Tafsir of At-Tahreem 66:4-5

Surah At-Tahrim (The Prohibition): Verses 4-5

Verse 4:

{ إِن تَتُوبَا إِلَى اللَّهِ }

This addresses 'A'ishah and Hafsah, employing the rhetorical shift (iltifāt) to make the admonishment more poignant. The repentance is for cooperating with the Prophet (peace be upon him) in causing him distress.

Meaning: your hearts have deviated and inclined away from the truth, which is the right of the Messenger (peace be upon him). This right is immense, warranting censure even for the slightest shortcoming.

The response to the conditional clause is omitted, as it is understood: it would have been better for you.

The plural form used for the hearts, { قُلُوبُكُمَا } (your two hearts), is interpreted as dual. Al-Farra' stated that the plural was chosen over the dual because most bodily limbs come in pairs (two hands, two feet, two eyes). Since the majority of things follow this pattern, when a singular form is used to refer to two items, it often takes the plural form. This has been discussed previously.

Meaning: If you both conspire against the Prophet (peace be upon him) by causing him harm.

Meaning: That conspiracy will not harm him, for Allah is his Patron.

His Patron, meaning his Protector and Supporter. His mention is paired with Jibrīl (Gabriel), the chief of the Cherubim. Jibrīl's name is mentioned singularly among the angels to honor him and show his high status (with Allah).

Ibn 'Abbas said this refers to Abu Bakr and 'Umar, who supported the Prophet (peace be upon him) against those who opposed him and aided him. This is also the view of Al-Muqātil. Al-Ḍaḥḥāk said it means the best of the believers. Others said: those believers who are righteous (i.e., all who believe and do good deeds). Another view is those who are purified from hypocrisy. Some said all the Prophets, others said the Caliphs, and others said the Companions. Here, Ṣāliḥ (righteous) stands in for the plural, and it can refer to one or many.

Meaning: After the presence of Allah, Jibrīl, and the righteous believers, the angels are supporters (ẓahīr) for the Prophet (peace be upon him)—a host of helpers and supporters. Ẓahīr is in the meaning of ẓuharā' (supporters), similar to the verse: { وَحَسُنَ أُولَٰئِكَ رَفِيقًا } (And those who obey Allah and the Messenger—those will be in the company of the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed favor). Al-Farra' said: The angels are supporters after the support of these mentioned ones. Abū 'Alī noted that the singular form fa'īl (like ẓahīr) can sometimes imply a multitude, as in { وَلَا يَسْأَلُ حَمِيمٌ حَمِيمًا * يَبْصَرُونَهُمْ } (And no friend will ask after a friend, though they will see one another).

Then, He warns His wives by saying:

The commentators state that ʿasā (perhaps/it may be) from Allah implies certainty (it will happen). The people of Kūfah recited { أَن يُبَدِّلَهُ } with abbreviation (omitting the second lām). Although Allah knew He would not divorce them, He informed them of His power: if He were to divorce them, He would replace them with better wives, as a warning to them. The common recitation for { طَلَّقَكُنَّ } is with the ẓuhūr (clear pronunciation of the qāf). Abū 'Amr assimilated the qāf into the kāf because they are both guttural sounds.

He then described the wives He would replace them with:

• Muslimāt: Submissive to Allah in obedience.
• Mu’mināt: Believing in the Oneness of Allah, sincere.
• Qānitāt: Obedient. Some say: those who stand in prayer at night. This interpretation seems more fitting because He mentions Sā’iḥāt (those who travel/fast) immediately after this. If standing in prayer at night is mentioned, then fasting during the day is implied.

• Tā’ibāt: Repentant.
• ʿĀbidāt: Worshipping.
• Sā’iḥāt: Some read it as Sāyihāt. The meaning of Sā’iḥ is one who travels without provisions, thus remaining abstinent until he finds someone to feed him, resembling a fasting person who abstains until the time of Iftar. Others say Sā’iḥāt means those who emigrate (Hijra).
• Thayyibāt wa Abkāran: Widows/divorcees and virgins. The Prophet's wives, in this world and the next, include both categories. This mention is in accordance with what actually occurred, and it indicates that the Prophet's marriages were not based on mere desire or preference, but rather on seeking the pleasure of Allah.

First Point: The phrase { بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ } (after that) emphasizes the great status of the angels and their support. It is also recited as { تَتَظَاهَرَا } and { تَظَاهَرَا } and { سِحْرَانِ تَظَاهَرَا }.

Second Point: How can the replacement wives be better than them, when no women on earth were better than the Mothers of the Believers? Answer: If the Prophet divorced them due to their disobedience and causing him harm, they would no longer retain that high status. Other women possessing these described qualities, while remaining obedient to the Messenger of Allah, would indeed be better than them in that context.

Third Point: The phrase { مُسْلِمَاتٍ مُّؤْمِنَاتٍ } seems repetitive, as Muslims are generally believers. Answer: Islam is affirmation by the tongue, while Iman (faith) is affirmation by the heart. They do not always coincide. Therefore, stating { مُسْلِمَاتٍ مُّؤْمِنَاتٍ } confirms affirmation by both the heart and the tongue.

Fourth Point: Why is there a conjunction (wāw) used for { ثَيِّبَاتٍ وَأَبْكَارًا } (widows and virgins), but not for the preceding descriptions? Answer: Al-Kashshāf states that Thayyib and Bikr are mutually exclusive attributes that cannot coexist in the same person simultaneously, unlike the other descriptions. Therefore, the conjunction (wāw) was necessary.

Fifth Point: Mentioning Thayyibāt (widows/divorcees) in a context of praise, when men generally desire virgins more. Answer: It is possible that some Thayyib women were better for the Prophet than some virgins due to specific qualities like wealth, beauty, lineage, or a combination thereof. If this is the case, mentioning Thayyib does not detract from the praise, as it is possible the intended meaning refers to such specific Thayyib women.

Surah At-Tahrim (The Prohibition): Verses 6-7

Verse 6:

{ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَهْلِيكُمْ نَارًا وَقُودُهَا النَّاسُ وَالْحِجَارَةُ عَلَيْهَا مَلَائِكَةٌ غِلَاظٌ شِدَادٌ لَّا يَعْصُونَ اللَّهَ مَا أَمَرَهُمْ وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُونَ }

O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones, over which are severe and harsh angels who do not disobey Allah in what He commands them but do what they are commanded.

Verse 7:

{ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَا تَعْتَذِرُوا الْيَوْمَ إِنَّمَا تُجْزَوْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ }

O you who have disbelieved, make no excuses today. You are only being recompensed for what you used to do.