سُوْرَةُ هُوْدٍ
Surah Hud (11) — Ayah 5
أَلَآ إِنَّهُمْ يَثْنُونَ صُدُورَهُمْ لِيَسْتَخْفُوا۟ مِنْهُ ۚ أَلَا حِينَ يَسْتَغْشُونَ ثِيَابَهُمْ يَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ عَلِيمٌۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ ﴿5﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
No doubt! They did fold up their breasts, that they may hide from Him. Surely, even when they cover themselves with their garments, He knows what they conceal and what they reveal. Verily, He is the All-Knower of the (innermost secrets) of the breasts.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَلَآ
alā
No doubt
إِنَّهُمْ
innahum
They
يَثْنُونَ
yathnūna
fold up
صُدُورَهُمْ
ṣudūrahum
their breasts
لِيَسْتَخْفُوا۟
liyastakhfū
that they may hide
مِنْهُ ۚ
min'hu
from Him
أَلَا
alā
Surely
حِينَ
ḥīna
when
يَسْتَغْشُونَ
yastaghshūna
they cover (themselves)
ثِيَابَهُمْ
thiyābahum
(with) their garments
يَعْلَمُ
yaʿlamu
He knows
مَا
mā
what
يُسِرُّونَ
yusirrūna
they conceal
وَمَا
wamā
and what
يُعْلِنُونَ ۚ
yuʿ'linūna
they reveal
إِنَّهُۥ
innahu
Indeed, He
عَلِيمٌۢ
ʿalīmun
(is) All-Knower
بِذَاتِ
bidhāti
of what
ٱلصُّدُورِ
l-ṣudūri
(is in) the breasts
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.
5. 1. There is a difference of opinion among the commentators regarding its reason for revelation, and therefore there is also a difference in its meaning. However, from the reason for revelation mentioned in Sahih Bukhari (Tafsir Surah Hud), it is known that this was revealed about those Muslims who, due to overwhelming modesty, did not like to be naked at the time of relieving themselves or having intercourse with their wives, thinking that Allah is watching them. Therefore, on such occasions, in order to cover their private parts, they would double over their chests. Allah said that even in the darkness of night, when they cover themselves with clothes in their beds, He still sees them and knows their hidden and open matters. The meaning is that the feeling of modesty is very good in its place, but such excess and exaggeration in it is not correct, because the One for whose sake they do this, they still cannot hide from Him, so what is the benefit of such formality?
