سُوْرَةُ التَّحْرِيْمِ
Surah At-Tahrim (66) — Ayah 5
عَسَىٰ رَبُّهُۥٓ إِن طَلَّقَكُنَّ أَن يُبْدِلَهُۥٓ أَزْوَٰجًا خَيْرًا مِّنكُنَّ مُسْلِمَـٰتٍ مُّؤْمِنَـٰتٍ قَـٰنِتَـٰتٍ تَـٰٓئِبَـٰتٍ عَـٰبِدَٰتٍ سَـٰٓئِحَـٰتٍ ثَيِّبَـٰتٍ وَأَبْكَارًا ﴿5﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
It may be if he divorced you (all) that his Lord will give him instead of you, wives better than you - Muslims (who submit to Allâh), believers, obedient (to Allâh), turning to Allâh in repentance, worshipping Allâh sincerely, given to fasting or emigrants (for Allâh’s sake), previously married and virgins.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
عَسَىٰ
ʿasā
Perhaps
رَبُّهُۥٓ
rabbuhu
his Lord
إِن
in
if
طَلَّقَكُنَّ
ṭallaqakunna
he divorced you
أَن
an
[that]
يُبْدِلَهُۥٓ
yub'dilahu
He will substitute for him
أَزْوَٰجًا
azwājan
wives
خَيْرًۭا
khayran
better
مِّنكُنَّ
minkunna
than you
مُسْلِمَـٰتٍۢ
mus'limātin
submissive
مُّؤْمِنَـٰتٍۢ
mu'minātin
faithful
قَـٰنِتَـٰتٍۢ
qānitātin
obedient
تَـٰٓئِبَـٰتٍ
tāibātin
repentant
عَـٰبِدَٰتٍۢ
ʿābidātin
who worship
سَـٰٓئِحَـٰتٍۢ
sāiḥātin
who fast
ثَيِّبَـٰتٍۢ
thayyibātin
previously married
وَأَبْكَارًۭا
wa-abkāran
and virgins
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. This is being said to the noble wives as a warning that Allah Almighty can grant His Prophet even better wives than you.
5. 2. Thayyibaat: Thayyibaat is the plural of thayyib (one who returns). A widow is called thayyib because she returns from her husband and then remains without a husband as she was before. Abkaar is the plural of bikr (virgin). A virgin is called bikr because she remains in her original state as she was created. (Fath al-Qadeer) In some narrations, it is mentioned that by thayyib, the wife of Pharaoh, Asiyah, is meant, and by bikr, Maryam, the mother of Isa (عليه السلام), is meant, i.e., in Paradise, both of them will be made the wives of the Prophet ﷺ. It is possible that this may happen, but to hold or state such a belief based on these narrations is not correct because, in terms of chain, these narrations are not reliable.
5. 2. Thayyibaat: Thayyibaat is the plural of thayyib (one who returns). A widow is called thayyib because she returns from her husband and then remains without a husband as she was before. Abkaar is the plural of bikr (virgin). A virgin is called bikr because she remains in her original state as she was created. (Fath al-Qadeer) In some narrations, it is mentioned that by thayyib, the wife of Pharaoh, Asiyah, is meant, and by bikr, Maryam, the mother of Isa (عليه السلام), is meant, i.e., in Paradise, both of them will be made the wives of the Prophet ﷺ. It is possible that this may happen, but to hold or state such a belief based on these narrations is not correct because, in terms of chain, these narrations are not reliable.
