سُوْرَةُ الْاَحْزَابِ
Surah Al-Ahzaab (33) — Ayah 32
يَـٰنِسَآءَ ٱلنَّبِىِّ لَسْتُنَّ كَأَحَدٍ مِّنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ ۚ إِنِ ٱتَّقَيْتُنَّ فَلَا تَخْضَعْنَ بِٱلْقَوْلِ فَيَطْمَعَ ٱلَّذِى فِى قَلْبِهِۦ مَرَضٌ وَقُلْنَ قَوْلًا مَّعْرُوفًا ﴿32﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
O wives of the Prophet! You are not like any other women. If you keep your duty (to Allâh), then be not soft in speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease (of hypocrisy, or evil desire for adultery) should be moved with desire, but speak in an honourable manner.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
يَـٰنِسَآءَ
yānisāa
O wives
ٱلنَّبِىِّ
l-nabiyi
(of) the Prophet
لَسْتُنَّ
lastunna
You are not
كَأَحَدٍۢ
ka-aḥadin
like anyone
مِّنَ
mina
among
ٱلنِّسَآءِ ۚ
l-nisāi
the women
إِنِ
ini
If
ٱتَّقَيْتُنَّ
ittaqaytunna
you fear (Allah)
فَلَا
falā
then (do) not
تَخْضَعْنَ
takhḍaʿna
be soft
بِٱلْقَوْلِ
bil-qawli
in speech
فَيَطْمَعَ
fayaṭmaʿa
lest should be moved with desire
ٱلَّذِى
alladhī
he who
فِى
fī
in
قَلْبِهِۦ
qalbihi
his heart
مَرَضٌۭ
maraḍun
(is) a disease
وَقُلْنَ
waqul'na
but say
قَوْلًۭا
qawlan
a word
مَّعْرُوفًۭا
maʿrūfan
appropriate
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
32. O wives of the Prophet! You are not like any other women [45]. If you fear Allah, then do not be soft in speech [46] (when talking to men), lest he in whose heart is a disease should be moved with desire, but speak in an appropriate manner.
[45]
Commands for the Elimination of Immorality from Society:
From the previous two verses, in fact, a program for the purification of society from immoralities is being given. At the beginning of this, two things have been especially taken into consideration: firstly, its commencement has been made from the household of the Prophet; secondly, the mention of the manifest immorality (i.e., adultery) has been made first. After this, now the series of commands for the prevention of adultery is beginning, and in this, it has been especially clarified at the outset that your case is not like that of ordinary women. Rather, the consequences of your character are far-reaching. Therefore, you must fully act upon these commands. People will consider your every action as a proof and will present it as such.
[46]
Restriction on the Voice:
Until before the Battle of Ahzab, the state of Arab society was such that even Muslim women would roam about unveiled with their full adornment and makeup. There was no restriction on the entry of non-mahram men into Muslim households either. The pure wives of the Prophet also used to go out of their homes in the same way as other women. For the reformation of this unveiled society, first of all, a restriction was placed on mutual conversation and voice between non-mahram men and women, and in this command, the wives of the Prophet were especially addressed because people often needed to ask them about religious matters and issues. Thus, they were commanded that their voice should not be sweet and melodious, but rather rough and reasonably loud. They should never speak in a subdued tone that carries a soft undertone. A melodious and sweet voice in itself is a disease of the heart. Then, if the listener already has such an ailment in his heart, he will, from this pleasant conversation alone, begin to harbor many wrong kinds of thoughts and imaginations in his heart. Although, in terms of the context, its meaning is as stated above, nevertheless, this command is general. And the fundamental restriction on a woman's voice is that non-mahram men should not be able to hear her voice. Also, her voice should not have softness, melody, coquettishness, or sweetness. This is why a woman cannot give the adhan, or if the imam makes a mistake in congregational prayer, she can neither say Subhan Allah nor prompt him. Rather, she is commanded to clap, that is, to strike one hand on the other to produce a sound and thus alert him.
[45]
Commands for the Elimination of Immorality from Society:
From the previous two verses, in fact, a program for the purification of society from immoralities is being given. At the beginning of this, two things have been especially taken into consideration: firstly, its commencement has been made from the household of the Prophet; secondly, the mention of the manifest immorality (i.e., adultery) has been made first. After this, now the series of commands for the prevention of adultery is beginning, and in this, it has been especially clarified at the outset that your case is not like that of ordinary women. Rather, the consequences of your character are far-reaching. Therefore, you must fully act upon these commands. People will consider your every action as a proof and will present it as such.
[46]
Restriction on the Voice:
Until before the Battle of Ahzab, the state of Arab society was such that even Muslim women would roam about unveiled with their full adornment and makeup. There was no restriction on the entry of non-mahram men into Muslim households either. The pure wives of the Prophet also used to go out of their homes in the same way as other women. For the reformation of this unveiled society, first of all, a restriction was placed on mutual conversation and voice between non-mahram men and women, and in this command, the wives of the Prophet were especially addressed because people often needed to ask them about religious matters and issues. Thus, they were commanded that their voice should not be sweet and melodious, but rather rough and reasonably loud. They should never speak in a subdued tone that carries a soft undertone. A melodious and sweet voice in itself is a disease of the heart. Then, if the listener already has such an ailment in his heart, he will, from this pleasant conversation alone, begin to harbor many wrong kinds of thoughts and imaginations in his heart. Although, in terms of the context, its meaning is as stated above, nevertheless, this command is general. And the fundamental restriction on a woman's voice is that non-mahram men should not be able to hear her voice. Also, her voice should not have softness, melody, coquettishness, or sweetness. This is why a woman cannot give the adhan, or if the imam makes a mistake in congregational prayer, she can neither say Subhan Allah nor prompt him. Rather, she is commanded to clap, that is, to strike one hand on the other to produce a sound and thus alert him.
