سُوْرَةُ الْاَحْزَابِ
Surah Al-Ahzaab (33) — Ayah 50
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ إِنَّآ أَحْلَلْنَا لَكَ أَزْوَٰجَكَ ٱلَّـٰتِىٓ ءَاتَيْتَ أُجُورَهُنَّ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ يَمِينُكَ مِمَّآ أَفَآءَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ وَبَنَاتِ عَمِّكَ وَبَنَاتِ عَمَّـٰتِكَ وَبَنَاتِ خَالِكَ وَبَنَاتِ خَـٰلَـٰتِكَ ٱلَّـٰتِى هَاجَرْنَ مَعَكَ وَٱمْرَأَةً مُّؤْمِنَةً إِن وَهَبَتْ نَفْسَهَا لِلنَّبِىِّ إِنْ أَرَادَ ٱلنَّبِىُّ أَن يَسْتَنكِحَهَا خَالِصَةً لَّكَ مِن دُونِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۗ قَدْ عَلِمْنَا مَا فَرَضْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ فِىٓ أَزْوَٰجِهِمْ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُهُمْ لِكَيْلَا يَكُونَ عَلَيْكَ حَرَجٌ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا ﴿50﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
O Prophet (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم)! Verily, We have made lawful to you your wives, to whom you have paid their Mahr (bridal-money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage), and those (slaves) whom your right hand possesses - whom Allâh has given to you, and the daughters of your ‘Amm (paternal uncles) and the daughters of your ‘Ammât (paternal aunts) and the daughters of your Khâl (maternal uncles) and the daughters of your Khâlât(maternal aunts) who migrated (from Makkah) with you, and a believing woman if she offers herself to the Prophet, and the Prophet wishes to marry her - a privilege for you only, not for the (rest of) the believers. Indeed We know what We have enjoined upon them about their wives and those (slaves) whom their right hands possess, in order that there should be no difficulty on you. And Allâh is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا
yāayyuhā
O Prophet
ٱلنَّبِىُّ
l-nabiyu
O Prophet
إِنَّآ
innā
Indeed, We
أَحْلَلْنَا
aḥlalnā
[We] have made lawful
لَكَ
laka
to you
أَزْوَٰجَكَ
azwājaka
your wives
ٱلَّـٰتِىٓ
allātī
(to) whom
ءَاتَيْتَ
ātayta
you have given
أُجُورَهُنَّ
ujūrahunna
their bridal money
وَمَا
wamā
and whom
مَلَكَتْ
malakat
you rightfully possess
يَمِينُكَ
yamīnuka
you rightfully possess
مِمَّآ
mimmā
from those (whom)
أَفَآءَ
afāa
Allah has given
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah has given
عَلَيْكَ
ʿalayka
to you
وَبَنَاتِ
wabanāti
and (the) daughters
عَمِّكَ
ʿammika
(of) your paternal uncles
وَبَنَاتِ
wabanāti
and (the) daughters
عَمَّـٰتِكَ
ʿammātika
(of) your paternal aunts
وَبَنَاتِ
wabanāti
and (the) daughters
خَالِكَ
khālika
(of) your maternal uncles
وَبَنَاتِ
wabanāti
and (the) daughters
خَـٰلَـٰتِكَ
khālātika
(of) your maternal aunts
ٱلَّـٰتِى
allātī
who
هَاجَرْنَ
hājarna
emigrated
مَعَكَ
maʿaka
with you
وَٱمْرَأَةًۭ
wa-im'ra-atan
and a woman
مُّؤْمِنَةً
mu'minatan
believing
إِن
in
if
وَهَبَتْ
wahabat
she gives
نَفْسَهَا
nafsahā
herself
لِلنَّبِىِّ
lilnnabiyyi
to the Prophet
إِنْ
in
if
أَرَادَ
arāda
wishes
ٱلنَّبِىُّ
l-nabiyu
the Prophet
أَن
an
to
يَسْتَنكِحَهَا
yastankiḥahā
marry her
خَالِصَةًۭ
khāliṣatan
only
لَّكَ
laka
for you
مِن
min
excluding
دُونِ
dūni
excluding
ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۗ
l-mu'minīna
the believers
قَدْ
qad
Certainly
عَلِمْنَا
ʿalim'nā
We know
مَا
mā
what
فَرَضْنَا
faraḍnā
We have made obligatory
عَلَيْهِمْ
ʿalayhim
upon them
فِىٓ
fī
concerning
أَزْوَٰجِهِمْ
azwājihim
their wives
وَمَا
wamā
and whom
مَلَكَتْ
malakat
they rightfully possess
أَيْمَـٰنُهُمْ
aymānuhum
they rightfully possess
لِكَيْلَا
likaylā
that not
يَكُونَ
yakūna
should be
عَلَيْكَ
ʿalayka
on you
حَرَجٌۭ ۗ
ḥarajun
any discomfort
وَكَانَ
wakāna
And Allah is
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
And Allah is
غَفُورًۭا
ghafūran
Oft-Forgiving
رَّحِيمًۭا
raḥīman
Most Merciful
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 50) ➊ { يٰۤاَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ اِنَّاۤ اَحْلَلْنَا لَكَ اَزْوَاجَكَ … :} In this verse is the answer to those people’s objection who used to say that Muhammad (peace be upon him) prohibits more than four wives for others, so how did he himself marry more than four? Allah Almighty gave this answer that: O Prophet! We have made lawful for you all those wives for whom you have given dowry. The meaning is those wives who were in your marriage at the time of the revelation of the verse. The point is that the restriction of four for ordinary Muslims is imposed by Us, and the removal of this condition for you is also by Us. The number of women you married was eleven, out of whom nine wives were alive at the time of your death. Two wives, Khadijah and Zaynab bint Khuzaymah Umm al-Masakin (may Allah be pleased with them), had passed away. Apart from them, there is some difference of opinion regarding a few women as to whether you contracted marriage with them or not, but it is agreed upon that they did not come to your house after marriage. At the time of your death, these nine Mothers of the Believers were alive: (1) Aisha bint Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them), (2) Sawda bint Zam‘a (may Allah be pleased with her), (3) Hafsa bint Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), (4) Umm Salama bint Abi Umayyah (may Allah be pleased with her), (5) Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her), (6) Juwayriya bint al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with her), (7) Umm Habiba bint Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with them), (8) Safiyyah bint Huyayy (may Allah be pleased with her), (9) and Maymunah bint Harith (may Allah be pleased with her).
➋ Ibn Kathir writes: “The dowry of all your wives (peace be upon him) was twelve and a half uqiyah, which is five hundred dirhams. However, the dowry of Umm Habiba bint Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with them) was given by Najashi (may Allah have mercy on him) from his own side, four hundred dinars. The dowry of Safiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) was her freedom; she was among the captives of Khaybar, then the Prophet (peace be upon him) freed her and made that freedom her dowry and married her. Juwayriya bint al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with her) was captured from Banu al-Mustaliq; the Prophet (peace be upon him) paid the amount she had agreed upon with Thabit bin Qays bin Shamas (may Allah be pleased with him) for her manumission, and then married her.” (Ibn Kathir)
➌ { وَ مَا مَلَكَتْ يَمِيْنُكَ مِمَّاۤ اَفَآءَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيْكَ: ’’أَفَاءَ يُفِيْءُ‘‘} means “to bring back.” “Fay” generally refers to those properties obtained from the enemy without war. Sometimes, spoils obtained with war are also called “fay.” These properties are called “fay” because all the wealth of the world in reality belongs to the Muslim, which is temporarily in the possession of the disbelievers; when Muslims acquire them, they are merely taking back their own property. After mentioning the women made lawful for you with whom you married by giving dowry, three types of women are mentioned as lawful. The first type among them are slave women, who came to you as fay and you benefited from them as slave women. This was Maria al-Qibtiyya, whom Muqawqis of Egypt sent to you as a gift. Therefore, she was under the ruling of fay, and from her your son Ibrahim was born. {’’ مِمَّاۤ اَفَآءَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيْكَ ‘‘} does not mean that slave women who did not come to you as fay are not lawful for you; rather, “sarari” (slave women) are generally permitted for you and for your Ummah. (Qurtubi)
➍ { وَ بَنٰتِ عَمِّكَ وَ بَنٰتِ عَمّٰتِكَ … :} After the first wives, this is the second type of women made lawful for you, i.e., those women who are your close relatives from your father’s or mother’s side and who have migrated to Madinah. Marriage with them is lawful for you. This interpretation is made because you had no daughter of a maternal uncle or maternal aunt. The family of your mother, Banu Zuhrah, are called your maternal uncles.
➎ { وَ امْرَاَةً مُّؤْمِنَةً اِنْ وَّهَبَتْ نَفْسَهَا لِلنَّبِيِّ … :} This is the third type, i.e., apart from the above-mentioned women, if any believing woman offers herself to the Prophet (peace be upon him), i.e., offers herself in marriage without dowry, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) wishes to marry her, then it is lawful for you to marry her without a guardian and dowry. Thabit Banani (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that he heard Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrate this hadith: A woman came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), she was offering herself to the Prophet (peace be upon him), so the daughter of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “How little modesty she had!” So Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “She was better than you; she offered herself to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).” [ بخاري، الأدب، باب ما لا یستحیا من الحق للتفقہ في الدین : ۶۱۲۳ ]
➏ { خَالِصَةً لَّكَ مِنْ دُوْنِ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ :} That is, this permission is specific to you alone; for other Muslims, the same ruling applies as stated in Surah al-Nisa (24): «اَنْ تَبْتَغُوْا بِاَمْوَالِكُمْ » i.e., marriage without dowry is not permissible. (Muwaddih) Similarly, the permission for more than four wives is only for you, not for other Muslims.
➐ { قَدْ عَلِمْنَا مَا فَرَضْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ فِيْۤ اَزْوَاجِهِمْ وَ مَا مَلَكَتْ اَيْمَانُهُمْ :} That is, ordinary Muslims are required to abide by the conditions for marriage, and it is necessary for them to do so, which are that marriage without dowry, guardian, and witnesses is not permissible, and besides this, they cannot have more than four women in marriage at one time. These issues have already been mentioned in Surah al-Nisa (3, 4 and 24, 25).
➑ { لِكَيْلَا يَكُوْنَ عَلَيْكَ حَرَجٌ :} That is, for the benefit of the call to Islam, you have been permitted to marry more than four women at one time so that there is no hardship for you in marrying more. Because, due to many benefits, you would have to marry more. The scholars have mentioned in detail the benefits that were considered in marrying each of the pure wives of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and have given reasoned answers to the objections raised by the opponents of Islam regarding the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) multiple marriages. For this purpose, the book “Muqaddas Rasool” by Maulana Sanaullah Amritsari (may Allah have mercy on him) is an unparalleled book. These benefits have also been briefly mentioned in “Al-Raheeq Al-Makhtum.”
➒ { وَ كَانَ اللّٰهُ غَفُوْرًا رَّحِيْمًا :} That is, the permissions We have granted you to remove hardship are due to Our attribute of forgiveness and mercy. (Ibn Ashur)
➋ Ibn Kathir writes: “The dowry of all your wives (peace be upon him) was twelve and a half uqiyah, which is five hundred dirhams. However, the dowry of Umm Habiba bint Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with them) was given by Najashi (may Allah have mercy on him) from his own side, four hundred dinars. The dowry of Safiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) was her freedom; she was among the captives of Khaybar, then the Prophet (peace be upon him) freed her and made that freedom her dowry and married her. Juwayriya bint al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with her) was captured from Banu al-Mustaliq; the Prophet (peace be upon him) paid the amount she had agreed upon with Thabit bin Qays bin Shamas (may Allah be pleased with him) for her manumission, and then married her.” (Ibn Kathir)
➌ { وَ مَا مَلَكَتْ يَمِيْنُكَ مِمَّاۤ اَفَآءَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيْكَ: ’’أَفَاءَ يُفِيْءُ‘‘} means “to bring back.” “Fay” generally refers to those properties obtained from the enemy without war. Sometimes, spoils obtained with war are also called “fay.” These properties are called “fay” because all the wealth of the world in reality belongs to the Muslim, which is temporarily in the possession of the disbelievers; when Muslims acquire them, they are merely taking back their own property. After mentioning the women made lawful for you with whom you married by giving dowry, three types of women are mentioned as lawful. The first type among them are slave women, who came to you as fay and you benefited from them as slave women. This was Maria al-Qibtiyya, whom Muqawqis of Egypt sent to you as a gift. Therefore, she was under the ruling of fay, and from her your son Ibrahim was born. {’’ مِمَّاۤ اَفَآءَ اللّٰهُ عَلَيْكَ ‘‘} does not mean that slave women who did not come to you as fay are not lawful for you; rather, “sarari” (slave women) are generally permitted for you and for your Ummah. (Qurtubi)
➍ { وَ بَنٰتِ عَمِّكَ وَ بَنٰتِ عَمّٰتِكَ … :} After the first wives, this is the second type of women made lawful for you, i.e., those women who are your close relatives from your father’s or mother’s side and who have migrated to Madinah. Marriage with them is lawful for you. This interpretation is made because you had no daughter of a maternal uncle or maternal aunt. The family of your mother, Banu Zuhrah, are called your maternal uncles.
➎ { وَ امْرَاَةً مُّؤْمِنَةً اِنْ وَّهَبَتْ نَفْسَهَا لِلنَّبِيِّ … :} This is the third type, i.e., apart from the above-mentioned women, if any believing woman offers herself to the Prophet (peace be upon him), i.e., offers herself in marriage without dowry, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) wishes to marry her, then it is lawful for you to marry her without a guardian and dowry. Thabit Banani (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that he heard Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrate this hadith: A woman came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), she was offering herself to the Prophet (peace be upon him), so the daughter of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “How little modesty she had!” So Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “She was better than you; she offered herself to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).” [ بخاري، الأدب، باب ما لا یستحیا من الحق للتفقہ في الدین : ۶۱۲۳ ]
➏ { خَالِصَةً لَّكَ مِنْ دُوْنِ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ :} That is, this permission is specific to you alone; for other Muslims, the same ruling applies as stated in Surah al-Nisa (24): «اَنْ تَبْتَغُوْا بِاَمْوَالِكُمْ » i.e., marriage without dowry is not permissible. (Muwaddih) Similarly, the permission for more than four wives is only for you, not for other Muslims.
➐ { قَدْ عَلِمْنَا مَا فَرَضْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ فِيْۤ اَزْوَاجِهِمْ وَ مَا مَلَكَتْ اَيْمَانُهُمْ :} That is, ordinary Muslims are required to abide by the conditions for marriage, and it is necessary for them to do so, which are that marriage without dowry, guardian, and witnesses is not permissible, and besides this, they cannot have more than four women in marriage at one time. These issues have already been mentioned in Surah al-Nisa (3, 4 and 24, 25).
➑ { لِكَيْلَا يَكُوْنَ عَلَيْكَ حَرَجٌ :} That is, for the benefit of the call to Islam, you have been permitted to marry more than four women at one time so that there is no hardship for you in marrying more. Because, due to many benefits, you would have to marry more. The scholars have mentioned in detail the benefits that were considered in marrying each of the pure wives of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and have given reasoned answers to the objections raised by the opponents of Islam regarding the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) multiple marriages. For this purpose, the book “Muqaddas Rasool” by Maulana Sanaullah Amritsari (may Allah have mercy on him) is an unparalleled book. These benefits have also been briefly mentioned in “Al-Raheeq Al-Makhtum.”
➒ { وَ كَانَ اللّٰهُ غَفُوْرًا رَّحِيْمًا :} That is, the permissions We have granted you to remove hardship are due to Our attribute of forgiveness and mercy. (Ibn Ashur)
