Sūrat al-Mujādilah

Classification: Medinan. Verses: 22 (Revealed after al-Munāfiqūn).

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

{God has heard the speech of the one who argues with you concerning her husband and complains to God; and God hears your dialogue. Indeed, God is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.}

• "God has heard the speech of the one who argues with you": This refers to Khawlah bint Tha‘labah, who was arguing with the Prophet (peace be upon him) regarding her husband, Aws ibn al-Ṣāmit, who had performed ẓihār upon her (likening her to his mother’s back).
• "And complains to God": She was seeking relief from her distress by complaining to God, as she had no one else to turn to.
• "And God hears your dialogue": God hears the exchange between the two of you—the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the woman.
• "Indeed, God is All-Hearing, All-Seeing": He hears her words and sees her situation, despite the fact that she was speaking in a low voice, and He is aware of all things.

{Allah has heard}

'A'isha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "Praise be to Allah, whose hearing encompasses all voices. The woman who disputed (al-mujadila) spoke to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in a corner of the house, and I was with him, yet I could not hear her, but Allah heard her."

It is narrated from 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that when she would enter upon him, he would honor her and say: "Allah has heard her."

It is read as: {tuhawiruka} (disputing with you), meaning: she is debating the speech with you. And {tuhawiluka}, meaning: she is asking you. She is Khawla bint Tha'laba, the wife of Aws ibn al-Samit, the brother of 'Ubada.

He saw her while she was praying, and she was of a beautiful figure. When she finished her prayer, he propositioned her, but she refused. He became angry—for he had a lightness of mind and a touch of madness—and he performed zihar (likening her to his mother) upon her.

She came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and said: "Aws married me when I was young and desirable. But when my age advanced and I had borne many children, he made me like his mother."

It is narrated that she said to him: "I have small children; if I entrust them to him, they will be lost, and if I keep them with me, they will go hungry." He replied: "I have nothing regarding your matter."

It is narrated that he said to her: "You are forbidden to him." She said: "O Messenger of Allah, he did not mention divorce; he is the father of my children and the most beloved of people to me." He repeated: "You are forbidden to him." She said: "I complain to Allah of my loneliness and my grief." Every time the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "You are forbidden to him," she would cry out and complain to Allah.

Then, {concerning her husband}—meaning regarding his affair—it was revealed: {Indeed, Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing}, meaning it is valid that He hears every audible thing and sees every visible thing.

If you ask: What is the meaning of qad (has) in His saying: {qad sami'a} (has heard)? I say: Its meaning is "anticipation," because the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and the woman who disputed were anticipating that Allah would hear her argument and her complaint, and reveal something regarding it that would bring her relief.

{Those who pronounce zihar among you concerning their wives—they are not their mothers. Their mothers are none but those who gave birth to them. And indeed, they are saying an objectionable statement and a falsehood. And indeed, Allah is Pardoning and Forgiving. And those who pronounce zihar from their wives and then [wish to] go back on what they said—then [there must be] the freeing of a slave before they touch one another. That is what you are admonished thereby; and Allah is Acquainted with what you do. And he who does not find [a slave]—then a fast for two months consecutively before they touch one another; and he who is unable—then the feeding of sixty poor persons. That is for you to believe in Allah and His Messenger; and those are the limits [set by] Allah. And for the disbelievers is a painful punishment.}