سُوْرَةُ الْمُجَادَلَةِ
Surah Al-Mujaadila (58) — Ayah 2
ٱلَّذِينَ يُظَـٰهِرُونَ مِنكُم مِّن نِّسَآئِهِم مَّا هُنَّ أُمَّهَـٰتِهِمْ ۖ إِنْ أُمَّهَـٰتُهُمْ إِلَّا ٱلَّـٰٓـِٔى وَلَدْنَهُمْ ۚ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَيَقُولُونَ مُنكَرًا مِّنَ ٱلْقَوْلِ وَزُورًا ۚ وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَعَفُوٌّ غَفُورٌ ﴿2﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Those among you who make their wives unlawful to them by (Zihâr الظهار) (i.e. by saying to them "You are like my mother’s back,") they cannot be their mothers. None can be their mothers except those who gave them birth. And verily, they utter an ill word and a lie. And verily, Allâh is Oft-Pardoning, Oft-Forgiving.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
Those who
يُظَـٰهِرُونَ
yuẓāhirūna
pronounce zihar
مِنكُم
minkum
among you
مِّن
min
[from]
نِّسَآئِهِم
nisāihim
(to) their wives
مَّا
mā
not
هُنَّ
hunna
they
أُمَّهَـٰتِهِمْ ۖ
ummahātihim
(are) their mothers
إِنْ
in
Not
أُمَّهَـٰتُهُمْ
ummahātuhum
(are) their mothers
إِلَّا
illā
except
ٱلَّـٰٓـِٔى
allāī
those who
وَلَدْنَهُمْ ۚ
waladnahum
gave them birth
وَإِنَّهُمْ
wa-innahum
And indeed, they
لَيَقُولُونَ
layaqūlūna
surely say
مُنكَرًۭا
munkaran
an evil
مِّنَ
mina
[of]
ٱلْقَوْلِ
l-qawli
[the] word
وَزُورًۭا ۚ
wazūran
and a lie
وَإِنَّ
wa-inna
But indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
لَعَفُوٌّ
laʿafuwwun
(is) surely, Oft-Pardoning
غَفُورٌۭ
ghafūrun
Oft-Forgiving
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.
Those among you who declare their wives to be as their mothers (by ẓihār) do not actually make them their mothers [2]. Their mothers are only those who gave birth to them. What they say is certainly detestable and false. And surely Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.
[2]
Neither Divorce Occurs Through Zihar Nor Does the Wife Become a Mother:
The reality is that merely saying so with the tongue does not make the wife a mother; rather, she remains a wife. This is because mothers are only those who gave birth to you. Now, when you call them (your wives) mother and actually consider them to be mothers, this is contrary to reality, contrary to the truth, and a false statement. It has nothing to do with reality. Allah, out of great mercy upon you, has ended this custom. And in the future, whoever refrains from such statements, Allah is also the One who forgives his past sins.
[2]
Neither Divorce Occurs Through Zihar Nor Does the Wife Become a Mother:
The reality is that merely saying so with the tongue does not make the wife a mother; rather, she remains a wife. This is because mothers are only those who gave birth to you. Now, when you call them (your wives) mother and actually consider them to be mothers, this is contrary to reality, contrary to the truth, and a false statement. It has nothing to do with reality. Allah, out of great mercy upon you, has ended this custom. And in the future, whoever refrains from such statements, Allah is also the One who forgives his past sins.
