سُوْرَةُ الْاَحْزَابِ
Surah Al-Ahzaab (33) — Ayah 37
وَإِذْ تَقُولُ لِلَّذِىٓ أَنْعَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَأَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَمْسِكْ عَلَيْكَ زَوْجَكَ وَٱتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ وَتُخْفِى فِى نَفْسِكَ مَا ٱللَّهُ مُبْدِيهِ وَتَخْشَى ٱلنَّاسَ وَٱللَّهُ أَحَقُّ أَن تَخْشَىٰهُ ۖ فَلَمَّا قَضَىٰ زَيْدٌ مِّنْهَا وَطَرًا زَوَّجْنَـٰكَهَا لِكَىْ لَا يَكُونَ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ حَرَجٌ فِىٓ أَزْوَٰجِ أَدْعِيَآئِهِمْ إِذَا قَضَوْا۟ مِنْهُنَّ وَطَرًا ۚ وَكَانَ أَمْرُ ٱللَّهِ مَفْعُولًا ﴿37﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And (remember) when you said to him (Zaid bin Hârithah رضي الله عنه - the freed-slave of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم) on whom Allâh has bestowed Grace (by guiding him to Islâm) and you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم too) have done favour (by manumitting him): "Keep your wife to yourself, and fear Allâh." But you did hide in yourself (i.e. what Allâh has already made known to you that He will give her to you in marriage) that which Allâh will make manifest, you did fear the people (i.e., their saying that Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم married the divorced wife of his manumitted slave) whereas Allâh had a better right that you should fear Him. So when Zaid had accomplished his desire from her (i.e. divorced her), We gave her to you in marriage, so that (in future) there may be no difficulty to the believers in respect of (the marriage of) the wives of their adopted sons when the latter have no desire to keep them (i.e. they have divorced them). And Allâh’s Command must be fulfilled.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَإِذْ
wa-idh
And when
تَقُولُ
taqūlu
you said
لِلَّذِىٓ
lilladhī
to the one
أَنْعَمَ
anʿama
Allah bestowed favor
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah bestowed favor
عَلَيْهِ
ʿalayhi
on him
وَأَنْعَمْتَ
wa-anʿamta
and you bestowed favor
عَلَيْهِ
ʿalayhi
on him
أَمْسِكْ
amsik
Keep
عَلَيْكَ
ʿalayka
to yourself
زَوْجَكَ
zawjaka
your wife
وَٱتَّقِ
wa-ittaqi
and fear
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
وَتُخْفِى
watukh'fī
But you concealed
فِى
fī
within
نَفْسِكَ
nafsika
yourself
مَا
mā
what
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
مُبْدِيهِ
mub'dīhi
(was to) disclose
وَتَخْشَى
watakhshā
And you fear
ٱلنَّاسَ
l-nāsa
the people
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
while Allah
أَحَقُّ
aḥaqqu
has more right
أَن
an
that
تَخْشَىٰهُ ۖ
takhshāhu
you (should) fear Him
فَلَمَّا
falammā
So when
قَضَىٰ
qaḍā
ended
زَيْدٌۭ
zaydun
Zaid
مِّنْهَا
min'hā
from her
وَطَرًۭا
waṭaran
necessary (formalities)
زَوَّجْنَـٰكَهَا
zawwajnākahā
We married her to you
لِكَىْ
likay
so that
لَا
lā
not
يَكُونَ
yakūna
there be
عَلَى
ʿalā
on
ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
l-mu'minīna
the believers
حَرَجٌۭ
ḥarajun
any discomfort
فِىٓ
fī
concerning
أَزْوَٰجِ
azwāji
the wives
أَدْعِيَآئِهِمْ
adʿiyāihim
(of) their adopted sons
إِذَا
idhā
when
قَضَوْا۟
qaḍaw
they have ended
مِنْهُنَّ
min'hunna
from them
وَطَرًۭا ۚ
waṭaran
necessary (formalities)
وَكَانَ
wakāna
And is
أَمْرُ
amru
(the) Command
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
مَفْعُولًۭا
mafʿūlan
accomplished
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.
37. 1. But since there was a difference in their temperaments, the wife’s temperament was steeped in family lineage and honor, while Zaid bore the stigma of slavery, there remained discord between them, which Zaid used to mention to the Prophet ﷺ and also expressed the intention of divorce. But the Prophet ﷺ would prevent him from divorcing and would advise him to maintain the relationship. Moreover, Allah had also informed you through revelation that divorce from Zaid would certainly take place and after that, Zainab would be married to you, so that a decisive blow could be dealt to the pre-Islamic custom of adoption, making it clear that an adopted son is not like a real son in the rulings of Shariah, and it is permissible to marry his divorced wife. This verse alludes to these matters. Allah’s favor upon Zaid was that He granted him the ability to accept Islam and freed him from slavery. The Prophet ﷺ’s favor upon him was that he provided him with religious training, freed him, declared him his son, and married him to his paternal aunt Umaymah bint Abd al-Muttalib’s daughter. The matter hidden in the heart was the one revealed to you through revelation regarding the marriage with Zainab. You ﷺ feared that people would say that you married your daughter-in-law. However, when Allah intended to abolish this custom through you, then there was no need to fear people. Although this fear of yours was natural, still you ﷺ were admonished. By “making it manifest” is meant that this marriage would take place, so that this matter would become known to everyone.
37. 2. That is, after the marriage, divorce was given and Zainab completed her waiting period.
37. 3. That is, this marriage was established by Allah’s command, contrary to the customary way, without a marriage ceremony, guardianship, dowry, or witnesses.
37. 4. This is the reason for the marriage of Zainab to the Prophet ﷺ, so that in the future no Muslim would feel any difficulty in this matter and, as needed, could marry the divorced wife of an adopted son.
37. 5. That is, it was already decreed in divine destiny and was bound to happen in any case.
37. 2. That is, after the marriage, divorce was given and Zainab completed her waiting period.
37. 3. That is, this marriage was established by Allah’s command, contrary to the customary way, without a marriage ceremony, guardianship, dowry, or witnesses.
37. 4. This is the reason for the marriage of Zainab to the Prophet ﷺ, so that in the future no Muslim would feel any difficulty in this matter and, as needed, could marry the divorced wife of an adopted son.
37. 5. That is, it was already decreed in divine destiny and was bound to happen in any case.
