Verses 1–6
Introduction
This chapter discusses a brilliant variety of themes such as judgments, manners, and characteristics. Thus a part of it relates to the judgment regarding al-ẓihār (a specific pagan divorce practice), and another part relates to the judgment regarding secret conversations, and the judgment regarding the manner of sitting in a gathering. This is while another part relates to the characteristics of those who act contrary to and oppose God and His Messenger, and the characteristics of those who befriend the enemies of the faith. It also describes those among the believers who guard against befriending the enemies of the faith, and promises them a handsome reward in the world and the hereafter. This chapter is of Medinan provenance in light of the content of its verses.
Commentary
قَدْ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ قَوْلَ الَّتِي تُجَادِلُكَ فِي زَوْجِهَا وَتَشْتَكِي إِلَى اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ يَسْمَعُ تَحَاوُرَكُمَا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ بَصِيرٌ ١
(58:1) Allah has indeed heard the speech of the woman who argues and disputes with you regarding her husband and complains vigorously to Allah. Allah hears the arguments of you both. Allah is surely Hearing, Seeing.
Majmaʿ al-bayān defines the word al-ishtikā as “(making a vigorous complaint by) manifesting or revealing a misfortune or a hateful, abhorrent thing that a person suffers.” This is while the word al-shikāya is defined as “(making a complaint by) manifesting or revealing what someone does to a person of a hateful, abhorrent thing.” The word al-taḥāwur means “the back and forth of speech; the bandying of words, one with another; to return answer(s) to one another, which is to have a debate; to carry on a discussion; to hold a dialogue; to have a dispute/argument/conversation (al-muḥāwara).” It is said ḥāwarahu muḥāwaratan which means: “he returned him answer(s) for answer(s) or bandied words with him in the sense of holding a dialogue or a dispute or a debate, and hence the two had a dialogue or an argument or a colloquy, one with another.”
The first four or six verses of this chapter descended with respect to the practice of al-ẓihār, which was a kind of divorce among the pre-Islamic jāhilī Arabs. A man would say to his wife ‘you are to me like the back of my mother’ (anti minnī ka ẓahri ummī). Consequently, she would become separated from him as well as become prohibited to him permanently. One of the anṣār had divorced his wife in this manner and later regretted it and so his wife came to the Messenger of God, asking him about a resolution regarding it, arguing with him and complaining vigorously to God about it, hoping that she would find a way to allow her husband to return to her, which is when these verses were revealed.
The meaning of ‘hearing’ (al-samʿ) in the (beginning) part of this verse that says Allah has indeed heard the speech of the woman... means a response to the plea/complaint made by the woman and the fulfilment of the need expressed by her, in the rhetorical form of metonymy (al-kināya). Such a rhetorical usage is widespread, and the evidence for such an understanding of the relevant part of this verse is the subsequent part of this verse that says ...the woman who argues and disputes with you regarding her husband and complains vigorously to Allah... where it is apparent that the wife intended a way out of the predicament (she and her husband found themselves in) such that she would not become separated from her husband. As for the (end) part of this verse which reads Allah hears the arguments of you both..., the meaning of ‘hearing’ (al-samʿ) here is the well-known (common) meaning for it.
Hence the meaning obtained is: ‘God has accepted and responded to the plea of the woman who argues and disputes with you (O Muḥammad) regarding her husband—he who divorced her according to the (repugnant, pagan) custom of al-ẓihār—and complains vigorously to God of her grief and sorrow and of what had befallen her of misfortune. Furthermore, God hears the arguments that transpired between you both, surely God hears the voices and sees with perspicacity and insight.’
الَّذِينَ يُظَاهِرُونَ مِنْكُمْ مِنْ نِسَائِهِمْ مَا هُنَّ أُمَّهَاتِهِمْ ۖ إِنْ أُمَّهَاتُهُمْ إِلَّا اللَّائِي وَلَدْنَهُمْ ۚ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَيَقُولُونَ مُنْكَرًا مِنَ الْقَوْلِ وَزُورًا ۚ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَعَفُوٌّ غَفُورٌ ٢
(58:2) Those (men) from you who divorce their wives by likening their backs to the backs of their mothers, they (the wives) are not their mothers; their mothers are not save those who gave them birth; and most surely they (the men) utter a hateful word and a falsehood, and most surely Allah is Pardoning, Forgiving.
This verse negates the notion of al-ẓihār which was well-known among the Arabs, and nullifies its effect as (a valid) divorce, as well as nullifying the ensuing permanent prohibition (of the wife to the husband) that occurred due to it. It does this by negating the (notion of the) motherhood of the wife due to the practice of al-ẓihār. This is because the custom of the pre-Islamic times (al-jāhiliyya) adjoined the wife to the mother, or to motherhood, due to the practice of al-ẓihār and consequently the wife would become permanently forbidden to her husband just as a mother is forbidden to her son.
The clause, ...they (the wives) are not their mothers... has the meaning of negating the notion of the motherhood of the supposedly divorced wives in the eyes of the religious law, in the sense that the supposedly divorced wives (by means of the practice of al-ẓihār) could be considered mothers or could be attached to them from the perspective of religious law and consequently rendered permanently forbidden to their husbands. Thereafter, the verse emphasizes this negation by saying ...their mothers are not save those who gave them birth; meaning the mothers of their husbands are not save those who gave them birth.
Then, this verse affirms this negation a second time. This comes across from the emphatic context of the verse where it says ...and most surely they (the men) utter a hateful word and a falsehood, meaning that these husbands who invoke the practice of al-ẓihār are certainly uttering what is rejected and hateful of speech (munkaran min al-qawl) whence the religious law (al-sharʿ) rejects it since it doesn’t recognize it and doesn’t prescribe it, and similarly it is falsehood (al-zūr) in light of the fact that this practice disagrees with religious law (al-sharʿ) just as it does not conform to external reality in the world. Thus the verse means that the practice of al-ẓihār does not signify divorce (at all) although that does not negate the obligation of discharging expiation (al-kaffāra) on the part of the husband if he wishes to resume sexual relations with his wife after having invoked al-ẓihār. This is because the marital status remains in place even if sexual relations are forbidden before discharging expiation (al-kaffāra).
The ending sentence ...and most surely Allah is Pardoning, Forgiving... contains evidence that this practice is in the nature of a sin (but) worthy of being forgiven, however the mention of expiation (al-kaffāra) in the succeeding verses along with the end part (of the second of the next two verses) which says ...and those are Allah’s limits while the disbelievers shall have a painful punishment () perhaps proves that the forgiveness is conditional to discharging the expiation (al-kaffāra).
وَالَّذِينَ يُظَاهِرُونَ مِنْ نِسَائِهِمْ ثُمَّ يَعُودُونَ لِمَا قَالُوا فَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يَتَمَاسَّا ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ تُوعَظُونَ بِهِ ۚ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ ٣
(58:3) And (as for) those who divorce their wives by likening their backs to the backs of their mothers then go back on what they have said should consequently free a captive before they touch each other; to that are you (all) admonished (to conform); and Allah is Well-Aware of what you (all) do.
This verse is in the meaning of a conditional sentence which is why the particle fa occurs in the predicate since the latter is in the meaning of the apodosis. Thus the meaning obtained is: ‘those men who divorce their wives by invoking the practice of al-ẓihār then wish to go back on what they had said must consequently free a slave.’
The clause, ...before they touch each other... means that the judgment in this verse is for the one who invoked al-ẓihār then wished to return to the state which he was in before invoking al-ẓihār (which was when he could touch her (meaning, he could have sexual relations with her)), which is the contextual evidence that the intent of ...then go back on what they have said... is to intend to go back and repeal what they had endorsed by means of al-ẓihār.
Consequently, the meaning obtained is: ‘those men who divorce their wives by likening their wives’ backs to the backs of their mothers then wish to go back on what they had said of the formula of al-ẓihār, thereby nullifying it by engaging in sexual relations with their wives then it is incumbent on them to free a slave before they both touch each other.’
It is suggested that the phrase ...then go back on what they have said... refers to the men’s regret (al-nadm) for having invoked al-ẓihār in which case such an interpretation is valid if it is considered to be what is understood from its meaning (outlined above) and not that it is the meaning of the phrase ...then go back on what they have said... (for the meaning of the relevant phrase is to go back on what they had said of the formula of al-ẓihār, nullifying it by engaging in sexual relations, which would in turn signify the men’s regret for what they had done).
It is also suggested that the phrase ...then go back on what they have said... means them repeating what they had uttered (previously) of the formula of al-ẓihār in the sense that they should repeat it a second time. Such an understanding would necessitate the obligation of expiation (al-kaffāra) to always apply to the second utterance of al-ẓihār rather than to the first while the verse in question does not signify that. In addition the (Prophetic) practice took into account the materialization of al-ẓihār rather than its multiplicity.
Thereafter the verse is brought to a close by the statement ...to that are you (all) admonished (to conform); and Allah is Well-Aware of what you (all) do. This is a declaration that what God has instructed of expiation (al-kaffāra) was an order from Him in favor of it due to His knowledge of their action. Thus the expiation (al-kaffāra) was the thing due to which what had befallen them of the (adverse) effect/consequence of their deed would be removed.
فَمَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يَتَمَاسَّا ۖ فَمَنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَإِطْعَامُ سِتِّينَ مِسْكِينًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ لِتُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ۚ وَتِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللَّهِ ۗ وَلِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ٤
(58:4) But whoever does not find the wherewithal (to do that) then let him fast two consecutive months before they touch each other, and whoever is unable to do (even that) then let him feed sixty needy people. That is so that you may have faith in Allah and His Messenger, and those are Allah’s limits while the disbelievers shall have a painful punishment.
This verse contains a second characteristic of the expiation (al-kaffāra) determined. Its description comes subsequent to the first characteristic for whoever is unable to discharge the first kind of expiation (al-kaffāra). This second characteristic is fasting for two consecutive months before the husband and wife may touch each other while the recurrence of the condition ...before they touch each other... in this verse is in order to remove all doubt that this condition is only limited to the first kind of expiation (al-kaffāra). The words in this verse that read ...and whoever is unable to do (even that) then let him feed sixty needy people... enunciate the third characteristic of the expiation (al-kaffāra) determined for whoever is unable to fast two consecutive months. He has to feed sixty needy people, and all the details of these conditions may be found in the works of Islamic law.
The statement, That is so that you may have faith in Allah and His Messenger... means that ‘what We have passed of the judgment (against al-ẓihār), and what We have made incumbent of expiation (al-kaffāra) thus maintaining the marital bond and setting forth expiation (al-kaffāra) for whoever wishes to return to the previous state of being able to enjoy marital relations, is in the form of requital or penalty for what a man may bring forth of the norms and customs of the pre-Islamic jāhiliyya; all that is so that you may all believe in God and His Messenger and so that you may reject the fallacious, invalid customs.’
...and those are Allah’s limits (ḥudūd allāh) while the disbelievers shall have a painful punishment: Ḥadd al-shay (lit: the limit of a thing) means ‘the point at which something terminates and does not exceed or go beyond it.’ Its original meaning is ‘prevention and barring (al-manʿ).’ The meaning therefore is: ‘what We have made incumbent of the characteristics (of expiation (al-kaffāra)) or what We have laid down of judgments are the limits of God (ḥudūd allāhi), so do not transgress or go beyond them by opposing them while the disbelievers (al-kāfirīn) shall have a painful punishment (ʿadhābun alīmun) for opposing and violating what We have laid down as judgments in respect of al-ẓihār or what We have legislated of judgments in respect of al-ẓihār.’
It is apparent that the meaning of al-kufr in this verse (a reference to al-kāfirīn—disbelievers) is to reject the judgment or verdict (of God) and to take the practice of al-ẓihār as an acceptable and effective norm. What supports such an understanding is the part of this verse that says That is so that you may have faith in Allah and His Messenger... meaning: “acquiesce or submit that God’s judgment is right, and that it is the truth, and that His Messenger is truthful and trustworthy in what he conveys (of God’s teachings).” God has (further) affirmed this (message) by ...and those are Allah’s limits... It is also possible that the intent of the word al-kufr is to reject and disavow at the level of action, which is tantamount to rebellion and disobedience.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُحَادُّونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ كُبِتُوا كَمَا كُبِتَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ وَقَدْ أَنْزَلْنَا آيَاتٍ بَيِّنَاتٍ ۚ وَلِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابٌ مُهِينٌ ٥
(58:5) Surely those who oppose Allah and His Messenger shall be overwhelmed and disgraced as those before them were overwhelmed and disgraced; and indeed We have revealed clear communications, and the disbelievers shall have a humiliating punishment.
The word al-muḥādda means ‘dissension, acting contrary to, opposition’ while the word al-kabt means ‘humiliation, suppression, overcoming, bringing low/dishonoring, and debasement.’
Although this verse and the next could be understood to be the start of a new theme and a new conversation which enunciate the matter of opposing God and His Messenger, from the perspective of its consequence and effect, but the (literary) context suggests that these two verses are (actually carrying on with the same theme and conversation as the previous verse and are) in the context of explaining the end part of the preceding verse which conveys the prohibition of opposing God and His Messenger. Thus the meaning obtained is: ‘We surely ordered you to believe in God and His Messenger and forbade you from transgressing and violating the limits of God and rejecting them. This is because those who oppose God and His Messenger by means of dissent shall be humiliated and abased just as those before them were humiliated and debased.’
Thereafter God emphasizes (this message) by saying ...and indeed We have revealed clear communications, and the disbelievers shall have a humiliating punishment, meaning: ‘there is no doubt that these communications are from Us and there is no doubt that Our Messenger is truthful and trustworthy in what he preaches and conveys of Our communications while for those who disbelieve in them and reject them, there is a humiliating and debasing punishment (which awaits).’
يَوْمَ يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللَّهُ جَمِيعًا فَيُنَبِّئُهُمْ بِمَا عَمِلُوا ۚ أَحْصَاهُ اللَّهُ وَنَسُوهُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ ٦
(58:6) On the day when Allah shall raise them up all together, then inform them of what they did: Allah has recorded it while they have forgotten it; and Allah is a witness over all things.
The beginning statement, On the day when Allah shall raise them up all together, then inform them of what they did... explicates the point in time (ẓarf al-zamān) for ...while the disbelievers shall have a painful punishment (), meaning that the disbelievers shall be subjected to a painful punishment on the day when God shall resurrect them all together. That is the day of reckoning, reward, and requital when He will inform them of the reality of all that they had done in the world.
The word al-iḥṣā means ‘the comprehensive and complete knowledge and encompassing cognizance of the number of things without anything of it being lost.’ Al-Rāghib defines the word al-iḥṣāʾ to mean ‘attaining, obtaining, or achieving the number.’ He writes: ‘It is said aḥṣaytu kadhā meaning: “I counted thus.”’ (He continues to write): ‘The word al-iḥṣāʾ is derived from al-ḥaṣā meaning pebbles or small stones and its usage in the meaning of counting is from the perspective that they (the Arabs) used to rely on pebbles and small stones in the matter of counting just as we rely on fingers to count.’
The ending statement, ...and Allah is a witness over all things... occurs as an explanation for the part of this verse that says ... Allah has recorded it, while the meaning of God being a witness over all things has been clarified at the end of Sūrah Fussilat.
Examining Narrations
- Āʾisha said: ‘Blessed is the One whose hearing encompasses everything—I was surely listening to Khawla bint Thaʿlaba’s speech although some of it was obscured to me—and she was complaining about her husband to the Messenger of God. She was saying “Messenger of God, he (my husband) wore out my youth (or used me when I was young and youthful) while I bore him many children up until when I grew old and was no longer able to bear children, (which is when) he divorced me by likening me to the back of his mother. O God, I complain to You.” She continued in this manner till Gabriel descended with these verses Allah has indeed heard the statement of her who argues and disputes with you regarding her husband... () and he (the husband) was Aws ibn al-Ṣāmit.’
Author’s comment: Reports containing this explanation and transmitted via Sunni chains of transmission are many indeed. However, they differ regarding the name of the woman in question and the name of her father as well as differing with respect to the name of her husband and his father. The more well-known name for her is Khawla bint Thaʿlaba while the more well-known name for her husband is Aws ibn al-Ṣāmit al-Anṣāri. ʿAlī ibn Ibrāhīm al-Qummī has cited a report which contains an abridged version of this anecdote while he has transmitted another report in this regard which shall be presented to you shortly.
- Majmaʿ al-bayān explains the verse And (as for) those who divorce their wives by likening their backs to the backs of their mothers then go back on what they have said...() as follows: ‘The Imāms of Guidance from the progeny of Muḥammad have interpreted and understood the part of this verse that mentions “going back on what they have said” to mean the intent to have sexual intercourse and the repealing of the statement of al-ẓihār that he (the husband) had uttered. This is because sexual intercourse is not permissible to him (the husband) except after discharging expiation (al-kaffāra), and the judgment regarding his first statement is not cancelled or nullified except after discharging expiation (al-kaffāra).’
- Abū Jaʿfar al-Bāqir: ‘A Muslim woman came to the Prophet and said “Messenger of God, such and such a person is my husband. I bore him many children and supported him in his worldly and hereafterly affairs. He did not have an occasion to experience anything hateful or abhorrent from me. I complain to you about him.” He (the Prophet) said: “What are you complaining to me about him?” She replied: “He said to me ‘you are prohibited to me just as the back of my mother’ (anti ʿalayya ḥarāmun ka-ẓahri ummī) and he has thrown me out of my house, so look into my problem.” The Messenger of God said to her “God has not revealed a divine revelation/instruction (kitāban) which I may use to judge between you and your husband, while I dislike being from those who undertake a significant responsibility on themselves (without due authority).” So she began to cry and complain about her predicament to God and to the Messenger of God, and left.’ The Imām continues: ‘Thus God heard her argumentative discourse with the Messenger of God in respect of her husband and what she complained to him, and consequently, He revealed a recital “In the name of Allah the Merciful, the Compassionate. Allah has indeed heard the statement of her who argues and disputes with you regarding her husband... () up until ...and most surely Allah is Pardoning, Forgiving ().”’ The Imām continues: ‘And so, the Messenger of God sent for the woman who came to him. He said to her: “Bring your husband to me” and so she did. He (the Messenger of God) asked him: “Did you say to your wife ‘you are prohibited to me as the back of my mother?’ (anti ḥarāmun ʿalayya ka-ẓahri ummī)?” He replied in the affirmative, whereupon the Messenger of God said to him “God has revealed a recital (Qur’anic instruction (qurʾānan)) regarding you and your wife,” and he recited “In the name of Allah the Merciful, the Compassionate. Allah has indeed heard the statement of her who argues and disputes with you regarding her husband... () up until ...and most surely Allah is Pardoning, Forgiving ().” So join your wife to yourself for you have surely uttered a hateful word and a falsehood (munkaran min al-qawli wa zūrā), however God has pardoned and forgiven you, so do not repeat it again.’ The Imām continues: ‘So, the man left while regretting what he had said to his wife. God subsequently disliked such a practice for the believers, and revealed And (as for) those who divorce their wives by likening their backs to the backs of their mothers then go back on what they have said... () meaning what the man had said to his wife, which was “you are to me like the back of my mother” (anti ʿalayya ka ẓahri ummī).’ The Imām continues: ‘So whoever said it after God had pardoned and forgiven the first person then it is incumbent on such a person to ...consequently free a captive before they touch each other... meaning (before) having sexual relations with her. ...To that you are admonished (to conform); and Allah is Well-Aware of what you do (). But whoever does not find the wherewithal (to do that) then let him fast two consecutive months before they touch each other, and whoever is unable to do (even that) then let him feed sixty needy people (). Thus God laid down the penalty (al-ʿuqūba) for whoever invoked the practice of al-ẓihār after this prohibition. Thereafter, God said That is so that you may have faith in Allah and His Messenger and those are Allah’s limits…().’ The Imām said: ‘this is the penalty (al-ḥadd) for (the crime of) al-ẓihār.’
Author’s comment: The verse () and what it has of a (literary) context (in the form of the succeeding verses), especially what it contains in its end part, of the mention of pardon and forgiveness, is closer in conformity (to this literary context) than what is given as a context in the anecdote in this report. And although the report has no problem, even from the perspective of its chain of transmission, yet it does not conform to the apparent sense of the verse And (as for) those who divorce their wives by likening their backs to the backs of their mothers then go back on what they have said should consequently free a captive before they touch each other; to that you are admonished (to conform); and Allah is Well-Aware of what you do ().
Translator’s note: Customarily, the invocation of this practice meant that the husband was now free of all duties toward the wife, but that his wife was not free to leave her husband and contract another marriage! ↩︎
Translator’s note: This is a rhetorical device where one word is substituted with another with which it is associated. For example, in the famous saying ‘the pen is mightier than the sword’ the word ‘pen’ is a metonymy for ‘writing’ while the word ‘sword’ is a metonymy for ‘violence’. This feature is often used to hint at a matter which does not need to be expressed explicitly. Some examples from the Qur’an are the word yaqīn (certainty) for death in , the word ghāʾiṭ (low land) for a privy in , the word ḥijaj (pilgrimages) for years in , the word sabʿa (seven) for the meaning of multiples in . ↩︎
Al-Durr al-manthūr, on the authority of Ibn Māja, Ibn Abī Ḥātim, and al-Ḥākim, where the latter has authenticated it, and Ibn Mardawayhi and al-Bayhaqi, from her. ↩︎
Tafsīr al-Qummī, on the authority of ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥusayn, on the authority of Muḥammad ibn Abī ʿAbdillāh, on the authority of al-Ḥasan b. Maḥbūb, on the authority of Abū Wallād, on the authority of Ḥumrān from him. ↩︎