Surah Al-Ahzaab (33) — Ayah 6

(Ayah 6) ➊ { اَلنَّبِيُّ اَوْلٰى بِالْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ مِنْ اَنْفُسِهِمْ :} In the previous verses, there was a command to call adopted sons by the names of their (biological) fathers, which included calling Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) Zayd bin Harithah instead of Zayd bin Muhammad. Therefore, it was necessary to clarify the relationship of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with the Muslims, so that, seeing the emphasis on attribution to the father, one should not consider the father’s relationship more important than the Prophet’s relationship, because the relationship you have with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is not only that of a father, but is even closer than your own selves.

➋ In {’’ اَلنَّبِيُّ ‘‘}, the alif-lam is for specification, so it has been translated as “this Prophet.”

➌ The meaning of {’’ اَوْلٰى ‘‘} is also {’’أَقْرَبُ‘‘} (closer) and {’’أَحَقُّ‘‘} (more entitled). Here, if the meaning is taken as {’’أَقْرَبُ‘‘}, then it means that no relative’s closeness to a person is as much as the closeness of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to the believers. This closeness refers to the closeness of relationship, not physical proximity, such that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is physically closer to every believer than his own self at all times. Rather, just as all relatives, wherever they may be, maintain their genealogical closeness and relationship, similarly, wherever a believer may be, the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) relationship with him is closer than all his relatives, even his own self. Because his relatives, even his own self, can sometimes harm him, whereas the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is always a source of goodness for the believers. However, here the meaning of { ’’أَحَقُّ‘‘} is more appropriate, and in fact, by {’’أَقْرَبُ‘‘} is also meant {’’أَحَقُّ‘‘} (more entitled), that is, due to this closeness, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is more entitled, because immediately after this, the same word is used regarding relatives: «{ وَ اُولُوا الْاَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ اَوْلٰى بِبَعْضٍ }» meaning, relatives are more entitled to one another. The meaning is that the right of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) over a person is greater than that of all his relatives, even his own self. Shah Abdul Qadir writes: “The Prophet is the deputy of Allah; a person does not have as much authority over his own life and wealth as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) does. It is not permissible to throw oneself into blazing fire, but if the Prophet commands, then it is obligatory.” (Mawduh) Later in this surah, it is said: «{ وَ مَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ وَّ لَا مُؤْمِنَةٍ اِذَا قَضَى اللّٰهُ وَ رَسُوْلُهٗۤ اَمْرًا اَنْ يَّكُوْنَ لَهُمُ الْخِيَرَةُ مِنْ اَمْرِهِمْ وَ مَنْ يَّعْصِ اللّٰهَ وَ رَسُوْلَهٗ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلٰلًا مُّبِيْنًا }» [ الأحزاب : ۳۶ ] “And it is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, that they should have any choice in their affair. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly gone astray, a clear going astray.”

Included in being more entitled than one’s own self is that the Prophet’s command should be obeyed even more than one’s own self. On one side is the demand of any person in the world, even one’s own self, and on the other side is the command of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), so his command should be given preference, and also that one should love the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) more than one’s own self. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ وَالَّذِيْ نَفْسِيْ بِيَدِهِ! لاَ يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتّٰی أَكُوْنَ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ وَالِدِهِ وَ وَلَدِهِ وَ النَّاسِ أَجْمَعِيْنَ ] [ بخاري، الإیمان، باب حب الرسول صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم من الإیمان : ۱۴، ۱۵، عن أبي ھریرۃ رضی اللہ عنہ ] “By Him in Whose hand is my soul! None of you truly believes until I am more beloved to him than his father, his children, and all people.” Once, Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “O Messenger of Allah! You are more beloved to me than everything except my own self.” So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ لاَ وَالَّذِيْ نَفْسِيْ بِيَدِهِ! حَتّٰی أَكُوْنَ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ ] “No (O Umar!), by Him in Whose hand is my soul, not until I am more beloved to you than your own self.” So Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: [ فَإِنَّهُ الْآنَ، وَاللّٰهِ ! لَأَنْتَ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ نَفْسِيْ ] “Now, by Allah, you are more beloved to me than my own self.” So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ اَلْآنَ يَا عُمَرُ! ] “Now, O Umar!” [ بخاري، الأیمان والنذور، باب کیف کانت یمین النبي صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ؟ : ۶۶۳۲ ] Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) has narrated this hadith in the commentary of this verse, that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ مَا مِنْ مُؤْمِنٍ إِلاَّ وَأَنَا أَوْلٰی بِهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، اقْرَءُ وْا إِنْ شِئْتُمْ : «{ اَلنَّبِيُّ اَوْلٰى بِالْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ مِنْ اَنْفُسِهِمْ }» [الأحزاب : ۶] [بخاري، الاستقراض، باب الصلاۃ علی من ترک دینا : ۲۳۹۹، عن أبي ہریرۃ رضی اللہ عنہ ] “Whoever is a believer, I am more entitled to him in this world and the Hereafter, or I am the closest to him. If you wish, recite this verse: « اَلنَّبِيُّ اَوْلٰى بِالْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ مِنْ اَنْفُسِهِمْ » So, whoever among the believers leaves behind wealth, his ‘asabah will inherit it, whoever they may be, and whoever leaves behind a debt or dependents, let them come to me, for I am his guardian.”

➍ { وَ اَزْوَاجُهٗۤ اُمَّهٰتُهُمْ:} Due to this special characteristic of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned above, another characteristic is that the Muslims’ so-called mothers are not their mothers in any sense, but the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) are their mothers. Being mothers means they are to be honored and respected, and that after the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) passing, it is not permissible to marry them. In other rulings, such as seclusion, hijab, marriage to their children, etc., they are not like one’s own mother.

➎ { وَ اُولُوا الْاَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ اَوْلٰى بِبَعْضٍ فِيْ كِتٰبِ اللّٰهِ … :} When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) migrated to Madinah, for the settlement and economic needs of the Muhajirun, he made one Muhajir and one Ansari brothers to each other; this is called mu’akhat (brotherhood). This brotherhood became so strong that they were made heirs and guardians of each other. Upon death, the inheritance of a Muhajir would go to his Ansari brother instead of his relatives, and the inheritance of an Ansari would go to the Muhajir. In this verse of Surah Al-Ahzab, reference is made to the abrogation of this. See Surah Al-Anfal (72–74). The relevance of mentioning it here is that by merely saying so, no one becomes a mother, son, or brother, so now the brothers of closer relation are more entitled to inheritance, not those who became brothers due to alliance or the contract of mu’akhat.

➏ { اِلَّاۤ اَنْ تَفْعَلُوْۤا اِلٰۤى اَوْلِيٰٓىِٕكُمْ مَّعْرُوْفًا :} That is, any act of kindness with your believing or Muhajir brothers, except inheritance, is permissible, such as treating them kindly in life, giving them gifts, or making a bequest for them up to a third after death—there is no harm in this.

➐ { كَانَ ذٰلِكَ فِي الْكِتٰبِ مَسْطُوْرًا:} That is, in the Preserved Tablet, the original ruling is this, although people had made it a custom to make others heirs, but Allah Almighty knew that this would be abrogated, so He abrogated it and restored the original ruling. Or it means that this ruling has already been written in the Book of Allah, i.e., the Noble Qur’an, because this ruling was revealed in Surah Al-Anfal (72–74), which was revealed before Surah Al-Ahzab. (Ibn Ashur)