سُوْرَةُ الْمُجَادَلَةِ

Surah Al-Mujaadila (58) — Ayah 2

The Pleading Woman · Medinan · Juz 28 · Page 542

‹
›
ٱلَّذِينَ يُظَـٰهِرُونَ مِنكُم مِّن نِّسَآئِهِم مَّا هُنَّ أُمَّهَـٰتِهِمْ ۖ إِنْ أُمَّهَـٰتُهُمْ إِلَّا ٱلَّـٰٓـِٔى وَلَدْنَهُمْ ۚ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَيَقُولُونَ مُنكَرًا مِّنَ ٱلْقَوْلِ وَزُورًا ۚ وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَعَفُوٌّ غَفُورٌ ﴿2﴾

Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali

Those among you who make their wives unlawful to them by (Zihâr الظهار) (i.e. by saying to them "You are like my mother’s back,") they cannot be their mothers. None can be their mothers except those who gave them birth. And verily, they utter an ill word and a lie. And verily, Allâh is Oft-Pardoning, Oft-Forgiving.

Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning

ٱلَّذِينَ alladhīna Those who
يُظَـٰهِرُونَ yuẓāhirūna pronounce zihar
مِنكُم minkum among you
مِّن min [from]
نِّسَآئِهِم nisāihim (to) their wives
مَّا mā not
هُنَّ hunna they
أُمَّهَـٰتِهِمْ ۖ ummahātihim (are) their mothers
إِنْ in Not
أُمَّهَـٰتُهُمْ ummahātuhum (are) their mothers
إِلَّا illā except
ٱلَّـٰٓـِٔى allāī those who
وَلَدْنَهُمْ ۚ waladnahum gave them birth
وَإِنَّهُمْ wa-innahum And indeed, they
لَيَقُولُونَ layaqūlūna surely say
مُنكَرًۭا munkaran an evil
مِّنَ mina [of]
ٱلْقَوْلِ l-qawli [the] word
وَزُورًۭا ۚ wazūran and a lie
وَإِنَّ wa-inna But indeed
ٱللَّهَ l-laha Allah
لَعَفُوٌّ laʿafuwwun (is) surely, Oft-Pardoning
غَفُورٌۭ ghafūrun Oft-Forgiving

Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi

Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

(Ayah 2) ➊ { اَلَّذِيْنَ يُظٰهِرُوْنَ مِنْكُمْ مِّنْ نِّسَآىِٕهِمْ مَّا هُنَّ اُمَّهٰتِهِمْ …: ’’ يُظٰهِرُوْنَ ‘‘ ’’ظَهْرٌ‘‘} is derived from which means "back." The Arabs call a riding animal {’’ظَهْرٌ‘‘}. This is a metaphor, in which intercourse with the wife is likened to mounting the back of a horse or similar animal. {’’أَنْتِ عَلَيَّ كَظَهْرِ أُمِّيْ‘‘} (so you are to me like the back of my mother) means that just as it is forbidden for me to mount my mother and have intercourse with her, in the same way, you are also like my mother to me. In the time of ignorance, people would call their wives their mothers and thus declare them forbidden like their mothers. Allah Almighty ended this evil custom, saying that by merely calling the wife a mother with the tongue, she does not become a mother; a man's mother is only the one who gave birth to him. See also the commentary of Surah Al-Ahzab (4) for further details.

➋ { وَ اِنَّهُمْ لَيَقُوْلُوْنَ مُنْكَرًا مِّنَ الْقَوْلِ وَ زُوْرًا: ’’ مُنْكَرًا ‘‘ ’’أَنْكَرَ يُنْكِرُ‘‘} is the passive participle from (af‘aal), that thing which neither human nature, nor intellect, nor Shariah recognizes, but rather denies. {’’ زُوْرًا ‘‘} means falsehood. That is, the one who calls his wife like his mother says something that is not accepted by human nature, nor intellect, nor Shariah, because the relationship of a son with his mother is one of honor and respect, while the relationship of a husband with his wife is a special relationship that cannot even be imagined with the mother. Then, the woman who did not give birth to the man but rather had a relationship of intercourse with him, calling her a mother is an evil thing and such a great lie.

➌ { وَ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَعَفُوٌّ غَفُوْرٌ:} means that Allah Almighty is very forgiving and concealing of your shortcomings and mistakes, especially when the one who errs returns and repents and refrains from such things in the future.

➍ In this verse, several things indicate the prohibition of zihar: first, Allah Almighty's statement {’’ مَا هُنَّ اُمَّهٰتِهِمْ ‘‘} (they are not their mothers), in which the one who does zihar is declared a liar; second and third, that Allah has named it Munkar and Zur; and fourth, Allah Almighty's statement {’’ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَعَفُوٌّ غَفُوْرٌ ‘‘}, because forgiveness and pardon are only for sins.

Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf

Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

The exegesis of this verse has been done along with the previous verse.

Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani

Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

Those among you who declare their wives to be as their mothers (by ẓihār) do not actually make them their mothers [2]. Their mothers are only those who gave birth to them. What they say is certainly detestable and false. And surely Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.

[2]
Neither Divorce Occurs Through Zihar Nor Does the Wife Become a Mother:

The reality is that merely saying so with the tongue does not make the wife a mother; rather, she remains a wife. This is because mothers are only those who gave birth to you. Now, when you call them (your wives) mother and actually consider them to be mothers, this is contrary to reality, contrary to the truth, and a false statement. It has nothing to do with reality. Allah, out of great mercy upon you, has ended this custom. And in the future, whoever refrains from such statements, Allah is also the One who forgives his past sins.
← Previous All Surahs Next →
Telegram
Facebook