سُوْرَةُ الْاَحْزَابِ
Surah Al-Ahzaab (33) — Ayah 51
۞ تُرْجِى مَن تَشَآءُ مِنْهُنَّ وَتُـْٔوِىٓ إِلَيْكَ مَن تَشَآءُ ۖ وَمَنِ ٱبْتَغَيْتَ مِمَّنْ عَزَلْتَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكَ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَدْنَىٰٓ أَن تَقَرَّ أَعْيُنُهُنَّ وَلَا يَحْزَنَّ وَيَرْضَيْنَ بِمَآ ءَاتَيْتَهُنَّ كُلُّهُنَّ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِى قُلُوبِكُمْ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَلِيمًا ﴿51﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
You (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) can postpone (the turn of) whom you will of them (your wives), and you may receive whom you will. And whomsoever you desire of those whom you have set aside (her turn temporarily), it is no sin on you (to receive her again): that is better that they may be comforted and not grieved, and may all be pleased with what you give them. Allâh knows what is in your hearts. And Allâh is Ever All-Knowing, Most Forbearing.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ تُرْجِى
tur'jī
You may defer
مَن
man
whom
تَشَآءُ
tashāu
you will
مِنْهُنَّ
min'hunna
of them
وَتُـْٔوِىٓ
watu'wī
or you may take
إِلَيْكَ
ilayka
to yourself
مَن
man
whom
تَشَآءُ ۖ
tashāu
you will
وَمَنِ
wamani
And whoever
ٱبْتَغَيْتَ
ib'taghayta
you desire
مِمَّنْ
mimman
of those whom
عَزَلْتَ
ʿazalta
you (had) set aside
فَلَا
falā
then (there is) no
جُنَاحَ
junāḥa
blame
عَلَيْكَ ۚ
ʿalayka
upon you
ذَٰلِكَ
dhālika
That
أَدْنَىٰٓ
adnā
(is) more suitable
أَن
an
that
تَقَرَّ
taqarra
may be cooled
أَعْيُنُهُنَّ
aʿyunuhunna
their eyes
وَلَا
walā
and not
يَحْزَنَّ
yaḥzanna
they grieve
وَيَرْضَيْنَ
wayarḍayna
and they may be pleased
بِمَآ
bimā
with what
ءَاتَيْتَهُنَّ
ātaytahunna
you have given them
كُلُّهُنَّ ۚ
kulluhunna
all of them
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
يَعْلَمُ
yaʿlamu
knows
مَا
mā
what
فِى
fī
(is) in
قُلُوبِكُمْ ۚ
qulūbikum
your hearts
وَكَانَ
wakāna
And Allah is
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
And Allah is
عَلِيمًا
ʿalīman
All-Knower
حَلِيمًۭا
ḥalīman
Most Forbearing
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.
51. 1 In this, another characteristic of you ﷺ is mentioned, that is, in assigning turns among wives, you ﷺ were given the authority that you ﷺ could suspend the turn of whomever you wished, meaning while keeping her in marriage, you would not have marital relations with her, and with whomever you wished, you could maintain this relationship.
51. 2 That is, regarding those wives whose turns had been suspended, if you ﷺ wished to establish marital relations with them as well, then this permission was also granted to you ﷺ.
51. 3 That is, despite the suspension of turns and giving preference to one over another, they would be pleased, not saddened, and would remain content with whatever they received from you ﷺ, because they knew that the Prophet ﷺ was doing all this by Allah's command and permission, and these pure wives were pleased and content with Allah's decision. Some say that even though the Prophet ﷺ was given this authority, you ﷺ did not use it, and except for Hazrat Sawda (who herself gifted her turn to Hazrat Aisha), you ﷺ assigned equal turns to all the pure wives. That is why, during your final illness, you ﷺ, after taking permission from the pure wives, spent the days of illness at Hazrat Aisha's place. (Their eyes may be cooled) refers to this very practice of yours, that although division was not obligatory upon you (like it is for others), you still chose to divide equally, so that your wives' eyes may be cooled and they may be pleased with your good conduct and justice, that instead of using your special authority, you ﷺ took care to comfort and please them.
52. 4 That is, whatever is in your hearts, surely this is also included, that the love for all wives in the heart is not equal, because a person has no control over the heart. Therefore, equality among wives is necessary in turns, maintenance, and other necessities and comforts of life, which a person can manage. Since equality in the inclinations of the heart is not within one's control, Allah will not hold one accountable for it, provided that heartfelt love leads to preferential treatment of one wife. That is why the Prophet ﷺ used to say, "O Allah, this is my division which is within my control, but regarding that which is under Your control, I have no power over it, so do not blame me for it." (Musnad Ahmad)
51. 2 That is, regarding those wives whose turns had been suspended, if you ﷺ wished to establish marital relations with them as well, then this permission was also granted to you ﷺ.
51. 3 That is, despite the suspension of turns and giving preference to one over another, they would be pleased, not saddened, and would remain content with whatever they received from you ﷺ, because they knew that the Prophet ﷺ was doing all this by Allah's command and permission, and these pure wives were pleased and content with Allah's decision. Some say that even though the Prophet ﷺ was given this authority, you ﷺ did not use it, and except for Hazrat Sawda (who herself gifted her turn to Hazrat Aisha), you ﷺ assigned equal turns to all the pure wives. That is why, during your final illness, you ﷺ, after taking permission from the pure wives, spent the days of illness at Hazrat Aisha's place. (Their eyes may be cooled) refers to this very practice of yours, that although division was not obligatory upon you (like it is for others), you still chose to divide equally, so that your wives' eyes may be cooled and they may be pleased with your good conduct and justice, that instead of using your special authority, you ﷺ took care to comfort and please them.
52. 4 That is, whatever is in your hearts, surely this is also included, that the love for all wives in the heart is not equal, because a person has no control over the heart. Therefore, equality among wives is necessary in turns, maintenance, and other necessities and comforts of life, which a person can manage. Since equality in the inclinations of the heart is not within one's control, Allah will not hold one accountable for it, provided that heartfelt love leads to preferential treatment of one wife. That is why the Prophet ﷺ used to say, "O Allah, this is my division which is within my control, but regarding that which is under Your control, I have no power over it, so do not blame me for it." (Musnad Ahmad)
