سُوْرَةُ الْاَحْزَابِ
Surah Al-Ahzaab (33) — Ayah 6
ٱلنَّبِىُّ أَوْلَىٰ بِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ ۖ وَأَزْوَٰجُهُۥٓ أُمَّهَـٰتُهُمْ ۗ وَأُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلَىٰ بِبَعْضٍ فِى كِتَـٰبِ ٱللَّهِ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُهَـٰجِرِينَ إِلَّآ أَن تَفْعَلُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰٓ أَوْلِيَآئِكُم مَّعْرُوفًا ۚ كَانَ ذَٰلِكَ فِى ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ مَسْطُورًا ﴿6﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
The Prophet is closer to the believers than their ownselves, and his wives are their (believers’) mothers (as regards respect and marriage). And blood relations among each other have closer personal ties in the Decree of Allâh (regarding inheritance) than (the brotherhood of) the believers and the Muhâjirûn (emigrants from Makkah), except that you do kindness to those brothers (when the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم joined them in brotherhood ties). This has been written in the (Allâh’s Book of Divine) Decrees - (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfûz)."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
ٱلنَّبِىُّ
al-nabiyu
The Prophet
أَوْلَىٰ
awlā
(is) closer
بِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
bil-mu'minīna
to the believers
مِنْ
min
than
أَنفُسِهِمْ ۖ
anfusihim
their own selves
وَأَزْوَٰجُهُۥٓ
wa-azwājuhu
and his wives
أُمَّهَـٰتُهُمْ ۗ
ummahātuhum
(are) their mothers
وَأُو۟لُوا۟
wa-ulū
And possessors
ٱلْأَرْحَامِ
l-arḥāmi
(of) relationships
بَعْضُهُمْ
baʿḍuhum
some of them
أَوْلَىٰ
awlā
(are) closer
بِبَعْضٍۢ
bibaʿḍin
to another
فِى
fī
in
كِتَـٰبِ
kitābi
(the) Decree
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
مِنَ
mina
than
ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
l-mu'minīna
the believers
وَٱلْمُهَـٰجِرِينَ
wal-muhājirīna
and the emigrants
إِلَّآ
illā
except
أَن
an
that
تَفْعَلُوٓا۟
tafʿalū
you do
إِلَىٰٓ
ilā
to
أَوْلِيَآئِكُم
awliyāikum
your friends
مَّعْرُوفًۭا ۚ
maʿrūfan
a kindness
كَانَ
kāna
That is
ذَٰلِكَ
dhālika
That is
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ
l-kitābi
the Book
مَسْطُورًۭا
masṭūran
written
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.
The Prophet is closer to the believers than their own selves [8], and his wives are their mothers [9]. Blood relatives are more entitled (to inheritance) from one another according to the Book of Allah than the believers and the emigrants, except that you may do some good for your friends [10]. This is written in the Book of Allah [11].
[8]
The Prophet is More Well-Wishing to the Believers Than Their Own Selves:
This verse also has two meanings. One meaning is that you yourselves cannot be as well-wishing for yourselves as the Prophet is for you. This too has two aspects: one religious, the other worldly. From a religious perspective, the entire Ummah received guidance only through him, in which lies our worldly and hereafter success. He is our teacher as well as our nurturer; in this sense, he is the spiritual father and spiritual teacher of the entire Ummah. And in the worldly aspect, his utmost well-wishing is made clear by the following hadith. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah ؓ says that the Prophet ﷺ said: "For all the believers, I am the most entitled (and well-wishing) of all people in matters of this world and the Hereafter. Whoever among the believers leaves behind wealth at the time of death, his heirs are his relatives, whoever they may be. And if he leaves behind any debt or small children, they should come to me, for I am the one who will take care of them." [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير]
Faith is Not Complete Without Loving the Prophet ﷺ More Than All People:
And the logical demand of this utmost well-wishing is that all Muslims should also respect the Prophet more than all other people and obey him so that they may fully benefit from his teaching and nurturing. The following ahadith shed light on this aspect:
1. Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik ؓ narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said: "None of you can be a believer until I become more beloved to him than his children, his parents, and all people." [مسلم، کتاب الایمان۔ باب وجوب محبۃ رسول اللہ]
2. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar ؓ says that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "No person can be a believer until he makes his desires subservient to what I have brought." [شرح السنۃ۔ بحوالہ مشکوٰۃ۔ کتاب الاعتصام بالکتاب والسنہ۔ فصل ثانی]
3. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Hisham narrates: We were with the Prophet ﷺ and he was holding the hand of Sayyiduna Umar ؓ. Sayyiduna Umar ؓ said: "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, you are more beloved to me than everything except my own self." The Prophet ﷺ said: "By Him in Whose hand is my soul, you cannot be a believer until I become more beloved to you than your own self." Sayyiduna Umar ؓ said: "By Allah! Now you are more beloved to me than my own self." The Prophet ﷺ said: "Now, O Umar!" (i.e., now you are a true Muslim) [بخاری۔ کتاب الایمان والنذور۔ باب کیف کان یمین النبی]
[9] When the Prophet is the spiritual father, then his wives are the spiritual mothers. Or, when the Prophet's wives are the mothers of the Ummah, then the Prophet is their father. But the wives of the Prophet ﷺ are mothers of the Ummah only in terms of respect, and no one can marry them after the Prophet's ﷺ demise, and the rest of the rulings remain as they are. For example, they will observe proper veiling from the believers, and the believers will consider them as strangers, nor can they claim inheritance from any member of the Ummah, etc.
[10]
Brotherhood and Inheritance:
When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and other Muslims migrated to Madinah, a very important issue was the settlement and livelihood of the emigrants, which was an urgent matter for the newly established Muslim state. The Prophet ﷺ handled this delicate issue with great wisdom. He paired each emigrant (Muhajir) with an Ansari, making the Ansari responsible for the settlement and livelihood of the Muhajir. The Ansar accepted this responsibility with great generosity. This process is called Mu’akhat (brotherhood). The Prophet ﷺ, in three gatherings at the house of Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik ؓ, made about forty-three emigrants brothers to an equal number of Ansar at different times. In this way, the issue of settlement and livelihood of the emigrants was temporarily resolved. Then this brotherhood reached such a level that they were made heirs and guardians of each other. The inheritance of a Muhajir would go to his Ansari brother, and that of an Ansari to his Muhajir brother. Then, when the economic condition of the Muslims improved somewhat, this temporary law was abolished and the real heirs were declared to be the close relatives. However, apart from the right of inheritance, better treatment with these brothers through other means was permitted. For example, a person could make a will in their favor, provide financial assistance and gifts during his lifetime, and give presents.
[11] That is, making the brothers of Mu’akhat heirs of each other was a temporary law. The permanent law of Shariah is that the rightful heirs are only the relatives.
[8]
The Prophet is More Well-Wishing to the Believers Than Their Own Selves:
This verse also has two meanings. One meaning is that you yourselves cannot be as well-wishing for yourselves as the Prophet is for you. This too has two aspects: one religious, the other worldly. From a religious perspective, the entire Ummah received guidance only through him, in which lies our worldly and hereafter success. He is our teacher as well as our nurturer; in this sense, he is the spiritual father and spiritual teacher of the entire Ummah. And in the worldly aspect, his utmost well-wishing is made clear by the following hadith. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah ؓ says that the Prophet ﷺ said: "For all the believers, I am the most entitled (and well-wishing) of all people in matters of this world and the Hereafter. Whoever among the believers leaves behind wealth at the time of death, his heirs are his relatives, whoever they may be. And if he leaves behind any debt or small children, they should come to me, for I am the one who will take care of them." [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير]
Faith is Not Complete Without Loving the Prophet ﷺ More Than All People:
And the logical demand of this utmost well-wishing is that all Muslims should also respect the Prophet more than all other people and obey him so that they may fully benefit from his teaching and nurturing. The following ahadith shed light on this aspect:
1. Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik ؓ narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said: "None of you can be a believer until I become more beloved to him than his children, his parents, and all people." [مسلم، کتاب الایمان۔ باب وجوب محبۃ رسول اللہ]
2. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar ؓ says that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "No person can be a believer until he makes his desires subservient to what I have brought." [شرح السنۃ۔ بحوالہ مشکوٰۃ۔ کتاب الاعتصام بالکتاب والسنہ۔ فصل ثانی]
3. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Hisham narrates: We were with the Prophet ﷺ and he was holding the hand of Sayyiduna Umar ؓ. Sayyiduna Umar ؓ said: "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, you are more beloved to me than everything except my own self." The Prophet ﷺ said: "By Him in Whose hand is my soul, you cannot be a believer until I become more beloved to you than your own self." Sayyiduna Umar ؓ said: "By Allah! Now you are more beloved to me than my own self." The Prophet ﷺ said: "Now, O Umar!" (i.e., now you are a true Muslim) [بخاری۔ کتاب الایمان والنذور۔ باب کیف کان یمین النبی]
[9] When the Prophet is the spiritual father, then his wives are the spiritual mothers. Or, when the Prophet's wives are the mothers of the Ummah, then the Prophet is their father. But the wives of the Prophet ﷺ are mothers of the Ummah only in terms of respect, and no one can marry them after the Prophet's ﷺ demise, and the rest of the rulings remain as they are. For example, they will observe proper veiling from the believers, and the believers will consider them as strangers, nor can they claim inheritance from any member of the Ummah, etc.
[10]
Brotherhood and Inheritance:
When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and other Muslims migrated to Madinah, a very important issue was the settlement and livelihood of the emigrants, which was an urgent matter for the newly established Muslim state. The Prophet ﷺ handled this delicate issue with great wisdom. He paired each emigrant (Muhajir) with an Ansari, making the Ansari responsible for the settlement and livelihood of the Muhajir. The Ansar accepted this responsibility with great generosity. This process is called Mu’akhat (brotherhood). The Prophet ﷺ, in three gatherings at the house of Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik ؓ, made about forty-three emigrants brothers to an equal number of Ansar at different times. In this way, the issue of settlement and livelihood of the emigrants was temporarily resolved. Then this brotherhood reached such a level that they were made heirs and guardians of each other. The inheritance of a Muhajir would go to his Ansari brother, and that of an Ansari to his Muhajir brother. Then, when the economic condition of the Muslims improved somewhat, this temporary law was abolished and the real heirs were declared to be the close relatives. However, apart from the right of inheritance, better treatment with these brothers through other means was permitted. For example, a person could make a will in their favor, provide financial assistance and gifts during his lifetime, and give presents.
[11] That is, making the brothers of Mu’akhat heirs of each other was a temporary law. The permanent law of Shariah is that the rightful heirs are only the relatives.
