سُوْرَةُ التَّحْرِيْمِ
Surah At-Tahrim (66) — Ayah 3
وَإِذْ أَسَرَّ ٱلنَّبِىُّ إِلَىٰ بَعْضِ أَزْوَٰجِهِۦ حَدِيثًا فَلَمَّا نَبَّأَتْ بِهِۦ وَأَظْهَرَهُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ عَرَّفَ بَعْضَهُۥ وَأَعْرَضَ عَنۢ بَعْضٍ ۖ فَلَمَّا نَبَّأَهَا بِهِۦ قَالَتْ مَنْ أَنۢبَأَكَ هَـٰذَا ۖ قَالَ نَبَّأَنِىَ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ٱلْخَبِيرُ ﴿3﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And (remember) when the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) disclosed a matter in confidence to one of his wives (Hafsah), then she told it (to another i.e. ‘Âishah). And Allâh made it known to him; he informed part thereof and left a part. Then when he told her (Hafsah) thereof, she said: "Who told you this?" He said: "The All-Knower, the All-Aware (Allâh) has told me."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَإِذْ
wa-idh
And when
أَسَرَّ
asarra
confided
ٱلنَّبِىُّ
l-nabiyu
the Prophet
إِلَىٰ
ilā
to
بَعْضِ
baʿḍi
one
أَزْوَٰجِهِۦ
azwājihi
(of) his wives
حَدِيثًۭا
ḥadīthan
a statement
فَلَمَّا
falammā
and when
نَبَّأَتْ
nabba-at
she informed
بِهِۦ
bihi
about it
وَأَظْهَرَهُ
wa-aẓharahu
and made it apparent
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
عَلَيْهِ
ʿalayhi
to him
عَرَّفَ
ʿarrafa
he made known
بَعْضَهُۥ
baʿḍahu
a part of it
وَأَعْرَضَ
wa-aʿraḍa
and avoided
عَنۢ
ʿan
[of]
بَعْضٍۢ ۖ
baʿḍin
a part
فَلَمَّا
falammā
Then when
نَبَّأَهَا
nabba-ahā
he informed her
بِهِۦ
bihi
about it
قَالَتْ
qālat
she said
مَنْ
man
Who
أَنۢبَأَكَ
anba-aka
informed you
هَـٰذَا ۖ
hādhā
this
قَالَ
qāla
He said
نَبَّأَنِىَ
nabba-aniya
Has informed me
ٱلْعَلِيمُ
l-ʿalīmu
the All-Knower
ٱلْخَبِيرُ
l-khabīru
the All-Aware
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.
When the Prophet confided a matter in secret to one of his wives, and she disclosed it (to another), and Allah made it known to him, he made known part of it and overlooked a part. Then when he informed her about it, she said, "Who told you this?" He said, "I was informed by the All-Knowing, the All-Aware."
[4]
The Prophet ﷺ Being Informed of the Disclosure of the Secret Through Revelation:
The Prophet ﷺ spoke to Sayyidah Hafsah ؓ and said that he would never again drink honey at the house of Zainab ؓ, and at the same time, he emphasized that she should not tell anyone about this. The purpose of the Prophet ﷺ saying this was that if his words reached Sayyidah Zainab ؓ, her heart would be saddened. However, Sayyidah Hafsah ؓ did not fulfill the covenant of secrecy. She did not tell this to Sayyidah Zainab ؓ, but she did tell Sayyidah Aishah ؓ, and when a secret is passed from one person to another, it continues to spread further. Thus, Allah Almighty informed His Prophet of the disclosure of this secret through revelation.
[5]
The Conversation of the Prophet ﷺ with Sayyidah Hafsah ؓ:
From this phrase, it is understood that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not tell Sayyidah Hafsah ؓ only this secret, but also told her something else. When he learned through revelation that the secret had been disclosed, he asked Sayyidah Hafsah ؓ about one of those matters, "Did you disclose this matter?" and did not mention the other matter. Some commentators say that the second matter was that after me, the father of Aishah ؓ will be the caliph, and after him, your father, and he wanted to keep this matter secret so that it would not be unnecessarily discussed and some people would not take offense. ﴿والله اعلم بالصواب﴾ Since Sayyidah Hafsah ؓ had also been discreet in disclosing this secret, she asked in astonishment, "How did you find out? Who told you?" In reply, the Prophet ﷺ said: "The same Being informed me, Who knows all things and is fully aware of everything."
[4]
The Prophet ﷺ Being Informed of the Disclosure of the Secret Through Revelation:
The Prophet ﷺ spoke to Sayyidah Hafsah ؓ and said that he would never again drink honey at the house of Zainab ؓ, and at the same time, he emphasized that she should not tell anyone about this. The purpose of the Prophet ﷺ saying this was that if his words reached Sayyidah Zainab ؓ, her heart would be saddened. However, Sayyidah Hafsah ؓ did not fulfill the covenant of secrecy. She did not tell this to Sayyidah Zainab ؓ, but she did tell Sayyidah Aishah ؓ, and when a secret is passed from one person to another, it continues to spread further. Thus, Allah Almighty informed His Prophet of the disclosure of this secret through revelation.
[5]
The Conversation of the Prophet ﷺ with Sayyidah Hafsah ؓ:
From this phrase, it is understood that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not tell Sayyidah Hafsah ؓ only this secret, but also told her something else. When he learned through revelation that the secret had been disclosed, he asked Sayyidah Hafsah ؓ about one of those matters, "Did you disclose this matter?" and did not mention the other matter. Some commentators say that the second matter was that after me, the father of Aishah ؓ will be the caliph, and after him, your father, and he wanted to keep this matter secret so that it would not be unnecessarily discussed and some people would not take offense. ﴿والله اعلم بالصواب﴾ Since Sayyidah Hafsah ؓ had also been discreet in disclosing this secret, she asked in astonishment, "How did you find out? Who told you?" In reply, the Prophet ﷺ said: "The same Being informed me, Who knows all things and is fully aware of everything."
