سُوْرَةُ الْمُجَادَلَةِ
Surah Al-Mujaadila (58) — Ayah 4
فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يَتَمَآسَّا ۖ فَمَن لَّمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَإِطْعَامُ سِتِّينَ مِسْكِينًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ لِتُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ ۚ وَتِلْكَ حُدُودُ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَلِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ﴿4﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And he who finds not (the money for freeing a slave) must fast two successive months before they both touch each other. And he who is unable to do so, should feed sixty Miskîns (poor). That is in order that you may have perfect Faith in Allâh and His Messenger. These are the limits set by Allâh. And for disbelievers, there is a painful torment.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَمَن
faman
Then whoever
لَّمْ
lam
(does) not
يَجِدْ
yajid
find
فَصِيَامُ
faṣiyāmu
then fasting
شَهْرَيْنِ
shahrayni
(for) two months
مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ
mutatābiʿayni
consecutively
مِن
min
before
قَبْلِ
qabli
before
أَن
an
[that]
يَتَمَآسَّا ۖ
yatamāssā
they both touch each other
فَمَن
faman
But (he) who
لَّمْ
lam
not
يَسْتَطِعْ
yastaṭiʿ
is able
فَإِطْعَامُ
fa-iṭ'ʿāmu
then (the) feeding
سِتِّينَ
sittīna
(of) sixty
مِسْكِينًۭا ۚ
mis'kīnan
needy one(s)
ذَٰلِكَ
dhālika
That
لِتُؤْمِنُوا۟
litu'minū
so that you may believe
بِٱللَّهِ
bil-lahi
in Allah
وَرَسُولِهِۦ ۚ
warasūlihi
and His Messenger
وَتِلْكَ
watil'ka
and these
حُدُودُ
ḥudūdu
(are the) limits
ٱللَّهِ ۗ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
وَلِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
walil'kāfirīna
and for the disbelievers
عَذَابٌ
ʿadhābun
(is) a punishment
أَلِيمٌ
alīmun
painful
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 4) ➊ {فَمَنْ لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ مِنْ قَبْلِ اَنْ يَّتَمَآسَّا:} From this it is understood that if one has the ability to free a neck, then the expiation cannot be fulfilled by fasting or feeding the poor.
➋ { فَمَنْ لَّمْ يَسْتَطِعْ:} Then, whoever does not have the ability to fast two consecutive months before touching (his wife), should feed sixty needy people. Whether the one who has done zihar is unable to fast consecutively due to weakness, or cannot be patient for so many days due to intense desire, both are included in {’’ فَمَنْ لَّمْ يَسْتَطِعْ ‘‘}, as Salamah bin Sakhr Al-Bayadhi (may Allah be pleased with him) called his wife his mother until the end of Ramadan, then one night he had intercourse with her and came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ حَرِّرْ رَقَبَةً ] "Free a neck." He struck his own neck and said: "By the One Who sent you with the truth! I have no neck except this one." The Prophet said: [ فَصُمْ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ ] "Then fast two consecutive months." He said: "It is because of fasting that this calamity has befallen me." The Prophet said: [ فَأَطْعِمْ وَ سَقًا مِنْ تَمْرٍ بَيْنَ سِتِّيْنَ مِسْكِيْنًا ] [ أبو داوٗد، کتاب الطلاق، باب في الظہار : ۲۲۱۳ ] "Then distribute a wasq of dates among sixty needy people."
➌ { فَاِطْعَامُ سِتِّيْنَ مِسْكِيْنًا:} From this it is understood that expiation will not be fulfilled by feeding one needy person for sixty days or by giving food for sixty days, rather, sixty needy people must be fed, whether all at once or at different times. According to the words of the verse, its straightforward meaning is that sixty needy people should be fed to their fill at one time. (Shawkani)
➍ { ذٰلِكَ لِتُؤْمِنُوْا بِاللّٰهِ وَ رَسُوْلِهٖ:} Belief in Allah and His Messenger means to have certainty in the truth of their commands and to act upon them, because faith includes affirmation, declaration, and action—all three.
➎ { وَ تِلْكَ حُدُوْدُ اللّٰهِ:} That is, the prohibition of zihar and the obligation of expiation upon returning from it are the limits set by Allah, which it is forbidden to transgress.
➏ { وَ لِلْكٰفِرِيْنَ عَذَابٌ اَلِيْمٌ: ’’اَلْكَافِرِيْنَ‘‘} The deniers. It is understood that those who do not accept the commands of Allah are, in reality, disbelievers, even if in worldly rulings and census they are counted among the Muslims.
➋ { فَمَنْ لَّمْ يَسْتَطِعْ:} Then, whoever does not have the ability to fast two consecutive months before touching (his wife), should feed sixty needy people. Whether the one who has done zihar is unable to fast consecutively due to weakness, or cannot be patient for so many days due to intense desire, both are included in {’’ فَمَنْ لَّمْ يَسْتَطِعْ ‘‘}, as Salamah bin Sakhr Al-Bayadhi (may Allah be pleased with him) called his wife his mother until the end of Ramadan, then one night he had intercourse with her and came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ حَرِّرْ رَقَبَةً ] "Free a neck." He struck his own neck and said: "By the One Who sent you with the truth! I have no neck except this one." The Prophet said: [ فَصُمْ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ ] "Then fast two consecutive months." He said: "It is because of fasting that this calamity has befallen me." The Prophet said: [ فَأَطْعِمْ وَ سَقًا مِنْ تَمْرٍ بَيْنَ سِتِّيْنَ مِسْكِيْنًا ] [ أبو داوٗد، کتاب الطلاق، باب في الظہار : ۲۲۱۳ ] "Then distribute a wasq of dates among sixty needy people."
➌ { فَاِطْعَامُ سِتِّيْنَ مِسْكِيْنًا:} From this it is understood that expiation will not be fulfilled by feeding one needy person for sixty days or by giving food for sixty days, rather, sixty needy people must be fed, whether all at once or at different times. According to the words of the verse, its straightforward meaning is that sixty needy people should be fed to their fill at one time. (Shawkani)
➍ { ذٰلِكَ لِتُؤْمِنُوْا بِاللّٰهِ وَ رَسُوْلِهٖ:} Belief in Allah and His Messenger means to have certainty in the truth of their commands and to act upon them, because faith includes affirmation, declaration, and action—all three.
➎ { وَ تِلْكَ حُدُوْدُ اللّٰهِ:} That is, the prohibition of zihar and the obligation of expiation upon returning from it are the limits set by Allah, which it is forbidden to transgress.
➏ { وَ لِلْكٰفِرِيْنَ عَذَابٌ اَلِيْمٌ: ’’اَلْكَافِرِيْنَ‘‘} The deniers. It is understood that those who do not accept the commands of Allah are, in reality, disbelievers, even if in worldly rulings and census they are counted among the Muslims.
