Verse 33:51 | inQuran

English - Hazrat Molavi Sher Ali ^ra

O Prophet, We have made lawful to thee thy wives whom thou hast paid their dowries, and those whom thy right hand possesses from among those whom Allah has given thee as gains of war, and the daughters of thy paternal uncle, and the daughters of thy paternal aunts, and the daughters of thy maternal uncle, and the daughters of thy maternal aunts who have emigrated with thee, and any other believing woman if she offers herself for marriage to the Prophet provided the Prophet desires to marry her; this is only for thee, as against other believers — We have already made known what We have enjoined on them concerning their wives and those whom their right hands possess — in order that there may be no difficulty for thee in the discharge of thy work. And Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful.

English - Five Volume Translation

O Prophet, We have made lawful to thee thy wives whom thou hast paid their dowries, and those whom thy right hand possesses from among those whom Allah has given thee as gains of war, and the daughters of thy paternal uncle, and the daughters of thy paternal aunts, and the daughters of thy maternal uncle, and the daughters of thy maternal aunts who have migrated with thee and any other believing woman if she offers herself for marriage to the Prophet provided the Prophet desires to marry her; this provision is only for thee, as against other believers—We have already made known what We have enjoined on them concerning their wives and those whom their right hands possess—in order that there may be no difficulty for thee in the discharge of thy work. And Allah is Most For giving, Merciful.[3111]

Commentary:

This verse should be read along with vv. 29 and 30 above. In those verses the wives of the Holy Prophet were offered a choice between the companionship of the Holy Prophet and the material benefits and comforts of life, but they preferred the Prophet’s company. The present verse by implication refers to that reply of the Prophet’s consorts which is recorded in the books of history but expressly nowhere in the Quran. Till they gave their reply, the marital relations between them and the Holy Prophet remained, as it were, in a state of suspension. The verse shows that while the wives of the Holy Prophet preferred his company to material goods and amenities of life, he too had great consideration for their feelings, and though he was given the choice to retain such of them as he liked (v. 52) he did not exercise the choice and in deference to his wishes God permitted him in the present verse to retain all his wives.

The verse refers to three kinds of women whom the Holy Prophet could marry in addition to his already wedded wives: (1) Women who were taken prisoner in wars against Islam; (2) women who had migrated to Medina with the Holy Prophet, and (3) a woman who should offer herself for marriage to him. This shows that the Holy Prophet’s marriages were motivated by considerations other than sensuous gratification as his ignorant and mischievous critics try to depict. Those who had left their hearths and homes for the sake of Islam and those whose husbands had been killed in wars fighting in defence of Islam had special claim on the Holy Prophet’s consideration. It is in view of these considerations that he married most of his wives. He married Hafsah whose husband was killed in the Battle of Badr; Zainab bint Khuzaimah whose husband was killed in the Battle of Uhud; Ummi Salmah whose husband died in 4 A.H., and Ummi Habibah, daughter of Abu Sufyan, who became a widow in 5 or 6 A.H. (in exile in Abyssinia). He married Juwairiyyah and Safiyyah, both widows, in 5 A.H. and 7 A.H. respectively, seeking a union with and pacification of their tribes. It is worthy of note that a hundred families of the Banu Mustaliq were liberated by Muslims when the Holy Prophet married Juwairiyyah. Maimunah, another widow, it is said, offered herself to be taken in marriage by the Holy Prophet which offer he condescended to accept in the interest of the education and training of Muslim women. He married Zainab, the divorced wife of Zaid in 5 A.H. in order to put a stop to a foolish custom prevailing among the Arabs and in order also to assuage her wounded feelings as the respected lady had felt deeply humiliated at being divorced by Zaid. He married Mariah in 7 A.H., and thus by raising a freed slave girl to the highly eminent spiritual status of the "Mother of the Faithful", he gave a death blow to slavery. Such were the pious and righteous motives of our noble Master in marrying widows and divorced women, by no means noted for their youth or beauty, and yet his cruel and mean traducers vainly try to depict him as a person who was given to gratifying his carnal desires. They deliberately ignore the patent fact that up to the age of 25 he lived the spotless life of a celibate. Then in the prime of his youth he married a lady fifteen years his senior and lived with her a most happy life till he was an old man of fifty and she about sixty-five. After her death he married Saudah, another lady of a very advanced age. He married all his other wives, to which exception has been taken by evil-minded carpers, between 2 A.H. and 7 A.H., a period when he was constantly engaged in active fighting and his life was perpetually in danger and the fate of Islam itself hung in the balance. Could any sane person in such situation of danger and uncertainty conceive of contracting marriage after marriage from motives attributed to the Holy Prophet? After this he lived for about three years as virtual ruler of the whole of Arabia when all the comforts and amenities of life were at his disposal and yet he entered into no further marriage. Does not this fact alone establish the honesty and sincerity of the Holy Prophet’s motives in marrying his wives?

The words "if she entrusts herself to the Prophet" have been taken as specially referring to Maimunah who is reported to have offered herself to be taken into marriage by the Holy Prophet. The clause, "This provision is only for thee as against other believers," means that it was a special privilege of the Holy Prophet and was due to the special nature of his duties as a Divine Prophet. In fact, marriages of the Holy Prophet were dictated by much higher and nobler considerations than merely personal ones. The clause may also refer to the special permission granted to the Holy Prophet, to retain all his wives, after the commandment contained in 4:4 was revealed, limiting to four the number of wives allowed to Muslims at one time.

The words, "We have already made known what We have enjoined on them concerning their wives," refer to the commandment contained in 4:4.

English - Short Commentary Translation

O Prophet! We have made lawful to thee thy wives whom thou hast paid their dowries, and those whom thy right hand possesses from among those whom Allah has given thee as gains of war, and the daughters of thy paternal uncle, and the daughters of thy paternal aunts, and the daughters of thy maternal uncle, and the daughters of thy maternal aunts who have emigrated with thee and any other believing woman if she offers herself for marriage to the Prophet provided the Prophet desires to marry her; this provision is only for thee, and not for other believers— We have already made known what We have enjoined on them concerning their wives and those whom their right hands possess—in order that there may be no difficulty for thee in explaining the Law to them. And Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful.[2362]

اردو ترجمہ مرزا طاہر احمد خلیفة المسیح الرابعؒ

اے نبی! یقیناً ہم نے تجھ پر تیری وہ بیویاں حلال کر دی ہیں جن کے مہر تو اُنہیں دے چکا ہے اور وہ عورتیں بھی جو تیرے زیر نگیں ہیں یعنی جو اللہ نے تجھے غنیمت کے طور پر عطا کی ہیں اور تیرے چچا کی بیٹیاں اور تیری پھوپھیوں کی بیٹیاں اور تیرے ماموں کی بیٹیاں اور تیری خالاؤں کی بیٹیاں جنہوں نے تیرے ساتھ ہجرت کی ہے اور ہر مومن عورت اگر وہ اپنے آپ کو نبی کے حضور پیش کر دے بشرطیکہ نبی یہ پسند کرے کہ اس سے نکاح کرے۔ (یہ) مومنوں سے الگ خالصۃً تیرے لئے ہے۔ ہمیں علم ہے جو ہم نے ان کی بیویوں کے بارہ میں اور ان کے زیر نگیں عورتوں کے بارہ میں ان پر فرض کیا ہے۔ (یہ واضح کیا جا رہا ہے) تاکہ تجھ پر (اُن کے خیال سے) کوئی تنگی نہ رہے۔ اور اللہ بہت بخشنے والا (اور) بار بار رحم کرنے والا ہے۔

French

Ô Prophète, Nous avons rendu licites pour toi tes épouses à qui tu as payé leur dot, et celles que ta main droite possède d’entre celles qu’Allāh t’a accordées comme butin de guerre, et les filles de ton oncle paternel, et les filles de tes tantes paternelles, et les filles de ton oncle maternel, et les filles de tes tantes maternelles qui ont émigré avec toi, et n’importe quelle autre femme croyante si elle s’offreen mariage au Prophète, pourvu que le Prophète désire l’épouser ;ces dispositions sont pour toi seul et non pour les autres croyants. Nous avons déjà fait connaître ce que Nous leur avons enjoint concernant leurs épouses, et celles que leurs mains droites possèdent – afin qu’il n’y ait pour toi aucune difficulté pour ce qu’ils puissent penser. Et Allāh est Très-Pardonnant, Miséricordieux.

German

O Prophet, Wir erlaubten dir deine Gattinnen, denen du ihre Mitgift zu geben dich verpflichtet hast, und jene, die deine Rechte besitzt aus (der Zahl) derer, die Allah dir als Kriegsbeute gegeben, und die Töchter deines Vatersbruders, und die Töchter deiner Vaterschwestern, und die Töchter deines Mutterbruders, und die Töchter deiner Mutterschwestern, die mit dir ausgewandert sind, und jedwede gläubige Frau, wenn sie sich dem Propheten anvertraut, vorausgesetzt, dass der Prophet sie zu heiraten wünscht: (dies) nur für dich und nicht für die Gläubigen. Wir haben bereits bekanntgegeben, was Wir ihnen verordnet haben über ihre Frauen und jene, die ihre Rechte besitzt, so dass sich keine Schwierigkeit für dich ergäbe (in der Ausführung deines Werks). Und Allah ist allverzeihend, barmherzig.

Chinese

先知啊! 我把你已交付聘礼的妻子对你定为合法的, 同样地安拉作为战利品赐予你而在你手下所掌管的 (女战俘) 随你迁居的你叔伯的女儿、姑母的女儿、舅父的女儿、姨母的女儿和以身许嫁先知而先知也有意订娶的信仰女子, (对你也是合法的, 这个法令) 只是为你特别订立的, 其他信仰的人不能援例--------我知道我为他们 (信仰的人) 关于他们的妻子和他们手下掌握的女子所做的规定--------以便你 (在履行你的工作时) 不会有困难。安拉是最宽恕的, 永久仁慈的。

Italian

O profeta! Noi ti abbiamo reso lecite le tue mogli, per le quali avevi pagato la dote, e quelle che la tua mano destra possiede tra coloro che Allah ti aveva dato come bottino di guerra, e le figlie del tuo zio paterno, e le figlie delle tue zie paterne, e le figlie del tuo zio materno, e le figlie delle tue zie materne che sono emigrate con te e qualsiasi altra donna credente che si offra in matrimonio al profeta, ammesso che il profeta voglia sposarla; questo è solo per te, e non per altri credenti - Noi abbiamo già reso noto quanto abbiamo ingiunto loro a proposito delle loro mogli e di quelle che le loro mani destre possiedono - affinché non ci siano difficoltà per te nell'adempimento del tuo lavoro. E Allah è Colui che sommamente perdona, il Misericordioso.

Spanish

¡Oh, Profeta!, Te hemos hecho lícitas tus esposas, cuyas dotes has pagado, las que posee tu mano derecha de entre aquellas que Al‑lah te ha dado como ganancia de guerra, las hijas de tu tío paterno, las hijas de tus tías paternas, las hijas de tu tío materno y las hijas de tus tías maternas que han emigrado contigo, y cualquier otra mujer creyente si se ofrece en matrimonio al Profeta, a condición de que el Profeta desee casarse con ella: esto es sólo para ti, y no para otros creyentes- ya hemos dado a conocer lo que les hemos ordenado a ellos en cuanto a sus esposas y a as que poseen sus manos derechas- para que no haya dificultad para ti en el cumplimiento de tu tarea. Pues Al‑lah es el Sumo Indulgente, Misericordioso.

اردو تفسیرِ صغیر

اے نبی! تیری موجودہ بیویوں میں سے وہ جن کو تو نے ان کا حق مہر ادا کر دیا ہے ہم نے تیرے لئے حلال[1] کر دی ہیں۔ اسی طرح آئندہ [2]کے لئے وہ عورتیں جن کے مالک تیرے داہنے ہاتھ ہوئے ہیں جن کو اللہ تیرے قبضہ میں جنگ کے بعد لایا ہے اور اسی طرح تیرے چچے کی بیٹیاں اور تیری پھوپھی کی بیٹیاں اور تیرے ماموں کی بیٹیاں اور تیری خالاؤں کی بیٹیاں جنہوں نے تیرے ساتھ ہجرت کی ہے اور ایسی مومن عورت بھی جس نے اپنی جان کو نبی کے لئے ہبہ کر دیا۔ بشرطیکہ نبی اس سے نکاح کا ارادہ کرے[3]۔ یہ حکم خاص[4] تیرے لئے ہے۔ باقی مومنوں کے لئے نہیں ہم اس کو جو ہم نے ان (مسلمانوں) پر ان کی بیویوں کے متعلق اور ان کی لونڈیوں کے متعلق فرض کیا ہے خوب[5] جانتے ہیں۔ تا کہ تجھ پر کوئی ناواجب قید نہ ہو۔ اور اللہ بہت بخشنے والا (اور) باربار کرم کرنے والا ہے۔

بیویاں تو سب کی حلال ہوتی ہیں۔ پھر رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کی بیویوں کا ذکر اس جگہ کیوں کیا؟ اس کا جواب یہ ہے کہ اسی سورت کی آیت۲۹ میں فرمایا تھا کہ اے بیویو! اگر تمہارے دل میں دنیا کی خواہش ہے تو میں دنیا دے کر تم کو آزاد کر دیتا ہوں۔ اس طرح ان کا معاملہ معلق ہو گیا تھا۔ لیکن اس آیت کے اعلان کے بعد کسی ایک بیوی نے بھی نہیں کہا کہ مجھے دنیا دے کر چھوڑ دیں۔ جس سے معلوم ہوتا ہے کہ سب بیویوں کے دل میں دین کی خواہش تھی۔ دنیا کی خواہش نہیں تھی۔ اس آیت میں یہی بتایا گیا ہے کہ انہوں نے اپنے دل میں دنیا چھوڑنے اور رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کے ساتھ رہنے کا فیصلہ کر لیا ہے۔

یہ صرف اجازت ہے عملًا رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم نے اس اجازت سے فائدہ نہیں اٹھایا۔ اگر حضرت ماریہ قبطیہؓ کی مثال پیش کی جائے تو اس کا جواب یہ ہے کہ حضرت ماریہؓ اور گروہ میں سے ہیں۔ اس آیت میں جنگ میں پکڑی جانے والی عورتوں کا ذکر ہے اور حضرت ماریہؓ کو مقوقس مصر نے اپنے ملک کے رواج کے مطابق لونڈی کے طور پر تحفۃً رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کو بھیجا تھا۔ پس وہ اس آیت کے حکم سے باہر ہیں اور ان سے بھی رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کا نکاح ثابت ہے۔

اس آیت سے ظاہر ہے کہ وہ مخالف جو کہتے ہیں کہ رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم نے یہ حکم خاص طور پر اپنے لئے نازل کر لیا ہے درست نہیں کیونکہ اس آیت میں صاف لکھا ہے کہ یہ حکم تمام انبیاء کے لئے ہے۔ صرف محمد رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کے لئے نہیں۔ کیونکہ جہاں یہ فرمایا ہے کہ یہ حکم خاص تیرے لئے ہے وہاں آگے یہ بڑھا دیا ہے کہ مومنوں کے سوا۔ جس کے یہ معنے ہیں کہ مومنوں کے لئے یہ حکم نہیں۔ لیکن مومنوں کے سوا جو انبیاء ہیں ان کے لئے یہ حکم ہے خواہ وہ گذشتہ تھے یا آئندہ ہوں گے۔

ایسی کسی عورت سے رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم نے شادی نہیں کی۔ یہ سب احکام بطور اجازت ہیں۔ دشمن اعترض کرتا ہے کہ اپنے لئے خاص حکم آپ نے اتار لئے۔ لیکن رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم نے جب ان اجازتوں پر عمل ہی نہیں کیا تو دشمن کا منہ کالا ہو گیا اور اس کا یہ اعتراض باطل ہو گیا کہ اپنی خواہشات کے پورا کرنے کے لئے خاص مراعات قرآن کریم نے بیان کر دی ہیں۔ آیت نمبر۳ سے بھی ظاہر ہے کہ یہ حکم صرف بعض بیویوں کے متعلق رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کی نیک رائے ظاہر کرنے کے لئے ہے آپ کے لئے کوئی خاص راستہ کھولنے کے لئے نہیں۔

’’خوب جانتے ہیں‘‘ سے مراد یہ ہے کہ اس کو تجھ پر ظاہر بھی کر دیا ہے۔ چنانچہ فرمایا ’’تاکہ تجھ پر تنگی نہ ہو‘‘ یعنی مسئلہ بتاتے وقت یہ خیال نہ ہو کہ خداتعالیٰ کی مرضی معلوم نہیں۔

اردو ترجمہ مودودی

اے نبیؐ، ہم نے تمہارے لیے حلال کر دیں تمہاری وہ بیویاں جن کے مہر تم نے ادا کیے ہیں، اور وہ عورتیں جو اللہ کی عطا کردہ لونڈیوں میں سے تمہاری ملکیت میں آئیں، اور تمہاری وہ چچا زاد اور پھوپھی زاد اور ماموں زاد اور خالہ زاد بہنیں جنہوں نے تمہارے ساتھ ہجرت کی ہے، اور وہ مومن عورت جس نے اپنے آپ کو نبیؐ کے لیے ہبہ کیا ہو اگر نبیؐ اسے نکاح میں لینا چاہے یہ رعایت خالصۃً تمہارے لیے ہے، دوسرے مومنوں کے لیے نہیں ہے ہم کو معلوم ہے کہ عام مومنوں پر ان کی بیویوں اور لونڈیوں کے بارے میں ہم نے کیا حدود عائد کیے ہیں (تمہیں ان حدود سے ہم نے اس لیے مستثنیٰ کیا ہے) تاکہ تمہارے اوپر کوئی تنگی نہ رہے، اور اللہ غفور و رحیم ہے

English - Sahih

O Prophet, indeed We have made lawful to you your wives to whom you have given their due compensation and those your right hand possesses from what Allah has returned to you [of captives] and the daughters of your paternal uncles and the daughters of your paternal aunts and the daughters of your maternal uncles and the daughters of your maternal aunts who emigrated with you and a believing woman if she gives herself to the Prophet [and] if the Prophet wishes to marry her, [this is] only for you, excluding the [other] believers. We certainly know what We have made obligatory upon them concerning their wives and those their right hands possess, [but this is for you] in order that there will be upon you no discomfort. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.

اردو ترجمہ احمد علی

اے نبی ہم نے آپ کے لیے آپ کی بیویاں حلال کر دیں جن کے آپ مہر ادا کر چکے ہیں اور وہ عورتیں جو تمہاری مملومکہ ہیں جو الله نے آپ کو غنیمت میں دلوادی ہیں اور آپ کے چچا کی بیٹیاں اور آپ کی پھوپھیوں کی بیٹیاں اور آپ کے ماموں کی بیٹیاں اور آپ کے خالاؤں کی بیٹیاں جنہوں نے آپ کے ساتھ ہجرت کی اور اس مسلمان عورت کو بھی جو بلاعوض اپنے کوپیغمبر کو دے دے بشرطیکہ پیغمبر اس کو نکاح میں لانا چاہے یہ خالص آپ کے لیے ہے نہ اور مسلمانوں کے لیے ہمیں معلوم ہے جو کچھ ہم نے مسلمانو ں پر ان کی بیویوں اور لونڈیوں کے بارے میں مقرر کیا ہے تاکہ آپ پر کوئی دِقت نہ رہے اور الله معاف کرنے والا مہربان ہے

English - Talal Itani

O Prophet! Indeed, We [We] have made lawful to you your wives (to) whom you have given their bridal money and whom you rightfully possess from those (whom) Allah has given to you, and (the) daughters (of) your paternal uncles and (the) daughters (of) your paternal aunts and (the) daughters (of) your maternal uncles and (the) daughters (of) your maternal aunts who emigrated with you, and a woman believing if she gives herself to the Prophet if wishes the Prophet to marry her - only for you, excluding the believers. Certainly, We know what We have made obligatory upon them concerning their wives and whom they rightfully possess, that not should be on you any discomfort. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful

Chinese Commentary ^*

اردہ تفصیرِ صغیر نوٹس ^*

1

بیویاں تو سب کی حلال ہوتی ہیں۔ پھر رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کی بیویوں کا ذکر اس جگہ کیوں کیا؟ اس کا جواب یہ ہے کہ اسی سورت کی آیت۲۹ میں فرمایا تھا کہ اے بیویو! اگر تمہارے دل میں دنیا کی خواہش ہے تو میں دنیا دے کر تم کو آزاد کر دیتا ہوں۔ اس طرح ان کا معاملہ معلق ہو گیا تھا۔ لیکن اس آیت کے اعلان کے بعد کسی ایک بیوی نے بھی نہیں کہا کہ مجھے دنیا دے کر چھوڑ دیں۔ جس سے معلوم ہوتا ہے کہ سب بیویوں کے دل میں دین کی خواہش تھی۔ دنیا کی خواہش نہیں تھی۔ اس آیت میں یہی بتایا گیا ہے کہ انہوں نے اپنے دل میں دنیا چھوڑنے اور رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کے ساتھ رہنے کا فیصلہ کر لیا ہے۔

2

یہ صرف اجازت ہے عملًا رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم نے اس اجازت سے فائدہ نہیں اٹھایا۔ اگر حضرت ماریہ قبطیہؓ کی مثال پیش کی جائے تو اس کا جواب یہ ہے کہ حضرت ماریہؓ اور گروہ میں سے ہیں۔ اس آیت میں جنگ میں پکڑی جانے والی عورتوں کا ذکر ہے اور حضرت ماریہؓ کو مقوقس مصر نے اپنے ملک کے رواج کے مطابق لونڈی کے طور پر تحفۃً رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کو بھیجا تھا۔ پس وہ اس آیت کے حکم سے باہر ہیں اور ان سے بھی رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کا نکاح ثابت ہے۔

3

اس آیت سے ظاہر ہے کہ وہ مخالف جو کہتے ہیں کہ رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم نے یہ حکم خاص طور پر اپنے لئے نازل کر لیا ہے درست نہیں کیونکہ اس آیت میں صاف لکھا ہے کہ یہ حکم تمام انبیاء کے لئے ہے۔ صرف محمد رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کے لئے نہیں۔ کیونکہ جہاں یہ فرمایا ہے کہ یہ حکم خاص تیرے لئے ہے وہاں آگے یہ بڑھا دیا ہے کہ مومنوں کے سوا۔ جس کے یہ معنے ہیں کہ مومنوں کے لئے یہ حکم نہیں۔ لیکن مومنوں کے سوا جو انبیاء ہیں ان کے لئے یہ حکم ہے خواہ وہ گذشتہ تھے یا آئندہ ہوں گے۔

4

ایسی کسی عورت سے رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم نے شادی نہیں کی۔ یہ سب احکام بطور اجازت ہیں۔ دشمن اعترض کرتا ہے کہ اپنے لئے خاص حکم آپ نے اتار لئے۔ لیکن رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم نے جب ان اجازتوں پر عمل ہی نہیں کیا تو دشمن کا منہ کالا ہو گیا اور اس کا یہ اعتراض باطل ہو گیا کہ اپنی خواہشات کے پورا کرنے کے لئے خاص مراعات قرآن کریم نے بیان کر دی ہیں۔ آیت نمبر۳ سے بھی ظاہر ہے کہ یہ حکم صرف بعض بیویوں کے متعلق رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کی نیک رائے ظاہر کرنے کے لئے ہے آپ کے لئے کوئی خاص راستہ کھولنے کے لئے نہیں۔

5

’’خوب جانتے ہیں‘‘ سے مراد یہ ہے کہ اس کو تجھ پر ظاہر بھی کر دیا ہے۔ چنانچہ فرمایا ’’تاکہ تجھ پر تنگی نہ ہو‘‘ یعنی مسئلہ بتاتے وقت یہ خیال نہ ہو کہ خداتعالیٰ کی مرضی معلوم نہیں۔

English - Arberry

O Prophet, We have made lawful for thee thy wives whom thou hast given their wages and what thy right hand owns, spoils of war that God has given thee, and the daughters of thy uncles paternal and aunts paternal, thy uncles maternal and aunts maternal, who have emigrated with thee, and any woman believer, if she give herself to the Prophet and if the Prophet desire to take her in marriage, for thee exclusively, apart from the believers -- We know what We have imposed upon them touching their wives and what their right hands own -- that there may be no fault in thee; God is All-forgiving, All-compassionate.

English - Maududi

O Prophet, We have made lawful for you your wives whose bridal dues you have paid, and the slave-girls you possess from among the prisoners of war, and the daughters of your paternal uncles and paternal aunts, and the daughters of your maternal uncles and maternal aunts who have migrated with you, and a believing woman who gives herself to the Prophet and whom he wants to take in marriage. (O Prophet), this privilege is yours alone to the exclusion of other believers. We know well what restrictions We have imposed upon them as regards their wives and those whom their right hands possess, (and have exempted you from those restrictions) that there may be no constraint upon you. Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.

English - Ahmed Ali

We have made lawful for you, O Prophet, wives to whom you have given their dower, and God-given maids and captives you have married, and the daughters of your father's brothers and daughters of your father's sisters, and daughters of your mother's brothers and sisters, who migrated with you; and a believing woman who offers herself to the Prophet if the Prophet desires to marry her. This is a privilege only for you and not the other believers. We know what We have ordained for them about their wives and maids they possess, so that you may be free of blame, for God is forgiving and kind.

English - Yusuf Ali

O Prophet! We have made lawful to thee thy wives to whom thou hast paid their dowers; and those whom thy right hand possesses out of the prisoners of war whom Allah has assigned to thee; and daughters of thy paternal uncles and aunts, and daughters of thy maternal uncles and aunts, who migrated (from Makka) with thee; and any believing woman who dedicates her soul to the Prophet if the Prophet wishes to wed her;- this only for thee, and not for the Believers (at large); We know what We have appointed for them as to their wives and the captives whom their right hands possess;- in order that there should be no difficulty for thee. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

English - Five Volume Commentary ^*

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Commentary:

This verse should be read along with vv. 29 and 30 above. In those verses the wives of the Holy Prophet were offered a choice between the companionship of the Holy Prophet and the material benefits and comforts of life, but they preferred the Prophet’s company. The present verse by implication refers to that reply of the Prophet’s consorts which is recorded in the books of history but expressly nowhere in the Quran. Till they gave their reply, the marital relations between them and the Holy Prophet remained, as it were, in a state of suspension. The verse shows that while the wives of the Holy Prophet preferred his company to material goods and amenities of life, he too had great consideration for their feelings, and though he was given the choice to retain such of them as he liked (v. 52) he did not exercise the choice and in deference to his wishes God permitted him in the present verse to retain all his wives.

The verse refers to three kinds of women whom the Holy Prophet could marry in addition to his already wedded wives: (1) Women who were taken prisoner in wars against Islam; (2) women who had migrated to Medina with the Holy Prophet, and (3) a woman who should offer herself for marriage to him. This shows that the Holy Prophet’s marriages were motivated by considerations other than sensuous gratification as his ignorant and mischievous critics try to depict. Those who had left their hearths and homes for the sake of Islam and those whose husbands had been killed in wars fighting in defence of Islam had special claim on the Holy Prophet’s consideration. It is in view of these considerations that he married most of his wives. He married Hafsah whose husband was killed in the Battle of Badr; Zainab bint Khuzaimah whose husband was killed in the Battle of Uhud; Ummi Salmah whose husband died in 4 A.H., and Ummi Habibah, daughter of Abu Sufyan, who became a widow in 5 or 6 A.H. (in exile in Abyssinia). He married Juwairiyyah and Safiyyah, both widows, in 5 A.H. and 7 A.H. respectively, seeking a union with and pacification of their tribes. It is worthy of note that a hundred families of the Banu Mustaliq were liberated by Muslims when the Holy Prophet married Juwairiyyah. Maimunah, another widow, it is said, offered herself to be taken in marriage by the Holy Prophet which offer he condescended to accept in the interest of the education and training of Muslim women. He married Zainab, the divorced wife of Zaid in 5 A.H. in order to put a stop to a foolish custom prevailing among the Arabs and in order also to assuage her wounded feelings as the respected lady had felt deeply humiliated at being divorced by Zaid. He married Mariah in 7 A.H., and thus by raising a freed slave girl to the highly eminent spiritual status of the "Mother of the Faithful", he gave a death blow to slavery. Such were the pious and righteous motives of our noble Master in marrying widows and divorced women, by no means noted for their youth or beauty, and yet his cruel and mean traducers vainly try to depict him as a person who was given to gratifying his carnal desires. They deliberately ignore the patent fact that up to the age of 25 he lived the spotless life of a celibate. Then in the prime of his youth he married a lady fifteen years his senior and lived with her a most happy life till he was an old man of fifty and she about sixty-five. After her death he married Saudah, another lady of a very advanced age. He married all his other wives, to which exception has been taken by evil-minded carpers, between 2 A.H. and 7 A.H., a period when he was constantly engaged in active fighting and his life was perpetually in danger and the fate of Islam itself hung in the balance. Could any sane person in such situation of danger and uncertainty conceive of contracting marriage after marriage from motives attributed to the Holy Prophet? After this he lived for about three years as virtual ruler of the whole of Arabia when all the comforts and amenities of life were at his disposal and yet he entered into no further marriage. Does not this fact alone establish the honesty and sincerity of the Holy Prophet’s motives in marrying his wives?

The words "if she entrusts herself to the Prophet" have been taken as specially referring to Maimunah who is reported to have offered herself to be taken into marriage by the Holy Prophet. The clause, "This provision is only for thee as against other believers," means that it was a special privilege of the Holy Prophet and was due to the special nature of his duties as a Divine Prophet. In fact, marriages of the Holy Prophet were dictated by much higher and nobler considerations than merely personal ones. The clause may also refer to the special permission granted to the Holy Prophet, to retain all his wives, after the commandment contained in 4:4 was revealed, limiting to four the number of wives allowed to Muslims at one time.

The words, "We have already made known what We have enjoined on them concerning their wives," refer to the commandment contained in 4:4.

English - Short Commentary Notes ^*

2362

This verse should be read along with vv. 29 and 30 above, in which the wives of the Holy Prophet were offered a choice between his companionship and the material benefits and comforts of life, and they preferred the Prophet’s company. The present verse, by implication, refers to that reply of the Prophet’s consorts which is recorded in the books of history but expressly nowhere in the Qur’an. Till they gave their reply, the physical relations between them and the Holy Prophet remained, as it were, in a state of suspension. While the wives of the Holy Prophet preferred his company to material goods and amenities of life, he too had great consideration for their feelings, and though he was given the choice to retain such of them as he liked (v. 52), he did not exercise the choice and retained all of them.

The Holy Prophet’s marriages were motivated by highly noble considerations and not by those imputed to him by his ignorant and ignoble critics. With the solitary exception of his marriage with

English - Pickthall

O Prophet! Lo! We have made lawful unto thee thy wives unto whom thou hast paid their dowries, and those whom thy right hand possesseth of those whom Allah hath given thee as spoils of war, and the daughters of thine uncle on the father's side and the daughters of thine aunts on the father's side, and the daughters of thine uncle on the mother's side and the daughters of thine aunts on the mother's side who emigrated with thee, and a believing woman if she give herself unto the Prophet and the Prophet desire to ask her in marriage - a privilege for thee only, not for the (rest of) believers - We are Aware of that which We enjoined upon them concerning their wives and those whom their right hands possess - that thou mayst be free from blame, for Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.

English - Muhammad Ali ^ra

O Prophet, We have made lawful to thee thy wives whom thou hast given their dowries, and those whom thy right hand possesses, out of those whom Allah has given thee as prisoners of war, and the daughters of thy paternal uncle and the daughters of thy paternal aunts, and the daughters of thy maternal uncle and the daughters of thy maternal aunts who fled with thee; and a believing woman, if she gives herself to the Prophet, if the Prophet desires to marry her. (It is) especially for thee, not for the believers -- We know what We have ordained for them concerning their wives and those whom their right hands possess in order that no blame may attach to thee. And Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.

English - Sir Muhammad Zafrullah Khan ^ra

O Prophet, We have made lawful for thee thy wives whose dower thou hast paid, and those under thy control from among prisoners of war, and daughters of thy paternal and maternal uncles and aunts who have emigrated with thee, and any other believing woman who dedicates herself to the Prophet provided the Prophet desires to marry her, so that there may be no hindrance for thee in the discharge of thy responsibilities. This ordinance is only for thee and not for the other believers. We have already made known that which We have prescribed for them in the matter of their wives and those under their control. Allah is Most Forgiving, Ever Merciful.

Verse 51

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