Long questions (27 topics)

How Section C works

Section C carries 16 marks: two long questions, Q.3 and Q.4, of 8 marks each, and each has an OR, so you attempt one from each pair and choose from four. Every question comes from the 27 selected topics of the Assessment Framework (framework pages 16 to 18). The 8 marks are usually split as 4+4, 6+2 or 2+2+4, and the split is printed next to the question. In the model paper the questions were: Q.3, kinds of killing in An-Nisa (4+4); Q.3 OR, the hypocrites in Al-Munafiqun (2+2+4); Q.4, the evils of the People of the Book in Al-Ma'idah (4+4); Q.4 OR, relations between Muslims and non-Muslims in Al-Mumtahanah (4+4).

The splits: what to write for each

Rule of thumb: one mark is one distinct point, written in about two lines and tied to an ayah reference. A 2-mark part needs two such points, a 4-mark part four, a 6-mark part six. A point that is repeated in other words earns nothing.

Dividing the time of the paper

The paper is 50 marks in 2 hours and 30 minutes. A sensible plan is: Section A (10 MCQs) 15 minutes; Section B (24 marks) 70 minutes; Section C 45 minutes, that is about 20 minutes for each long answer and 5 minutes to choose the question and plan; and 20 minutes at the end to check the whole paper. Do Section C when your mind is fresh if you are confident in it, but never leave less than 20 minutes for it.

The structure of an 8-mark answer

FBISE marks content, organisation and the guidance part. Every model answer in this unit follows this structure.

1. Introduction (3 to 4 lines): place the topic in the surah: where it is, which ayat and the background.
2. Headings with ayah references: numbered headings, each with 2 to 4 lines, at least 8 distinct points in the order of the Quran, each with its ayah number, for example (النساء: 59).
3. Guidance for us: a separate heading with 4 to 6 short, practical points connected to today (the framework asks for guidance in the papers).
4. Benefits and harms (worldly and of the Hereafter): if the question asks for them, or if time allows, give 2 benefits and 2 harms under their own heading (framework SLO A-05).
5. Conclusion (2 to 3 lines): sum up the topic and its message.

A worked skeleton for a 4+4

Question: Describe the kinds of killing mentioned in Surah An-Nisa and their rulings (4+4). Skeleton:

• Introduction: the sanctity of life in An-Nisa, 4:29 to 30 and 4:92 to 93, in two lines.
• Part 1 (4 marks), heading 'The kinds of killing': 1. Deliberate (4:93). 2. By mistake (4:92). 3. Killing oneself (4:29). 4. A brief note on quasi-deliberate killing by the jurists.
• Part 2 (4 marks), heading 'Their rulings': qisas, diyat, kaffarah, the punishment in the Hereafter.
• Conclusion in one or two lines. The complete solution is in the model-paper section of this unit.

Quoting the ayat

• Give the reference in brackets after the point in the form (النساء: 59) or (An-Nisa: 59), with the correct surah and number; a point with a correct reference is worth more than one without.
• Write a short Arabic phrase (two to four words) only if you are sure of every letter and mark; otherwise write its translation in your own words with the reference. A wrong Arabic word costs more than the correct translation gains.
• If you know the number of the ayah only approximately, write the range, for example (النساء: 58 تا 59), instead of a wrong exact number.
• Quote a hadith only if it is well known and you are sure of it, and name the book (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim). Never invent one.

Presentation

• Write each heading on a new line and underline it; number the points 1, 2, 3 and leave a line between the parts.
• Underline the key words, names and numbers (for example 313, 17 Ramadan 2 AH) with a pencil or the pen you are using.
• For a 4+4 or 2+2+4 question copy the part labels (a), (b), (c) of the question and answer them in the same order.
• Put the question number exactly as printed (for example Q.3 OR) and write the answers of one question together.
• Write in short, clear sentences, in the language of the paper that you can write best (Urdu or English), and do not mix them within a point.

The board's rules for honorifics and names

The Federal Board has given instructions for the wording of papers and answers (framework page 7). Following them in your answer shows respect and is an easy way to avoid losing marks.

Common mistakes

The map: the 27 topics

Learn first the topics already set in the model paper (marked). The board often repeats a topic with a new wording, such as asking for the benefits, the lessons or the harms, so learn every topic with its ayah numbers and its guidance points. Topic 4 is marked because the model paper's Q.3 (kinds of killing) is answered from the ayat on state and the sanctity of life.

Introduction

Surah An-Nisa opens by telling mankind to fear Allah and to respect the ties of kinship (4:1), and then at once turns to the weakest members of the family, the orphans (4:2 to 10). In pre-Islamic Arabia an orphan was an easy prey: the guardian ate his property, and a widow was treated as a part of the estate. After the battle of Uhud (3 AH) many Muslims were martyred and left orphans and widows behind, so these rulings were of urgent importance. Allah gave the weak a place of honour and made the guardian a trustee answerable to Him.

Part 1: Rights of orphans and protection of their property

1. Return their property (4:2)

Allah commands the guardians to give the orphans their property when the time comes. They must not swap the defective for the good, that is, keep the orphan's good goods and put their own bad ones in their place, and must not mix the orphan's property with their own in order to eat it. Allah calls this a great sin («حُوبًا كَبِيرًا»).

2. Justice with orphan girls (4:3 and 4:127)

Some guardians married the orphan girl in their care only to keep her property, without giving her a fair mahr. Allah says that if they fear injustice to the orphans they should marry other women (4:3). Ayah 127 repeats that the orphan girls must be given what is written for them and that the guardians must stand for the orphans in justice.

3. Do not hand over property to the weak-minded, but provide for them (4:5)

Property is a means of standing and living for the community, so it must not be given to those who cannot manage it. But the guardian must feed and clothe them from it and speak to them with kind words. This protects the orphan's wealth and also his dignity.

4. Test them, then hand over the property at the right time (4:6)

Guardians must test the orphans until they reach the age of marriage. If sound judgement is seen in them, their property must be handed over, and it must not be eaten hastily out of fear that they will grow up and claim it. A rich guardian should abstain from taking anything, and a poor one may take only a reasonable amount. When the property is handed over, witnesses must be taken, and Allah is enough as the One who takes account.

5. A share for them in an estate and kindness at the division (4:7 and 4:8)

Men and women both have a fixed share in what parents and near relatives leave. When orphans, the needy and distant relatives are present at the time of division, they should be given something from it and spoken to kindly.

6. Fear for your own children (4:9)

Allah makes the guardian feel like a parent: if you were to leave weak children behind, you would fear for them. So fear Allah and speak words of justice. This turns the law into a matter of the heart.

7. The warning for those who eat orphans' property (4:10)

Those who eat the property of orphans unjustly are only filling their bellies with fire, and they will enter a blazing Fire. The Prophet (ﷺ) counted eating an orphan's property among the seven destructive sins (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim).

8. Good treatment and care of the orphan (4:36)

Ayah 36 lists the orphans among those to whom we must do good, after the parents and relatives. The Prophet (ﷺ) said that he and the one who looks after an orphan will be as close in Paradise as two fingers (Sahih Bukhari).

Part 2: Rights of widows

9. No inheriting women by force and no harassment (4:19)

In the days of ignorance the heirs of a dead man took his widow as a part of the estate: they married her without her consent, or kept her from marrying anyone so as to hold her property. Allah forbade this: it is not lawful to inherit women by compulsion, nor to trouble them in order to take back part of the mahr. The widow is a free person with her own will.

10. Her fixed share of the estate (4:12)

The widow inherits from her husband: one fourth if he left no child, and one eighth if he left a child, after any bequest and debt. Her mahr, if unpaid, is a debt on the estate and comes before the division. So she is no longer a burden but an heir.

11. Kind treatment and her protection (4:19, 4:36, 4:127)

The command to live with women in kindness (4:19) and the command to do good to relatives, orphans and the needy (4:36) cover the widow. Ayah 127 reminds the community of the rulings about women who are weak and oppressed. The widow may remarry after her waiting period (iddah) of four months and ten days (Al-Baqarah: 234) and her heirs may not prevent her. Her maintenance and shelter are the duty of the family and the Islamic society.

Guidance for us

1. Guardians must be honest trustees and keep the orphan's property safe and profitable (4:2, 4:6).
2. Hand over the property on time, with witnesses and a written account, to avoid later disputes (4:6).
3. Educate and train the orphan, and give him affection, not only money (4:5, 4:36).
4. The state and welfare organisations should support orphans and widows, with orphanages run under honest supervision and with the courts protecting their property.
5. Do not take away a widow's share or force her into or out of marriage; in our society, deprive no daughter or widow of her inheritance (4:19, 4:12).
6. Remember the fear of Allah: think of one's own children when dealing with another's children (4:9).

Benefits of acting on these teachings and harms of neglecting them

Worldly benefits:

• The weak feel safe, and the society is free of envy, crime and begging.
• Orphans grow up as useful citizens, and the trust between people increases.
• Wealth is protected and put to use for the good of the family.

Benefits in the Hereafter:

• The guardian who is faithful earns the company of the Prophet (ﷺ) in Paradise (Sahih Bukhari).
• Allah knows every good done for the orphans and weak, and rewards it (4:127).

Harms of neglect:

• The punishment of fire in the bellies and a blazing Fire in the Hereafter (4:10).
• In this world the weak are crushed, hatred and family feuds spread, and the orphans may turn to crime.

Conclusion

Surah An-Nisa made the orphan's property a trust: it must be returned, tested, protected and accounted for (4:2 to 10), and it made the widow a free person with her own share (4:12, 4:19). A society that cares for its weakest members is strong and blessed, and Allah is the Watcher over every guardian (4:1).

Introduction

Inheritance (میراث) is the transfer of the property of a dead person to his heirs. Before Islam the Arabs gave the estate only to the strong males who could fight, and women and children got nothing. Surah An-Nisa ended this injustice and Allah Himself fixed the shares in 4:11 and 4:12 and for the kalalah in 4:176, and called them an obligation from Allah. The Prophet (ﷺ) explained the details, and the science of the shares is called «علم الفرائض».

The rulings of inheritance in Surah An-Nisa

1. Men and women both have a share (4:7)

Men have a share in what the parents and near relatives leave and women have a share, whether it is little or much. It is a share fixed by Allah. This ended the custom of depriving women and children.

2. Debts and the bequest come first (4:11 and 4:12)

The shares are given only after the bequest (wasiyyah) and the debt. The Prophet (ﷺ) limited the bequest to one third of the estate (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, the narration of Hazrat Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas (RA)), and there is no bequest for an heir (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi). The funeral costs and the unpaid debts, including the unpaid mahr, are paid before any heir gets a share.

3. Shares of the children (4:11)

For the male the share of two females. If there are only daughters, two or more, they get two thirds, and if there is only one daughter she gets half.

4. Shares of the parents (4:11)

Each parent gets one sixth if the dead person left a child. If he left no child and only the parents inherit, the mother gets one third (and the father the rest). If he left brothers or sisters, the mother gets one sixth.

5. Shares of the husband and the wife (4:12)

The husband gets half of what the wife leaves if she has no child, and one fourth if she has a child. The wife gets one fourth if the husband has no child, and one eighth if he has a child (shared equally if there are several wives).

6. The kalalah and the brothers and sisters (4:12 and 4:176)

«كَلَالَة» is a person who leaves neither children nor parents. In 4:12 a brother or sister (according to the commentators, a maternal one) gets one sixth each, and if they are more than two they share one third. In 4:176 a sister alone gets half, two sisters get two thirds, a brother takes all the estate of a sister who has no child, and if there are brothers and sisters the male gets the share of two females.

7. No harm to the heirs (4:12)

The bequest and the debt must be made «غَيْرَ مُضَارٍّ», without causing harm. A person may not use a bequest or a false debt to deprive the heirs.

8. The remainder and the limits of Allah (4:13 and 4:14)

After the fixed shares are given, the remainder goes to the nearest male relative (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, the narration of Hazrat Ibn Abbas (RA)). Allah calls these laws His limits. Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger will be admitted to Gardens, and whoever disobeys and crosses the limits will enter the Fire.

Table of the shares

Example: a man dies leaving a wife, two sons and a daughter. The wife gets one eighth (5/40). The rest (7/8) is divided 2:2:1, so each son gets 14/40 and the daughter gets 7/40. The total is 5 + 14 + 14 + 7 = 40/40.

The wisdom of the Islamic law of inheritance

• Justice: the shares are fixed by the Creator, who knows who benefits whom («لَا تَدْرُونَ أَيُّهُمْ أَقْرَبُ لَكُمْ نَفْعًا»), so no one can add or take away by his own whim (4:11).
• Wealth is distributed over many hands, between sons, daughters, parents and the spouse, and not kept by one person. This keeps the circulation of wealth and avoids its concentration.
• The woman is honoured with her own share as a daughter, wife, mother and sister. The share of the man is double only because he bears the financial duties: mahr, the maintenance of the wife, children and parents. The woman has no such duty, and her property is wholly hers.
• It strengthens family ties, because every close relative has a right, and prevents quarrels because the shares are clear and settled.
• The weak (children, the elderly parents, the widow) are given the first right, and the nearest relative is preferred, in proportion to need and closeness.
• The bequest of up to one third lets a person help a relative who has no share or a good cause, and thus the law is balanced between the rights of the family and the freedom of the owner.

Guidance for us

1. Divide the estate of a dead person at once according to the Shariah, and do not delay or hold it back (4:11, 4:12).
2. Do not deprive daughters, sisters and widows of their share for the sake of custom, family honour or by a false transfer of land in the name of the sons (4:7).
3. Pay the debts and the mahr first, and do not leave an unjust bequest (4:12).
4. Learn the basic rules of the shares, and consult a qualified scholar or the court in case of doubt.
5. Be generous to the relatives, orphans and needy who are present at the division (4:8).

Benefits of acting on these teachings and harms of neglecting them

Worldly benefits: family peace and unity, protection of women and the weak, no court cases over land, and a fair spread of wealth. Benefits in the Hereafter: Gardens beneath which rivers flow and the great success (4:13).

Harms of neglect: family feuds, even murder over land, the cursing of the oppressed, and in the Hereafter the Fire and a humiliating punishment (4:14).

Conclusion

The law of inheritance in Surah An-Nisa is a complete and just system given by Allah: it gives the right to every near relative, men and women, adults and children, sets the shares clearly and puts the debts first. Its wisdom is justice, the spread of wealth, the honour of women and unity of the family, and obeying it is the way to Paradise.

Introduction

Surah An-Nisa takes its name from the many rulings on women and the family. It begins by reminding mankind of their one origin and the ties of kinship (4:1), and then builds the family: marriage, mahr, the forbidden relations, the rights of husband and wife, and the way to settle their disputes (4:3 to 4:35, 4:127 to 4:130). The aim is a family built on justice, kindness and the fear of Allah.

Rulings on family life in Surah An-Nisa

1. The family begins with one origin and the ties of kinship (4:1)

Allah created mankind from one soul and made from it its mate, and spread many men and women from the two. We are told to fear Allah and to respect the wombs («الْأَرْحَام»), that is, the ties of kinship. Marriage is thus the beginning of mankind and the family is its basic unit.

2. Marriage and justice between wives (4:3 and 4:129)

A man may marry two, three or four women, but only if he can be just; if he fears he cannot, he must marry only one. Ayah 129 says that perfect equality of feeling is not in a man's power, so he must not incline wholly to one wife and leave the other as if hanging («كَالْمُعَلَّقَة»). The permission is limited and is tied to the duty of justice in maintenance, housing and time.

3. The mahr is an obligation and the wife's own right (4:4, 4:20, 4:21, 4:24)

Men are told to give women their mahr «نِحْلَة», willingly and as a duty. If the wife herself gives up a part happily, it may be enjoyed. A husband may not take back anything of the mahr even if he wants to replace the wife, because the marriage is a solemn covenant («مِيثَاقًا غَلِيظًا»).

4. The women forbidden for marriage (4:22 to 4:24)

Allah forbids marrying the women whom one's father married (4:22) and lists those forbidden in 4:23: by blood the mother, daughter, sister, paternal aunt, maternal aunt, brother's daughter and sister's daughter; by nursing the milk mother and milk sister; by marriage the wife's mother, the step-daughter (if the marriage with her mother was consummated) and the wife of one's own son; and two sisters together. Ayah 24 adds married women (except those lawfully taken). All other women are lawful to marry with a mahr, in a chaste marriage and not in unlawful relations.

5. Living together in kindness (4:19)

The command to the husband is «وَعَاشِرُوهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ»: live with them in kindness. Even if you dislike them, perhaps Allah has placed much good in what you dislike. The Prophet (ﷺ) said that the best of you are those who are best to their wives (Tirmidhi; also reported by Ibn Majah).

6. Men as protectors and maintainers, and the righteous wife (4:34)

Men are «قَوَّامُونَ» over women, that is, protectors and managers of the family, for two reasons: what Allah has given one over the other, and what they spend from their wealth. This is a responsibility and not a licence for tyranny. The righteous wives are obedient to Allah and guard in the husband's absence what Allah has commanded them to guard (his honour and property).

7. Treatment of nushuz and settlement by arbiters (4:34 and 4:35)

If the wife shows arrogance and disobedience, the husband must first advise her, then leave her bed, and then, as the last step, a light correction is mentioned; the commentators say that it must be without injury, and the Prophet (ﷺ) never struck any of his wives (Sahih Muslim, Hazrat Aishah (RA)). If she obeys, no further way is to be sought against her. If a breach is feared between the two, each side sends an arbiter from his family and hers, and if they wish reconciliation Allah will bring it about (4:35).

8. Settlement when the husband is displeased and separation (4:128 and 4:130)

If a wife fears her husband's contempt or neglect, there is no sin on them if they make a settlement, and settlement is best (4:128). If in spite of this they separate, Allah will make each independent from His bounty (4:130). Divorce is the last resort after reconciliation has failed; its rulings are given in detail in Al-Baqarah and At-Talaq.

9. Rights of parents and relatives, and a woman's property (4:36, 4:32, 4:7)

After the worship of Allah the family is told to do good to the parents and to the relatives (4:36). A woman owns what she earns and what she inherits: for men is a share of what they have earned and for women a share of what they have earned (4:32), and women have a fixed share in the inheritance (4:7, 4:11 and 4:12).

Guidance for us

1. Choose marriage as a pure and responsible relationship, and avoid the show and extravagance that make it hard (4:24).
2. Pay the mahr fully and gladly, and never take it back by pressure (4:4, 4:20).
3. Husbands: use your responsibility (qiwamah) with kindness and justice. Wives: be sincere and guard the home (4:19, 4:34).
4. Settle quarrels within the family by elders and arbiters before going to courts, and prefer reconciliation (4:35, 4:128).
5. Place no restriction on the daughters' rights: no forced marriages, no marriage to the Quran, and no depriving them of their property and mahr.
6. Respect the parents and the relatives, and keep the kinship ties (4:1, 4:36).

Benefits of acting on these teachings and harms of neglecting them

Worldly benefits: a peaceful and loving home, trust between spouses, well-trained children, a lower number of divorces and court cases, and a society that is safe from immorality. Benefits in the Hereafter: the pleasure of Allah and the reward of keeping His limits (4:13).

Harms of neglect: homes full of cruelty and hatred, broken families and children who are lost, oppression of women, disputes among relatives, the spread of immorality, and in the Hereafter the punishment of those who cross the limits (4:14).

Conclusion

Surah An-Nisa builds the family on one origin, lawful marriage, the mahr, justice between wives, kindness, a responsible head and the settlement of disputes through reconciliation. These rulings protect both husband and wife, and a family that follows them is a source of peace for the whole society.

Introduction

Surah An-Nisa was revealed mostly in Madinah, when the first Islamic state was being built and faced the dangers of war, the hypocrites and the plots of enemies. Besides the family rulings, it gives the basic principles of an Islamic state: the rule of the law of Allah, trusts, justice, obedience, consultation with the people of knowledge and judgement, defence, peace, the sanctity of life and the discipline of the community (4:58 to 4:105 and other ayat).

Rulings on state and government in Surah An-Nisa

1. Offices are trusts and must go to those who deserve them (4:58)

Allah commands that trusts be given back to those to whom they are due. The commentators include in this the offices and positions of the state, which must be given to the most capable and honest persons, not by favour, bribery or relation. The Prophet (ﷺ) said that when a matter is given to someone who is not fit for it, wait for the Hour (Sahih Bukhari).

2. Justice in judging, in testimony and in law (4:58, 4:105, 4:135)

Judges must decide between people with justice (4:58) according to the Book that Allah revealed (4:105). The believers must stand firm for justice and be witnesses for Allah even against themselves, their parents and relatives, whether the party is rich or poor, and personal liking must not turn them away from it (4:135). The judge must not defend the deceitful (4:105).

3. Obedience to Allah, the Messenger and those in authority (4:59)

The believers must obey Allah, the Messenger and those in authority among them, and if they disagree on any matter they must refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if they believe in Allah and the Last Day. The obedience to the ruler is therefore below the obedience to Allah and His Messenger and is bound by them: the Prophet (ﷺ) said that there is no obedience in disobedience of Allah, and obedience is only in what is right (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim).

4. Rejecting taghut and submitting to the Messenger's judgement (4:60 and 4:65)

Those who claim to believe but want to refer their disputes to Taghut (a false judge or law) have been commanded to reject it (4:60). Allah swears by His Lord-ship that they will not truly believe until they make the Messenger the judge in their disputes and then find no discomfort in their hearts about his decision and submit fully (4:65). So the final authority of law belongs to Allah and His Messenger.

5. Care with news of security and fear (4:83)

When news of peace or fear reaches the people they spread it. They should refer it to the Messenger and to those in authority, who are able to find the truth of it. Rumours harm the security of the state and the morale of the people, so important news belongs to responsible persons.

6. Defence and preparation (4:71, 4:75, 4:102)

The believers are commanded to take their precautions and to go forth in groups or all together (4:71), and to fight in the cause of Allah and for the oppressed men, women and children who cry for help (4:75). Even in the prayer of fear (salat al-khawf) the army keeps its arms and its watch, and prays in two groups behind one imam (4:102). This shows organisation and the preparation of the state for defence.

7. Verification, peace and restraint in war (4:90 and 4:94)

When fighting in the way of Allah, a believer must investigate and must not say to the one who offers the greeting of peace, You are not a believer, for the sake of the goods of this world (4:94). Those who stay away from the fight and offer peace, or who join a people with whom there is a treaty, may not be attacked, for Allah has given no way against them (4:90). The war of Islam is for justice and not for loot.

8. No friendship with the enemies against the believers (4:141 and 4:144)

The believers are forbidden to take the disbelievers as allies instead of the believers (4:144), and Allah promises that He will never give the disbelievers a way over the believers (4:141). This protects the secrets and the independence of the community and does not forbid justice and kindness to peaceful non-Muslims.

9. Sanctity of life and the rulings on killing (4:29, 4:30, 4:92, 4:93)

The first duty of a state is to protect life. Allah forbids killing oneself or one another (4:29 and 4:30). It is not for a believer to kill a believer except by mistake. For killing by mistake the killer must free a believing slave and pay the blood money (diyat) to the family of the dead, unless they forgive it as charity; whoever cannot free a slave must fast two months consecutively (4:92). Whoever kills a believer deliberately will have Hell for ever, the anger and curse of Allah and a great punishment (4:93). The qisas for deliberate killing is given in Al-Baqarah 2:178 and Al-Ma'idah 5:45. (The full answer on the kinds of killing is the model-paper solution in this unit.)

10. Unity, the community and the path of the believers (4:115)

Whoever opposes the Messenger after the guidance has become clear to him and follows a way other than that of the believers will be left to what he has chosen and will enter Hell. This makes the unity of the community and its obedience to the Messenger the basis of the state.

Guidance for us

1. Rulers and officials should treat their posts as trusts from Allah, appoint the capable and honest, and avoid corruption and favouritism (4:58).
2. Justice must be equal for rich and poor, ruler and subject, friend and enemy (4:135).
3. The people should obey the lawful government in what is right, and the laws should be in accordance with the Quran and the Sunnah (4:59).
4. Do not spread rumours, above all about security and war; leave matters to those who know (4:83).
5. Keep the country ready for defence, and also keep peace with those who want peace (4:71, 4:90).
6. Protect life, property and honour of all citizens, and punish the killer by the law instead of taking the law in hand (4:92, 4:93).

Benefits of acting on these teachings and harms of neglecting them

Worldly benefits: justice, law and order, the trust of the people in the state, a strong defence and national unity. Benefits in the Hereafter: the pleasure of Allah and the reward of the just ruler, whom the Prophet (ﷺ) listed first among those whom Allah will shade on the Day when there will be no shade but His (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim).

Harms of neglect: tyranny and corruption, unfit persons in high offices, rumours and panic, disunity and the rule of the enemy, bloodshed, and in the Hereafter the anger of Allah and the punishment for killing and injustice (4:93).

Conclusion

Surah An-Nisa gives the Islamic state its basis: sovereignty of Allah and His law, offices as trusts, justice for all, obedience in what is right, referring disputes to the Quran and the Sunnah, security, defence, peace and the sanctity of life. A state that follows these principles is just, strong and respected.

Introduction

«حُدُود» (singular «حَدّ») are the punishments whose measure Allah Himself has fixed, and «قِصَاص» is equal retribution for killing and wounding. Surah Al-Ma'idah, one of the last surahs revealed in Madinah, gives these laws in 5:32 to 5:50, after the story of Qabil and Habil (5:27 to 31), so that the sanctity of life, property and public order may be protected by a just and firm law. The punishment is fixed so that justice does not depend on the whim of the ruler or the strength of the criminal.

The hudud and qisas of Surah Al-Ma'idah

1. The sanctity of human life (5:32)

After the story of Qabil and Habil, Allah decreed upon the Children of Israel, and this is a principle for all, that whoever kills a soul, except for a soul or for corruption in the land, is as if he had killed all mankind, and whoever saves one is as if he had saved all mankind. Taking a life is permitted only as a legal punishment for killing or for spreading corruption in the land.

2. Hirabah: waging war against Allah and His Messenger and spreading corruption (5:33 and 5:34)

The punishment of those who fight against Allah and His Messenger and spread disorder in the land (armed robbery, highway robbery and terror) is one of four: they are killed, or crucified, or their hands and feet are cut off from opposite sides, or they are exiled from the land. This is a disgrace in this world and a great punishment in the Hereafter. According to the jurists the punishment is suited to the crime: death for murder, death or crucifixion for murder with robbery, the cutting of hand and foot for robbery without murder, and exile or imprisonment for spreading terror alone. Those who repent before they are arrested are forgiven the hadd of this offence (5:34), but the rights of the victims remain.

3. The hadd of theft (5:38)

The thief, male or female, has his or her hand cut off, as a recompense for what they have earned and as a deterrent from Allah. The jurists fix conditions: the stolen property must reach the minimum value (nisab), a quarter of a dinar or more according to a hadith (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, Hazrat Aishah (RA)), it must have been taken from a safe place, there must be no pressing hunger, and the crime must be proved fully. The hadd is not applied in famine or in real need.

4. Repentance and reform (5:39)

Whoever repents after his wrongdoing and reforms himself, Allah will turn to him in forgiveness. Repentance does not cancel the legal punishment once the case reaches the court, but it saves the criminal in the Hereafter, and the stolen property must be returned.

5. Qisas: life for life (5:45)

Allah ordained upon the Jews in the Tawrat, and the Quran confirms it, a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a nose for a nose, an ear for an ear, a tooth for a tooth, and equal retribution for wounds. The retribution is equal and the family of the victim has the choice: whoever gives it up as charity, it is an expiation for him (the victim or his heir). The family may take the blood money (diyat) instead (Sahih Bukhari). The same law is in Al-Baqarah 2:178 to 179. In Pakistan the law of qisas and diyat is part of the Pakistan Penal Code.

6. Judging by what Allah has revealed (5:44 to 5:50)

The ayat that follow the law of qisas say that whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed is among the disbelievers (5:44), the wrongdoers (5:45) and the disobedient (5:47). The Prophet (ﷺ) is told to judge between them by what Allah has revealed and not to follow their desires (5:49), and the judgement of ignorance is not the judgement for believers who are sure of their faith (5:50). So the hudud are a part of faith in the Book of Allah.

7. Equality before the law (5:38 and the hadith)

When a woman of a noble tribe stole, some Companions asked for mercy for her. The Prophet (ﷺ) said that the nations before you were destroyed because they punished the weak and let the powerful go, and that if Hazrat Fatimah (RA), the daughter of Muhammad (ﷺ), had stolen he would have cut her hand (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim).

The wisdom of the hudud and qisas

1. Protection of life: «وَلَكُمْ فِي الْقِصَاصِ حَيَاةٌ», in retribution there is life for you (Al-Baqarah 2:179). The fear of qisas stops the killer, and the lives of many are saved.
2. Deterrence: the word «نَكَالًا» in 5:38 means an exemplary punishment that frightens others, so that crime is stopped before it happens.
3. Protection of property, honour and public order: the thief, the robber and the terrorist are checked, and people travel and trade in safety (5:33, 5:38).
4. Justice and equality: the punishment is fixed by Allah, so the ruler cannot change it by favour, and the rich and the poor are equal before it.
5. Mercy and balance: the heirs may forgive or take the blood money (5:45), the repentant is forgiven (5:34, 5:39), and the strict conditions of proof keep the hadd for clear and serious cases only.
6. Ending the revenge and family feuds: when the state gives the victim's family their right, private vengeance and generations of killing stop.
7. Purification of the offender: the hadd, with repentance, wipes away the sin in the Hereafter.

Guidance for us

1. Respect the sanctity of life, property and honour of every person (5:32).
2. The state must provide quick and equal justice, and no one should be above the law (5:49).
3. Individuals must not take the law into their own hands; revenge belongs to the courts.
4. Forgive where possible: giving up the right of qisas is a charity and an expiation (5:45).
5. Remove the causes of crime too, such as poverty, injustice and unemployment, along with punishing the criminal.
6. Repent quickly from wrong and return what is not yours (5:39).

Benefits of acting on these teachings and harms of neglecting them

Worldly benefits: peace and security, safety of life and property, trust in courts, an end to blood feuds and a healthy economy. Benefits in the Hereafter: the sins of the repentant are forgiven, the forgiving heirs earn the reward of charity and an expiation (5:45), and the just are protected from the punishment of Allah.

Harms of neglect: crime, robbery and killing increase, the weak are crushed while the strong escape, people take the law in their hands, and the society is destroyed as the nations before were destroyed (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim). In the Hereafter, a great punishment awaits (5:33).

Conclusion

The hudud and qisas of Surah Al-Ma'idah protect the life, property and peace of society: the punishments for hirabah (5:33), theft (5:38) and killing (5:45) are fixed, equal and a deterrent, yet they are tied to strict proof, the right to forgive and the door of repentance. Their wisdom is life, justice and peace.

Introduction

Surah Al-Ma'idah was revealed in the last years of the Prophet's (ﷺ) life, when the Islamic state was established and the Jews and Christians were in direct contact with the Muslims. Allah describes in detail the condition of the People of the Book: how they received a Book and a covenant, how they spoiled their beliefs, character and society, and what happened to them in result. The aim is not to abuse them but to warn the Muslims not to follow the same path, and to invite the People of the Book back to the straight way (ayat 12 to 18, 41 to 44, 59 to 81).

Part 1: The evils of the People of the Book

A. Intellectual evils

1. Breaking the covenant (5:13)

Allah took a firm covenant from the Children of Israel and from the Christians to obey Him and follow His messengers. They broke it, so Allah cursed them and made their hearts hard (5:13). The Christians also forgot a large part of what they were taught (5:14).

2. Distorting the Book and concealing the truth (5:13, 15, 41)

They changed the words of the Book from their proper places, forgot a part of the message and hid much of the Scripture (5:13, 15). Some of them even said of the Prophet's (ﷺ) judgement: if you are given this, take it, and if not, beware (5:41).

3. Shirk and wrong beliefs about Hazrat Isa (AS) (5:17, 72, 73)

Some Christians said that Allah is the Messiah, son of Maryam, and others said that Allah is one of three. Allah calls both sayings disbelief. The Messiah himself said: worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord (5:72). He was only a messenger, and he and his mother used to eat food (5:75).

4. False pride and claims of being the beloved (5:18)

The Jews and Christians said: we are the children of Allah and His beloved. Allah answered: then why does He punish you for your sins? You are only human beings among those He created (5:18). Salvation does not come from a name or a race but from faith and good deeds.

5. Leaving the Book and excess in religion (5:44, 68, 77)

They did not judge by what Allah had revealed and sold His verses for a small price (5:44). They were told that they stand on nothing until they uphold the Torah, the Gospel and what was revealed to Muhammad (ﷺ) (5:68). They were also told not to exceed the limits in religion beyond the truth (5:77).

B. Moral evils

6. Deceit and treachery (5:13)

Allah tells the Prophet (ﷺ) that he keeps finding some deceit among them, except a few. Breach of trust had become their habit.

7. Listening to lies and eating what is unlawful (5:42, 62)

They are described as avid listeners to falsehood and devourers of «سُحْت», unlawful earnings such as bribes. Many of them hasten into sin, aggression and eating the unlawful (5:42, 62).

8. Envy, hatred and mockery of the religion (5:57, 82)

Some of them took the religion of the Muslims as ridicule and amusement (5:57). The Jews, together with the polytheists, were the most intense in enmity towards the believers, while the Christians were nearer in affection because among them are priests and monks who are not arrogant (5:82).

9. Killing the prophets and shedding blood (5:70, 32)

Whenever a messenger came with what their souls did not like, they denied some and killed others (5:70). Allah had decreed on the Children of Israel that killing one soul is like killing all mankind, yet many of them became transgressors (5:32).

C. Social evils

10. Not forbidding evil (5:78 to 79, 63)

They did not prevent one another from the wrong they did, and their rabbis and scholars did not forbid sinful speech and the eating of the unlawful. Allah calls this very evil (5:63, 79). A society whose scholars stay silent decays.

11. Mutual enmity and spreading corruption (5:14, 64)

They were divided into sects that hated one another. Allah put enmity and hatred among them till the Day of Resurrection. They also strive in the land to spread corruption, kindling the fire of war, and Allah does not love the corrupters (5:64).

12. Alliance with the disbelievers against the believers (5:80 to 81)

Many of them took the disbelievers as allies. Had they truly believed in Allah, the Prophet (ﷺ) and what was revealed to him, they would not have done so (5:80 to 81).

Part 2: The consequences of these evils

1. Allah's curse and hard hearts (5:13)

Breaking the covenant brought Allah's curse and hardness of heart, so that advice no longer touched them. Cursed were those among the Children of Israel who disbelieved by the tongue of Hazrat Dawud (AS) and Hazrat Isa (AS) (5:78).

2. Division and enmity till the Day of Resurrection (5:14, 64)

Allah cast enmity and hatred among them until the Day of Resurrection. Their unity was lost and their sects keep fighting each other.

3. Disgrace in this world and a great punishment in the Hereafter (5:41)

For those whose hearts Allah did not purify there is disgrace in this world and a great punishment in the Hereafter (5:41).

4. Paradise forbidden and the Fire (5:72 to 73)

Whoever associates others with Allah, Allah has forbidden Paradise to him and his refuge is the Fire. If they do not stop their false words, a painful punishment will afflict the disbelievers among them.

5. Allah's anger and eternal punishment (5:60, 80)

Their conduct earned Allah's anger and they will remain in the punishment for ever (5:80). Allah also mentions those whom He cursed and was angry with, and whom He made like apes and pigs (5:60).

6. Failure of their plots and loss of standing (5:64, 68)

Every time they kindled the fire of war, Allah extinguished it (5:64). Without upholding the revealed Books they stand on nothing (5:68). If they had held to the Torah and the Gospel, they would have eaten from above them and from beneath their feet, that is, enjoyed plenty (5:66).

Guidance for us

• Hold firmly to the Quran, act on it and never change or conceal its message.
• Keep the belief in tauhid pure and do not exaggerate in praising any person, even a prophet.
• Salvation depends on faith and deeds, not on name, family or sect.
• Avoid bribery, unlawful earning and breach of trust, and keep promises.
• Scholars and all Muslims must enjoin good and forbid evil, and not stay silent.
• Avoid sectarian hatred, and meet the People of the Book with justice and by calling them to the truth.

Benefits of acting on this teaching and harms of neglecting it

• Benefits: Allah's mercy, soft hearts and guidance; a united, just society; plenty of provision (5:66); Paradise in the Hereafter.
• Harms: curse, hard hearts, division and enmity, disgrace in this world, and the Fire in the Hereafter, as happened to the People of the Book.

Conclusion

Surah Al-Ma'idah shows that the People of the Book fell into false beliefs, distortion of the Book, deceit, unlawful earning, enmity and silence about evil. For this they were cursed, divided, disgraced and threatened with the Fire. The Muslims are warned to keep the Quran, tauhid, honesty and the duty of enjoining good as the means of success in this world and the next.

Introduction

Surah An-Nur begins with the laws that protect chastity and family life. It was revealed in Madinah, in the period after the Ifk incident (5 AH in the common view). Islam forbids even approaching zina (17:32), fixes a hard punishment for it, a hard punishment for false accusation of chaste people, and a special procedure (li'an) for a husband who accuses his wife without witnesses. These laws (24:2 to 10) keep the society pure, protect honour and block the spread of slander.

1. Zina and its punishment

a. The Quranic punishment: one hundred lashes (24:2)

Allah commands: each of the man and the woman guilty of zina is to be lashed one hundred lashes. The judge must not be moved by pity in the religion of Allah, and a group of believers should witness the punishment (24:2).

b. The punishment of a married offender

The Prophet (ﷺ) ordered stoning (rajm) for a married offender, as in the case of Hazrat Ma'iz bin Malik (RA) who confessed (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim). According to the majority of scholars, the hundred lashes of 24:2 apply to the unmarried and stoning to the married.

c. Conditions of proof (24:4, 13)

The crime is proved only by the confession of the offender or by four reliable eyewitnesses (24:4, 13). This very strict standard shows that Islam wants to cover sins, not to hunt for them. The Prophet (ﷺ) himself repeatedly turned away those who confessed before accepting it.

d. Marriage with fornicators (24:3)

A fornicator marries only a fornicatress or a polytheist, and this marriage is forbidden to the believers (24:3). It teaches the believers not to choose partners who are known for open indecency.

2. Qadhf (false accusation of a chaste person)

«قذف» means accusing a chaste man or woman of zina without proof. Allah says that those who accuse chaste women and do not bring four witnesses are to be given eighty lashes, their testimony is never to be accepted, and they are «فاسق» (24:4).

• Punishment: eighty lashes (24:4).
• Disqualification: his testimony is not accepted any more (24:4).
• Status: he is called «فاسق», disobedient (24:4).
• Exception: whoever repents and reforms, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful (24:5). Scholars say that repentance removes the label of fisq; the hadd is still carried out.

The ayat also warn that those who love to spread indecency among the believers have a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter (24:19), and those who accuse chaste, unaware believing women are cursed in this world and the Hereafter (24:23).

3. Li'an (24:6 to 9)

«لعان» is the sworn procedure when a husband accuses his wife of zina and has no witnesses except himself. Without it he would fall under qadhf, and the wife could be left under suspicion. The Quran gives both a way out.

• The husband swears four times by Allah that he is truthful (24:6).
• The fifth time he says that Allah's curse be on him if he is of the liars (24:7).
• The wife can avoid the punishment by swearing four times by Allah that he is a liar (24:8).
• The fifth time she says that Allah's wrath be on her if he is truthful (24:9).
• Result: the couple are separated for ever by the judge, and the child, if any, is attached to the mother (hadith in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, the case of Hazrat Hilal bin Umayyah (RA) is in Sahih Bukhari).

4. Wisdom of these rulings

• Protection of lineage, honour and the family, which is the base of society (24:2, 17:32).
• Zina is stopped by a public, deterrent punishment, so the group of believers must witness it (24:2).
• Four witnesses and the punishment of qadhf protect people from false charges and ruined reputations (24:4).
• Li'an saves both spouses and the home from lasting suspicion while keeping the husband from lying (24:6 to 9).
• Rumour and the spreading of indecency are checked (24:19, 23).
• Mercy remains open: repentance is accepted and Allah is Accepting of repentance and Wise (24:5, 10).

Guidance for us

• Avoid every path that leads to zina: mixing freely, immodesty and bad media (17:32).
• Never accuse anyone without proof, and do not repeat rumours, on social media as well.
• Cover the faults of others and do not hunt for them.
• Choose a spouse for faith and character (24:3).
• Repent quickly from sin and reform, for Allah accepts repentance (24:5).

Benefits of acting on these rulings and harms of neglecting them

• Benefits: a clean, secure society, safe lineage, trust in marriage and the pleasure of Allah.
• Harms: spread of indecency, broken families, uncertain lineage, slander and revenge, and a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter (24:19).

Conclusion

Surah An-Nur guards chastity by a clear punishment for zina, a firm punishment for false accusation and the sworn procedure of li'an for spouses. The conditions of proof are very strict so that sins are covered and honour protected, and the door of repentance stays open.

Introduction

«افک» means a great lie and slander. The Ifk incident is the false accusation spread by the hypocrites against Ummul Mu'minin Hazrat Aishah (RA) after the campaign against Banu al-Mustaliq (5 AH in the common view; some say 6 AH). It was a severe trial for the Prophet (ﷺ), for Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) and for all the Muslims. Allah ended it by revealing ten ayat (24:11 to 20) declaring her innocence. The account is in Sahih Bukhari from Hazrat Aishah (RA) herself.

1. Background: the return from Banu al-Mustaliq

It was the Prophet's (ﷺ) habit to draw lots among his wives before a journey, and the one whose name came out accompanied him. In this campaign the lot fell on Hazrat Aishah (RA), and the journey took place after the order of hijab had come. She travelled in a covered howdah placed on a camel. On the way back, near Madinah, the army was told to march by night.

2. What happened (Sahih Bukhari)

• Hazrat Aishah (RA) went out of the camp for her need. On returning she found that her necklace was lost and went back to search for it.
• The men who carried the howdah lifted it thinking she was inside, because she was light, and the army moved on.
• She came back to find nobody, so she wrapped herself in her sheet and sat down, hoping she would be missed and fetched. Sleep overcame her.
• Hazrat Safwan bin Mu'attal (RA), who had stayed behind the army, found her and recognised her. He only said «إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون», made his camel kneel and walked leading it while she rode, till they reached the army at noon.
• The hypocrite Abdullah bin Ubayy, the chief of the hypocrites, seized the chance and began to spread slander. A few simple Muslims, among them Hazrat Mistah bin Uthathah (RA), repeated it.
• Hazrat Aishah (RA) fell ill for about a month without knowing the rumour. She learnt of it from Umm Mistah, and then wept so long that her tears did not stop. She asked permission to go to her parents.

3. The conduct of the Prophet (ﷺ)

• He did not believe the rumour hastily and did not punish anyone without proof. For a month there was no revelation, and he waited for it.
• He consulted: Hazrat Ali (RA) and Hazrat Usamah bin Zaid (RA), and he asked the maid Hazrat Barirah (RA), who said she knew nothing but good. He also asked Hazrat Zainab bint Jahsh (RA), who said she knew only good about Aishah.
• He spoke to the people from the pulpit and asked who would defend his honour against the man who had harmed his family, adding that he knew only good of his wife and of the man named.
• He told Hazrat Aishah (RA): if you are innocent Allah will declare your innocence, and if you have fallen into sin, repent to Allah. He remained patient and left the judgement to Allah.
• When the revelation came he smiled, wiped the sweat from his forehead and gave her the glad news: Allah has declared your innocence.

4. The revelation: 24:11 to 20

Hazrat Aishah (RA) said that she would not stand up to thank the Prophet (ﷺ) or anyone but Allah, who had declared her innocent. The ten ayat teach the following.

• The slanderers are a group from among you; do not think the affair bad for you, it is good for you, and the one who took the greatest part has a great punishment (24:11).
• Believing men and women should have thought good of their own people and said: this is an obvious lie (24:12).
• Why did they not bring four witnesses? Without them they are the liars in the sight of Allah (24:13).
• But for Allah's favour and mercy a great punishment would have touched them (24:14).
• They received it on their tongues and spoke without knowledge, thinking it small, while it was tremendous in Allah's sight (24:15).
• When they heard it they should have said: it is not for us to speak of this, Glory be to You, this is a great slander (24:16).
• Allah warns them never to return to the like of this if they are believers (24:17).
• Those who love that indecency spreads among believers have a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter (24:19).

5. The conduct of Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) (24:22)

Hazrat Mistah (RA) was a poor relative whom Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) used to support. When Mistah took part in repeating the slander, Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) swore that he would not spend on him any more. Then Allah revealed that people of virtue and wealth should not swear not to give to relatives, the needy and the emigrants, but pardon and overlook, and asked: would you not like Allah to forgive you? (24:22). Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) said: yes, by Allah, I love that Allah forgive me, and he resumed the support, saying that he would never stop it (Sahih Bukhari).

6. Lessons from the incident

• Think well of believers and do not accept a charge without proof. Four witnesses are needed (24:12 to 13).
• Do not repeat what you have heard without knowledge; a word that seems small may be tremendous before Allah (24:15).
• Spreading indecency, even by talk, brings a painful punishment (24:19).
• Do not follow the footsteps of Satan (24:21).
• Patience and trust in Allah in a trial, as the Prophet (ﷺ) and Hazrat Aishah (RA) showed; a trial can be good in the end (24:11).
• Forgive and overlook, and keep helping relatives and the poor even when they err (24:22).
• The honour of the Prophet's (ﷺ) household is protected by Allah Himself.

Guidance for us

• Before sharing news, verify it. Do not forward rumours, on social media especially.
• Defend the honour of Muslim men and women in their absence.
• In a family dispute be fair and patient, consult, and wait for the facts.
• Do not stop kindness to relatives out of anger.
• Seek forgiveness from Allah by forgiving others.

Benefits of acting on these teachings and harms of neglecting them

• Benefits: trust and honour in society, unity of believers, protection from Allah's punishment, and forgiveness from Allah for those who forgive.
• Harms: hatred, broken homes, loss of honour, the hypocrites' mischief succeeding, and a great punishment in this world and the Hereafter (24:11, 19, 23).

Conclusion

The Ifk incident was a trial in which the hypocrites slandered Hazrat Aishah (RA) after Banu al-Mustaliq. The Prophet (ﷺ) showed patience and justice, Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) showed forgiveness, and Allah declared her innocence in ten ayat (24:11 to 20). The Quran teaches the believers to think well of one another, ask for proof, avoid rumours and forgive.

Introduction

After the Ifk incident, Surah An-Nur gives the laws that protect modesty and privacy. In ayat 27 to 29 it teaches isti'dhan, the etiquette of seeking permission before entering a house. In ayat 30 to 31 it gives the instructions of lowering the gaze and covering. Ayat 58 to 60 add the rules for servants, children and old women. The Prophet (ﷺ) said that seeking permission was made because of the gaze (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim). These laws close the doors of indecency before it begins.

Part 1: Isti'dhan (seeking permission)

1. Permission and greeting before entering (24:27)

Believers must not enter houses other than their own until they ascertain welcome and greet the people of the house with salam. This is best for them (24:27). The Prophet (ﷺ) taught that permission is asked three times, and if it is not given one should go back (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim).

2. If nobody is found, do not enter (24:28)

If you find nobody in the house, do not enter until permission is given. A house is private property and entering it without the owner's leave is not allowed.

3. If told to go back, go back (24:28)

If the host says go back, one should return without feeling offended. It is purer for the visitor.

4. Public places are excepted (24:29)

There is no blame in entering uninhabited houses in which you have some benefit, such as inns, shops and public halls. Allah knows what you show and what you hide.

5. Servants and children at three times of privacy (24:58)

Slaves and servants, and children who have not reached puberty, must ask permission at three times: before the Fajr prayer, at noon when you put off your clothes, and after the Isha prayer. These are three times of privacy. Beyond these there is no blame, for they go around among you.

6. Children who reach puberty (24:59)

When the children reach puberty they must ask permission at all times, as those before them did (24:59).

Part 2: Hijab (modesty and covering)

7. Lowering the gaze: men (24:30)

Allah tells the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their private parts. That is purer for them, and Allah is aware of what they do. When Hazrat Jarir (RA) asked the Prophet (ﷺ) about a sudden glance, he told him to turn his eyes away (Sahih Muslim).

8. Lowering the gaze and covering: women (24:31)

The same command is given to believing women: lower the gaze and guard the private parts. Then they are told not to show their adornment except what appears of it necessarily, to draw their headcovers over their chests, and not to stamp their feet to make known their hidden adornment (24:31).

9. Those before whom adornment may be shown (24:31)

The ayah lists them: husbands, fathers, fathers-in-law, sons, stepsons, brothers, brothers' sons, sisters' sons, Muslim women, those under the right hand (slaves), male attendants without desire, and children who do not yet know the private parts of women.

10. The outer garment (33:59) and old women (24:60)

Allah told the Prophet (ﷺ) to say to his wives, his daughters and the believing women to draw their outer garments (jilbab) over themselves, so that they are recognised and not harassed (33:59). Old women past marriage may put off their outer garments without showing adornment, but modesty is better for them (24:60).

11. Repentance (24:31)

The passage ends by asking all believers to turn to Allah in repentance, so that they may succeed. This shows that mistakes of the eyes and heart are forgiven if one repents.

Wisdom of these rulings

• Protecting the privacy and honour of the home, which is the place of rest and family life.
• Removing the causes of indecency, since the gaze is the first step to sin (hadith in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim).
• Purity of the heart for both men and women (24:30).
• Women are recognised as respectable and protected from harassment (33:59).
• Training of children in good manners from childhood (24:58 to 59).
• Ease and mercy: exceptions for public places, old women and close relatives (24:29, 31, 60).

Guidance for us

• Greet and ask permission before entering a house, and leave if told to go back. Knock or ring a bell, and do not look into homes.
• Keep the gaze lowered in the market, school, office and on screens.
• Women should dress modestly and cover as the Quran says, and men should respect them.
• Teach children to ask permission before entering the parents' room at the times of privacy.
• Repent quickly from any slip, and ask Allah for purity of the heart.

Benefits of acting on these rulings and harms of neglecting them

• Benefits: peace and respect in homes, purity of hearts, strong families, safety of women and success promised in 24:31.
• Harms: loss of privacy and shame, spread of indecency and harassment, family breakdown and the displeasure of Allah.

Conclusion

Surah An-Nur teaches that a clean society is built by modesty at home and outside. The believers must seek permission and greet before entering, lower their gaze, and women must cover their adornment, with exceptions for close relatives, children and old women. These rules protect privacy, purity and honour.

Introduction

The Battle of Ahzab, also called the Battle of the Trench (Khandaq), took place in Shawwal 5 AH. «احزاب» means the confederate parties: the Quraish of Makkah, Ghatafan and other tribes, and the Jews who joined them. About 10,000 of them besieged Madinah, where about 3,000 Muslims stood. Surah Al-Ahzab describes it in ayat 9 to 27, together with the campaign against the treacherous Jewish tribe Banu Qurayzah. It was the last great attempt of the disbelievers to destroy Islam by force.

Part 1: The Battle of Ahzab

1. Background and causes

The leaders of the Jewish tribe Banu an-Nadir, who had been exiled from Madinah in 4 AH, went to Makkah and to the tribes of Ghatafan and incited them to attack Madinah together. Quraish under Abu Sufyan came with their allies, about 10,000 in all.

2. The trench and the siege

On the advice of Hazrat Salman Farsi (RA), the Prophet (ﷺ) had a trench dug on the open northern side of Madinah, a Persian war method unknown to the Arabs. The Prophet (ﷺ) himself worked with the Companions (RA) in cold and hunger. The enemy could not cross it and the siege lasted about a month.

3. The great trial (33:9 to 11)

Allah reminds the believers of His favour when the armies came from above and from below, eyes were fixed in fear, hearts reached the throats and some thought wrong thoughts about Allah. The believers were tested and shaken with a severe shaking.

4. The conduct of the hypocrites (33:12 to 20)

• They said that Allah and His Messenger promised only delusion (33:12).
• They told the people of Yathrib there was no staying, so go back, and some asked leave saying their houses were unprotected (33:13).
• They had promised Allah never to turn their backs and that promise will be asked about (33:15).
• They discouraged others, were stingy and cowardly, looked at the Prophet (ﷺ) with eyes rolling in fear, but when the fear went they spoke with sharp tongues (33:18 to 19).

5. The conduct of the true believers (33:21 to 24)

The Prophet (ﷺ) is the excellent example for those who hope in Allah and the Last Day and remember Allah much (33:21). When the believers saw the armies they said: this is what Allah and His Messenger promised, and it only increased their faith and submission (33:22). Among them are men true to their covenant with Allah (33:23). Allah will reward the truthful for their truth and punish the hypocrites if He wills or accept their repentance (33:24).

6. Help of Allah and the end of the siege (33:9, 25)

Allah sent a strong wind and armies of angels that were not seen (33:9). The storm in the cold night overturned the enemy's cooking pots and tents and put out their fires. Distrust had also grown between the allies, and the enemy left without any gain. Allah repelled the disbelievers in their rage, and Allah was sufficient for the believers in the fight (33:25). After this the Prophet (ﷺ) said that the Quraish would no longer attack Muslims, but the Muslims would march against them (Sahih Bukhari).

Part 2: The campaign against Banu Qurayzah

7. Their treaty and its breach

Banu Qurayzah were a Jewish tribe of Madinah bound by the treaty of Madinah to defend the city together with the Muslims. In the hardest hour of the siege they broke the treaty and joined the enemy, which threatened the Muslims from behind.

8. The siege (33:26)

When the confederates went, the Prophet (ﷺ) returned to Madinah and Hazrat Jibril (AS) came with the command to march against Banu Qurayzah (Sahih Bukhari). The Muslims besieged their fortresses for about 25 days. Allah cast terror into their hearts.

9. The judgement of Hazrat Sa'd bin Mu'adh (RA)

They surrendered and accepted the judgement of Hazrat Sa'd bin Mu'adh (RA), their old ally from the Aws tribe. He judged that their fighting men be killed, the women and children be taken captive, and the property be divided. The Prophet (ﷺ) said that he had judged by the judgement of Allah (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim). Hazrat Sa'd (RA) had been wounded at Ahzab and died soon afterwards.

10. The result (33:26 to 27)

A party was killed and a party taken captive. Allah gave the Muslims their land, their homes and their wealth and a land they had not trodden (33:27). After Ahzab and Banu Qurayzah, the internal and external threat to Madinah was removed and Islam became firm.

Lessons from the battle

• Victory comes from Allah; trust in Him and patience in hardship (33:9, 25).
• Planning and consultation are part of tawakkul: the trench shows the use of skill and advice.
• The leader works with his people, as the Prophet (ﷺ) dug the trench himself (33:21).
• Hard times separate the true believers from the hypocrites (33:12 to 24).
• Breaking a treaty brings punishment (33:26).
• Unity and discipline defeat even a much bigger army.

Guidance for us

• Follow the Prophet (ﷺ) as the best example in good and hard times (33:21).
• Prepare with the best means and skill, then trust Allah.
• Keep your promises and treaties, and be loyal to your community and country in danger.
• Do not spread despair or doubts about Allah's promise, as the hypocrites did.
• Respect the sacrifices of those who stood firm, and be ready to sacrifice.

Benefits of acting on this teaching and harms of neglecting it

• Benefits: help of Allah, victory and security, increase in faith, and reward for the truthful (33:24).
• Harms: fear and defeat, disgrace of hypocrisy, punishment for breach of trust, and deeds made worthless (33:19).

Conclusion

In Shawwal 5 AH about 10,000 confederates besieged about 3,000 Muslims in Madinah, but the trench of Hazrat Salman (RA), the steadfastness of the believers and the wind and unseen armies sent by Allah turned them back. Banu Qurayzah, who broke the treaty, were then dealt with through the judgement of Hazrat Sa'd bin Mu'adh (RA). The lesson is faith, patience, unity, loyalty to promises and reliance on Allah.

Introduction

Before Islam the Arabs had a custom called ta'banni: a man took another person's child (often a freed slave or an orphan) as his son. The child was called by the adopter's name, inherited from him like a real son, and, after he divorced his wife or she was widowed, the adoptive father could not marry her, as if she were a real daughter-in-law. Surah Al-Ahzab (revealed about 5 AH) cuts these customs at the root (33:4 to 5), makes blood relationship the basis of inheritance (33:6), and then breaks the custom in practice through the marriage of the Prophet (ﷺ) with Hazrat Zainab (RA), the divorced wife of his adopted son Hazrat Zaid (RA) (33:36 to 40).

Part 1: The pre-Islamic customs and what the Quran said

1. The custom of ta'banni and its effects (33:4 to 5)

The Arabs treated the adopted son (da'i, plural ad'iya) as a true son in four ways: (a) he was called by the name of the adopter, for example Zaid bin Muhammad; (b) he inherited with the real children; (c) he and the adopter's family were treated as mahram, so the women of the house did not observe purdah from him; (d) the wife of the adopted son was forbidden to the adopter for ever, even after the son divorced her or died. This confused family lines, and wronged the real heirs.

2. Two hearts in one body, and a word is not a fact (33:4)

Allah begins with a principle: He has not made two hearts in the interior of any man. A person cannot be a believer and a hypocrite at once, nor a real father and a pretend father at once. Then He gives two examples of false customs: the wife whom a man declares «ظہار» ("you are like my mother's back") does not become his mother, and the adopted sons do not become real sons. "That is merely your saying by your mouths, but Allah says the truth and guides to the right way."

3. Call them by their fathers' names (33:5)

The command: "Call them by [the names of] their fathers; it is more just in the sight of Allah." Nasab (lineage) is a truth, and truth is justice. If the real father is not known, they are your brothers in religion and your «موالی» (those under your care). Allah does not hold a person guilty for a mistake made by error, but only for what the heart intends, and He is Forgiving and Merciful. After this ayah Hazrat Zaid (RA), who was called "Zaid bin Muhammad", was again called Zaid bin Harithah.

4. Inheritance belongs to blood relatives (33:6)

"Those of blood relationship are more entitled [to inheritance] in the decree of Allah than the other believers and the emigrants." In the early days of Madinah the Muhajirun and Ansar had inherited from their pledged brothers; now that was ended and inheritance went back to blood relatives, so an adopted son has no share by right. A man may still do kindness to his close friends and those he has adopted by a gift or a bequest (wasiyyah), as that is permitted.

5. The mahram and marriage rulings are not changed (33:37, 4:23)

Since an adopted son is a stranger in law, the marriage prohibitions of 4:23 apply only to "your sons who are from your loins". So the wife of an adopted son is lawful for the adopter after divorce, and the adopted child and the adoptive family are not mahram to each other (purdah applies, unless they are related by blood or by milk). The Quran therefore does not allow a lie in family law.

Part 2: Breaking the custom in practice (33:36 to 40)

6. Hazrat Zaid (RA) and Hazrat Zainab (RA): the background (33:36 to 37)

Hazrat Zaid bin Harithah (RA) was captured as a child, bought, and given to Hazrat Khadijah (RA), who gave him to the Prophet (ﷺ). The Prophet (ﷺ) freed and adopted him. When his own father came to take him home, Zaid (RA) chose to stay with the Prophet (ﷺ). Hazrat Zainab bint Jahsh (RA) was the Prophet's (ﷺ) cousin from a noble Quraishi family. The Prophet (ﷺ) proposed her marriage with Hazrat Zaid (RA) to remove the idea of class and birth; she and her family disliked it at first.

7. No choice before the command of Allah and His Messenger (33:36)

The ayah came down: "It is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, to have any choice about their affair. Whoever disobeys has strayed into clear error." Hazrat Zainab (RA) and her brother Abdullah bin Jahsh (RA) accepted the marriage. This is a general rule of obedience for every believer.

8. The marriage of the Prophet (ﷺ) with Hazrat Zainab (RA) (33:37)

The marriage did not succeed because of differences of temperament, and Hazrat Zaid (RA) wished to divorce. The Prophet (ﷺ) advised him to keep his wife and fear Allah. Within himself the Prophet (ﷺ) knew, by revelation, that Allah would marry her to him, and he hesitated for fear of what people would say. Allah said: "You feared the people, while Allah has more right that you fear Him." After Zaid (RA) divorced her and her iddah was over, "We married her to you, so that there not be upon the believers any discomfort concerning the wives of their adopted sons when they no longer have need of them." This was in about 5 AH according to the common view.

9. The Prophet (ﷺ) is under no blame; this is the way of the prophets (33:38 to 39)

"There is not to be upon the Prophet any discomfort concerning that which Allah has imposed upon him; this is the established way of Allah with the prophets who passed before." The prophets conveyed the messages of Allah, feared Him and feared no one else. Hypocrites and Jews used the marriage to taunt the Prophet (ﷺ), and the ayah answers them: a command of Allah is carried out whatever people say.

10. Muhammad (ﷺ) is not the father of any of your men (33:40)

The concluding ayah removes the last doubt: "Muhammad is not the father of any one of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last of the prophets." Hazrat Zaid (RA) was therefore not his real son, and the Prophet's (ﷺ) marriage broke no rule. The same ayah also declares the finality of prophethood (see topic 12).

Rulings in brief

• An adopted child is not a real child: he does not take the adopter's name as his father and has no automatic share in the inheritance (33:4 to 6).
• He must be called by his real father's name; if the father is unknown, he is a brother in religion (33:5).
• Kindness to him by a gift or a bequest is allowed, within one third of the estate and without wronging the heirs (33:6; hadith of Hazrat Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas (RA), Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim).
• The wife of an adopted son is lawful for the adopter after divorce, and purdah applies between them and the adopted child (33:37; 4:23).
• A mistake made without intention is forgiven (33:5).
• Looking after an orphan or a foundling is not forbidden but greatly rewarded, as long as lineage is kept true.

Wisdoms behind these rulings

• To protect lineage (nasab): the family tree stays true, and nobody is attached to a father who is not his own.
• To protect the rights of real heirs: inheritance goes to those whom Allah named, not to people picked by human words.
• To protect the family from immorality: if a stranger were treated as a mahram, privacy and purdah would be broken.
• To keep word and fact the same: a relationship cannot be made by a mere saying (33:4), and truth is justice (33:5).
• To remove a false custom by example: a custom rooted in society is best ended by the Prophet (ﷺ) himself acting against it (33:37).
• To remove hardship from the believers: they may marry the divorced wife of an adopted son without discomfort (33:37).

Guidance for us

• Adopt the child of a relative or an orphan with love, but keep his real father's name in all papers and records, and tell him the truth about his family.
• Look after orphans and give them a gift or a bequest within the limit, instead of giving them a false share in inheritance.
• Keep purdah rules with a child who is not a mahram, even if he has grown up in your house (this is a matter our society often neglects).
• Do not be afraid of people's talk when Allah's command is clear: fear Allah more (33:37, 39).
• Obey the decisions of Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ) without choosing between them and personal liking (33:36), and give no weight to class or caste in marriage.

Benefits of acting and harms of neglect

• Worldly benefits: pure family lines, no disputes over inheritance, a secure orphan who knows his identity, and a home protected from moral harm.
• Benefits in the Hereafter: Allah's forgiveness for unintended errors (33:5), the reward of obedience, and the great reward of caring for orphans (the Prophet (ﷺ) said that the guardian of an orphan will be with him in Paradise like two fingers together, Sahih Bukhari).
• Harms of neglect: confusion of lineage, injustice to real heirs, breaking of purdah limits, and, in the Hereafter, the warning of clear error for opposing the command of Allah and His Messenger (33:36).

Conclusion

Surah Al-Ahzab teaches that relationships are made by Allah, not by words: an adopted son is a person to be loved and cared for, not a son in law. By calling people by their fathers' names, restoring inheritance to blood relatives and ending the custom by the Prophet's (ﷺ) own marriage with Hazrat Zainab (RA), Islam protected lineage, family honour and justice, and showed that obedience to Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ) comes before every custom.

Introduction

Surah Al-Ahzab gives the Prophet (ﷺ) the highest place among mankind. It declares him the last of the prophets (33:40), calls him the best example (33:21), gives him five great titles (33:45 to 46), makes him closer to the believers than their own selves (33:6), and orders them to send blessings on him (33:56). The belief in the finality of prophethood (khatm-e-nubuwwat) is a basic article of faith: whoever denies it is outside Islam by the agreement of the Ummah.

Part 1: The finality of prophethood

1. The ayah of finality (33:40)

"Muhammad is not the father of any one of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last of the prophets («خَاتَمَ النَّبِيِّيْنَ»). And Allah is of all things Knowing." The word «خاتَم» means a seal: after the seal a document is closed and nothing can be added. The Companions, the early scholars and the Ummah have always understood the ayah to mean that no prophet will come after the Prophet (ﷺ). The ayah ends with Allah's knowledge: He knows that this is the right time to complete prophethood.

2. Proofs from the hadith

The Prophet (ﷺ) said that his example and that of the prophets before him is like a house built well and completed except for the place of one brick; people walked round it, admired it and asked why the brick was not placed, and he said: "I am that brick, and I am the last of the prophets" (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim). He said to Hazrat Ali (RA) before the Tabuk expedition: "You are to me as Harun was to Musa, except that there is no prophet after me" (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim). He also warned that thirty great liars would appear, each claiming to be a prophet, "while I am the last of the prophets, there is no prophet after me" (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi).

3. The agreement of the Ummah

After the Prophet's (ﷺ) death a false claimant of prophethood, Musaylimah, rose in Yamamah. Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) and the Companions (RA) fought him and his followers, and the whole Ummah has since agreed that anyone who claims prophethood after the Prophet (ﷺ), or believes in such a claimant, is outside Islam.

4. Why prophethood was completed: the wisdom

Prophets were sent to correct the people when the teaching of an earlier prophet was lost or changed. The Quran, the last book, is protected by Allah Himself (15:9), the religion has been perfected (5:3), and the message of the Prophet (ﷺ) is for all mankind and for all time (34:28; 7:158). So there is no need for a new prophet, and the way is open for every person in every age to follow one complete guidance.

Part 2: The special qualities of the Prophet (ﷺ)

5. Five titles and duties (33:45 to 46)

"O Prophet, We have sent you as a witness, a bringer of good tidings and a warner, and one who invites to Allah by His permission, and a light-giving lamp." (1) Witness («شاہِد»): he testifies to the truth before the people, and on the Day of Judgement he will be a witness over his Ummah (4:41). (2) Bringer of good news («مُبَشِّر») of Paradise and Allah's pleasure for the believers. (3) Warner («نَذِیر») of Hell and Allah's anger for the disbelievers and sinners. (4) Caller to Allah («دَاعِیاً اِلَی اللہ»), always by His permission and not by force. (5) A shining lamp («سِرَاجاً مُّنِیراً»): by his teaching the darkness of ignorance and shirk is removed.

6. The best example (33:21)

"There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern («اُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ») for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and who remembers Allah often." It was said in the Battle of the Trench, when the Prophet (ﷺ) himself dug the trench, bore hunger and stayed firm. His life in peace and war, as a ruler, a husband, a father and a neighbour is a model for every believer.

7. Closer to the believers than themselves (33:6)

"The Prophet is closer (more worthy) to the believers than themselves, and his wives are their mothers." His command is above their own wish, his love above their love of themselves, and his wives hold the honour of mothers: they can never be married by any believer (33:53).

8. His obedience is obligatory (33:36, 33:71)

When Allah and His Messenger decide a matter, no believer has any choice (33:36), and "whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has attained a great success" (33:71). Obedience to him is obedience to Allah, and disobedience is clear error.

9. Allah and the angels send blessings on him (33:56)

"Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who believe, ask Allah to confer blessing upon him and ask Him to grant him peace." This honour is given to no one else. The Prophet (ﷺ) said that whoever sends one blessing on him, Allah sends ten on that person (Sahih Muslim).

10. Harming him is cursed (33:57)

"Those who abuse Allah and His Messenger, Allah has cursed them in this world and the Hereafter and prepared for them a humiliating punishment." Respect for the Prophet (ﷺ) is part of faith, so insulting him or hurting his family or honour is a grave sin.

11. Special rulings and the first covenant (33:7, 33:50 to 52)

The covenant with the prophets is mentioned first "from you (Muhammad), Noah, Ibrahim, Musa and Isa" (33:7), which shows his rank. Allah also gave him a few rulings that are for him alone (khasa'is), such as the marriage provisions of 33:50 to 52, so that he would face no difficulty in carrying out his mission.

12. A universal prophet and a mercy

Other prophets were sent to their own people, but he was sent "comprehensively to mankind" (34:28), and as "a mercy to the worlds" (21:107). The Prophet (ﷺ) said that he had been given five things not given to any prophet before him, among them that a prophet used to be sent to his own people and he was sent to all mankind (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim).

Guidance for us

• Hold firmly to the belief in finality, and avoid any false claimant of prophethood or any group that gives its leader a prophetic status, in any form.
• Make the Prophet (ﷺ) the model in daily life: his honesty, patience, family life, dealing with neighbours and justice (33:21).
• Love the Prophet (ﷺ) more than ourselves by following his Sunnah, not only by words or celebrations (33:6, 33:36).
• Send durood often, and respect his name, his household and his Companions (33:56 to 57).
• Carry his message to others as a caller, a bringer of good news and a warner, with wisdom and without force (33:45 to 46), because the Ummah now shares this duty.

Benefits of acting and harms of neglect

• Worldly benefits: unity of the Ummah on one prophet and one book, a clear sure source of guidance, and protection from false claimants who divide and mislead.
• Benefits in the Hereafter: the reward of obedience, the great success promised in 33:71, Allah's mercy through durood, and the intercession of the Prophet (ﷺ) for his followers.
• Harms of neglect: following false prophets, splitting the Ummah, disobeying the Sunnah and, for the one who insults the Prophet (ﷺ), Allah's curse and a humiliating punishment (33:57).

Conclusion

Surah Al-Ahzab shows that Hazrat Muhammad (ﷺ) is the last of the prophets (33:40), the best example (33:21), a witness, a bringer of good news, a warner, a caller to Allah and a shining lamp (33:45 to 46), and the one whom Allah and the angels bless (33:56). Faith is complete only by believing in his finality, obeying him and loving him more than ourselves.

Introduction

The wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) (Azwaj-e-Mutahharat, the Mothers of the Believers) held a special place: their home was the centre of revelation and teaching, and every word and act in it was watched by the Ummah. Surah Al-Ahzab (about 5 to 6 AH) gave them and the believers detailed rules: a choice between the world and the Hereafter (33:28 to 29), high standards of conduct and purdah (33:30 to 34), etiquette of visiting the Prophet's (ﷺ) houses and a prohibition on marrying them after him (33:53), and then general purdah for all Muslim women (33:59).

Part 1: Instructions for the wives themselves

1. Mothers of the believers (33:6)

"His wives are their mothers." This means that they are to be honoured as mothers and are for ever forbidden in marriage to every believer. It does not mean that they are mahram in other matters, such as inheritance, and the believers still needed a screen when asking them for anything (33:53).

2. The choice between the world and the Hereafter (33:28 to 29)

The wives asked the Prophet (ﷺ) for more expenses, as the household was living in great simplicity. Allah told him to say to them: if you want the worldly life and its adornment, I will provide for you and release you in a good way; but if you want Allah, His Messenger and the Home of the Hereafter, then Allah has prepared a great reward for the doers of good among you. According to Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, the Prophet (ﷺ) first put this to Hazrat Aishah (RA), who chose Allah and His Messenger, and all the other wives gave the same answer.

3. Double reward and double punishment (33:30 to 31)

Because their position is high, their responsibility is higher: whoever commits a clear immorality, her punishment would be doubled; and whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger and does good, "We will give her reward twice and prepared for her a noble provision." A person's rank increases both reward and accountability.

4. Not like other women: speech and staying at home (33:32 to 33)

"O wives of the Prophet, you are not like anyone among women. If you fear Allah, then do not be soft in speech, 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 the display of the former times of ignorance." So they were told to speak plainly and firmly with men outside the family and to remain in their homes, going out only when needed with the proper covering. The ayah is addressed first to them, and by the same reason is a lesson of modesty for all Muslim women.

5. Prayer, zakah, obedience and purification of the household (33:33 to 34)

They are told: "Establish prayer, give zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah intends only to remove from you the impurity of sin, O people of the household, and to purify you thoroughly." They must also remember what is recited in their houses of the ayat of Allah and wisdom (the Quran and the Sunnah), and so become teachers of the Ummah. The Ahl al-Bayt here include the wives, and the Prophet (ﷺ) also wrapped Hazrat Ali, Hazrat Fatimah, Hazrat Hasan and Hazrat Husain (RA) in his cloak and recited this ayah over them, showing that they too belong to his household (Sahih Muslim, Hazrat Aishah (RA)).

Part 2: Etiquette for the believers

6. Etiquette of entering the Prophet's houses (33:53)

This ayah came on the occasion of the wedding feast of the Prophet (ﷺ) with Hazrat Zainab (RA) (Sahih Bukhari, narrated by Hazrat Anas (RA)), when some guests stayed on in conversation. Allah taught: (a) do not enter the houses of the Prophet (ﷺ) without permission; (b) do not go early to wait for the food to be ready; (c) enter when invited; (d) when you have eaten, disperse and do not stay for chat, because that troubles the Prophet (ﷺ), who is shy of telling you, but Allah is not shy of the truth.

7. Speaking from behind a screen (33:53)

"When you ask [his wives] for something, ask them from behind a partition. That is purer for your hearts and their hearts." This is the ayah of hijab in the strict sense. It protects both sides from wrong thoughts and keeps the home of the Prophet (ﷺ) pure.

8. Do not harm the Prophet (ﷺ) and never marry his wives after him (33:53)

"It is not for you to harm the Messenger of Allah or to marry his wives after him, ever. Indeed, that would be in the sight of Allah an enormity." It protects the honour of the Prophet (ﷺ) and of the Mothers of the Believers. Allah also said (33:52) that it was not lawful for the Prophet (ﷺ) to take more wives after those He had named.

9. Relatives who may see the wives without a screen (33:55)

There is no blame on them concerning their fathers, sons, brothers, brothers' sons, sisters' sons, their women and those their right hands possess. This shows that the screen is for strangers only, and mahram relatives are exempt.

10. Send durood and do not slander (33:56 to 58)

The believers are told to send blessings and peace on the Prophet (ﷺ), and warned that those who harm Allah and His Messenger are cursed in this world and the Hereafter (33:57), and that those who harm believing men and women without any fault bear a slander and a manifest sin (33:58).

11. General purdah for all believing women (33:59)

"O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves part of their outer garments («جَلَابِيْب»). That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused." The rule of modesty first given to the Mothers of the Believers is made general, so that a Muslim woman is recognised by her dress and is saved from harassment.

Wisdoms behind these etiquettes

• To protect the Prophet's (ﷺ) time and peace, since a home that was also the centre of revelation and teaching needed privacy.
• To make the Prophet's (ﷺ) household a model of purity, so that the Ummah has a pure example for the Muslim home.
• To close the door to evil thoughts and rumours, which hypocrites spread against the household (33:53, 33:58).
• To teach good manners in visiting and eating, which later became the general etiquette of the Muslim society.
• To raise the honour of the Mothers of the Believers and protect them from harm even after the Prophet's (ﷺ) death.

Guidance for us

• Enter any house with permission, at the proper time, and do not stay longer than is needed after a meal; do not trouble the host with idle talk.
• Keep modesty in speech, dress and movement; avoid soft and flirting speech with non-mahram men, in person and on the phone or social media.
• Respect the family of the Prophet (ﷺ), the Mothers of the Believers and the Companions, and never speak ill of them.
• Make our homes places of Quran, salah, zakah and obedience, as the ayat require (33:33 to 34).
• Prefer the Hereafter to worldly comfort in family life, and do not trouble husbands with demands beyond their means (33:28 to 29).

Benefits of acting and harms of neglect

• Worldly benefits: a clean and peaceful home, respect in society, safety of women from harassment (33:59), and a culture of good manners.
• Benefits in the Hereafter: double reward and a noble provision for obedience (33:31), purification of the heart (33:53) and Allah's blessing for those who respect His Messenger (ﷺ).
• Harms of neglect: loss of privacy and honour, spread of immorality and rumours, and Allah's curse and humiliating punishment for those who harm the Messenger (ﷺ) (33:57).

Conclusion

The Mothers of the Believers were given a higher standard because of their rank: choice of the Hereafter, pure speech, a life of prayer and obedience, and purdah. The believers in turn were taught to respect the Prophet's (ﷺ) house by asking permission, not overstaying, speaking from behind a screen, and never harming him or marrying his wives. These rules gave the Muslim home and society their basic manners.

Introduction

Surah Muhammad, also called Surah al-Qital (the Surah of Fighting), was revealed in early Madinah, around the time of Badr (1 to 2 AH), when the Muslims were first permitted and then commanded to defend themselves against Quraish. It explains why the war is fought (to remove the obstruction to Allah's way, 47:1 to 3), how it is fought and what is to be done with prisoners (47:4), what Allah's help depends on (47:7), when peace is to be accepted (47:35), and how the hypocrites behave when fighting is ordered (47:20).

Part 1: War

1. The cause: falsehood against truth (47:1 to 3)

The surah opens with the people who disbelieve and turn others away from the way of Allah: He makes their deeds fail. Those who believe, do good and believe in what was sent down on Muhammad (ﷺ), their sins are removed and their condition set right. The reason is that the disbelievers follow falsehood and the believers follow the truth from their Lord. The war is thus not for land or wealth but against those who block the path of truth by force.

2. The battlefield command (47:4)

"When you meet those who disbelieve [in battle], strike their necks («فَضَرْبَ الرِّقَابِ»), until, when you have inflicted slaughter upon them, then secure their bonds." It orders the Muslims to fight firmly and without weakness when the battle begins, and, once the enemy's strength is broken, to stop killing and take prisoners. The command is for the army in a lawful battle, not for individuals in times of peace.

3. Help of Allah depends on helping His religion (47:7)

"O you who believe, if you support Allah, He will support you and plant firmly your feet." Victory is not from numbers or weapons but from faith, obedience and steadfastness. The same surah says that those who obstruct the way of Allah and oppose the Messenger will never harm Allah, and He makes their deeds worthless (47:32 to 33).

4. The reward of those killed in Allah's way (47:4 to 6)

"Those who are killed in the cause of Allah, never will He waste their deeds. He will guide them and amend their condition and admit them to Paradise, which He has made known to them." This gives courage to the fighters and removes the fear of death.

5. Fighting is a test, and hypocrites fear it (47:4, 20 to 21, 31)

Allah could have punished the disbelievers Himself, but He ordered fighting "to test some of you by means of others" (47:4), and "We will surely test you until We make evident those who strive and those who are patient" (47:31). When a clear surah about fighting is revealed, those with hypocrisy in their hearts look at the Prophet (ﷺ) like a person fainting at death; it would have been better for them to obey and speak good words (47:20 to 21).

6. Do not spoil your deeds, and spend in Allah's way (47:33, 36 to 38)

"Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and do not invalidate your deeds" (47:33). Fighting needs money: the surah reminds that the worldly life is only play and amusement, that Allah does not ask for all property, and that whoever is stingy is stingy only to himself, and if they turn away Allah will replace them with another people (47:36 to 38).

Part 2: Prisoners

7. The ruling on prisoners: favour or ransom (47:4)

After securing the prisoners the Quran gives two options: «فَإِمَّا مَنًّا بَعْدُ وَإِمَّا فِدَاءً», either favour («مَنّ», setting them free without anything) or ransom («فِدَاء»: they are set free for money, or in exchange for Muslim prisoners), "until the war lays down its burdens". The ruler is to choose what is best for the Muslims in the situation. Killing the prisoners or making them slaves is not mentioned in this ayah as the basic rule.

8. The example of the Prophet (ﷺ) in practice

After Badr the Prophet (ﷺ) set the Quraish prisoners free for ransom. In another well-known incident Thumamah bin Uthal (RA), the chief of Banu Hanifah, was captured and tied in the mosque; the Prophet (ﷺ) set him free as a favour and he accepted Islam (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim). The Quran also praises the believers who feed the captive for the love of Allah (76:8).

Part 3: Peace

9. Do not call for peace from weakness (47:35)

"So do not weaken and call for peace while you are superior; and Allah is with you and will never deprive you of the reward of your deeds." The Muslims must not beg for peace out of fear when they have the upper hand. Peace is good, but it should be made with dignity and strength. The same Quran says that if the enemy inclines towards peace, then incline to it and trust in Allah (8:61).

10. War is not an end: until the war lays down its burdens (47:4)

The ayah itself gives the limit: fighting continues only "until the war lays down its burdens", that is, until the enemy's power to fight is ended. The aim is a just and lasting peace in which the way of Allah is open for everyone, not endless war.

Wisdoms behind these teachings

• War is a test that separates sincere believers from hypocrites (47:4, 20, 31).
• Firmness in battle breaks the enemy's strength so that the war ends quickly.
• Mercy to prisoners (favour or ransom) shows the character of Islam and wins hearts, as it did with Thumamah (RA).
• Ransom saves Muslim prisoners and strengthens the Muslim state.
• The warning against weak peace protects the Muslims from humiliation, while peace with strength protects the people from unending bloodshed.

Guidance for us

• Keep the purpose of any struggle clear: to remove injustice and open the way for truth, not to gain power or take revenge.
• Leave war to the lawful state and its decision, and treat prisoners humanely, with food, dignity and a chance of release.
• Prepare for strength in faith, unity, knowledge and resources, because Allah's help comes to those who help His religion (47:7), and make peace from a position of dignity, not weakness (47:35).
• Spend for the defence and good of the Ummah without stinginess (47:36 to 38).
• Obey Allah and His Messenger in all matters and do not let our own deeds go waste (47:33).

Benefits of acting and harms of neglect

• Worldly benefits: a strong, respected and just community, humane treatment even of enemies, and lasting peace after victory.
• Benefits in the Hereafter: deeds not wasted, guidance, forgiveness, and Paradise for those killed in Allah's way (47:4 to 6).
• Harms of neglect: weakness and defeat, humiliation from asking for peace out of fear, the exposure of hypocrisy, and replacement of a disobedient people by another (47:38).

Conclusion

Surah Muhammad teaches that fighting is permitted only to remove opposition to truth, that it is to be fought with firmness but with limits, that prisoners are to be freed as a favour or for ransom, that Allah's help follows the believers' help of His religion, and that peace should be made from a position of strength and dignity.

Introduction

Surah Al-Fath was revealed on the way back from Hudaybiyah in Dhul-Qa'dah 6 AH. About 1,400 Companions had come with the Prophet (ﷺ) for umrah, were stopped by Quraish, and made a treaty that looked one-sided, which disturbed many of them. Allah called it "a clear victory" (48:1) and in the same surah praised those Companions with words no other generation received: He was pleased with them (48:18), He sent tranquillity (sakinah) on them (48:4, 26), and He described their qualities in the Tawrat, the Injil and the Quran (48:29). The Prophet (ﷺ) said that this surah was dearer to him than everything the sun rises upon (Sahih Bukhari).

The merits of the Companions in Surah Al-Fath

1. Sakinah (tranquillity) sent into their hearts (48:4)

"It is He who sent down tranquillity into the hearts of the believers that they would increase in faith along with their faith." At Hudaybiyah the hearts of the Companions were hurt by the terms of the treaty and the return without umrah, but they stayed calm and obedient, and their faith increased.

2. Their pledge is a pledge to Allah (48:10)

"Indeed, those who pledge allegiance to you, they are actually pledging allegiance to Allah. The hand of Allah is over their hands. So he who breaks his word only breaks it to the detriment of himself, and he who fulfils that which he has promised Allah, He will give him a great reward." The occasion: a rumour came that Hazrat Uthman (RA), who had been sent as an envoy to Makkah, was killed, and the Prophet (ﷺ) took the pledge from all the Companions to fight to the end.

3. Allah was pleased with them: Bay'at ar-Ridwan (48:18 to 19)

"Certainly was Allah pleased with the believers when they pledged allegiance to you under the tree, and He knew what was in their hearts, so He sent down tranquillity upon them and rewarded them with an imminent conquest and much war booty which they will take." This is the pledge called Bay'at ar-Ridwan (the pledge of pleasure). The near conquest is the conquest of Khaybar in 7 AH according to the common view. The Prophet (ﷺ) said that none of those who pledged under the tree will enter the Fire (Sahih Muslim).

4. They were most deserving of the word of taqwa (48:26)

When the disbelievers put chauvinism in their hearts, the chauvinism of the age of ignorance, Allah sent down His tranquillity on His Messenger and on the believers, "and imposed upon them the word of righteousness (taqwa), and they were more deserving of it and worthy of it." At Hudaybiyah the Companions bore the insult of Quraish (who objected to writing Bismillah and Rasul Allah in the treaty) with patience and obeyed the Prophet (ﷺ).

5. The qualities of the Companions (48:29)

The surah closes with a full description: (a) «اَشِدَّآءُ عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ», firm and strong against the disbelievers, not compromising on faith; (b) «رُحَمَآءُ بَيْنَهُمْ», merciful among themselves; (c) «تَرَاهُمْ رُكَّعًا سُجَّدًا», you see them bowing and prostrating, that is, they are people of prayer; (d) «يَبْتَغُوْنَ فَضْلًا مِّنَ اللّٰهِ وَرِضْوَانًا», they seek Allah's bounty and pleasure, with sincere intentions; (e) «سِيْمَاهُمْ فِيْ وُجُوْهِهِمْ مِّنْ اَثَرِ السُّجُوْدِ», the mark of prostration on their faces, the light of humility and devotion.

6. Their description in the Tawrat and the Injil (48:29)

"That is their description in the Torah. And their description in the Gospel is as a plant which produces its offshoots and strengthens them so they grow firm and stand upon their stalks, delighting the sowers." Their beginning was small, then they grew in number and strength, and the Prophet (ﷺ) is the farmer who is pleased with his crop. "So that Allah may enrage by them the disbelievers."

7. The promise of forgiveness and a great reward (48:29)

"Allah has promised those who believe and do righteous deeds among them forgiveness and a great reward." This promise rests on faith and good deeds, and it was fulfilled in the conquests and in the standing they received.

8. The vision fulfilled and the contrast with those who stayed behind (48:11 to 17, 27)

The Bedouins who stayed behind gave false excuses "with their tongues what is not in their hearts" (48:11) and thought the Messenger and the believers would never return (48:12). In contrast, the Companions believed the Prophet's (ﷺ) dream of entering Masjid al-Haram, and Allah made it true: the umrah was performed the next year (7 AH), after a conquest near at hand (48:27). Only the blind, the lame and the sick were excused (48:17).

9. Other texts about their rank

Beside Surah Al-Fath, Allah says that He is pleased with the first Muhajirun and Ansar and those who followed them well (9:100). The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "The best of people is my generation, then those who follow them, then those who follow them" (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim), and: "Do not abuse my Companions; if any of you spent gold equal to Mount Uhud, it would not reach a handful of theirs or even half of it" (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim).

Guidance for us

• Love and respect all the Companions (RA), never abuse or criticise them, because Allah Himself was pleased with them.
• Take them as our model in faith and practice: be firm in principles, merciful with Muslims, regular in prayer and sincere for Allah's pleasure (48:29).
• Obey the Messenger (ﷺ) and the lawful leader even when the decision seems hard, as they did at Hudaybiyah.
• Keep promises and pledges, because breaking them harms only oneself (48:10).
• Be wary of false excuses and hypocrisy in religious duties (48:11 to 12), and avoid sectarian hatred among Muslims.

Benefits of acting and harms of neglect

• Worldly benefits: unity of the Ummah, firmness against enemies, mutual mercy and love, and the sweetness of obedience.
• Benefits in the Hereafter: Allah's pleasure (48:18), forgiveness and a great reward (48:29), and Gardens for those who obey Allah and His Messenger (48:17).
• Harms of neglect: whoever turns away from the way of the Companions falls into division and misguidance, and whoever turns away from obedience is punished with a painful punishment (48:17).

Conclusion

Surah Al-Fath tells that the Companions (RA) were honoured by Allah with tranquillity, His pleasure, the word of taqwa, a clear description in the earlier books, and the promise of forgiveness and a great reward. Their firmness, mercy, prayer and sincerity are the mark of a true believer, and loving and following them is a part of faith.

Introduction

Surah Al-Hujurat (18 ayat, 2 rukus) was revealed about 9 AH, the year of delegations, when the Islamic state had grown large and many tribes were coming to Madinah. A growing society needs discipline. The surah therefore teaches, in a short space, a complete code: respect for Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ) (49:1 to 5), care in news and justice in disputes (49:6 to 10), protection of the honour of people (49:11 to 12), equality of mankind (49:13), and true faith (49:14 to 15).

Part 1: Etiquette with Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ)

1. Do not go ahead of Allah and His Messenger (49:1)

"O you who believe, do not put yourselves before Allah and His Messenger, but fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing." A believer does not decide a matter, in religion or in the affairs of the community, before the command of Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ), nor in opposition to it. This is the basis of the discipline of the whole society.

2. Lower your voices before the Prophet (ﷺ) (49:2 to 3)

"Do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet or be loud to him in speech like the loudness of some of you to others, lest your deeds become worthless while you perceive not." Those who lower their voices before him are those whose hearts Allah has tested for righteousness, and for them are forgiveness and a great reward. According to Sahih Bukhari, the ayat were revealed after a dispute between Hazrat Abu Bakr and Hazrat Umar (RA) in front of the Prophet (ﷺ) about the appointment of a leader for a delegation. Respect for the Prophet (ﷺ) continues after his death, in the way we speak of his hadith and his city.

3. Do not call him from outside the rooms (49:4 to 5)

The delegation of Banu Tamim came and, instead of waiting, called the Prophet (ﷺ) from outside his rooms (hujurat), which gives the surah its name. Allah said that most of them did not use reason, and that if they had been patient until he came out it would have been better for them, and Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

Part 2: Manners and rights between people

4. Verify news (49:6)

"O you who believe, if there comes to you a disobedient one (fasiq) with information, investigate, lest you harm a people out of ignorance and become, over what you have done, regretful." Rumours, one-sided reports and false news destroy peace. A report is to be checked before action or before being spread. According to the commentators, the occasion was the report of Walid bin Uqbah about the Banu al-Mustaliq.

5. Reconciliation and justice (49:9)

"If two factions among the believers fight, make settlement between the two. But if one of them oppresses the other, fight against the one that oppresses until it returns to the ordinance of Allah. And if it returns, make settlement between them in justice and act justly. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly." The community must not stand aside: first reconcile, and, only if one party continues to oppress, use force against it, and then be just to both.

6. Believers are brothers (49:10)

"The believers are but brothers, so make settlement between your brothers. And fear Allah that you may receive mercy." This brotherhood is the base of the society, and the Prophet (ﷺ) said that the believers in their love and mercy are like one body: when one part suffers, the whole body shares with sleeplessness and fever (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim).

7. No mockery, defaming or bad nicknames (49:11)

"Let not a people ridicule another people; perhaps they may be better than them; nor let women ridicule other women; perhaps they may be better than them. And do not insult one another and do not call each other by offensive nicknames. Wretched is the name of disobedience after faith. And whoever does not repent, they are the wrongdoers." Allah thus forbids three acts that hurt a person's dignity: sukhriyah (mockery), lamz (insulting and finding faults) and tanabuz bil-alqab (bad nicknames).

8. Avoid suspicion, spying and backbiting (49:12)

"Avoid much suspicion. Indeed, some suspicion is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful." The Prophet (ﷺ) said: beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the falsest of speech; do not spy and do not search for faults (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim). He defined backbiting as mentioning your brother with what he dislikes, and if it is false, that is slander (Sahih Muslim).

9. Equality of mankind: the best is the most God-fearing (49:13)

"O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you." All people come from one father and mother, so no race, colour, language or family is higher by birth. Differences of tribes are for identification and cooperation, and honour is measured by taqwa. The Prophet (ﷺ) repeated this in his Farewell Sermon: no Arab is above a non-Arab, nor a non-Arab above an Arab, except in taqwa (Musnad Ahmad).

10. True faith and its proof (49:14 to 15)

The Bedouins said "We have believed"; they were told to say instead "we have submitted", because faith had not yet entered their hearts (49:14). The true believers are only those who believed in Allah and His Messenger, then did not doubt, and strove with their wealth and their lives in the way of Allah; they are the truthful (49:15). Faith is proved by conviction and action, not by a claim. A person should also not count his Islam as a favour to the Prophet (ﷺ), for Allah has favoured him by guiding him to faith (49:17).

How these teachings make a society stable

• Discipline and obedience: the community has a clear centre of authority in Allah and His Messenger (49:1 to 5).
• Truth in news: verification stops rumours, false accusations and wrong decisions (49:6).
• Peace and justice: reconciliation and firm justice end quarrels (49:9 to 10).
• Protected honour: no mockery, nicknames, suspicion, spying or backbiting keeps trust and privacy (49:11 to 12).
• Equality and unity: no discrimination of race or tribe, only taqwa distinguishes (49:13).

Guidance for us

• Check news before sharing it, especially on social media, and do not pass on what you have not verified (49:6).
• Make peace between quarrelling relatives, neighbours and groups instead of taking sides (49:9 to 10).
• Do not tease, label or insult anyone for looks, family, language or poverty, and do not backbite; if we have done so, repent (49:11 to 12).
• Think well of other Muslims and do not search for their faults (49:12).
• Reject racism, tribalism and sectarian pride and judge people by their character and taqwa (49:13).

Benefits of acting and harms of neglect

• Worldly benefits: trust, peace, unity, justice, safety of honour and privacy, and a society free from hatred and rumours.
• Benefits in the Hereafter: forgiveness and a great reward (49:3), Allah's mercy (49:10), Allah's love for the just (49:9) and honour with Allah through taqwa (49:13).
• Harms of neglect: deeds becoming worthless through disrespect (49:2), regret over unverified decisions (49:6), civil strife, loss of trust and, for those who do not repent, being counted among the wrongdoers (49:11).

Conclusion

Surah Al-Hujurat gives a short but complete code for a stable society: first obedience and respect for Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ); then verified news, peace between the quarrelling and justice; then protection of dignity by avoiding mockery, nicknames, suspicion, spying and backbiting; and finally the principle that all people are equal and only taqwa makes one noble.

Introduction

Surah Al-Hadid (the 57th surah, 29 ayat, 4 rukus) calls the believers to faith and to spending in the way of Allah, and then shows what faith and hypocrisy bring on the Day of Judgement. In ayat 12 to 15 the Quran draws a vivid scene: the light of the believers runs before them and on their right, while the hypocrites stand in darkness and are told to go back and look for light elsewhere. The ayat of the whole surah explain the causes of this light and of this darkness. Light in the Hereafter is the fruit of faith and good deeds done in this world; darkness is the fruit of hypocrisy, love of the world and a hard heart.

Part 1: Causes of light

1. Faith in Allah and His Messenger (57:7 to 9)

The surah opens the call with faith: believe in Allah and His Messenger (57:7). Allah sends down clear signs on His servant so that He may bring the believers out of darknesses into the light (57:9). Faith is the root of all light, in this world and in the Hereafter.

2. Spending in the way of Allah (57:7, 10, 11, 18)

The believers are told to spend out of what Allah has made them successors in (57:7). Those who spent and fought before the conquest of Makkah are higher in rank than those who did so afterwards, though Allah has promised the best to all (57:10). Whoever gives a goodly loan to Allah will have it multiplied and a noble reward (57:11). Men and women who give charity and lend Allah a goodly loan have it multiplied for them (57:18). The Prophet (ﷺ) said that prayer is light and charity is a proof (Sahih Muslim).

3. The scene of light on the Day of Judgement (57:12)

On that day the believing men and women will see their light running before them and on their right, with the good news of Gardens beneath which rivers flow, where they will stay for ever. The Quran calls this the great success. The light is the visible form of the faith and deeds they carried from the world.

4. Humble hearts and the remembrance of Allah (57:16)

Allah asks: has the time not come for the believers' hearts to become humble at the remembrance of Allah and at the truth that has come down? They must not be like the people of the earlier Book whose hearts hardened after a long time. A soft, humble heart is the first condition of light; a hard heart is the beginning of darkness.

5. Truthfulness and witness to the truth (57:19)

Those who believe in Allah and His messengers are the «صِدِّيقُون» (the truthful) and the «شُهَدَاء» (witnesses, martyrs) with their Lord. For them is their reward and their light. Sincere faith in all the messengers, without distinction, earns light.

6. Racing towards forgiveness and Paradise (57:21)

The believers are told to race one another towards forgiveness from their Lord and a Garden as wide as the heavens and the earth. This is the bounty of Allah, which He gives to whom He wills. The one who hurries towards good deeds in this world is the one whose way is lit in the Hereafter.

7. Faith in destiny: no despair and no pride (57:22 to 23)

Every calamity is written before it happens. This is so that the believer does not grieve over what he loses and does not exult over what he is given, for Allah does not love the proud and boastful. Patience in loss and gratitude without pride keep the heart clean and the light bright.

8. Taqwa and belief in the Messenger (57:28)

The surah ends the argument with a call: fear Allah and believe in His Messenger, and He will give you a double portion of His mercy, make for you a light to walk by and forgive you. Here light is promised as a direct reward of taqwa and obedience to the Prophet (ﷺ).

Part 2: Causes of darkness

9. Hypocrisy (57:13 to 15)

On that day the hypocrite men and women will ask the believers: wait for us so that we may take some of your light. They will be told: go back and look for light. A wall with a door will be placed between them; inside it is mercy and outside it is torment. No ransom will be accepted from them and their home is the Fire (57:13 to 15). They stood with the believers in the world, but their hearts were not with them, so no light was given to them.

10. The four diseases of the hypocrites (57:14)

The believers will answer the hypocrites: you put yourselves into trial (by hypocrisy), you waited and watched for your own gain, you doubted, and false hopes deceived you until Allah's command came, while the great deceiver (Shaitan) deceived you about Allah. Selfish waiting, doubt and false hopes are the real roots of darkness.

11. Love of the world (57:20)

The life of this world is play, amusement, show, boasting and rivalry in wealth and children. It is like a crop that grows green, turns yellow and becomes straw. Whoever makes it his only aim forgets the Hereafter, and the world is only «مَتَاعُ الْغُرُوْرِ», the enjoyment of delusion.

12. Hard-heartedness and disobedience (57:16)

The earlier people received the Book, but a long time passed, their hearts hardened and many of them became «فَاسِقُوْن» (disobedient). A heart that no longer trembles at the remembrance of Allah has no light.

13. Miserliness and pride (57:23 to 24)

Allah does not love the proud and boastful, those who are stingy and tell others also to be stingy (57:23 to 24). Such a person refuses to spend, and so does not take the light of charity with him. Whoever turns away should know that Allah is free of need and worthy of praise.

14. Disbelief and denial of the signs (57:19)

Those who disbelieve and deny the ayat of Allah are the people of Hell. They have neither faith nor light. Denial of the truth after it has become clear is the deepest darkness.

Guidance for us

• Keep faith sincere: be the same inside and outside, so that we are not among the hypocrites.
• Spend regularly on the poor, on education and on good causes, and do not hold back from fear of poverty.
• Soften the heart by the recitation of the Quran and the remembrance of Allah, and avoid a long, careless life of heedlessness.
• Do not let wealth, status, mobile phones and show-off life make the world our only aim; prepare for the Hereafter.
• Be patient when something is lost and humble when something is gained, remembering that all is written by Allah.
• Race with others in good deeds, not in worldly rivalry.

Benefits of acting and harms of neglecting

• In this world: peace of heart, barakah in wealth, a clean society where the rich help the poor, and protection from pride and despair.
• In the Hereafter: light before and on the right, good news of Gardens, great success, forgiveness and a double share of mercy (57:12, 28).
• Harms of neglect: a hard heart, love of the world and spiritual emptiness in this life.
• In the Hereafter: darkness, the wall between the hypocrites and the believers, no ransom and the Fire as their home (57:13 to 15).

Conclusion

Surah Al-Hadid teaches that light in the Hereafter is made in this world. Faith, spending, a humble heart, truthfulness, patience and taqwa make the believer's light run before him; hypocrisy, love of the world, hardness of heart, miserliness and denial leave a person in darkness on the day when no light can be borrowed. So the believer should work now for that light.

Introduction

Surah Al-Mujadilah (the 58th surah, 22 ayat, 3 rukus) begins with the case of a woman who argued with the Prophet (ﷺ) about her husband and complained to Allah. The case was about zihar, a wrong custom of the Arabs of the Jahiliyyah. Allah answered her in the first four ayat: He heard her, declared the custom a false and objectionable saying, and gave a law with a clear expiation (58:1 to 4). This is the Islamic law of zihar.

1. Meaning and concept of zihar

«ظہار» comes from «ظَهْر», the back. In the Arab custom a husband in anger said to his wife: you are to me like the back of my mother. By this he meant that she became forbidden to him like his mother. In the Jahiliyyah this was taken as a final separation, yet she was not set free: she could not live as a wife and could not marry another man. She was left hanging.

2. The background: Hazrat Khawlah bint Tha'labah (RA) (58:1)

According to the commentators, her husband Hazrat Aws bin as-Samit (RA) said these words to her in anger. She was afraid that her home and her small children would be ruined, so she came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and argued and complained, and kept turning to Allah in her complaint. Then the first ayat were revealed, which begin: Allah has heard the speech of the one who argues with you about her husband and complains to Allah (58:1).

3. Allah hears and sees (58:1)

Allah says that He hears the conversation of both of them and that He is Hearing and Seeing. This ayah gives comfort to every wronged person: the complaint of a weak woman reached Allah and became part of the Quran, and the surah is named after her dispute.

4. The wife does not become a mother (58:2)

The Quran refutes the custom at its root: those who make zihar from their wives, their wives are not their mothers. Their mothers are only those who gave birth to them. A word of the mouth cannot change a relation made by Allah, so the wife does not become unlawful for ever.

5. Zihar is a wrong and false saying (58:2)

Allah calls it an objectionable and false statement («مُنكَر» and «زُور»). It is a sin and a serious matter, not a joke. But Allah is Pardoning and Forgiving, so the door of repentance and correction is open.

6. The ruling: the marriage continues but expiation is due (58:3)

Those who make zihar and then wish to go back to what they said (and keep their wives) must first make expiation: the freeing of a slave before the two touch each other. The marriage is not ended, but the husband may not live with his wife until he has paid the kaffarah. This is the warning of Allah, and He knows what you do.

7. The second expiation: two months' fasting (58:4)

Whoever cannot find a slave to free must fast for two consecutive months before they touch each other. The fasts must be continuous; if they are broken without a valid reason the count starts again, according to the jurists.

8. The third expiation: feeding sixty poor people (58:4)

Whoever is unable to fast must feed sixty poor persons. The three steps are in order: first a slave, then fasting, then feeding. The Quran gives an easier choice to those who are weak, so the law is neither too hard nor too light.

9. The purpose of the law and the limits of Allah (58:4)

The Quran says that this is so that you may believe completely in Allah and His Messenger, and that these are the limits of Allah. For the disbelievers who reject them there is a painful punishment. The law trains obedience: a believer takes the ruling of Allah in place of the custom of ancestors.

10. Other rulings noted by the jurists

• The wife remains his wife and the nikah does not break; she is not forbidden for ever as in the Jahiliyyah.
• Intimacy is forbidden until the expiation is paid, and the wife has the right to ask for the kaffarah to be paid.
• The three expiations are in order and one cannot skip to the easier one without being unable to do the earlier one.
• The husband should not leave his wife hanging; if he does not wish to keep her, he may divorce her.

Guidance for us

• Control anger in family life: do not use insulting or false words against a wife, and do not take the matter of marriage lightly.
• Give women a hearing: the Prophet (ﷺ) listened to Hazrat Khawlah (RA), and Allah decided her case. Women's complaints about injustice must be heard.
• Reject wrong customs: today also some families keep unjust customs; the Quran asks us to follow the law of Allah.
• Repent quickly and make amends when we fall into a mistake; Allah has opened the way of expiation.
• Keep the family safe from separation by patience and mutual respect.

Benefits of acting and harms of neglecting

• In this world: the woman is protected from hanging and injustice, the home and children are saved, and the husband learns to control his tongue.
• In the Hereafter: obedience to the limits of Allah brings forgiveness, since the sin is forgiven by repentance and expiation.
• Harms of neglect: unjust customs continue, women suffer, families break up and the person who rejects the limits earns a painful punishment (58:4).

Conclusion

Zihar is a wrong saying of the Jahiliyyah by which a husband called his wife like his mother. Surah Al-Mujadilah rejected it, said that the wife does not become a mother, called it an objectionable and false word and gave the expiation in three steps: freeing a slave, two months' fasting, feeding sixty poor. It protected the woman, kept the marriage and taught that the law of Allah stands above custom.

Introduction

In the second and third rukus of Surah Al-Mujadilah (58:7 to 13) Allah teaches the believers how to behave when they sit together: how to speak privately, how to greet, how to make room and how to behave in the gathering of the Prophet (ﷺ). These ayat were revealed in Madinah, where the Muslims were living with hypocrites and Jews who used secret meetings and whispers to hurt the believers. The teaching builds a clean, orderly and respectful social life.

1. Allah is present at every secret meeting (58:7)

Allah knows all that is in the heavens and the earth. There is no private talk of three but He is the fourth, and none of five but He is the sixth, whether fewer or more, wherever they are. Then He will tell them on the Day of Resurrection what they did. The first etiquette of a gathering is the awareness that Allah is with us.

2. The wrong kind of najwa is forbidden (58:8)

The Quran criticises those who were forbidden to whisper and went back to it. They whispered about sin, aggression and disobedience to the Messenger. When they came to the Prophet (ﷺ) they greeted him with words with which Allah did not greet him, and they said to themselves: why does Allah not punish us for what we say? Their punishment is Hell.

3. The right way of greeting (58:8)

The Jews and hypocrites twisted the greeting. Hazrat Aishah (RA) reported that some Jews said «السَّامُ عَلَيْكُم» (death be upon you) to the Prophet (ﷺ) and he replied with «وَعَلَيْكُم» (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim). A believer greets with the clean greeting of Islam and never uses a greeting with a hidden insult.

4. Whisper only about goodness (58:9)

The believers are told: when you talk privately, do not do it for sin, aggression and disobedience to the Messenger, but for righteousness and taqwa, and fear Allah, to whom you will be gathered. Private consultation is allowed when it is about good, for example advice, reform and help.

5. Najwa must not hurt another believer (58:10)

Evil private talk is from Shaitan, so that he may grieve the believers, but he cannot harm them except by Allah's permission, so the believers should rely on Allah. A hadith says that when three are together, two should not whisper leaving the third alone, because it hurts him (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim).

6. Make room for others (58:11)

When it is said to the believers: make room in the gatherings, they should make room, and Allah will make room for them. The commentators mention that the Companions sat close together in the gathering of the Prophet (ﷺ), and others coming late found no place, so this command was revealed. A hadith says that no one should make another rise from his seat and sit in his place, but they should spread out and make room (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, from Ibn Umar (RA)).

7. Rise when asked (58:11)

When it is said: rise, then rise. This means that the believer should leave the gathering or give his place when the leader or the host asks for it, for example when the Prophet (ﷺ) wanted to end the meeting or to be alone for his work, or when others needed the place. It teaches obedience and discipline in a gathering.

8. Honour for the believers and the people of knowledge (58:11)

For the one who obeys, Allah raises the believers and those given knowledge in degrees. The reward of good manners is not only a seat in the gathering but a rise in rank with Allah. Allah knows all that you do.

9. Respect for the time of the Prophet (ﷺ): charity before private talk (58:12)

When the believers wished to speak privately with the Prophet (ﷺ), they were asked to give a charity first. That was better and purer for them. Some people were taking much of his time, and the hypocrites wished to talk without need. The order made the sincere believers reduce unnecessary meetings and helped the poor. Whoever had nothing to give was forgiven.

10. The later ease and the basic duties (58:13)

Then Allah asked: did you fear to give charity before your talk? Since you did not and Allah forgave you, establish the prayer, give the zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger. The order of charity was lifted after a short time and the real duties of faith remained. Allah is aware of what you do.

The wisdom of these etiquettes

• Peace and trust: banning evil whispers removes suspicion and keeps hearts clean, since the hypocrites used them to frighten the believers.
• Equality and brotherhood: making room and not driving someone from his seat removes pride and shows that every believer has a right to sit.
• Discipline and leadership: rising when asked trains obedience and orderly meetings.
• Respect for knowledge and the leader: charity before consulting the Prophet (ﷺ) taught that his time is precious and that ranks go with knowledge and faith.
• A test of sincerity: the order of charity separated the sincere from those who had no real need.

Guidance for us

• In a gathering do not whisper to one person in front of others, especially in front of a third person, and keep away from secret plans of sin.
• In the mosque, class, bus or meeting make room for the one who comes late, and do not take another's seat.
• Greet with salam and answer properly; do not use words that hide an insult.
• Respect the time of teachers and elders and do not waste it without need.
• Obey the host or chairperson when asked to leave or to move.

Benefits of acting and harms of neglecting

• In this world: love, order and trust in society, no quarrels over seats and no suspicion.
• In the Hereafter: Allah makes room for the one who makes room, raises ranks (58:11) and forgives.
• Harms of neglect: quarrels, hatred, the hurt of a person left out, and the punishment of those who whisper sin and aggression (58:8).

Conclusion

Surah Al-Mujadilah gives a complete code for gatherings: remember that Allah is present, whisper only about good, greet properly, make room, rise when asked and respect the time of the Prophet (ﷺ) and of the leader. Its wisdom is a peaceful, equal and disciplined society where the believers and the people of knowledge are honoured.

Introduction

Surah Al-Hashr (the 59th surah, 24 ayat, 3 rukus) was revealed about the exile of the Jewish tribe Banu an-Nadir from Madinah in 4 AH, after they broke their treaty and plotted against the Prophet (ﷺ). Their houses, lands and property were left behind without a battle. In ayat 6 to 10 Allah explains who owns such wealth and how it is to be shared. This is the law of fay'.

1. Background: Banu an-Nadir (59:2 to 4)

Banu an-Nadir were a strong Jewish tribe near Madinah, with fortresses. They broke their agreement with the Prophet (ﷺ) and plotted against him. After a siege they agreed to leave, and Allah cast terror in their hearts, so they destroyed their houses with their own hands and the hands of the believers. The Muslims did not fight a battle. The reason given is that they opposed Allah and His Messenger (59:2 to 4).

2. Meaning of fay' (59:6)

«فَيْء» means that which returns, and in law it is the wealth that Allah turns over to the Muslims from the enemy without a fight. The Quran says: you did not spur any horse or camel for it. Allah gives His messengers power over whom He wills (59:6).

3. The difference between fay' and ghanimah (59:6; 8:41)

Ghanimah is the booty taken in a battle; in 8:41 one fifth goes to Allah, the Messenger, near relatives, orphans, the needy and the traveller and the rest is shared by the fighters. Fay' is wealth taken without a fight, so the fighters have no claim of their own over it, and it is under the control of the Prophet (ﷺ) and, after him, of the Islamic state.

4. Fay' belongs to Allah and the Messenger (59:6 to 7)

Fay' is for Allah and the Messenger, which means that it is controlled by the head of the Islamic state for public good, not shared as private property. Hazrat Umar (RA) reported that the property of Banu an-Nadir was fay' kept for the Prophet (ﷺ); he gave his family a year's maintenance from it and used the rest for horses and weapons in the way of Allah (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim).

5. The heads of expenditure (59:7)

The ayah lists the spending of fay': for Allah and the Messenger, the near relatives (of the Prophet (ﷺ)), the orphans, the needy and the traveller. These are the heads in which the state spends fay' on public needs and for the weak.

6. The economic principle: wealth must not circulate only among the rich (59:7)

The wisdom is clear in the words: so that it does not become a perpetual distribution among the rich among you. Islam does not want wealth to be kept by a small class. The state must arrange the flow of wealth towards the poor and the weak.

7. Obedience to the Messenger in distribution (59:7)

Allah adds a general rule: whatever the Messenger gives you, take it, and whatever he forbids you, refrain from it, and fear Allah. The decision of how to share fay' is with the Prophet (ﷺ) and after him with those in authority; the believers accept it with trust. Allah is severe in punishment.

8. The poor Muhajirin (59:8)

Then Allah names those who most deserve it: the poor emigrants who were driven out of their homes and properties, seeking Allah's bounty and pleasure and helping Allah and His Messenger. The Quran calls them the truthful. According to the sira reports, the Prophet (ﷺ) gave the property of Banu an-Nadir mainly to the Muhajirin, who had left everything in Makkah.

9. The Ansar and their preference for others (59:9)

Then the Ansar are praised: they settled in Madinah and accepted faith before the Muhajirin, love those who emigrated to them, feel no need in their hearts for what was given to the Muhajirin and prefer others over themselves even if they are in need. Whoever is protected from the greed of his soul is successful. This shows that the receiver of fay' must have a generous heart.

10. The later generations (59:10)

Those who come after them also have a share in the community's wealth; they pray: our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith, and do not put in our hearts any resentment towards the believers. The commentators note that this shows the right of coming generations in the public wealth. It is also said that Hazrat Umar (RA) kept the conquered lands of Iraq and Syria as common property of the state for this reason.

11. Summary of the rulings

• Fay' is wealth that comes to the Muslims from the enemy without a battle.
• It is not shared among the soldiers; it is under the control of the Prophet (ﷺ) and after him of the Islamic state.
• It is spent on public needs, the Prophet's (ﷺ) family and relatives, orphans, the needy, travellers, the poor Muhajirin and the future generations.
• The aim is that wealth does not circulate only among the rich.

Guidance for us

• Public wealth is a trust: officials must spend state money on the poor, the orphans and the needy, not on their own comfort.
• A just economy needs a fair share for the poor, so zakah, taxes and welfare must reach those who need them.
• Prefer others over ourselves as the Ansar did, and have no envy at what others receive.
• Pray for the earlier believers and keep our hearts free from hatred towards other Muslims.
• Accept the decisions of the Messenger (ﷺ) and of lawful authority in matters of wealth.

Benefits of acting and harms of neglecting

• In this world: the gap between rich and poor shrinks, the weak are protected, there is peace and the state is trusted.
• In the Hereafter: success for the one protected from the greed of his soul (59:9) and Allah's forgiveness.
• Harms of neglect: wealth gathers with a few, the poor are crushed, hatred and unrest grow and Allah's punishment is severe (59:7).

Conclusion

After the exile of Banu an-Nadir, Surah Al-Hashr laid down the law of fay': wealth that comes without fighting belongs to Allah and the Messenger, that is to the Islamic state, and is spent on the relatives, orphans, needy, travellers and the poor Muhajirin, so that it never circulates only among the rich. It is the base of the Islamic economic justice and a trust for all generations.

Introduction

Surah Al-Mumtahanah (the 60th surah, 13 ayat, 2 rukus) was revealed about 8 AH, before the conquest of Makkah. Hazrat Hatib bin Abi Balta'ah (RA), a Badr veteran with family left in Makkah, had written a secret letter to the Quraish about the Prophet's (ﷺ) plan, and Allah informed the Prophet (ﷺ) (Sahih Bukhari). On this occasion the surah gave the Muslims clear principles for their relations with non-Muslims: where loyalty and friendship stop, and where kindness and justice continue.

Part 1: The principles of relations

1. No allies against Allah's enemies (60:1)

Believers must not take the enemies of Allah and of themselves as allies and show them love, when those enemies have rejected the truth and driven out the Prophet (ﷺ) and the believers only because they believed in Allah. A Muslim's first loyalty is to Allah, His Messenger (ﷺ) and the community. Secret help to a hostile party, such as passing on information against the Muslims, is a betrayal.

2. The reason: their enmity and harm (60:2)

If such people get the upper hand they will be enemies, stretch their hands and tongues against the believers with evil and wish that the believers would disbelieve. The principle is based on experience of their conduct, not on dislike of people as such.

3. Blood relations will not benefit on the Day of Judgement (60:3)

Neither relatives nor children will help on the Day of Resurrection, when Allah will judge between all. So love of family, as in the case of Hazrat Hatib (RA), must not become a reason for betraying faith or the state.

4. The example of Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) (60:4 to 6)

There is an excellent pattern for the believers in Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) and his companions, who told their people: we are free of you and of what you worship besides Allah; we reject you, and enmity and hatred have appeared between us until you believe in Allah alone. He made an exception for his father: he promised to ask forgiveness for him, but could not help him against Allah. They prayed with trust in Allah, and asked not to be made a trial for the disbelievers (60:4 to 6). The lesson is a clear separation from shirk and its ways, with trust in Allah.

5. Hope of change of heart (60:7)

Allah may put affection between the believers and those who are their enemies now. So enmity is not meant to be permanent, and the door of dawah and peace must stay open. This was fulfilled when many Quraish accepted Islam after the conquest of Makkah.

6. Kindness and justice to peaceful non-Muslims (60:8)

Allah does not forbid you to be righteous and just towards those who do not fight you for your religion and have not driven you out of your homes. Indeed Allah loves the just. The Prophet (ﷺ) told Hazrat Asma (RA) to keep good relations with her non-Muslim mother (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim); the commentators connect 60:8 with such cases.

7. Friendship forbidden with those who fight and expel (60:9)

Allah forbids friendship only with those who fight you because of religion, drive you out of your homes or help in driving you out. Whoever makes allies of them is a wrongdoer. So the ruling depends on the conduct of the other side: peace and justice with the peaceful, no alliance with the aggressors.

8. Respect for treaties and the rules for emigrant women (60:10 to 11)

After the Treaty of Hudaybiyah, believing women came to Madinah. The believers were told to examine them (hence the name Al-Mumtahanah), and if they were sure of their faith not to return them to the disbelievers, since they are no longer lawful to each other as husband and wife. The disbelieving husbands were to be paid back the dower they had given, and the Muslims could marry the emigrant women after paying their dowers. This was a just settlement that respected the rights of both sides.

9. No friendship with the people of Allah's anger (60:13)

The surah ends by repeating the principle: do not make allies of a people with whom Allah is angry. They have lost hope in the Hereafter, as the disbelievers have lost hope of meeting those in the graves. A believer's heart should remain tied to faith in the Hereafter.

Part 2: Etiquettes in the present age

The following etiquettes are drawn from the surah and from the Prophet's (ﷺ) teaching and apply to our age of states, treaties and mixed societies.

• Justice and kindness to all peaceful non-Muslims: neighbours, colleagues, fellow citizens and minorities (60:8). The Prophet (ﷺ) said that whoever kills a person under a covenant will not smell the fragrance of Paradise (Sahih Bukhari).
• Keep promises and treaties, and follow lawful agreements with other states (the Treaty of Hudaybiyah and the case of the emigrant women, 60:10).
• National security comes before personal and family ties: do not pass state secrets to a hostile side, however dear our relatives are (60:1 to 3).
• Clear religious identity without hatred: reject shirk as Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) did, but do not insult others' beliefs and do not force anyone into Islam (60:4; compare 2:256 and 6:108).
• Dawah by good character and wisdom, with the hope that Allah will create affection (60:7; compare 16:125).
• Trade, diplomacy and social dealing are allowed with peaceful states and people, but no alliance with those who attack or oppress the Muslims (60:9).
• Forgive and correct a believer who errs and do not condemn him without hearing him, as the Prophet (ﷺ) did with Hazrat Hatib (RA), whose past at Badr was remembered (Sahih Bukhari).

Guidance for us

• Be loyal to our country and our faith, and never work against them for money, fear or family.
• Treat non-Muslim citizens with justice and respect; protect their lives, property and places of worship.
• Keep our religious identity firm, but express it by good behaviour and not by hatred.
• Keep treaties and promises in international dealing.

Benefits of acting and harms of neglecting

• In this world: peace in a mixed society, trust in the state, a good image of Islam and open doors for dawah.
• In the Hereafter: the love of Allah for the just (60:8) and reward for faith kept safe.
• Harms of neglect: betrayal and loss of the community's secrets and safety, hatred and extremism, or loss of identity by blind friendship with the aggressors; the one who does so is called a wrongdoer (60:9).

Conclusion

Surah Al-Mumtahanah gives a balanced policy: no friendship or secret help for those who fight the faith and expel the believers, but kindness, justice and dealing for the peaceful non-Muslims, honouring treaties and keeping the door of dawah open. Faith and loyalty come first, yet Islam never allows injustice, even to a non-Muslim.

Introduction

Surah As-Saff (the 61st surah, 14 ayat, 2 rukus) is a call to the believers to work for the supremacy of the religion of truth. It starts by praising Allah, then warns the believers against saying what they do not do, describes the lines of the fighters in Allah's way, recalls the experience of Hazrat Musa (AS) and Hazrat Isa (AS) with their peoples, promises that Allah will perfect His light, offers the believers a trade that saves from punishment and ends with a call to be helpers of Allah (61:2 to 14).

Part 1: The importance of striving for the dominance of the religion

1. The mission of the Prophet (ﷺ) (61:9)

Allah sent His Messenger (ﷺ) with guidance and the religion of truth so that He may make it manifest over all religion, even though those who associate partners with Allah dislike it. Making the religion dominant is the purpose of the Prophet's mission, so it is also the aim of his followers. The dominance means that the truth prevails by argument, character and just law; it is not forcing anyone to accept faith (compare 2:256).

2. The light of Allah and the plots of the enemies (61:8)

The disbelievers want to put out the light of Allah with their mouths, with false talk, propaganda and plots, but Allah will complete His light even if they dislike it. This is a promise for the believers: the work is difficult because there is opposition, but its result is certain.

3. Lessons from the earlier prophets (61:5 to 7)

Hazrat Musa (AS) said to his people: why do you hurt me when you know that I am the Messenger of Allah? When they deviated, Allah let their hearts deviate (61:5). Hazrat Isa (AS) told Bani Israel that he confirmed the Tawrat and gave the good news of a messenger after him whose name is Ahmad, but when he came with clear proofs they called it plain magic (61:6). Who is more unjust than one who invents lies about Allah while he is called to Islam (61:7)? The way of the truth has always met opposition, so the believers must be ready.

Part 2: The virtue of this striving

4. Allah loves those who fight in rows (61:4)

Indeed Allah loves those who fight in His way in a row as if they were a solid structure («بُنْيَانٌ مَّرْصُوصٌ»). The love of Allah is the highest honour a believer can have. The Prophet (ﷺ) said that a person whose feet become dusty in the way of Allah, the Fire is forbidden to him (Sahih Bukhari).

5. The trade that saves from punishment (61:10 to 11)

Allah asks: shall I guide you to a trade that will save you from a painful punishment? It is that you believe in Allah and His Messenger and strive in the way of Allah with your wealth and your lives. That is best for you if you know. Faith is the capital and striving is the investment.

6. The rewards of the world and the Hereafter (61:12 to 13)

In return Allah will forgive their sins, admit them to gardens beneath which rivers flow and to pleasant dwellings in the gardens of Eden; that is the great success. And there is another favour they love: help from Allah and a near victory. Good news is given to the believers, so the reward is both in the Hereafter and in this world.

Part 3: The method of striving

7. Consistency of word and deed (61:2 to 3)

O believers, why do you say what you do not do? It is greatly hateful to Allah that you say what you do not do. The first condition of the work is sincerity: a caller who does not act on his call loses trust and his work has no effect. The Prophet (ﷺ) first showed in his own life what he asked others to do.

8. Unity and discipline: the solid structure (61:4)

The fighters stand in a row like a firmly joined building, each brick supporting the other. The principle of teamwork is unity, discipline, obedience to the leader and no gaps in the line. A divided community cannot make the religion dominant.

9. Sacrifice of wealth, life and tongue (61:11)

Striving is with wealth and with lives. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: strive against the idolaters with your wealth, your lives and your tongues (Sunan Abu Dawud and Sunan an-Nasai). So the effort of today also includes spending, knowledge, writing, speaking and service, and fighting when it is lawful and ordered by the lawful authority.

10. Be supporters of Allah like the Hawariyyun (61:14)

Allah calls: be helpers of Allah as Hazrat Isa (AS) said to his disciples, who is my helper for Allah? The Hawariyyun said: we are the helpers of Allah. A group of Bani Israel believed and a group disbelieved. Allah helped the believers against their enemy and they became dominant. The method is to answer the call, to give ourselves to the work and to believe that success belongs to the believers.

Guidance for us

• Make our own life match our words: be honest and keep promises before telling others.
• Work in unity: join organised, disciplined efforts instead of splitting into groups and quarrelling.
• Spend our time, knowledge and money for the cause of Islam, in education, dawah and service of people.
• Show Islam by good character and just conduct so that the truth prevails through proof and example.
• Be patient and hopeful, because Allah will perfect His light.

Benefits of acting and harms of neglecting

• In this world: help from Allah and victory (61:13), a strong, united community and respect among nations.
• In the Hereafter: forgiveness, gardens and the great success, and safety from a painful punishment (61:10 to 12).
• Harms of neglect: disunity, weakness, empty talk without action, Allah's displeasure (61:3) and domination by the enemies of truth.

Conclusion

Surah As-Saff teaches that making the religion dominant is the purpose of the Prophet's (ﷺ) mission and the duty of his followers. It is done with sincerity (word and deed together), unity like a solid wall, sacrifice of wealth and life, and by being helpers of Allah. Its reward is forgiveness, Paradise, help from Allah and victory.

Introduction

Surah Al-Jumu'ah (62nd surah, 11 ayat, 2 rukus, Madani) takes its name from the Friday prayer, the weekly gathering of the Muslims. Its first ruku speaks of the Prophet's (ﷺ) four duties: reciting the ayat, purifying, teaching the Book and wisdom (62:2), and of the Jews who carried the Torah without acting on it. The second ruku (62:9 to 11) gives the rulings and etiquette of Friday: the call to prayer, leaving trade, dispersing afterwards and the lesson of the incident when some people left the Prophet (ﷺ) standing in the khutbah.

Part 1: Rulings and etiquette from the Quran

1. The call of Jumu'ah (62:9)

Allah addresses the believers: when the call to prayer is made on the day of Jumu'ah, they must respond. The command is for those on whom Friday is obligatory. In the time of the Prophet (ﷺ) there was one adhan, given when the imam sat on the pulpit. Hazrat Uthman (RA) later added an earlier adhan because the town had grown (Sahih Bukhari).

2. Proceed to the remembrance of Allah (62:9)

The word «فَاسْعَوْا» means to go earnestly and with attention, not necessarily to run. The «ذِكْرِ اللّٰه» (remembrance of Allah) means the khutbah and the prayer. So attending the khutbah is part of the Friday prayer, not an extra. The jurists say that the Friday prayer is an obligation for every sane, adult, free, resident Muslim man, and it is offered in congregation in place of the Zuhr prayer, in two rak'ahs after the khutbah.

3. Leave trade (62:9)

«وَذَرُوا الْبَيْعَ»: leave buying and selling. After the adhan every business that would keep a person from the prayer must stop, because worldly gain must not come before the call of Allah. Trade is mentioned because it was the main thing that kept people away. The same applies to any work or entertainment that distracts from Friday.

4. It is better for you (62:9)

The ayah ends: that is better for you if you only knew. The gain of the prayer is greater than any profit of trade, in this world as in the Hereafter.

5. After the prayer, disperse and seek Allah's bounty (62:10)

When the prayer is finished the ban is lifted: disperse in the land and seek Allah's bounty. Islam does not call for giving up work. Lawful earning is allowed and is even called Allah's bounty. Friday is therefore not a compulsory day of rest, but a day of worship that is followed by normal life.

6. Remember Allah much (62:10)

Even while working, the believer must remember Allah often, so that he may succeed. The condition for success is not to forget Allah in business, so that trade does not make the heart heedless.

7. The incident of the caravan (62:11)

Once the Prophet (ﷺ) was delivering the Friday khutbah standing, when a trade caravan arrived from Syria and its arrival was announced with a drum. Most of the people left the mosque to see it, and only twelve remained (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, from Hazrat Jabir (RA)). The Quran corrected this: when they saw a transaction or a diversion they rushed to it and left the Prophet (ﷺ) standing. The ayah also shows that the khutbah is given standing.

8. What is with Allah is better (62:11)

The ayah ends: what is with Allah is better than amusement and trade, and Allah is the best of providers. Rizq (sustenance) comes from Allah, so the one who obeys His call will not lose his earnings.

Part 2: The sunnah etiquette of Friday (from authentic hadith)

• Take a bath, wear clean clothes, use the miswak and perfume, and go to the mosque early; the angels stand at the doors of the mosque and write down the people in the order of their arrival (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim).
• Listen to the khutbah in silence. Even saying 'be quiet' to a neighbour while the imam is speaking is called idle talk (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim).
• Do not step over people's necks and do not disturb others; sit in the first free place.
• Send much durood on the Prophet (ﷺ) and make dua; the Prophet (ﷺ) said there is an hour on Friday in which a Muslim's dua is accepted (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim).
• The Prophet (ﷺ) often recited Surah Al-Jumu'ah and Surah Al-Munafiqun in the Friday prayer (Sahih Muslim).

Wisdom of the Friday prayer

• It brings the Muslims of a town together every week, so unity and brotherhood grow.
• The khutbah gives regular teaching and reminds people of their duties and of the problems of the community.
• Rich and poor stand in one row, which removes pride and class feeling.
• It trains a person to put the call of Allah before worldly interest, and then to return to lawful work with remembrance of Allah.
• It gives a weekly day of cleanliness, good dress and renewal of faith.

Guidance for us

• Respond to the adhan: shops and offices should make it easy for workers and customers to reach the Friday prayer on time.
• Reach the mosque early and listen to the khutbah with attention, with phones put away.
• Balance worship and earning: pray first, then work, and keep remembering Allah in the market.
• Do not let entertainment, shopping or screens take us away from the obligations of Allah.
• Believe that sustenance comes from Allah, so honesty in trade will not lead to loss.

Benefits of acting on it and harms of neglecting it

Worldly benefits: unity of the community, regular teaching, discipline, a blessed income and a balanced life.

Benefits in the Hereafter: the Prophet (ﷺ) said that the five daily prayers and Friday to Friday are an expiation for the sins between them, as long as major sins are avoided (Sahih Muslim). Success is promised to those who remember Allah much (62:10).

Harms of neglect: the Prophet (ﷺ) warned that whoever leaves three Fridays out of carelessness, Allah seals his heart (reported by Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi). Love of trade and amusement makes a person heedless and, as in the incident of the caravan, it loses the blessing of the Messenger's (ﷺ) gathering.

Conclusion

Surah Al-Jumu'ah teaches that the Friday prayer is a weekly act of worship and unity. At the call the believer leaves trade and goes to the remembrance of Allah, listens to the khutbah, and after the prayer returns to lawful earning while remembering Allah much. The incident of the caravan warns that no profit or pastime is better than what is with Allah, who is the best of providers.

Introduction

Surah Al-Munafiqun (63rd surah, 11 ayat, 2 rukus, Madani) was revealed on the campaign against Banu al-Mustaliq. It exposes the hypocrites of Madinah: people who said they believed but did not. In the first ruku Allah describes their signs and conduct (63:1 to 8) and in the second He warns the believers not to let wealth and children divert them from His remembrance (63:9 to 11).

Part 1: Definition and background

1. Definition of hypocrisy («نِفَاق»)

«نفاق» means to show Islam with the tongue while hiding disbelief or ill will in the heart. The word is said to come from «نافقاء», the hidden second exit of a desert rat's hole, because the hypocrite keeps a way out on both sides. The hypocrite is called «مُنَافِق». Hypocrisy of belief («نفاقِ اعتقادی») is real disbelief hidden behind a claim of faith; hypocrisy of action («نفاقِ عملی») is a believer's bad habit that resembles it.

2. Background of Surah Al-Munafiqun

Hypocrisy appeared in Madinah after the Muslims became strong, and its leader was Abdullah bin Ubayy. The surah was revealed on the campaign against Banu al-Mustaliq (5 or 6 AH). At a watering place a quarrel broke out between a Muhajir and an Ansari, and Abdullah bin Ubayy said, 'If we return to Madinah, the more honoured will expel the more humble.' Hazrat Zaid bin Arqam (RA) reported it to the Prophet (ﷺ). Ibn Ubayy denied it, but Allah confirmed Zaid's (RA) report by revelation (63:8, Sahih Bukhari).

Part 2: Signs and conduct of the hypocrites

3. False testimony (63:1)

They come to the Prophet (ﷺ) and say 'We testify that you are the Messenger of Allah.' The words are true but their hearts do not agree with their tongues, so Allah testifies that they are liars. Truth in words without faith in the heart is hypocrisy.

4. Oaths as a shield (63:2)

They make false oaths a cover to save themselves from punishment and to hide their real nature. They also turn people away from the way of Allah by their words and plots. The Quran calls this evil conduct.

5. Belief and then disbelief; sealed hearts (63:3)

They accepted faith in appearance, then turned back to disbelief, so a seal was put on their hearts and they no longer understand. Repeated deceit finally takes away the ability to see the truth.

6. Fine looks and smooth speech, but empty inside (63:4)

Their bodies please the eye and when they speak people listen, but they are like pieces of wood propped up against a wall: they have shape but no life or faith inside. The Quran teaches not to judge people only by their dress or speech.

7. Cowardice and suspicion (63:4)

They think every shout is against them. Because of their guilty conscience, they are always afraid of being exposed. They are the real enemy, so the believers are told to beware of them.

8. Arrogance towards repentance (63:5 to 6)

When it is said to them, 'Come, the Messenger of Allah will ask forgiveness for you,' they turn their heads aside and walk away proudly. Since they do not even admit their fault, it makes no difference whether the Prophet (ﷺ) asks forgiveness for them or not. Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient.

9. Miserliness and economic boycott (63:7)

They say, 'Do not spend on those who are with the Messenger of Allah until they disband.' They wanted to starve the Muslims out of the Prophet's (ﷺ) company. The Quran replies that the treasuries of the heavens and the earth belong to Allah, but the hypocrites do not understand.

10. Pride and enmity (63:8)

They threaten that the 'more honoured' will drive out the 'more humble' from Madinah. Allah answers that all honour belongs to Allah, His Messenger (ﷺ) and the believers, but the hypocrites do not know.

The Prophet (ﷺ) also gave the practical signs of a hypocrite: when he speaks he lies, when he promises he breaks it and when he is trusted he betrays (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim).

Part 3: Condemnation of the hypocrites

• Allah Himself testifies that they are liars (63:1) and calls their deeds evil (63:2).
• Their hearts are sealed, so they no longer understand (63:3).
• They are called the enemy, the believers are told to beware of them, and the curse 'May Allah destroy them' is pronounced on them. How they are deluded away from the truth! (63:4).
• Forgiveness is closed to them: even the Messenger's (ﷺ) prayer will not benefit them, and Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient (63:6).
• They are described as people who do not understand (63:7) and do not know (63:8), so they are shown to be foolish and humiliated, not honoured.
• In the Hereafter their place is the lowest depth of the Fire (An-Nisa 4:145).

Guidance for us

• Keep the tongue and the heart in agreement: be truthful, keep promises and return trusts.
• Do not use oaths and religion as a cover for selfish aims.
• Do not judge people only by their looks and sweet speech; judge by their conduct.
• Accept a fault and repent at once; arrogance in front of advice leads to sealed hearts.
• Spend in the way of Allah before death comes, and do not let wealth and children make us forget His remembrance (63:9 to 11).

Benefits of avoiding hypocrisy and harms of falling into it

Benefits: honesty and a clear conscience, trust in society, the help of Allah and honour that belongs to Allah, His Messenger (ﷺ) and the believers (63:8), and in the Hereafter safety from the Fire and success. Harms: loss of trust, fear and shame in this world, a sealed heart, no forgiveness (63:6), and the lowest level of the Fire in the Hereafter. The Quran calls those who are diverted by wealth and children the losers (63:9).

Conclusion

Hypocrisy is to show faith and hide disbelief. Surah Al-Munafiqun shows its signs: false testimony, oaths as a shield, belief followed by disbelief, fair looks with an empty heart, cowardice, arrogance, miserliness and enmity to the believers. Allah condemns them as liars, seals their hearts and shuts the door of forgiveness. The believers must keep their words and hearts in agreement and spend in the way of Allah before death comes.

Introduction

Surah At-Taghabun (64th surah, 18 ayat, 2 rukus, Madani in the common view) is named after the Day of «التَّغَابُن» (64:9), the day of mutual loss and gain, when the true value of every person's deeds will be revealed. The first ruku builds the right belief (ayat 1 to 10) and the second gives the practical rules of life that follow from it (ayat 11 to 18). It is one of the musabbihat, the surahs that begin with the tasbih of Allah.

Part 1: Intellectual guidance (belief and thought)

1. Everything declares Allah's glory; He is the Owner and the Powerful (64:1)

All that is in the heavens and the earth declares the glory of Allah. To Him belongs dominion, to Him all praise and He has power over everything. This is the basis of Tawhid.

2. Man's freedom of choice (64:2)

Allah created you, and among you is the disbeliever and among you is the believer. Man has been given the choice to believe or not, and Allah sees what he does, so he is responsible for it.

3. Creation in truth and the return to Allah (64:3 to 4)

Allah created the heavens and the earth in truth, formed man in the best shape and to Him is the return. He knows what is hidden in the hearts, so the believer keeps his inner life clean as well as his outer life.

4. Lessons from earlier nations (64:5 to 6)

Earlier nations suffered the evil results of their deeds because they said of their messengers: 'Shall human beings guide us?' and refused them despite clear proofs. History is a lesson for those who think.

5. Belief in the Resurrection (64:7)

The disbelievers claim they will never be raised. Allah orders the Prophet (ﷺ) to say: 'Yes, by my Lord, you will surely be raised, then informed of what you did, and that is easy for Allah.'

6. Belief in Allah, His Messenger (ﷺ) and the Quran (64:8)

The believers are called to believe in Allah, His Messenger (ﷺ) and the Quran that He sent down. This is the full basis of belief: Tawhid, Risalah and the Book.

7. The Day of Taghabun (64:9 to 10)

On the Day of Gathering the real loser and winner will be known. Believers who did righteous deeds will have their evil deeds removed and will enter Gardens, which is the great success. The disbelievers who denied Allah's signs will be the people of the Fire.

Part 2: Practical guidance (conduct)

8. Accept calamities as Allah's decree and have faith (64:11)

No calamity strikes except by Allah's permission. Whoever believes in Allah, He guides his heart. So patience and contentment in hardship are signs of faith, and complaining against Allah is wrong.

9. Obey Allah and the Messenger (ﷺ) (64:12)

The believers are told to obey Allah and the Messenger (ﷺ). If they turn away, the Messenger's duty is only to convey clearly. So the responsibility for obedience lies on the people.

10. Trust in Allah alone (64:13)

There is no god but Allah, and the believers should rely on Allah alone. Trust (tawakkul) means making the effort and then leaving the result to Allah.

11. Wives and children: beware, but forgive (64:14)

Some of your wives and children are enemies to you, so beware of them, but if you pardon, overlook and forgive, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. Ibn Abbas (RA) said (reported by Tirmidhi) that some men in Makkah who accepted Islam were prevented from migrating by their families; later, when they reached Madinah and saw others who had gained religious knowledge, they wanted to punish their families, and this ayah was revealed. The 'enmity' is that love of family may keep a person from obeying Allah, not that the family is bad.

12. Wealth and children are a trial (64:15)

Wealth and children are only a trial, and with Allah is a great reward. They are tests of whether a person remains grateful and obedient to Allah or becomes greedy and heedless.

13. Taqwa as much as you can; listen, obey and spend (64:16)

Fear Allah as much as you are able, listen and obey and spend in His way, which is better for yourselves. Whoever is saved from the stinginess of his own soul, they are the successful. Allah does not burden anyone beyond capacity, so the command is within reach.

14. A goodly loan to Allah (64:17)

If you lend Allah a goodly loan, He will multiply it for you and forgive you, and Allah is Most Appreciative and Forbearing. Spending for the sake of Allah with a pure intention is a loan with a very high return.

Guidance for us

• Build belief on Tawhid, the Messenger (ﷺ), the Quran and the Hereafter, and remember that we will be answerable for our choices.
• Bear loss, illness and failure with patience, as nothing happens without Allah's permission.
• Do not let love of family, income or status stop us from obeying Allah, and treat family members with forgiveness and kindness.
• Keep taqwa as much as we can and spend regularly in charity, giving up greed.
• Rely on Allah after making the effort.

Benefits of acting on it and harms of neglecting it

Worldly benefits: a guided heart (64:11), ease in affairs, peace in the family through forgiveness, a mind free of greed and anxiety, and blessing in wealth. Benefits in the Hereafter: removal of misdeeds, entry into Gardens, multiplication of what was spent (64:9, 17) and success (64:16). Harms of neglect: heedlessness and greed, family conflict, being deprived of guidance, and being the real loser on the Day of Taghabun, ending in the Fire (64:10).

Conclusion

Surah At-Taghabun first sets right belief: Allah is the Owner of all, man is free and answerable, the Resurrection is certain and the Day of Taghabun will show the real winners. Then it gives practical rules: patience in calamity, obedience to Allah and the Messenger (ﷺ), trust in Allah, forgiveness in the family, taqwa and spending in His way. Faith and action together lead to success.

Introduction

Surah At-Talaq (65th surah, 12 ayat, 2 rukus, Madani) is also called the shorter Surah An-Nisa because it gives the rulings of divorce and the iddah. Islam allows divorce only as a last resort, after efforts at reconciliation (An-Nisa 4:35), but when it must be done the Quran asks that it be done in a fair and gentle manner, within the limits of Allah. Ayat 1 to 7 give the rulings, and the last ayat (8 to 12) warn about disobeying Allah's commands.

Part 1: The rulings of divorce and the iddah

1. Divorce at the start of the iddah (65:1)

«فَطَلِّقُوهُنَّ لِعِدَّتِهِنَّ»: divorce them for their waiting period. This means that divorce should be given when the wife is in a state of purity (not during menstruation), so that her iddah starts right away and is not lengthened. The Prophet (ﷺ) explained this when Hazrat Ibn Umar (RA) divorced his wife during her menses: he ordered him to take her back and divorce her later in a state of purity if he still wished (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim). The jurists say the best method is one single divorce in a state of purity, after which the husband leaves her until the iddah ends.

2. Count the iddah and fear Allah (65:1)

The believers are commanded to count the period carefully and fear Allah, their Lord. The count protects the rights of both sides and makes clear whether the wife is pregnant.

3. Do not turn her out of her house (65:1)

Do not turn the divorced women out of their houses, and they must not leave themselves, unless they commit a clear immorality. So during the iddah the woman stays in the marital home, which keeps the door open for reconciliation.

4. The limits of Allah and the hope of reconciliation (65:1)

These are the limits of Allah, and whoever transgresses them wrongs himself. 'You do not know; perhaps Allah will bring about after that a new matter', meaning a change of heart and a return to love. So the iddah is a time for the husband and wife to think calmly.

5. Retain or part with kindness (65:2)

When they are about to complete the term, either keep them in a fair manner or part with them in a fair manner. Neither side may be unjust: the husband must not keep her only to harm her, and if he lets her go, he must do it kindly and with her rights.

6. Two just witnesses (65:2)

Take two just men from among you as witnesses and establish the testimony for Allah. Witnesses protect both sides from later disputes and denial. This advice is for those who believe in Allah and the Last Day.

7. Taqwa and tawakkul bring a way out (65:2 to 3)

Whoever fears Allah, He makes a way out for him and provides for him from where he does not expect. Whoever relies on Allah, He is enough for him. In a painful family matter like divorce, this removes fear of loss and helps a person to act justly.

8. The iddah of different women (65:4)

For women who no longer expect menstruation, and for those who have not yet menstruated, the iddah is three months. For pregnant women it ends with delivery. For women who menstruate regularly the iddah is three menstrual courses (Al-Baqarah 2:228). Whoever fears Allah, He makes his matter easy.

9. Housing and maintenance (65:6)

Lodge the divorced women where you live, according to your means, and do not harm them to make them suffer. If they are pregnant, spend on them until they give birth.

10. Nursing the child and mutual consultation (65:6)

If they nurse your child, give them their payment, and settle matters among you with kindness. If there is a difficulty, another woman may nurse the child for the father. The child's interest remains a shared responsibility even after divorce.

11. Spend according to means (65:7)

The wealthy man should spend from his wealth, and the one whose provision is limited from what Allah gave him. Allah does not burden a soul beyond what He has given it, and after hardship Allah will bring ease.

12. Warning against disobedience (65:8 to 11)

Many a town rebelled against the command of its Lord and was called to a severe account, and the end of its affair was loss. So the believers are told to fear Allah, for the Quran and the Messenger (ﷺ) are sent to bring people from darkness into light.

Benefits and wisdom of following these rulings

• Time to think: divorce in a state of purity, the iddah and the stay in one house give the couple time for calm reflection and a chance of reconciliation (65:1).
• Protection of lineage: the iddah makes clear whether the woman is pregnant, so the child's descent stays certain.
• Protection of the woman's dignity and rights: she has a home, maintenance and kind treatment, and cannot be thrown out or harmed (65:1, 6).
• Protection from disputes: witnesses and a fair settlement prevent later denial and quarrels (65:2).
• Care of children: the shared responsibility for nursing and maintenance keeps the children from suffering (65:6).
• Spiritual benefit: taqwa and trust bring a way out, provision, ease and forgiveness (65:2 to 5).

Guidance for us

• Do not divorce in anger, nor repeatedly or all at once, and not during menstruation; try reconciliation first through elders (An-Nisa 4:35).
• Give the divorced wife her home during the iddah, her maintenance and her payment for nursing, and part with kindness.
• Keep witnesses and records so that rights are clear and disputes do not arise.
• Keep the children's interests ahead of personal anger.
• Fear Allah and trust Him; do not let a family breakdown turn into hatred and injustice.

Harms of neglecting these rulings

Divorce in anger or in the wrong time brings regret and ruins homes. Turning the woman out or harming her is a transgression of Allah's limits and a wrong done to oneself (65:1). Not keeping the iddah and witnesses leads to doubt about lineage and endless disputes. In the Hereafter, those who rebel against Allah's commands face a severe account and punishment (65:8 to 10).

Conclusion

Surah At-Talaq teaches that even a painful matter like divorce is to be handled with justice, kindness and the fear of Allah. It gives the rulings of the time and method of divorce, the iddah, housing, maintenance, witnesses and nursing, and promises a way out, provision and ease to those who fear Allah and trust Him.

Introduction

Surah At-Tahrim (66th surah, 12 ayat, 2 rukus, Madani) takes its name from the word «تحریم» (making unlawful) in its first ayah. The first ruku (66:1 to 5) deals with an incident in the household of the Prophet (ﷺ): he made the honey, which is lawful, unlawful for himself to please some of his wives, and a secret that he told one of them was disclosed. The surah then calls the believers to save themselves and their families from the Fire (66:6), to repent sincerely (66:8) and gives four examples of women (66:10 to 12). So it gives many lessons for Muslim women, and for the family as a whole.

Part 1: Lessons from the events in the Prophet's (ﷺ) household

1. The incident of the honey (66:1 to 2)

According to Sahih Bukhari, the Prophet (ﷺ) used to drink honey at the house of Hazrat Zainab bint Jahsh (RA). Hazrat Aishah and Hazrat Hafsah (RA) agreed to tell him that his mouth smelt unpleasant, and he said that he would not drink it again. Allah said: why do you make unlawful what Allah made lawful for you, seeking the pleasure of your wives (66:1)? Allah provided a way to undo such an oath (66:2). The lesson: no one, not even the Prophet (ﷺ) for the sake of his family, may make a lawful thing unlawful; and a woman should not make her husband give up a lawful thing by pressure or by small tricks of jealousy.

2. The secret that was disclosed (66:3)

The Prophet (ﷺ) told one of his wives a private matter, who according to the common view was Hazrat Hafsah (RA). She told another wife, and Allah informed the Prophet (ﷺ) of it. He told her part of it and did not mention the rest, out of generosity. When she asked who had told him, he said that the Knowing, the Acquainted had informed him. The lesson: a secret is a trust (amanah). A wife must keep the private matters of the home to herself, and a husband in turn should be forgiving and not dwell on small things.

3. Repentance and unity in the household (66:4 to 5)

Allah told the two wives (according to Hazrat Umar (RA), they were Hazrat Aishah and Hazrat Hafsah (RA), as reported in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim) that if they repent it is best, as their hearts had inclined away, but if they act together against him, Allah is his protector with Jibril, the righteous believers and the angels. Allah then said that if the Prophet (ﷺ) divorced them, his Lord could give him better wives who are Muslim, believing, obedient, repentant, devoted to worship and given to fasting or migration for His cause, widows or virgins (66:5). The lesson: the mothers of the believers were role models, so even a small slip was corrected, and a woman should turn to Allah quickly when she is at fault. The Prophet (ﷺ) is the head of the family and a wife should not plot against him; she should support him in good.

4. Save yourselves and your families from the Fire (66:6)

The believers are commanded to protect themselves and their families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones, guarded by stern angels who never disobey Allah. A woman is a main part of this duty: she teaches the children faith and good manners, encourages prayer in the home and keeps away from what Allah has forbidden.

5. Sincere repentance (66:8)

«تَوْبَةً نَّصُوحًا», sincere repentance, means giving up the sin, regretting it and resolving not to return to it. Allah promises that the Lord will remove the misdeeds and enter the repentant into Gardens on the Day when the light of the believers will run before them and on their right.

Part 2: Lessons from the four women (66:10 to 12)

6. The wives of Hazrat Nuh and Hazrat Lut (AS) (66:10)

They were married to two righteous servants of Allah, but they betrayed them (by their disbelief and by siding with the enemies of faith), and their husbands could not help them against Allah at all. They were told to enter the Fire with those who enter. The lesson: nearness to a pious husband, a family name or a high position does not save anyone. Every woman will be judged by her own belief and deeds.

7. Hazrat Asiyah (RA), the wife of Pharaoh (66:11)

She was the wife of the cruellest ruler, Pharaoh, yet she kept her faith and prayed: 'My Lord, build for me a house near You in Paradise, save me from Pharaoh and his deeds and save me from the wrongdoing people.' The lesson: a believing woman can stay firm on faith in the hardest circumstances, and she must not follow an unjust husband or environment in disbelief or wrong. Her dua shows that she wanted Paradise above the luxury of the palace.

8. Hazrat Maryam (AS) (66:12)

Maryam, the daughter of Imran, guarded her chastity, believed in the words of her Lord and His books, and was among the devoutly obedient. The lesson: modesty (haya) and chastity are the greatest ornament of a woman, and faith with obedience raises her to the highest rank, as the Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned among the best women of the world (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim).

Summary of lessons and advice for Muslim women

• Be content with what is lawful and do not press the husband to give up what Allah has made lawful, nor make small matters a cause of jealousy or rivalry (66:1 to 2).
• Keep the secrets of the home as a trust and do not spread them (66:3).
• Turn to Allah in repentance quickly and sincerely when you err, and stand with your husband in what is right, not against him (66:4, 8).
• Protect yourself and your children from the Fire by teaching them faith and good character (66:6).
• Personal faith and deeds count most: no relation saves a person (66:10).
• Be firm in faith even in a hostile environment, as Asiyah (RA) was (66:11), and guard modesty and chastity like Maryam (AS) (66:12).
• Aim at the qualities of 66:5: Islam, faith, obedience, repentance, worship and patience.

Guidance for us

• Today women are mothers and teachers of the next generation, so they should learn their religion and teach it at home.
• Keep family quarrels and private matters out of gossip and social media.
• Choose righteous companions and do not follow family or social pressure into sin.
• Make daily repentance and dua a habit.

Benefits of acting on it and harms of neglecting it

Worldly benefits: peace and trust in the home, well-trained children and a respected character. Benefits in the Hereafter: forgiveness, light on the Day of Judgement, Gardens (66:8) and a place near Allah in Paradise, as Asiyah (RA) asked (66:11). Harms of neglect: disturbance and mistrust in the family, children left without faith, and the end of Nuh's and Lut's wives, who entered the Fire in spite of their husbands being prophets (66:10).

Conclusion

Surah At-Tahrim gives Muslim women guidance through events and examples: the honey and the secret teach contentment, trust and quick repentance; the command to save one's family from the Fire teaches responsibility; and the four women show that salvation depends on one's own faith and deeds, with Hazrat Asiyah (RA) and Hazrat Maryam (AS) as models of firmness, modesty and obedience.