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 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 51) ➊ { تُرْجِيْ مَنْ تَشَآءُ مِنْهُنَّ … :} In this verse, further concessions regarding wives are mentioned for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). One of these concessions is that among the women who offer themselves to you, you may defer whomever you wish and give a place to whomever you wish; it is not obligatory for you to accept their offer. Another concession is that regarding the women who are in your marriage, you are not bound to visit them in turn; you may spend the night with whomever you wish and defer whomever you wish.
➋ { وَ مَنِ ابْتَغَيْتَ مِمَّنْ عَزَلْتَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكَ :} The third concession is that if you have ended the turn of any of them and wish to call her again, there is no harm upon you in this either.
➌ { ذٰلِكَ اَدْنٰۤى اَنْ تَقَرَّ اَعْيُنُهُنَّ … :} The purpose of waiving the rights of the wives was to remove hardship from both the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his wives. Removing hardship from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is obvious; removing hardship from the wives is in the sense that when each of them knows that on the day of a certain turn, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) spending the night with her is not her right, then their disputes and quarrels with each other and with you will automatically end, because the basis of disputes is the claim of rights. When there is no right, then what is the quarrel about? Then, when you go to any wife, with the feeling that it was not necessary for you to go to her by Allah’s command, she will be happy with your coming and her eyes will be cooled, and knowing that your not coming is by Allah’s command and permission, she will not be grieved, and whatever time or attention you give to your wives, all will be pleased with it and grateful.
➍ Note that despite these concessions from Allah, you did not avail yourself of them; nor did you marry any woman who offered herself to you, nor did you end the turn of any wife. Only Sawdah (may Allah be pleased with her) gave her turn to Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), and you permitted it. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to visit all his other wives in turn. The extent to which you observed this is evident from these hadiths:
(1) Mu’adhah ‘Adawiyyah narrated from Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that after the revelation of this verse: « تُرْجِيْ مَنْ تَشَآءُ مِنْهُنَّ وَ تُـْٔوِيْۤ اِلَيْكَ مَنْ تَشَآءُ» (You may defer whomever you wish among them and give a place to whomever you wish), even then, when you were with any of us on her turn, you would seek permission from us. [ بخاري، التفسیر، باب قولہ : «ترجي من تشاء منھن…» : ۴۷۸۹ ] It is mentioned in Fath al-Bari, meaning that if you wished to go to another wife on the day of one’s turn, you would seek her permission.
(2) Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates: “When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) wanted to go on a journey, he would draw lots among his wives, then whoever’s lot came out, he would take her with him, and he would stay one day and night with each wife in turn, except Sawdah bint Zam’ah (may Allah be pleased with her), for she had given her turn to Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), by which she sought the pleasure of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).” [ بخاري، الھبۃ، باب ھبۃ المرأۃ لغیر زوجھا… : ۲۵۹۳ ]
(3) Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates: “When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) became heavy (due to illness) and his illness became severe, he sought permission from his other wives to spend the days of his illness in my house, and they gave him permission.” [ بخاري، الھبۃ، باب ہبۃ الرجل لامرأتہ والمرأۃ لزوجھا : ۲۵۸۸ ]
(4) ‘Urwah (may Allah have mercy on him) says that Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said to him: “My nephew! The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not give preference to any of us over another in the division of staying, and rarely would a day pass except that he would visit all of us and stay with each one without intimacy, until he reached the wife whose turn it was and spent the night with her. When Sawdah (may Allah be pleased with her) became old and feared that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would separate from her, she said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! I have given my turn to Aishah.’ So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) accepted it from her.” She says: “We used to say that this verse was revealed about her and women like her: « وَ اِنِ امْرَاَةٌ خَافَتْ مِنْۢ بَعْلِهَا نُشُوْزًا اَوْ اِعْرَاضًا فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِمَاۤ اَنْ يُّصْلِحَا بَيْنَهُمَا صُلْحًا وَ الصُّلْحُ خَيْرٌ وَ اُحْضِرَتِ الْاَنْفُسُ الشُّحَّ وَ اِنْ تُحْسِنُوْا وَ تَتَّقُوْا فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُوْنَ خَبِيْرًا » [ النساء : ۱۲۸ ] ‘And if a woman fears from her husband any ill-treatment or aversion, there is no sin upon them if they make terms of settlement between them, and settlement is best. And present in (human) souls is stinginess. But if you do good and fear Allah—then indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted.’” [ أبو داوٗد، النکاح، باب في القسم بین النساء : ۲۱۳۵، و قال الألباني حسن صحیح ]
➎ { وَ اللّٰهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِيْ قُلُوْبِكُمْ :} In this, there is an address to the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as well as to all believers, that the concessions Allah has given His Prophet in view of his great responsibilities, so that he may perform the duty of calling (to Allah) in peace, free from domestic worries—if there is acceptance and contentment or dislike and rejection in your hearts regarding this, Allah knows everything. Therefore, the people of faith must strictly avoid even the slightest ill thought regarding the Messenger.
➏ { وَ كَانَ اللّٰهُ عَلِيْمًا حَلِيْمًا:} That is, Allah always has complete knowledge of everything, but His forbearance is also limitless, so He does not immediately seize you for any mistake, rather He gives you the opportunity to reform yourselves.
➋ { وَ مَنِ ابْتَغَيْتَ مِمَّنْ عَزَلْتَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكَ :} The third concession is that if you have ended the turn of any of them and wish to call her again, there is no harm upon you in this either.
➌ { ذٰلِكَ اَدْنٰۤى اَنْ تَقَرَّ اَعْيُنُهُنَّ … :} The purpose of waiving the rights of the wives was to remove hardship from both the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his wives. Removing hardship from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is obvious; removing hardship from the wives is in the sense that when each of them knows that on the day of a certain turn, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) spending the night with her is not her right, then their disputes and quarrels with each other and with you will automatically end, because the basis of disputes is the claim of rights. When there is no right, then what is the quarrel about? Then, when you go to any wife, with the feeling that it was not necessary for you to go to her by Allah’s command, she will be happy with your coming and her eyes will be cooled, and knowing that your not coming is by Allah’s command and permission, she will not be grieved, and whatever time or attention you give to your wives, all will be pleased with it and grateful.
➍ Note that despite these concessions from Allah, you did not avail yourself of them; nor did you marry any woman who offered herself to you, nor did you end the turn of any wife. Only Sawdah (may Allah be pleased with her) gave her turn to Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), and you permitted it. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to visit all his other wives in turn. The extent to which you observed this is evident from these hadiths:
(1) Mu’adhah ‘Adawiyyah narrated from Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that after the revelation of this verse: « تُرْجِيْ مَنْ تَشَآءُ مِنْهُنَّ وَ تُـْٔوِيْۤ اِلَيْكَ مَنْ تَشَآءُ» (You may defer whomever you wish among them and give a place to whomever you wish), even then, when you were with any of us on her turn, you would seek permission from us. [ بخاري، التفسیر، باب قولہ : «ترجي من تشاء منھن…» : ۴۷۸۹ ] It is mentioned in Fath al-Bari, meaning that if you wished to go to another wife on the day of one’s turn, you would seek her permission.
(2) Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates: “When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) wanted to go on a journey, he would draw lots among his wives, then whoever’s lot came out, he would take her with him, and he would stay one day and night with each wife in turn, except Sawdah bint Zam’ah (may Allah be pleased with her), for she had given her turn to Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), by which she sought the pleasure of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).” [ بخاري، الھبۃ، باب ھبۃ المرأۃ لغیر زوجھا… : ۲۵۹۳ ]
(3) Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates: “When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) became heavy (due to illness) and his illness became severe, he sought permission from his other wives to spend the days of his illness in my house, and they gave him permission.” [ بخاري، الھبۃ، باب ہبۃ الرجل لامرأتہ والمرأۃ لزوجھا : ۲۵۸۸ ]
(4) ‘Urwah (may Allah have mercy on him) says that Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said to him: “My nephew! The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not give preference to any of us over another in the division of staying, and rarely would a day pass except that he would visit all of us and stay with each one without intimacy, until he reached the wife whose turn it was and spent the night with her. When Sawdah (may Allah be pleased with her) became old and feared that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would separate from her, she said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! I have given my turn to Aishah.’ So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) accepted it from her.” She says: “We used to say that this verse was revealed about her and women like her: « وَ اِنِ امْرَاَةٌ خَافَتْ مِنْۢ بَعْلِهَا نُشُوْزًا اَوْ اِعْرَاضًا فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِمَاۤ اَنْ يُّصْلِحَا بَيْنَهُمَا صُلْحًا وَ الصُّلْحُ خَيْرٌ وَ اُحْضِرَتِ الْاَنْفُسُ الشُّحَّ وَ اِنْ تُحْسِنُوْا وَ تَتَّقُوْا فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُوْنَ خَبِيْرًا » [ النساء : ۱۲۸ ] ‘And if a woman fears from her husband any ill-treatment or aversion, there is no sin upon them if they make terms of settlement between them, and settlement is best. And present in (human) souls is stinginess. But if you do good and fear Allah—then indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted.’” [ أبو داوٗد، النکاح، باب في القسم بین النساء : ۲۱۳۵، و قال الألباني حسن صحیح ]
➎ { وَ اللّٰهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِيْ قُلُوْبِكُمْ :} In this, there is an address to the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as well as to all believers, that the concessions Allah has given His Prophet in view of his great responsibilities, so that he may perform the duty of calling (to Allah) in peace, free from domestic worries—if there is acceptance and contentment or dislike and rejection in your hearts regarding this, Allah knows everything. Therefore, the people of faith must strictly avoid even the slightest ill thought regarding the Messenger.
➏ { وَ كَانَ اللّٰهُ عَلِيْمًا حَلِيْمًا:} That is, Allah always has complete knowledge of everything, but His forbearance is also limitless, so He does not immediately seize you for any mistake, rather He gives you the opportunity to reform yourselves.
