the opportunity to marry.

On the other hand, if any of his wives chose “Allah and His Messenger and the Abode of the Hereafter”, the Prophet (peace be on him) would henceforth cease to have the right to divorce those of his wives who had so expressed their preference for God, His Messenger and the Hereafter.

The choice offered them inevitably led to one of two logical consequences.

Should they prefer this world and its embellishments, they would have to separate; if they expressed their preference for God, His Messenger and the Abode of the Hereafter, they would continue to remain as they were, wives of the Prophet (peace be on him) and “mothers of the believers”.

In Islamic law, takhyir is the term used for delegating to one’s wife the right to divorce, a right that originally belongs to the husband. A wife, thus, has the choice to remain in wedlock or be separated. The detailed injunctions in this regard, as deduced from the Qur’an and the Sunnah, are as follows: i. Once a husband grants this right to his wife, he can neither withdraw it nor prevent his wife from exercising it. It is, of course, not mandatory for the wife to necessarily exercise this right. She may choose to continue the marital tie and thus let the right to be separated go by default.

There are two ways to grant this right to a wife. First, by the husband’s authorizing his wife, in unequivocal terms, that she has the authority to invoke divorce. Secondly, whereby the husband does not clearly specify delegating the right of divorce to his wife, but says something that carries the intention to delegate this right to her. For example, he may say to her: “You have the right”, or “Your matter is in your hands”. The use of such suggestive expressions without corresponding intention on the husband’s part, however, does not amount to delegating to his wife the power to invoke divorce. If she claims to have received such a delegation of power and the claim is contestably the husband under oath, this by the husband saying that he did not intend to divorce his wife, the husband’s version will be accepted. An exception can only be made when the wife produces firm evidence to the effect that she was granted this right in the course of a marital quarrel or in the course of their discussion on divorce. For in that context, it would be understood that the husband intended to divorce his wife.

Another condition pertaining to takhytr is that the delegation of this power is made known to the wife. If the wife is not present when the husband makes such a statement, she must receive definite information about it. If she is present, she should herself hear her husband’s statement to this effect. Unless she receives.

information about his delegation of the right of divorce or directly hears this statement from her husband, she cannot exercise this right.

There is some difference of opinion among jurists regarding the duration of the validity of this right, particularly when the husband grants his wife this right in absolute terms, without specifying any time period for its validity. According to one group of scholars, the wife may exercise this right in the same sitting in which her husband granted this right to her. If she moves away without giving any response or is engaged in something which may indicate that she does not want to make any response, she forfeits her right. This is the opinion of ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ud, Jabir ibn ‘Abd Allah, Jabir ibn Zayd, ‘Ata’, Mujahid, Sha’bi, Nakha’i, Malik, Abu Hanifah, Shafi'i, Awza'I, Sufyan al-Thawri and Abu Thawr.

According to another group of scholars, the wife’s right is not limited to that particular sitting. She may also exercise it later. This opinion is held by Hasan al-Basri, Qatadah, and Zuhri.

If the husband at the time of delegating the power of divorce to his wife, mentions a specific period of time, say a month or a year, the wife will have this right only during that period. However, if he leaves the timing to her discretion, her right will remain valid for an unlimited period.

If the wife seeks separation, she should express it in clear, unmistakable terms. A vague statement in this regard will not be deemed valid.

In terms of legal procedure, the husband may delegate this power to his wife in one of the following three ways: by either saying to her (a) “Your matter is in your hands”, or (b) “You have the right”, or (c) “You are divorced, if this is what you want”. Each of these, however, has different legal implications: If the husband says to his wife: “Your matter is in your hands”, and she responds to this in clear words that indicate her choice of separation, then, according to the Hanafi School, this constitutes a single irrevocable (ba’in) divorce. (In other words, the husband will forfeit his right to revoke the divorce. After the expiry of the waiting period, however, the spouses may re-marry if they decide to do so.) However, if the husband says at the time while delegating the power of divorce: “Your matter is in your hands to the extent of a single divorce”, this amounts to a single revocable divorce. Hence, the husband: may take her back as his wife during her waiting period. However, if while making the above statement his intention was to vest her with the right of triple divorce, or if he explicitly said so, this is tantamount to divorce irrespective of whether she explicitly pronounces triple divorce on herself or declares only once that she has separated herself from her husband or that she has divorced herself.

If the husband grants his wife the right of separation by saying to her: “You have the right”, and his wife explicitly exercises that right, this will lead, according to the Hanafi School, only to a single irrevocable (ba‘in) divorce, even if the husband intended triple divorce. However, if he explicitly delegates to her the right of triple divorce, her exercise of that right will lead to triple divorce. Shafi’, however, maintains that if the husband’s intention was divorce and the wife secures separation, this amounts to a single revocable divorce. According to Malik, however, this amounts to triple divorce of the wife if the husband had consummated his marriage.

However, the husband’s claim for a single divorce will be accepted if his marriage with that wife had not been consummated.

If the husband says to his wife: “You are divorced, if that is what you want”, and the wife exercises this option, the divorce that will come into effect will be revocable, not ba’in.

vii. If, despite the husband’s delegation of the divorce right to his wife, she expresses her willingness to continue to be his wife, no divorce will come into force. This is the view of ‘Umar, ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas’‘ud, ‘A’ishah, Abu al-Darda’, ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abbas, and ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Umar. This represents the mainstream view. When Masruq sought ‘A’ishah’s ruling on the issue, she replied: “The Prophet (peace be on him) delegated this right to his wives, yet they preferred to continue their marital tie with him. It was, therefore, not deemed as divorce”. (Bukhari, Kitab al-Talaq, Bab man Khayyara Azwajahu.) According to one report, only ‘Ali and Zayd ibn Thabit were of the opinion that even in this case a single, revocable divorce will come into force. However, according to another report, both ‘Ali and Zayd ibn Thabit held the opinion that no divorce would come into force. (Jassas, Ahkam al-Qur’an, comments on verse 28 and Ibn al-‘Arabi, Alkkam al-Qur’an, comments on verses 28-29.)

43. This statement does not mean at all that there was any apprehension that the Prophet's wives would commit “flagrant indecency”. The purpose of this statement was to make them realise that the expectations of them were in proportion to their elevated position in Islamic society. Hence, it was expected that their conduct should represent the highest moral standards. The statement made here is similar to the one made in Surah al-Zumar 39:65: “(Tell them clearly that) it was revealed to you and to all Prophets before you: ‘If you associate any others with God in His Divinity, your works will surely come to naught and you will certainly - be among the losers?” This too does not mean that there was any fear that the Prophet (peace be on him), God forbid, would ever be involved in polytheism. The real purpose of the statement was to impress the ‘monstrosity of polytheism on the Prophet (peace be on him) and through him on others, essentially driving home how it is absolutely necessary to stay away from it.

44. Neither their being the Prophet’s wives nor their exalted positions could prevent God from His punishment, if He so decided.

45. The Prophet's wives will receive double the punishment for their sins and double the reward for their good deeds. This is on account of their high position in society, for people generally follow in the steps of their leaders, both in good and evil. If they are evil, their misdeeds corrupt the whole nation. Hence such people deserve punishment for their own misdeeds as well as for the misdeeds of those who were prompted to corruption by their example. By the same token, the goodness of their leaders’ deeds will not remain confined to them, but will also spread to others. When such people commit evil deeds they receive greater punishment because of the unwholesome impact of their behavior on others. On the contrary, when they do good, they are rewarded not only for their own deeds but also for the wholesome impact they had on others.

This verse also brings to light the principle that the more sacrosanct something is, the more sacrilegious is its violation, hence entailing a more severe penalty. For example, drinking in a mosque is a much more outrageous sin than doing so within the confines of one’s home.

Committing unlawful sex with a woman of prohibited degree is a graver sin than committing it with any other woman, and would naturally entail a more grievous punishment.

46. This marks the beginning of the passage (vv. 32-34) which lays down injunctions pertaining to hijab. Although it is addressed to the Prophet’s wives, the aim is to introduce the reforms enshrined in these verses to all Muslim households. Once the Prophet’s household sets the model of piety and rectitude, that model will be emulated by other Muslim women.

Some people express the view that since these verses are addressed to the Prophet's wives, the injunctions enshrined in them are meant only to apply to the Prophet's wives. Just consider, however, what is said in the verses that follow and decide which of the directives mentioned in them is exclusively required for the Prophet’s wives and not for other Muslim women. Could it be God’s purpose that only the Prophet's wives be free of all uncleanness and that only they should obey God and His Messenger, and that only they offer Prayers and pay Zakah? Now, since this is not the case, how can the Qur’anic injunction that they stay in their homes and not go about displaying their allurements, as was done in the former Time of Ignorance, and not be complaisant in their speech with men unrelated to them be considered as injunctions specific to the Prophet's wives only and not to other Muslim women? There are no grounds whatsoever for considering some of these injunctions to be of general and others of specific import.

The Qur’anic statement that the Prophet’s wives “are not like other women”, obviously does not mean that other women may go out alluringly dressed, that they may speak complaisantly to men unrelated to them whereas the Prophet's wives should not do so. In fact, this statement resembles a refined person’s telling his children: “Do not use abusive words; you do not belong to a group of vulgar children”. No intelligent person will interpret this statement to mean that the person concerned considers the use of abusive words blameworthy only for his own children but not for others’ children; that he does not mind if this habit is found among others.

47. It is not blameworthy for a woman to speak to other men, whenever that is needed. However, a Muslim woman should speak in a straightforward manner so that it leaves no room for anyone to entertain amorous expectations. Her speech should be free from endearing overtones, complaisant tones and affected sweetness that arouses a man’s sensual passions and encourage him to make advances. God makes it plain that this manner of conversation does not behave a God-fearing woman who desires to stay away from immoral conduct. In other words, this manner of conversation with men is characteristic of immoral women, not of pious, believing women. Let us consider this verse together with the following Qur’anic directive: “Nor should they stamp their feet on the ground in such a manner that their hidden ornament becomes revealed” (al-Nur 24:31), The message of this Divine directive is loud and clear. Women should not display their charms and allurements to men not related to them. If need arises, and they have to speak to them, they should exercise all necessary precautions when doing so. It is in view of this that women may not make the adhan. If a woman is performing Congregational Prayer, unlike men, she may not pronounce the words Subhan Allah aloud to alert the imam that he has made some mistake. Instead, she may only strike one of her palms against the other.

Considering that Islam does not approve of women’s speaking in an alluring manner to men not related to them and, in fact, would rather like them not to speak to such men unless there is need to do so, how can that religion then approve of their appearance on the stage, singing, dancing or walking with dalliance, making a display of their amorous playfulness and behaving, on the whole, coquettishly? How could Islam possibly support women singing melodious love songs, containing lewd stuff, on the radio and other modes of mass media that whip up men’s desires? How can it allow her to act in dramas and play the role of someone's wife or beloved? Can it allow women to serve as air hostesses adept at charming passengers? Can it permit their appearing, publicly so as to flaunt their attractions in social clubs and other public places in mixed gatherings of men and women? Can it sanction their uninhibited mingling with men and cracking jokes with them? Such practices have no sanction in the Qur’an. The Quranic directives on such matters are common knowledge. Can anyone point to any evidence in the Qur’an that legitimizes the kind of permissive culture described above?

48. The imperative qarna (“stay”) used here has been understood variously by lexicographers. In this respect, it is variously considered to have been derived from the roots q r r and w q r. If it is considered to be derived from q r r, the meaning of the imperative would be: “to be settled down’ and “to linger”. If, however, it is derived from w q r, the meaning would be “stay with serenity” or “stay with grace and dignity”. In either case, it signifies that the main sphere of a woman’s activity is her home.

She should remain in this sphere and focus on discharging her duties.

She may go out of this sphere only when there is a need to do so.

This meaning is clearly borne out by the wording of the verse. It is further reinforced by a hadith. Abu Bakr al-Bazzar reports on Anas ibn Malik’s authority that women once said to the Prophet (peace be on him):” All acts of merit are for men: they engage in jihad and do much else in God’s cause. In which acts should we engage so that we may receive a reward equal to that of mujahidin?” The Prophet (peace be on him) replied: “Whoever of you stays in her home will attain the same degree of merit as mujahidin”. What this means is that a mujahid will devote himself with full equanimity to God’s cause because of the security he enjoys at home, knowing that his wife will duly look after his home and children, and that she will not act in a manner that would embarrass him. Since his wife provides him such peace of mind, she will receive an equal share of the reward for her husband’s jihad. According to another tradition narrated by Bazzar and Tirmidhi on ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ud’s authority, the Prophet (peace be on him) remarked: “A woman is an object that ought to be covered. When she goes out, Satan ogles at her. She is closer to God’s mercy when she is in the precincts of her home”. (Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Rada’ and Ibn Kathir, Tafsir, comments on verse 33.) (For further details see Towards Understanding the Qur‘an, al-Nur: 24, Vol. VI, n. 49, pp. 239-242.) In face of such explicit and emphatic Qur’anic injunctions there is no justification whatsoever for Muslim women to become members of councils and parliaments, run around in connection with social activities outside their homes, work shoulder to shoulder with men in offices, receive education in co-educational colleges, perform nursing duties in male hospitals, serve as receptionists and hostesses on railways and airlines. Nor is there any good reason to send them to USA or UK for education and training. The only argument for a woman's outdoor role is that ‘A’ishah took part in the Battle of the Camel. Those who cite this example are perhaps not aware of ‘A’ishah’s own opinion on this matter.

The following report has been narrated by ‘Abd Allah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal in Zawa’id al-Zuhd and by Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn Abi Shaybah and Ibn Sa’d in their respective works on Masruq’s authority. While reciting this verse of the Qur’an (see Surah al-Ahzab 33:33), ‘A’ishah could not control her tears, for it reminded her of her mistake in having taken part in the Battle of the Camel.

49. In this verse, two key expressions, tabarruj and jahiliyah ila have been used. The connotation of both should be grasped for a better understanding of the verse. Tabarruj literally denotes something that is prominent or elevated. Baraja is used to denote an object that is manifest and elevated. Burj (tower) is one of its derivatives and carries the same connotation. A sailing boat is called a barijah because of its distinct sails which are observable even from a distance.

When the word tabarruj is used in the context of women, it carries the following three meanings: (i) displaying the charms of her face and body before others; (ii) displaying her dress and jewelry, (iii) making a show of herself by her coquettish gait and other enticing gestures. Leading lexicographers and Qur’an-commentators have interpreted tabarruj mostly in this sense. Mujahid, Qatadah and Ibn Abi Nujayh define tabarruj as walking in an alluring and coquettish manner. According to. Muqatil, it denotes a woman’s display of her necklace, earrings and neckline.

Al-Mubarrad explains tabarruj as follows: “A women’s revealing her charms which she ought to conceal”. Abu Ubaydah is of the opinion that it consists in a woman’s revealing her charms of [body and dress] in order to allure men. (Ibn Kathir, Tafsir, comments on verse 33 and Tabari Tafsir, comments on verse 33.) , As for the word jahiliyah, it occurs in the Qur’an on three other occasions in addition to its use here. In Al ‘Imran 3:154 it is used with reference to those who flinch from fighting in the cause of God because they entertain false notions about God — “the notions of the Age of Ignorance”. In al- Ma’idah 5:50 it is said that those who seek the judgement of others than God in their affairs are guilty of desiring “judgement according to the Law of ignorance”. In al-Fath 48:26 the Makkan unbelievers’ attitude is characterized as one of “fierce bigotry — the bigotry of ignorance”. This bigotry was responsible for their preventing Muslims from performing ‘umrah. Itis recorded in a hadith that once during his quarrel with someone Abu al-Darda’ abused him as regards his mother. On observing this, the Prophet (peace be on him) said: “These are vestiges of jahiliyah in you”.

(Bukhari, Kitab al-Adab, Bab ma Yunha min al-Sibab wa al-La‘an — Ed.)

According to another hadith, the Prophet (peace be on him) observed: “There are three practices of jahiliyah: finding fault with someone’s descent, taking divination from the movement of stars, and lamenting and wailing over someone’s death”. (Bukhari, Kitab al-Managib, Bab al- Qasamah fi al-Jahiliyah — Ed.) In view of the above uses of the term jahiliyah, it becomes evident that as a technical term in Islam jahiliyah stands for any practice that runs counter to Islamic norms and worldview. As for the expression jahiliyah “ila which occurs in this verse, it signifies the-evil deeds committed by Arabs and others before Islam’s advent. It is obvious, therefore, that God forbids women from going about displaying their beauty and charms.

God also directs women to stay in their homes. Their main sphere of activity is their home rather than the outside world. If there is any need for them to go out, they may do so but not in the manner of the women of the jahiliyah period. In other words, itis highly unbecoming of Muslim.

women to go out of their homes bedecked with all possible allurements, displaying their charms by wearing make-up and by using seductive, tight-fitting and revealing dresses. These are the practices of the jahiliyah period, which are not conformable with Islam. It is for anyone to decide whether the culture that is being promoted in our society is derived from the Qur’an or from jahiliyah. It would be quite a different matter if those who are promoting this jahili culture have a version of the Qur ‘an thatis not accessible to ordinary mortals!

50. It is evident from the context that the expression ahl al-bayt (members of the Prophet's household) here signifies the Prophet's wives.

This is borne out by the fact that a direct reference is made to them: by virtue of the verse opening with the words ya nisa’ al-Nabi (“O wives of the Prophet”) it is clear that it is they who are addressed throughout this passage.

The Qur’anic expression ahl al-bayt is used in Arabic to denote one’s family, including one’s wife and children. It is patently obvious that a person’s wife cannot be excluded from the family. The Qur’an employs the same expression on two other occasions and in each instance it includes the wife. When the angels gave the good news of the birth of a son to the Prophet Abraham (peace be on him), his wife was astonished to hear this. In amazement she asked: how could they have a son when they were so advanced in age? To this the angels responded: “Do you wonder at Allah’s decree? Allah’s mercy and His blessings be upon you, O people of the house”. (Hud 11:73.) Another instance of the use of ahl al-bayt occurs in the context of the Prophet Moses’ story. When he arrived at the Pharaoh’s palace as a newly-born baby and a search was on to find a wet nurse for him, his sister said: “Shall I direct you to the people of a household (ahl bayt) that will rear him?”, (al-Qasas 28:12).

It is plain and clear, both in terms of the Arabic idiom and the Quranic usage of this expression, that the Prophet's wives are obviously included in the term ahl al-bayt. Likewise, his children belong to the same category.

It is perhaps more appropriate to say that the address is mainly directed to his wives, while his children are implicitly included. Accordingly, Ibn “Abbas, ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr and ‘Ikrimah maintain that the verse makes a pointed reference to the Prophet's wives. (Ibn Kathir, Tafsir, comments: on verse 33.) However, were someone to insist that ahl al-bayt are restricted to the Prophet’s wives alone, this would be erroneous. When we speak of someone’s household, we refer to all members of his family. This point was in fact clarified by the Prophet (peace be on him) himself. It is related on Ibn Abi Hatim’s authority that when he was asked about ‘Ali, ‘A’ishah .

said: “You are asking me about him who was among those dearest to the Prophet (peace be on him) and whose wife was the Prophet’s beloved daughter!” She then recounted how the Prophet (peace be on him) once summoned ‘All, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn and covered all of them with a sheet and prayed: “O Lord! They are of my household. Remove uncleanness from them and purify them”. ‘A’ishah added: “I am also of your household”. (In other words, she asked that she, too, be let in under the sheet, and a similar prayer be made for her.) The Prophet (peace be on him), however, told her: “Stay away! Of course, you are one of them”.

(Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Tafsir, Bab Surah al-Ahzab) Traditions of a similar import are cited by Muslim, Ahmad, Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, Hakim and Bayhaqi on the authority of Abi Sa‘id al-Khudri, ‘A’ishah, Anas, Umm Salamah, Wathilah ibn Asqa’ and other Companions. These reports indicate that the Prophet (peace be on him) pronounced ‘Ali, Fatimah and their two sons as belonging to his household. In view of these reports, the term ahl al-bayt cannot be restricted just to the Prophet's wives.

Equally flawed is the contention that the Prophet’s wives do not fall under the category of ahl al-bayt. This view is put forward on the grounds of the above-quoted ahadith. First, what the Qur'an expressly declares cannot simply be dismissed on the basis of any hadith. Secondly, the relevant ahadith do not mean (portray) what they are claimed to mean.

These reports simply indicate that the Prophet (peace be on him) did not cover ‘A’ishah and Umm Salamah with the sheet with which he had covered ‘Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn. His action does not signify that he did not consider his wives as part of his household. Rather, the Prophet's wives were already included in his ahl al-bayt, for the Qur’an had addressed them with that title. The Prophet (peace be on him) was concerned about other members of his family (to wit, his daughter, his son-in-law and his grandsons) lest, because of the Qur’an’s wording which specifically addressed his wives, other members of his family were considered outside his household. He, therefore, clarified the point as regards them. No such statement was needed in respect of his wives whom the Qur’an had already included among the Prophet’s ahl al-Bayt. A certain section of people is not only guilty of excluding the Prophet’s wives from the category of ahl al-bayt, but also insists on restricting its use exclusively to ‘Ali, Fatimah and their children.

Furthermore, it misconstrues the Prophet's prayer for their purification in the sense that like God’s Prophets, ‘Ali, Fatimah and their children - are immune from sin. This is deduced from the following words of the verse: “Allah only wishes to remove uncleanness from you, O members of the (Prophet’s) household and purify you completely” (verse 33). In their opinion, the word “uncleanness” (used in the verse) stands for sin and God has declared them to be free of sin. This interpretation, however, is not borne out by the wording of the verse under study. Verse 33 does not declare that they have been made free of sin. It simply says that: “Allah only wishes to remove uncleanness from you”. It is evident from the context that the Qur’an does not intend to narrate the excellent qualities of the Prophet’s household. Rather, it exhorts them to carry out certain deeds and shun others so that God may remove uncleanness from them. In other words, the Qur’an presents before them a way of life whose observance will enable them to attain purity, implying that if they fail to do so, they will not attain purity. However, if the verse is misinterpreted to mean that the Qur’an declares the sinless-ness of the Prophet's household by saying, “He wants to purify you ...”, all those who perform wudu’, ritual bathing, and tayammum should also be taken as sinless. For the Qur’an uses exactly the same words in al-Ma’idah 5:6.

“He wants to purify you ...”.

51. The imperative wa yadhkurna in the verse connotes both “remembrance” and “mention”. Taken in the former sense, it directs the Prophet's wives never to forget that they represent a family that is the source of radiating wisdom and good morality for all. They are, therefore, charged with a great responsibility. Let it not happen then that people observe in this pious household patterns of jahili practices.

If it is taken in its latter sense, the verse directs the Prophet’s wives to mention the Prophet's teachings. This because they are privileged to have access to things to which others have no access. This verse makes a pointed reference to the “Signs of Allah and the words of wisdom which are rehearsed in your homes”. The former expression “Signs of Allah” obviously refers to the Qur’anic ‘verses. As for “words of wisdom”, this has a broad connotation that covers the totality of wisdom that the Prophet (peace be on him) communicated to people. It may apply, to an equal extent, to the teachings of the Qur’an. However, there is no good reason to restrict it to the Qur’an alone. Apart from rehearsing the verses of the Qur’an, the Prophet (peace be on him) also instructed people by means of his precept and practice.

Some people, however, claim that the word tilawah used in this verse is restricted to reciting Qur’anic verses. They argue therefore, that both “Signs of Allah” and “wisdom” used in the verse exclusively signify the Qur’an. This contention is quite faulty. The word tilawah simply meant ‘rehearse or recite’ at the time this verse was revealed. It was only later on that its use was restricted to rehearsing the Qur’an alone. Furthermore, the Qur’an itself does not employ it as a term in the above, restricted sense.

For example, in Surah al-Baqarah 2:102, the same expression is used with regard to the magical chants rehearsed by devils while attributing them to the Prophet Solomon (peace be on him). The Qur’an, thus, uses the term tilawah in its literal, general sense, and does not specifically confine it to Qur’anic recitation.

52. To say that “Allah is All-Aware” amounts to saying that He has full knowledge of everything, including the most hidden secrets.