Al-Kashshaf on Al-Ahzab 33:53

Surah Al-Ahzab 33:53

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ﲅ ﲆ ﲇ ﲈ ﲉ ﲊ ﲋ ﲌ ﲍ ﲎ ﲏ ﲐ ﲑ ﲒ ﲓ ﲔ ﲕ ﲖ ﲗ ﲘ ﲙ ﲚ ﲛ ﲜ ﲝ ﲞ ﲟ ﲠ ﲡ ﲢ ﲣ ﲤ ﲥ ﲦ ﲧ ﲨ ﲩ ﲪ ﲫ ﲬ ﲭ ﲮ ﲯ ﲰ ﲱ ﲲ ﲳ ﲴ ﲵ ﲶ ﲷ ﲸ ﲹ ﲺ ﲻ ﲼ ﲽ ﲾ ﲿ ﳀ ﳁ ﳂ ﳃ ﳄ ﳅ ﳆ ﳇ ﳈ ﳉ ﳊ ﳋ ﳌ ﳍ ﳎ ﳏ

O you who have believed, do not enter the houses of the Prophet except when you are permitted for a meal, without awaiting its readiness. But when you are invited, then enter; and when you have eaten, disperse without seeking to remain for conversation. Indeed, that [behavior] was troubling the Prophet, and he is shy of [dismissing] you. But Allah is not shy of the truth. And when you ask [his wives] for something, ask them from behind a partition. That is purer for your hearts and their hearts. And it is not [conceivable or lawful] 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.

{أن يؤذن لكم} The phrase is in the position of an adverbial of time, meaning: "at the time you are permitted."

{غير ناظرين} This is a circumstantial qualifier (ḥāl) for the command {do not enter}. The exception applies to both the time and the state simultaneously. It is as if it were said: "Do not enter the houses of the Prophet (ﷺ) except at the time of permission, and do not enter them except while not waiting."

These were people who would time their arrival with the Prophet’s meals, entering and sitting while waiting for the food to be ready. The meaning is: "Do not enter, O you who time your arrival for food, unless you are permitted to eat, and while not waiting for it." If this were not directed specifically at them, it would not be permissible for anyone to enter the Prophet’s houses unless granted specific permission—namely, permission for food only.

Ibn Abī ʿAbla read it as ghayra nāẓirīna (genitive), as an adjective for "food." This is not the preferred reading, as it is grammatically disconnected from the noun it describes. If it were to be an adjective, the pronoun referring back to it would need to be explicit, such as: ghayra nāẓirīna ināhu antum (not waiting for its readiness, you).

Ināhu (its readiness/ripeness) refers to the maturity of the food. It is said: anā al-ṭaʿām ināʾan, similar to saying qalātu qalī. From this is the verse: {ḥamīm ān} (Ar-Raḥmān: 44), meaning reaching its peak of heat. It is also said that ināhu means its time, i.e., not waiting for the time of the meal and the hour of eating it.

{ولا مستأنسين لحديث} It is reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) held a wedding feast for Zaynab with dates, sawīq, and a sheep. He asked Anas to invite people. They came in groups; one group would eat and leave, then another would enter. Eventually, Anas said: "O Messenger of Allah, I have invited everyone I could find." He replied: "Clear your food." People dispersed, but three men remained, talking for a long time. The Prophet (ﷺ) wanted them to leave, so he went to the chamber of ʿĀʾisha (ra), greeted her, and asked how she was. He toured the chambers, greeting the wives, and they prayed for him. When he returned, the three were still sitting and talking. The Prophet (ﷺ) was extremely modest, so he turned away. When they saw him turning away, they left. Then this verse was revealed.

They were forbidden from prolonging their stay to seek comfort (istiʾnās) in each other’s conversation, or seeking the comfort of the household’s conversation. Istīʾnāsuhu means listening to it and focusing on it. It is in the genitive case, linked to nāẓirīna, or in the accusative, meaning: "Do not enter them while seeking comfort."

{فيستحيى منكم} There is an implied addition here: "from asking you to leave." The evidence is the verse: {And Allah is not shy of the truth}. It means: your staying is something that should not be shied away from. Since shyness prevents a person from certain actions, the command {Do not enter the houses of the Prophet} implies: "Do not act in a way that forces him to be shy and unable to ask you to leave." This is etiquette taught by Allah to those who are burdensome.

Ibn Abī ʿAbla reported from ʿĀʾisha (ra): "It is enough of a rebuke for the burdensome that Allah did not tolerate them and said: {But when you have eaten, disperse}."

{سألتموهن} The pronoun refers to the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ). They are not explicitly mentioned because the context makes it clear. {Matāʿan} means a need. {Fasʾalūhunna} means ask them for the item.

It is said that ʿUmar (ra) strongly desired the veiling of the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) and often mentioned it, wishing for a revelation. He said: "O Messenger of Allah, both the righteous and the wicked enter upon you; if you were to command the Mothers of the Believers to veil, it would be better." Then the verse was revealed.

It is also said that the Prophet (ﷺ) was eating with some companions when a man’s hand touched ʿĀʾisha’s hand. The Prophet (ﷺ) disliked this, and the verse of the veil was revealed. Some also said: "Are we forbidden from speaking to our cousins except from behind a veil? If Muhammad dies, I will marry ʿĀʾisha." Allah declared this forbidden: {Wa mā kāna lakum}—it is not permissible for you to harm the Messenger of Allah, nor to marry his wives after him.

Calling their marriage after him "a great sin" is among the signs of Allah’s glorification of His Messenger and the obligation of his sanctity, both in life and death. Informing him of this brought comfort to his soul and joy to his heart.

Tafsir of Al-Ahzab 33:53

Al-Kashshaf

{أن يؤذن لكم} The phrase is in the position of an adverbial of time, meaning: "at the time you are permitted."

{سألتموهن} The pronoun refers to the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ). They are not explicitly mentioned because the context makes it clear. {Matāʿan} means a need. {Fasʾalūhunna} means ask them for the item.

{إن تبدوا شيئا أو تخفوه فإن الله كان بكل شيء عليما}

Tafsir of Al-Ahzab 33:53

Al-Kashshaf

{أن يؤذن لكم} The phrase is in the position of an adverbial of time, meaning: "at the time you are permitted."

{سألتموهن} The pronoun refers to the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ). They are not explicitly mentioned because the context makes it clear. {*Matāʿan*} means a need. {*Fasʾalūhunna*} means ask them for the item.

{إن تبدوا شيئا أو تخفوه فإن الله كان بكل شيء عليما}

{سألتموهن} The pronoun refers to the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ). They are not explicitly mentioned because the context makes it clear. {Matāʿan} means a need. {Fasʾalūhunna} means ask them for the item.