SURAH AL-AHZAB

O Prophet, fear Allāh and do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites. Indeed, Allāh is ever Knowing and Wise.

And follow that which is revealed to you from your Lord. Indeed Allāh is ever, of what you do, Aware.

And rely upon Allāh; and sufficient is Allāh as Disposer of affairs.¹¹⁷⁹

Allāh has not made for a man two hearts in his interior. And He has not made your wives whom you declare unlawful¹¹⁸⁰ your mothers. And He has not made your claimed [i.e., adopted] sons your [true] sons. That is [merely] your saying by your mouths, but Allāh says the truth, and He guides to the [right] way.

Call them¹¹⁸¹ by [the names of] their fathers; it is more just in the sight of Allāh. But if you do not know their fathers - then they are [still] your brothers in religion and those entrusted to you. And there is no blame upon you for that in which you have erred but [only for] what your hearts intended. And ever is Allāh Forgiving and Merciful.

The Prophet is more worthy of the believers than themselves,¹¹⁸² and his wives are [in the position of] their mothers. And those of [blood] relationship are more entitled [to inheritance] in the decree of Allāh than the [other] believers and the emigrants, except that you may do to your close associates a kindness [through bequest]. That was in the Book¹¹⁸³ inscribed.

And [mention, O Muḥammad], when We took from the prophets their covenant and from you and from Noah and Abraham and Moses and Jesus, the son of Mary; and We took from them a solemn covenant

That He may question the truthful about their truth.¹¹⁸⁴ And He has prepared for the disbelievers a painful punishment.

O you who have believed, remember the favor of Allāh upon you when armies came to [attack] you and We sent upon them a wind and armies [of angels] you did not see. And ever is Allāh, of what you do, Seeing.

[Remember] when they came at you from above you and from below you, and when eyes shifted [in fear], and hearts reached the throats, and you assumed about Allāh [various] assumptions.

There the believers were tested and shaken with a severe shaking.

And [remember] when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is disease said, "Allāh and His Messenger did not promise us except delusion,"

And when a faction of them said, "O people of Yathrib,¹¹⁸⁵ there is no stability for you [here], so return [home]." And a party of them asked permission of the Prophet, saying, "Indeed, our houses are exposed [i.e., unprotected]," while they were not exposed. They did not intend except to flee.

And if they had been entered upon from all its [surrounding] regions and fitnah [i.e., disbelief] had been demanded of them, they would have done it and not hesitated over it except briefly.

And they had already promised Allāh before not to turn their backs [i.e., flee]. And ever is the promise to Allāh [that about which one will be] questioned.

Say, [O Muḥammad], "Never will fleeing benefit you if you should flee from death or killing; and then [if you did], you would not be given enjoyment [of life] except for a little."

Say, "Who is it that can protect you from Allāh¹¹⁸⁶ if He intends for you an ill or intends for you a mercy?" And they will not find for themselves besides Allāh any protector or any helper.

Already Allāh knows the hinderers¹¹⁸⁷ among you and those [hypocrites] who say to their brothers, "Come to us,"¹¹⁸⁸ and do not go to battle, except for a few,¹¹⁸⁹

Indisposed¹¹⁹⁰ toward you. And when fear comes, you see them looking at you, their eyes revolving like one being overcome by death. But when fear departs, they lash you with sharp tongues, indisposed toward [any] good. Those have not believed, so Allāh has rendered their deeds worthless, and ever is that, for Allāh, easy.

They think the companies have not [yet] withdrawn.¹¹⁹¹ And if the companies should come [again], they would wish they were in the desert among the bedouins, inquiring [from afar] about your news. And if they should be among you, they would not fight except for a little.

There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allāh an excellent pattern¹¹⁹² for anyone whose hope is in Allāh and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allāh often.

And when the believers saw the companies, they said, "This is what Allāh and His Messenger had promised us, and Allāh and His Messenger spoke the truth." And it increased them only in faith and acceptance.

Among the believers are men true to what they promised Allāh. Among them is he who has fulfilled his vow [to the death], and among them is he who awaits [his chance]. And they did not alter [the terms of their commitment] by any alteration -

That Allāh may reward the truthful for their truth and punish the hypocrites if He wills or accept their repentance. Indeed, Allāh is ever Forgiving and Merciful.

And Allāh repelled those who disbelieved, in their rage, not having obtained any good. And sufficient was Allāh for the believers in battle, and ever is Allāh Powerful and Exalted in Might.

And He brought down those who supported them among the People of the Scripture¹¹⁹³ from their fortresses and cast terror into their hearts [so that] a party [i.e., their men] you killed, and you took captive a party [i.e., the women and children].

And He caused you to inherit their land and their homes and their properties and a land which you have not trodden.¹¹⁹⁴ And ever is Allāh, over all things, competent.

O Prophet, say to your wives, "If you should desire the worldly life and its adornment, then come, I will provide for you and give you a gracious release.

But if you should desire Allāh and His Messenger and the home of the Hereafter - then indeed, Allāh has prepared for the doers of good among you a great reward."

O wives of the Prophet, whoever of you should commit a clear immorality - for her the punishment would be doubled two fold, and ever is that, for Allāh, easy.

And whoever of you devoutly obeys Allāh and His Messenger and does righteousness - We will give her her reward twice; and We have prepared for her a noble provision.

O wives of the Prophet, you are not like anyone among women. If you fear Allāh, then do not be soft in speech [to men],¹¹⁹⁵ lest he in whose heart is disease should covet, but speak with appropriate speech.

And abide in your houses and do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of ignorance. And establish prayer and give zakāh and obey Allāh and His Messenger. Allāh intends only to remove from you the impurity [of sin], O people of the [Prophet's] household, and to purify you with [extensive] purification.

And remember what is recited in your houses of the verses of Allāh and wisdom.¹¹⁹⁶ Indeed, Allāh is ever Subtle¹¹⁹⁷ and Aware.

Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women, the obedient men and obedient women, the truthful men and truthful women, the patient men and patient women, the humble men and humble women, the charitable men and charitable women, the fasting men and fasting women, the men who guard their private parts and the women who do so, and the men who remember Allāh often and the women who do so - for them Allāh has prepared forgiveness and a great reward.

It is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allāh and His Messenger have decided a matter, that they should [thereafter] have any choice about their affair. And whoever disobeys Allāh and His Messenger has certainly strayed into clear error.

And [remember, O Muḥammad], when you said to the one on whom Allāh bestowed favor and you bestowed favor,¹¹⁹⁸ "Keep your wife and fear Allāh," while you concealed within yourself that which Allāh is to disclose.¹¹⁹⁹ And you feared the people,¹²⁰⁰ while Allāh has more right that you fear Him.¹²⁰¹ So when Zayd had no longer any need for her, We married her to you in order that there not be upon the believers any discomfort [i.e., guilt] concerning the wives of their claimed [i.e., adopted] sons when they no longer have need of them. And ever is the command [i.e., decree] of Allāh accomplished.

There is not to be upon the Prophet any discomfort concerning that which Allāh has imposed upon him.¹²⁰² [This is] the established way of Allāh with those [prophets] who have passed on before. And ever is the command of Allāh a destiny decreed.

[Allāh praises] those who convey the messages of Allāh¹²⁰³ and fear Him and do not fear anyone but Allāh. And sufficient is Allāh as Accountant.

Muḥammad is not the father of [any] one of your men, but [he is] the Messenger of Allāh and seal [i.e., last] of the prophets. And ever is Allāh, of all things, Knowing.

O you who have believed, remember Allāh with much remembrance

And exalt Him morning and afternoon.

It is He who confers blessing upon you,¹²⁰⁴ and His angels [ask Him to do so] that He may bring you out from darknesses into the light. And ever is He, to the believers, Merciful.

Their greeting the Day they meet Him will be, "Peace." And He has prepared for them a noble reward.

O Prophet, indeed We have sent you as a witness and a bringer of good tidings and a warner

And one who invites to Allāh, by His permission, and an illuminating lamp.

And give good tidings to the believers that they will have from Allāh great bounty.

And do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites and disregard their annoyance, and rely upon Allāh. And sufficient is Allāh as Disposer of affairs.

O you who have believed, when you marry believing women and then divorce them before you have touched them [i.e., consummated the marriage], then there is not for you any waiting period to count concerning them. So provide for them and give them a gracious release.

O Prophet, indeed We have made lawful to you your wives to whom you have given their due compensation¹²⁰⁵ and those your right hand possesses from what Allāh has returned to you [of captives] and the daughters of your paternal uncles and the daughters of your paternal aunts and the daughters of your maternal uncles and the daughters of your maternal aunts who emigrated with you and a believing woman if she gives herself to the Prophet [and] if the Prophet wishes to marry her; [this is] only for you, excluding the [other] believers. We certainly know what We have made obligatory upon them concerning their wives and those their right hands possess, [but this is for you] in order that there will be upon you no discomfort [i.e., difficulty]. And ever is Allāh Forgiving and Merciful.