Surah At-Tahreem is the 66th surah found in Juz 28 of the holy Quran. It comes after Surah At-Talaq, which focuses on the rights of spouses, especially women, during and after divorce. Surah At-Tahreem talks about family matters and serves as a guide for living a life while keeping high moral values and ethical standards. Surah At-Tahreem has only 12 verses and is divided into 2 Rukus. Despite being a short Surah, it has impactful lessons for us to lead a moral life. This Surah was revealed 7 years after hijrah in Medina following an incident involving Muhammad (ﷺ) and his wives, Ayesha (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهَا) and Hafsa (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهَا).
The Prophet (ﷺ) was fond of enjoying honey at the house of his wife, Zaynab bint Jahsh which made his other wives eager to seek his attention to themselves. They told him that his breath smelled bad from the honey, and the Prophet Muhammad declared honey haram for himself, although it is halal in Islam, to please two of his wives. Allah sent down the surah to refrain the Prophet Muhammad from this act and to guide the wives of the Prophet to conduct themselves with dignity like the pious women of the past, i.e., Maryam and Aisha (the wife of the Pharoah in Hazrat Musa’s time). This surah is a guide for conduct in personal relationships for all Muslims. Moreover, it guides us that if we repent and seek forgiveness from Allah with sincerity, we will find Allah forgiving and merciful.
٦٦ - ٱلتَّحْرِيم
66 - At-Tahreem
English
Ahmed Ali
1
English
Ahmed Ali
2
English
Ahmed Ali
3
English
Ahmed Ali
4
English
Ahmed Ali
5
English
Ahmed Ali
6
English
Ahmed Ali
7
English
Ahmed Ali
8
English
Ahmed Ali
9
English
Ahmed Ali
10
Surah At-Tahrim was revealed during the Prophet’s stay in Medina, most probably in the 7th year after his migration from Mecca. The Surah generally addressed some very sensitive matters of the family life of the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ. Describing these family matters of the Prophet and giving the Divine Rulings on them is also a source of guidance for the Muslims.
It is almost unanimously agreed that Surah At-Tahrim was revealed to address the two important incidents pertaining to the domestic life of the Prophet and his wives. The first incident is popularly remembered as the incident of "honey", where the second was about the disclosure of a secret by one of the wives of the Prophet.
The incident of honey involves the action and reaction of three of the Prophet's wives. It is reported that one of the wives of the Prophet, namely, Hazrat Zenab Bint Jahash رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهَا, served him honey, which the Prophet drank and liked. When two other wives of the Prophet, namely, Hazrat Aisha and Hazrat Hafsa رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُمَا, heard about it and also observed that the Prophet’s stay with Hazrat Zenab رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُمَا was being prolonged, they planned to tell the Prophet that, due to that honey, his breath smells bad. It is reported that the Prophet applied a self-imposed prohibition and started refraining from drinking honey. In response to this self-imposed prohibition by the Prophet on not drinking honey, which otherwise was prescribed "halal', Surah At-Tahrim was revealed commanding the Prophet to refrain from such prohibitions, which are not prescribed by Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ. This incident is reported in detail in Hadith 5267 of Sahih Al-Bukhari, as follows:
Translation - The Prophet (ﷺ) used to stay for a long while with Zanab bint Jahsh and drink honey at her house. So Hafsa and I decided that if the Prophet (ﷺ) came to anyone of us, she should say to him, "I detect the smell of Maghafir (a nasty smelling gum) in you. Have you eaten Maghafir?' " So the Prophet (ﷺ) visited one of them and she said to him similarly. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Never mind, I have taken some honey at the house of Zainab bint Jahsh, but I shall never drink of it anymore." So there was revealed: 'O Prophet ! Why do you ban (for you) that which Allah has made lawful for you . . . If you two (wives of Prophet) turn in repentance to Allah,' (66.1-4) addressing Aisha and Hafsa. 'When the Prophet (ﷺ) disclosed a matter in confidence to some of his wives.' (66.3) namely his saying: But I have taken some honey.
The second incident, a hint of which is also mentioned in the above-referred Hadith, was the disclosure of a secret by one of the wives of the Prophet. The secret shared by the Prophet with his wife was disclosed by her to other wives, which Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ disliked. The first incident is mentioned in 1st verse of this Surah, whereas the second incident is described in the 3rd verse of this Surah.
By addressing these two incidents, the Surah sets some precise guidance and principles that need to be followed by the Muslims. These can be summarized as follows:
Surah At-Tahrim is a Madni Surah, most probably revealed in the 7th year after Hijrat-e-Medina.
Surah At-Tahrim is the 66th Surah, which is placed in the 28th Juzz (Para) of the Quran. It comes after Surah At-Talaq and before Surah Al-Mulk. It is the 107th Surah in the order of revelation, and comes at number 66 in the sequence of recitation.
Surah At-Tahrim holds a deep moral and spiritual significance in Islam, as mentioned here:
The incident of honey, as explained above, guides us to a very basic principle of Islamic law. The Islamic laws are based on the Command of Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ. Once a thing is declared halal by Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ, no one, including the Prophets, is allowed to change it. Hence, when the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ swore not to drink honey, which was otherwise declared halal, Divine revelations came down to correct it, setting a clear principle that the Divine Command is above everything.
The Surah invites the believers in clear words to turn to Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ to seek repentance, with sincerity of heart. The 8th verse of this Surah describes the significance of sincere repentance, stating that Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ may absolve those who repent, with the reward of a place in Paradise.
The concept of accountability is mentioned with historical examples. Everyone is held responsible for their acts committed in their worldly lives. The misconception that husbands are responsible for their acts in this world is nullified, declaring that women will be held accountable based on their personal deeds. To strengthen this concept, historical examples of four different women are narrated. The wives of the Prophets Nuh and Lut عَلَيْهِمَا ٱلسَّلَامُ got the same punishment that the disbelievers were given. Their relationship with the Prophets could not save them from Divine punishment. On the other hand, the wife of Pharaoh (the worst of the disbelievers) spent the most righteous life, hence she was guaranteed a place in Paradise. The fourth example is that of Hazrat Maryam رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهَا. She was raised by a righteous person and was herself a righteous woman; she was also rewarded a place in Paradise. The principle set here is that the personal relationship with husbands or guardians cannot change the fate of women; they will be punished or rewarded on the basis of their own acts.
The Surah also provides guidance on handling family matters, jealousy, and interpersonal conflicts, with justice and prudence. It also teaches us the importance of maintaining trust and confidentiality while dealing with the family.
Surah Tahreem was revealed as a guide for the Prophet (ﷺ) and his wives and for all the Ummah to maintain high moral standards when it comes to family matters and following the commandments of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). The surah highlights an incident when Rasool Allah (ﷺ) made something unlawful for him while it was made Halal for him to please his two wives Ayesha (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهَا) and Hafsa (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهَا) as they expressed their dislike for his fondness for honey at the house of his wife Zaynab. The surah starts with the following verse:
“O Prophet, why should you forbid (yourself) what god has made lawful for you, in order to please your wives? Yet God is forgiving and kind.” (Quran 66:1)
To make it easy for His Prophet (ﷺ) and solve the matter with the guidance of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) , verses of Surah At-Tahreem were revealed. It is mentioned in the 3rd verse that the Prophet (ﷺ) told one of his wives something confidential, and she shared partial information with another wife without the Prophet’s (ﷺ) knowledge. Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) revealed the conversation to the Prophet through divine revelation. When the Prophet (ﷺ) confronted her with part of the message, she was surprised and asked him how he came to know about this. He (ﷺ) told her that he was told by the All-Mighty, the Al-Knowing.
This verse guides Muslims, especially couples, about their conduct in marriages. Wives should not reveal the message their husbands entrust them with in secret. Husbands and wives should maintain trust and must not breach confidentiality. After this verse, Allah talks directly to the wives of the Prophet Muhammad and admonishes them. Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) reminds them about their high status as the Prophet’s (ﷺ) wives and how they should maintain high moral standards in order to maintain their positions. He warns that in case the Prophet (ﷺ) divorces them, Allah will grant him better wives in return. He has Allah and the angels on his side, and they will come to his aid if people bother him, even if they are members of his household.
To make things clearer and more understandable, Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) mentions the wives of Noah (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ), and of Lut (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ), who were married to the most pious men yet they were unfaithful to them, so they were granted hell. Allah, in comparison, mentions the faith and belief of the Pharoah’s wife and the chastity and obedience of Maryam (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) for the believing women to look upon them as examples. Allah also stresses the virtue of repentance. If one sins and does something they shouldn’t, they should seek repentance from Allah, and Allah is all forgiving.
Surah At-Tahreem teaches us to maintain high moral and ethical standards in our private lives. It teaches us to keep confidential things to ourselves and not to reveal them to anyone. It serves as a reminder for all believing men and women to maintain their dignity and follow the commandments of Allah in all aspects of life. This surah also serves as a reminder for all the believers to repent to Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) and ask for forgiveness. It mentions the consequences of arrogance and also the rewards of turning to Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) and following the right path. Allah says in the surah,
“O you who believe, turn to God truly in repentance. Perhaps you, Lord, may forgive your ills and admit you to gardens with rivers flowing by on the day when God will not humiliate the Prophet and those who believe with him…” (Quran 66:8)
Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) has emphasized asking for forgiveness and repenting to Him, even to the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ). As believers and his (ﷺ) followers, it is on us to repent and ask for forgiveness day and night. Even our Prophet (ﷺ) used to ask for forgiveness in his obedience to Allah. It was narrated from Abu Hurairah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) that;
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “I seek the forgiveness of Allah and repent to Him one hundred times each day.” (Sunan Ibn Majah 3815, Book 33, Hadith 160)
Listening to the recitation of the Quran by a renowned and authentic Qari may go a long way in learning the correct pronunciation of difficult Arabic phrases. It is more beneficial for non-Arabic-speaking people because they might not easily pronounce some Arabic expressions, whereas the correct pronunciation of the Quranic Surahs, including Surah At-Tahrim, is highly critical. Even a small mistake in correct recitation may lead to an entirely different meaning.
MuslimandQuran provide the best solution to this sensitive matter. The recitation of the Quran by the most authentic Qaris is available on our website and mobile application, which you can listen to on your mobile devices or laptops quite easily, whenever you may like. You can select a Qari of your preference to listen to and learn the correct recitation of the Quran. You only need to download the Mobile Application of the MuslimandQuran to listen to any Surah of the Quran, including Surah At-Tahrim.
The mobile application of the MuslimandQuran is available for both Android and iOS, which can be downloaded from Google Play and App Store, respectively, by clicking the links given below:
MuslimandQuran provide the facility of reading the Quran online, but if you prefer to read it offline, you can also download it in PDF for reading it at your convenience.
You can download Surah At-Tahrim in PDF by following these simple steps:
At-Tahrim translates to “the prohibition” or "the Banning." In the context of Surah At-Tahrim, it refers to the famous incident when the Prophet forbade himself from taking honey, just to please her wives, despite the fact that honey was a halal food.
Surah At-Tahrim has 12 verses.
No specific benefits are associated with reciting Surah At-Tahrim. Reciting Surah At-Tahrim brings the same benefits as reciting any other part of the Quran.
Surah At-Tahrim can be recited at any time during the night or the day. No specific time is associated with or recommended for the recitation of this Surah.
Yes, Hadith 5267 of Sahih Al-Bukhari describes in detail the incident of honey, where the Prophet decided that he would no longer drink honey, just to please his wives. This incident is believed to have triggered the revelation of this Surah.
Yes, you can listen to Surah Al-Munfiqun online, on any of your mobile devices. All the Surahs of the Quran are available on the Mobile Application and website of the Muslim and Quran, hence can be easily listened to online, whenever you may like.
No specific rewards are associated with the daily recitation of Surah At-Tahrim. However, reciting any Surah of the Quran, including Surah At-Tahrim, brings huge rewards, though not specifically recommended to be recited on a daily basis.
The Quran, including Surah At-Tahrim, is for the benefit and guidance of the entire humankind, irrespective of nationality or language. It brings equal benefits to whoever recites any Surah of the Quran, including Surah At-Tahrim. So, a non-Arabic speaker will definitely get the same benefits from the recitation of Surah At-Tahrim as an Arabic-speaking individual may get.