سُوْرَةُ الْمُمْتَحِنَةِ
Surah Al-Mumtahana (60) — Ayah 10
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا جَآءَكُمُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتُ مُهَـٰجِرَٰتٍ فَٱمْتَحِنُوهُنَّ ۖ ٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِإِيمَـٰنِهِنَّ ۖ فَإِنْ عَلِمْتُمُوهُنَّ مُؤْمِنَـٰتٍ فَلَا تَرْجِعُوهُنَّ إِلَى ٱلْكُفَّارِ ۖ لَا هُنَّ حِلٌّ لَّهُمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحِلُّونَ لَهُنَّ ۖ وَءَاتُوهُم مَّآ أَنفَقُوا۟ ۚ وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ أَن تَنكِحُوهُنَّ إِذَآ ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ ۚ وَلَا تُمْسِكُوا۟ بِعِصَمِ ٱلْكَوَافِرِ وَسْـَٔلُوا۟ مَآ أَنفَقْتُمْ وَلْيَسْـَٔلُوا۟ مَآ أَنفَقُوا۟ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ حُكْمُ ٱللَّهِ ۖ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَكُمْ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ ﴿10﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
O you who believe! When believing women come to you as emigrants, examine them; Allâh knows best as to their Faith, then if you ascertain that they are true believers send them not back to the disbelievers. They are not lawful (wives) for the disbelievers nor are the disbelievers lawful (husbands) for them. But give them (the disbelievers) that (amount of money) which they have spent [as their Mahr] to them. And there will be no sin on you to marry them if you have paid their Mahr to them. Likewise hold not the disbelieving women as wives, and ask for (the return of) that which you have spent (as Mahr ) and let them (the disbelievers) ask back for that which they have spent. That is the Judgement of Allâh, He judges between you. And Allâh is All-Knowing, All-Wise.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا
yāayyuhā
O you
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
who
ءَامَنُوٓا۟
āmanū
believe
إِذَا
idhā
When
جَآءَكُمُ
jāakumu
come to you
ٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتُ
l-mu'minātu
the believing women
مُهَـٰجِرَٰتٍۢ
muhājirātin
(as) emigrants
فَٱمْتَحِنُوهُنَّ ۖ
fa-im'taḥinūhunna
then examine them
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
أَعْلَمُ
aʿlamu
(is) most knowing
بِإِيمَـٰنِهِنَّ ۖ
biīmānihinna
of their faith
فَإِنْ
fa-in
And if
عَلِمْتُمُوهُنَّ
ʿalim'tumūhunna
you know them
مُؤْمِنَـٰتٍۢ
mu'minātin
(to be) believers
فَلَا
falā
then (do) not
تَرْجِعُوهُنَّ
tarjiʿūhunna
return them
إِلَى
ilā
to
ٱلْكُفَّارِ ۖ
l-kufāri
the disbelievers
لَا
lā
Not
هُنَّ
hunna
they
حِلٌّۭ
ḥillun
(are) lawful
لَّهُمْ
lahum
for them
وَلَا
walā
and not
هُمْ
hum
they
يَحِلُّونَ
yaḥillūna
are lawful
لَهُنَّ ۖ
lahunna
for them
وَءَاتُوهُم
waātūhum
But give them
مَّآ
mā
what
أَنفَقُوا۟ ۚ
anfaqū
they have spent
وَلَا
walā
And not
جُنَاحَ
junāḥa
any blame
عَلَيْكُمْ
ʿalaykum
upon you
أَن
an
if
تَنكِحُوهُنَّ
tankiḥūhunna
you marry them
إِذَآ
idhā
when
ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ
ātaytumūhunna
you have given them
أُجُورَهُنَّ ۚ
ujūrahunna
their (bridal) dues
وَلَا
walā
And (do) not
تُمْسِكُوا۟
tum'sikū
hold
بِعِصَمِ
biʿiṣami
to marriage bonds
ٱلْكَوَافِرِ
l-kawāfiri
(with) disbelieving women
وَسْـَٔلُوا۟
wasalū
but ask (for)
مَآ
mā
what
أَنفَقْتُمْ
anfaqtum
you have spent
وَلْيَسْـَٔلُوا۟
walyasalū
and let them ask
مَآ
mā
what
أَنفَقُوا۟ ۚ
anfaqū
they have spent
ذَٰلِكُمْ
dhālikum
That
حُكْمُ
ḥuk'mu
(is the) Judgment
ٱللَّهِ ۖ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
يَحْكُمُ
yaḥkumu
He judges
بَيْنَكُمْ ۚ
baynakum
between you
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
عَلِيمٌ
ʿalīmun
(is) All-Knowing
حَكِيمٌۭ
ḥakīmun
All-Wise
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.
10. 1 In the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, one clause was that if anyone from Mecca came to the Muslims, he would have to be returned, but it was not specified whether this applied to men or women. Apparently, both were included in the covenant. Thus, later, some women migrated from Mecca to the Muslims, and the disbelievers demanded their return. Upon this, Allah provided guidance to the Muslims in this verse and gave this command. The meaning of "testing" is to investigate whether the woman who has migrated and is expressing faith has not come due to being upset with her disbelieving husband, or out of love for a Muslim, or for some other purpose, and is only claiming faith to seek refuge here.
10. 2 That is, you should reach this conclusion through your investigation and have a strong presumption that they are truly believing women.
10. 3 This is the reason for not returning them to their disbelieving husbands: now no believing woman is lawful for a disbeliever, as it was permissible in the early days of Islam. For example, the Prophet ﷺ’s daughter, Hazrat Zainab (may Allah be pleased with her), was married to Abu al-As ibn al-Rabi’ while he was not a Muslim. But this verse forbade such marriages in the future. That is why it is stated here that they are not lawful for each other, so do not return them to the disbelievers. However, if the husband also becomes Muslim, then their marriage can remain, even if the husband migrates after the woman.
10. 4 That is, the dowry (mahr) that their disbelieving husbands gave them, you should pay that to them.
10. 5 This is addressed to the Muslims: these women who have left their disbelieving husbands for the sake of faith and have come to you, you may marry them, provided you pay them their dowry. However, this marriage will be according to the Sunnah, meaning it will take place after the completion of the waiting period (istibra’ al-rahim), and the permission of the guardian (wali) and the presence of two just witnesses are also necessary. However, if the woman has not consummated the marriage, then immediate marriage without a waiting period is permissible.
10. 6 "‘Isam" is the plural of "‘ismah." Here, it refers to the bond of the marriage contract. The meaning is that if the husband becomes Muslim and the wife remains a disbeliever and polytheist, it is not permissible to keep such a polytheist woman in marriage. She should be immediately divorced and separated. Thus, after this command, Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) divorced his two polytheist wives, and Hazrat Talhah ibn Ubaydullah (may Allah be pleased with him) divorced his wife (Ibn Kathir). However, if the wife is from the People of the Book, it is not necessary to divorce her, because marriage with them is permissible. Therefore, if she is already present as a wife, there is no need to separate after accepting Islam.
10. 7 That is, regarding those women who, due to remaining on disbelief, went to the disbelievers.
10. 8 That is, regarding those women who became Muslim and migrated to Medina.
10. 9 That is, this mentioned command that both should pay each other the dowry, or even demand it, is Allah’s command. Imam Qurtubi states that this command was specific to that era, and there is consensus among the Muslims on this (Fath al-Qadir). The reason is the treaty that existed between the two parties at that time. In the case of such a treaty in the future, it will be necessary to act upon it; otherwise, not.
10. 2 That is, you should reach this conclusion through your investigation and have a strong presumption that they are truly believing women.
10. 3 This is the reason for not returning them to their disbelieving husbands: now no believing woman is lawful for a disbeliever, as it was permissible in the early days of Islam. For example, the Prophet ﷺ’s daughter, Hazrat Zainab (may Allah be pleased with her), was married to Abu al-As ibn al-Rabi’ while he was not a Muslim. But this verse forbade such marriages in the future. That is why it is stated here that they are not lawful for each other, so do not return them to the disbelievers. However, if the husband also becomes Muslim, then their marriage can remain, even if the husband migrates after the woman.
10. 4 That is, the dowry (mahr) that their disbelieving husbands gave them, you should pay that to them.
10. 5 This is addressed to the Muslims: these women who have left their disbelieving husbands for the sake of faith and have come to you, you may marry them, provided you pay them their dowry. However, this marriage will be according to the Sunnah, meaning it will take place after the completion of the waiting period (istibra’ al-rahim), and the permission of the guardian (wali) and the presence of two just witnesses are also necessary. However, if the woman has not consummated the marriage, then immediate marriage without a waiting period is permissible.
10. 6 "‘Isam" is the plural of "‘ismah." Here, it refers to the bond of the marriage contract. The meaning is that if the husband becomes Muslim and the wife remains a disbeliever and polytheist, it is not permissible to keep such a polytheist woman in marriage. She should be immediately divorced and separated. Thus, after this command, Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) divorced his two polytheist wives, and Hazrat Talhah ibn Ubaydullah (may Allah be pleased with him) divorced his wife (Ibn Kathir). However, if the wife is from the People of the Book, it is not necessary to divorce her, because marriage with them is permissible. Therefore, if she is already present as a wife, there is no need to separate after accepting Islam.
10. 7 That is, regarding those women who, due to remaining on disbelief, went to the disbelievers.
10. 8 That is, regarding those women who became Muslim and migrated to Medina.
10. 9 That is, this mentioned command that both should pay each other the dowry, or even demand it, is Allah’s command. Imam Qurtubi states that this command was specific to that era, and there is consensus among the Muslims on this (Fath al-Qadir). The reason is the treaty that existed between the two parties at that time. In the case of such a treaty in the future, it will be necessary to act upon it; otherwise, not.
