Soorah Al-Ahzaab (The Confederates)


In the Name of Allaah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
1.  O Prophet (Muhammad sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam)! Keep your duty to Allaah, and obey not the disbelievers and the hypocrites (i.e., do not follow their advices), Verily! Allaah is Ever All-Knower, All-Wise.
2.  And follow that which is inspired in you from your Lord, Verily, Allaah is Well-Acquainted with what you do.
3.  And put your trust in Allaah, and Sufficient is Allaah as a Wakil (Trustee, or Disposer of affairs).
4.  Allaah has not put for any man two hearts inside his body, Neither has He made your wives whom you declare to be like your mothers' backs, your real mothers, [Az-Zihar is the saying of a husband to his wife, "You are to me like the back of my mother" i.e, You are unlawful for me to approach.], nor has He made your adopted sons your real sons, That is but your saying with your mouths, But Allaah says the truth, and He guides to the (Right) Way.
5.  Call them (adopted sons) by (the names of) their fathers, that is more just with Allaah, But if you know not their father's (names, call them) your brothers in faith and Mawalikum (your freed slaves), And there is no sin on you if you make a mistake therein, except in regard to what your hearts deliberately intend, And Allaah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
6.  The Prophet is closer to the believers than their ownselves, and his wives are their (believers') mothers (as regards respect and marriage), And blood relations among each other have closer personal ties in the Decree of Allaah (regarding inheritance) than (the brotherhood of) the believers and the Muhajirun (emigrants from Makkah, etc.), except that you do kindness to those brothers (when the Prophet SAW joined them in brotherhood ties), This has been written in the (Allaah's Book of Divine) Decrees (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfooz)."
7.  And (remember) when We took from the Prophets their covenant, and from you (O Muhammad sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), and from Nooh (Noah), Ibraaheem (Abraham), Moosaa (Moses), and 'Eesaa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), We took from them a strong covenant.
8.  That He may ask the truthfuls (Allaah's Messengers and His Prophets) about their truth (i.e, the conveyance of Allaah's Message that which they were charged with), And He has prepared for the disbelievers a painful torment (Hell-fire).
9.  O you who believe! Remember Allaah's Favour to you, when there came against you hosts, and We sent against them a wind and forces that you saw not [i.e, troops of angels during the battle of Al-Ahzab (the Confederates)], And Allaah is Ever All-Seer of what you do.
10.  When they came upon you from above you and from below you, and when the eyes grew wild and the hearts reached to the throats, and you were harbouring doubts about Allaah.
11.  There, the believers were tried and shaken with a mighty shaking.
12.  And when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is a disease (of doubts) said: "Allaah and His Messenger (SAW) promised us nothing but delusions!"
13.  And when a party of them said: "O people of Yathrib (Al-Madinah)! There is no stand (possible) for you (against the enemy attack!) Therefore go back!" And a band of them ask for permission of the Prophet ( SAW) saying: "Truly, our homes lie open (to the enemy)." And they lay not open, They but wished to flee.
14.  And if the enemy had entered from all sides (of the city), and they had been exhorted to Al-Fitnah (i.e, to renegade from Islaam to polytheism) they would surely have committed it and would have hesitated thereupon but little.
15.  And indeed they had already made a covenant with Allaah not to turn their backs, and a covenant with Allaah must be answered for.
16.  Say (O Muhammad sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam to these hypocrites who ask your permission to run away from you): "Flight will not avail you if you flee from death or killing, and then you will enjoy no more than a little while!"
17.  Say: "Who is he who can protect you from Allaah if He intends to harm you, or intends mercy on you?" And they will not find, besides Allaah, for themselves any Wali (protector, supporter, etc.) or any helper.
18.  Allaah already knows those among you who keep back (men) from fighting in Allaah's Cause, and those who say to their brethren "Come here towards us," while they (themselves) come not to the battle except a little.
19.  Being miserly towards you (as regards help and aid in Allaah's Cause), Then when fear comes, you will see them looking to you, their eyes revolving like (those of) one over whom hovers death, but when the fear departs, they will smite you with sharp tongues, miserly towards (spending anything in any) good (and only covetous of booty and wealth), Such have not believed, Therefore Allaah makes their deeds fruitless, and that is ever easy for Allaah.
20.  They think that Al-Ahzab (the Confederates) have not yet withdrawn, and if Al-Ahzab (the Confederates) should come (again), they would wish they were in the deserts (wandering) among the bedouins, seeking news about you (from a far place); and if they (happen) to be among you, they would not fight but little.
21.  Indeed in the Messenger of Allaah (Muhammad sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes in (the Meeting with) Allaah and the Last Day and remembers Allaah much.
22.  And when the believers saw Al-Ahzab (the Confederates), they said: "This is what Allaah and His Messenger (Muhammad sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) had promised us, and Allaah and His Messenger (Muhammad sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) had spoken the truth, and it only added to their faith and to their submissiveness (to Allaah).
23.  Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allaah [i.e, they have gone out for Jihaad (holy fighting), and showed not their backs to the disbelievers], of them some have fulfilled their obligations (i.e, have been martyred), and some of them are still waiting, but they have never changed [i.e.they never proved treacherous to their covenant which they concluded with Allaah] in the least.
24.  That Allaah may reward the men of truth for their truth (i.e, for their patience at the accomplishment of that which they covenanted with Allaah), and punish the hypocrites if He will or accept their repentance by turning to them in Mercy, Verily, Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
25.  And Allaah drove back those who disbelieved in their rage, they gained no advantage (booty, etc.), Allaah sufficed for the believers in the fighting (by sending against the disbelievers a severe wind and troops of angels), And Allaah is Ever All-Strong, All-Mighty.
26.  And those of the people of the Scripture who backed them (the disbelievers) Allaah brought them down from their forts and cast terror into their hearts, (so that) a group (of them) you killed, and a group (of them) you made captives.
27.  And He caused you to inherit their lands, and their houses, and their riches, and a land which you had not trodden (before), And Allaah is Able to do all things.
28.  O Prophet (Muhammad sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam)! Say to your wives: If you desire the life of this world, and its glitter, Then come! I will make a provision for you and set you free in a handsome manner (divorce).
29.  But if you desire Allaah and His Messenger, and the home of the Hereafter, then verily, Allaah has prepared for Al-Muhsinat (good-doers) amongst you an enormous reward.
30.  O wives of the Prophet! Whoever of you commits an open illegal sexual intercourse, the torment for her will be doubled, and that is ever easy for Allaah.
31.  And whosoever of you is obedient to Allaah and His Messenger SAW, and does righteous good deeds, We shall give her, her reward twice over, and We have prepared for her Rizqan Karima (a noble provision Paradise).
32.  O wives of the Prophet! You are not like any other women, If you keep your duty (to Allaah), then be not soft in speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease (of hypocrisy, or evil desire for adultery, etc.) should be moved with desire, but speak in an honourable manner.
33.  And stay in your houses, and do not display yourselves like that of the times of ignorance, and perform As-Salaat (Iqaamat-as-Salaat), and give Zakaat and obey Allaah and His Messenger, Allaah wishes only to remove Ar-Rijs (evil deeds and sins, etc.) from you, O members of the family (of the Prophet SAW), and to purify you with a thorough purification.
34.  And remember (O you the members of the Prophet's family, the Graces of your Lord), that which is recited in your houses of the Verses of Allaah and Al-Hikmah (i.e, Prophet's Sunnah legal ways, etc, so give your thanks to Allaah and glorify His Praises for this Qur'aan and the Sunnah), Verily, Allaah is Ever Most Courteous, Well-Acquainted with all things.
35.  Verily, the Muslims (those who submit to Allaah in Islaam) men and women, the believers men and women (who believe in Islaamic Monotheism), the men and the women who are obedient (to Allaah), the men and women who are truthful (in their speech and deeds), the men and the women who are patient (in performing all the duties which Allaah has ordered and in abstaining from all that Allaah has forbidden), the men and the women who are humble (before their Lord Allaah), the men and the women who give Sadaqat (i.e, Zakaat, and alms, etc.), the men and the women who observe Sawm (fast) (the obligatory fasting during the month of Ramadaan, and the optional Nawaafil fasting), the men and the women who guard their chastity (from illegal sexual acts) and the men and the women who remember Allaah much with their hearts and tongues (while sitting, standing, lying, etc, for more than 300 times extra over the remembrance of Allaah during the five compulsory congregational prayers) or praying extra additional Nawaafil prayers of night in the last part of night, etc.) Allaah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward (i.e, Paradise).
36.  It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allaah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision, And whoever disobeys Allaah and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed in a plain error.
37.  And (remember) when you said to him (Zaid bin Harithah radhiAllaahu'anhu the freed-slave of the Prophet SAW) on whom Allaah has bestowed Grace (by guiding him to Islaam) and you (O Muhammad sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam too) have done favour (by manumitting him) "Keep your wife to yourself, and fear Allaah." But you did hide in yourself (i.e, what Allaah has already made known to you that He will give her to you in marriage) that which Allaah will make manifest, you did fear the people (i.e., Muhammad sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam married the divorced wife of his manumitted slave) whereas Allaah had a better right that you should fear Him, So when Zaid had accomplished his desire from her (i.e, divorced her), We gave her to you in marriage, so that (in future) there may be no difficulty to the believers in respect of (the marriage of) the wives of their adopted sons when the latter have no desire to keep them (i.e, they have divorced them), And Allaah's Command must be fulfilled.
38.  There is no blame on the Prophet (SAW) in that which Allaah has made legal for him.That has been Allaah's Way with those who have passed away of (the Prophets of) old, And the Command of Allaah is a decree determined.
39.  Those who convey the Message of Allaah and fear Him, and fear none save Allaah, And Sufficient is Allaah as a Reckoner.
40.  Muhammad (SAW) is not the father of any man among you, but he is the Messenger of Allaah and the last (end) of the Prophets, And Allaah is Ever All-Aware of everything.
41.  O you who believe! Remember Allaah with much remembrance.
42.  And glorify His Praises morning and afternoon [the early morning (Fajr) and 'Asr prayers].
43.  He it is Who sends Salaat (His blessings) on you, and His angels too (ask Allaah to bless and forgive you), that He may bring you out from darkness (of disbelief and polytheism) into light (of Belief and Islaamic Monotheism), And He is Ever Most Merciful to the believers.
44.  Their greeting on the Day they shall meet Him will be "Salam: Peace (i.e, the angels will say to them: Salamu 'Alaikum)!" And He has prepared for them a generous reward (i.e, Paradise).
45.  O Prophet (MuhammadSAW )! Verily, We have sent you as witness, and a bearer of glad tidings, and a warner,
46.  And as one who invites to Allaah [Islaamic Monotheism, i.e, to worship none but Allaah (Alone)] by His Leave, and as a lamp spreading light (through your instructions from the Qur'aan and the Sunnah the legal ways of the Prophet SAW).
47.  And announce to the believers (in the Oneness of Allaah and in His Messenger Muhammad sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) the glad tidings, that they will have from Allaah a Great Bounty.
48.  And obey not the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and harm them not (till you are ordered), And put your trust in Allaah, and Sufficient is Allaah as a Wakil (Trustee, or Disposer of affairs).
49.  O you who believe! When you marry believing women, and then divorce them before you have sexual intercourse with them, no 'Iddah [divorce prescribed period, see (V.65:4)] have you to count in respect of them, So give them a present, and set them free i.e, divorce, in a handsome manner.
50.  O Prophet (Muhammad sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam)! Verily, We have made lawful to you your wives, to whom you have paid their Mahr (bridal money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage), and those (captives or slaves) whom your right hand possesses - whom Allaah has given to you, and the daughters of your 'Amm (paternal uncles) and the daughters of your 'Ammah (paternal aunts) and the daughters of your Khal (maternal uncles) and the daughters of your Khalah (maternal aunts) who migrated (from Makkah) with you, and a believing woman if she offers herself to the Prophet, and the Prophet wishes to marry her; a privilege for you only, not for the (rest of) the believers, Indeed We know what We have enjoined upon them about their wives and those (captives or slaves) whom their right hands possess, - in order that there should be no difficulty on you, And Allaah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
51.  You (O Muhammad sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) can postpone (the turn of) whom you will of them (your wives), and you may receive whom you will, And whomsoever you desire of those whom you have set aside (her turn temporarily), it is no sin on you (to receive her again), that is better; that they may be comforted and not grieved, and may all be pleased with what you give them, Allaah knows what is in your hearts, And Allaah is Ever All-Knowing, Most Forbearing.
52.  It is not lawful for you (to marry other) women after this, nor to change them for other wives even though their beauty attracts you, except those (captives or slaves) whom your right hand possesses, And Allaah is Ever a Watcher over all things.
53.  O you who believe! Enter not the Prophet's houses, except when leave is given to you for a meal, (and then) not (so early as) to wait for its preparation, But when you are invited, enter, and when you have taken your meal, disperse, without sitting for a talk, Verily, such (behaviour) annoys the Prophet, and he is shy of (asking) you (to go), but Allaah is not shy of (telling you) the truth, And when you ask (his wives) for anything you want, ask them from behind a screen, that is purer for your hearts and for their hearts, And it is not (right) for you that you should annoy Allaah's Messenger, nor that you should ever marry his wives after him (his death), Verily! With Allaah that shall be an enormity.
54.  Whether you reveal anything or conceal it, verily, Allaah is Ever All-Knower of everything.
55.  It is no sin on them (the Prophet's wives, if they appear unveiled) before their fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or their brother's sons, or the sons of their sisters, or their own (believing) women, or their (female) slaves, and keep your duty to Allaah, Verily, Allaah is Ever All-Witness over everything.
56.  Allaah sends His Salaat (Graces, Honours, Blessings, Mercy, etc.) on the Prophet (Muhammad sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) and also His angels too (ask Allaah to bless and forgive him), O you who believe! Send your Salaat on (ask Allaah to bless) him (Muhammad sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), and (you should) greet (salute) him with the Islaamic way of greeting (salutation i.e, As-Salamu 'Alaikum).
57.  Verily, those who annoy Allaah and His Messenger (SAW) Allaah has cursed them in this world, and in the Hereafter, and has prepared for them a humiliating torment.
58.  And those who annoy believing men and women undeservedly, bear on themselves the crime of slander and plain sin.
59.  O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies (i.e.screen themselves completely except the eyes or one eye to see the way), That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed, And Allaah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
60.  If the hypocrites, and those in whose hearts is a disease (evil desire for adultery, etc.), and those who spread false news among the people in Al-Madinah, cease not, We shall certainly let you overpower them, then they will not be able to stay in it as your neighbours but a little while.
61.  Accursed, wherever found, they shall be seized and killed with a (terrible) slaughter.
62.  That was the Way of Allaah in the case of those who passed away of old, and you will not find any change in the Way of Allaah.
63.  People ask you concerning the Hour, say: "The knowledge of it is with Allaah only, What do you know? It may be that the Hour is near!"
64.  Verily, Allaah has cursed the disbelievers, and has prepared for them a flaming Fire (Hell).
65.  Wherein they will abide for ever, and they will find neither a Wali (a protector) nor a helper.
66.  On the Day when their faces will be turned over in the Fire, they will say: "Oh, would that we had obeyed Allaah and obeyed the Messenger (Muhammad sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam)."
67.  And they will say: "Our Lord! Verily, we obeyed our chiefs and our great ones, and they misled us from the (Right) Way.
68.  Our Lord! give them double torment and curse them with a mighty curse!"
69.  O you who believe! Be not like those who annoyed Moosaa (Moses), but Allaah cleared him of that which they alleged, and he was honourable before Allaah.
70.  O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him, and speak (always) the truth.
71.  He will direct you to do righteous good deeds and will forgive you your sins, And whosoever obeys Allaah and His Messenger (SAW) he has indeed achieved a great achievement (i.e, he will be saved from the Hell-fire and made to enter Paradise).
72.  Truly, We did offer Al-Amanah (the trust or moral responsibility or honesty and all the duties which Allaah has ordained) to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and were afraid of it (i.e, afraid of Allaah's Torment), But man bore it, Verily, he was unjust (to himself) and ignorant (of its results).
73.  So that Allaah will punish the hypocrites, men and women, and the men and women who are Al-Mushrikoon (the polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah, and in His Messenger Muhammad sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), And Allaah will pardon (accept the repentance of) the true believers of the Islaamic Monotheism, men and women, And Allaah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
 

Soorah 32 The Noble Qur'aan Soorah 34