At-Tahreem (ٱلتَّحْرِيم)

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

يٰۗاَيُّہَا النَّبِيُّ لِمَ تُحَرِّمُ مَاۗ اَحَلَّ اللہُ لَكَ۝۰ۚ تَبْتَغِيْ مَرْضَاتَ اَزْوَاجِكَ۝۰ۭ وَاللہُ غَفُوْرٌ رَّحِيْمٌ۝۱
Ya ayyuha alnnabiyyu lima tuharrimu ma ahalla Allahu laka tabtaghee mardata azwajika waAllahu ghafoorun raheemun

English

Ahmed Ali

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.

1

قَدْ فَرَضَ اللہُ لَكُمْ تَحِلَّۃَ اَيْمَانِكُمْ۝۰ۚ وَاللہُ مَوْلٰىكُمْ۝۰ۚ وَہُوَالْعَلِيْمُ الْحَكِيْمُ۝۲
Qad farada Allahu lakum tahillata aymanikum waAllahu mawlakum wahuwa alAAaleemu alhakeemu

English

Ahmed Ali

Surely God has sanctioned the dissolution of your vows. God is your Lord: He is all-knowing, and all-wise.

2

وَاِذْ اَسَرَّ النَّبِيُّ اِلٰى بَعْضِ اَزْوَاجِہٖ حَدِيْثًا۝۰ۚ فَلَمَّا نَبَّاَتْ بِہٖ وَاَظْہَرَہُ اللہُ عَلَيْہِ عَرَّفَ بَعْضَہٗ وَاَعْرَضَ عَنْۢ بَعْضٍ۝۰ۚ فَلَمَّا نَبَّاَہَا بِہٖ قَالَتْ مَنْ اَنْۢبَاَكَ ہٰذَا۝۰ۭ قَالَ نَبَّاَنِيَ الْعَلِيْمُ الْخَبِيْرُ۝۳
Waith asarra alnnabiyyu ila baAAdi azwajihi hadeethan falamma nabbaat bihi waathharahu Allahu AAalayhi AAarrafa baAAdahu waaAArada AAan baAAdin falamma nabbaaha bihi qalat man anbaaka hatha qala nabbaaniya alAAaleemu alkhabeeru

English

Ahmed Ali

When the Prophet told one of his wives something in confidence and she disclosed it, God revealed this to him. So he made some of it known to her, and held back some. When, however, he informed her about it, she asked: "Who told you this?" He said: "I was told this by the All-knowing, All-Informed."

3

اِنْ تَتُوْبَاۗ اِلَى اللہِ فَقَدْ صَغَتْ قُلُوْبُكُمَا۝۰ۚ وَاِنْ تَظٰہَرَا عَلَيْہِ فَاِنَّ اللہَ ہُوَمَوْلٰىہُ وَجِبْرِيْلُ وَصَالِحُ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ۝۰ۚ وَالْمَلٰۗىِٕكَۃُ بَعْدَ ذٰلِكَ ظَہِيْرٌ۝۴
In tatooba ila Allahi faqad saghat quloobukuma wain tathahara AAalayhi fainna Allaha huwa mawlahu wajibreelu wasalihu almumineena waalmalaikatu baAAda thalika thaheerun

English

Ahmed Ali

If both of you two (women) turn to God in penitence (it would be better). Your hearts have been impaired; and if you assist one another against him, then surely his helper is God, and Gabriel and the righteous believers, and, besides them, the angels are his helpers.

4

عَسٰى رَبُّہٗۗ اِنْ طَلَّقَكُنَّ اَنْ يُّبْدِلَہٗۗ اَزْوَاجًا خَيْرًا مِّنْكُنَّ مُسْلِمٰتٍ ￁مِنٰتٍ قٰنِتٰتٍ تٰۗىِٕبٰتٍ عٰبِدٰتٍ سٰۗىِٕحٰتٍ ثَيِّبٰتٍ وَّاَبْكَارًا۝۵
AAasa rabbuhu in tallaqakunna an yubdilahu azwajan khayran minkunna muslimatin muminatin qanitatin taibatin AAabidatin saihatin thayyibatin waabkaran

English

Ahmed Ali

In case he divorces you, his Lord will give him better wives in return, who will be modest, true believers, obedient to God, repentant, observant of prayer and fasting, both widows and virgins.

5

يٰۗاَيُّہَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا قُوْۗا اَنْفُسَكُمْ وَاَہْلِيْكُمْ نَارًا وَّقُوْدُہَا النَّاسُ وَالْحِجَارَۃُ عَلَيْہَا مَلٰۗىِٕكَۃٌ غِلَاظٌ شِدَادٌ لَّا يَعْصُوْنَ اللہَ مَاۗ اَمَرَہُمْ وَيَفْعَلُوْنَ مَا يُؤْمَرُوْنَ۝۶
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo qoo anfusakum waahleekum naran waqooduha alnnasu waalhijaratu AAalayha malaikatun ghilathun shidadun la yaAAsoona Allaha ma amarahum wayafAAaloona ma yumaroona

English

Ahmed Ali

O you who believe, save yourselves and your families from the Fire whose fuel is men and rocks, over which are appointed angels stern and severe as wardens who never disobey what God commands them, and do what they are commanded;

6

يٰۗاَيُّہَا الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا لَا تَعْتَذِرُوا الْيَوْمَ۝۰ۭ اِنَّمَا تُجْزَوْنَ مَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُوْنَ۝۷ۧ
Ya ayyuha allatheena kafaroo la taAAtathiroo alyawma innama tujzawna ma kuntum taAAmaloona

English

Ahmed Ali

(And say:) "O you who do not believe, make no excuses today. You will be requited only for what you had done."

7

يٰۗاَيُّہَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا تُوْبُوْۗا اِلَى اللہِ تَوْبَۃً نَّصُوْحًا۝۰ۭ عَسٰى رَبُّكُمْ اَنْ يُّكَفِّرَ عَنْكُمْ سَيِّاٰتِكُمْ وَيُدْخِلَكُمْ جَنّٰتٍ تَجْرِيْ مِنْ تَحْتِہَا الْاَنْہٰرُ۝۰ۙ يَوْمَ لَا يُخْزِي اللہُ النَّبِيَّ وَالَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا مَعَہٗ۝۰ۚ نُوْرُہُمْ يَسْعٰى بَيْنَ اَيْدِيْہِمْ وَبِاَيْمَانِہِمْ يَقُوْلُوْنَ رَبَّنَاۗ اَتْمِمْ لَنَا نُوْرَنَا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا۝۰ۚ اِنَّكَ عَلٰي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيْرٌ۝۸
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo tooboo ila Allahi tawbatan nasoohan AAasa rabbukum an yukaffira AAankum sayyiatikum wayudkhilakum jannatin tajree min tahtiha alanharu yawma la yukhzee Allahu alnnabiyya waallatheena amanoo maAAahu nooruhum yasAAa bayna aydeehim wabiaymanihim yaqooloona rabbana atmim lana noorana waighfir lana innaka AAala kulli shayin qadeerun

English

Ahmed Ali

O you who believe, turn to God truly in repentance. Perhaps your 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. Their light will move in front of them and to their right, and they will say: "O Lord, perfect our light and forgive us. You have power over every thing."

8

يٰۗاَيُّہَا النَّبِيُّ جَاہِدِ الْكُفَّارَ وَالْمُنٰفِقِيْنَ وَاغْلُظْ عَلَيْہِمْ۝۰ۭ وَمَاْوٰىہُمْ جَہَنَّمُ۝۰ۭ وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيْرُ۝۹
Ya ayyuha alnnabiyyu jahidi alkuffara waalmunafiqeena waoghluth AAalayhim wamawahum jahannamu wabisa almaseeru

English

Ahmed Ali

O Prophet, fight the unbelievers and the hypocrites, and be severe with them. Their abode is Hell, an evil destination?

9

ضَرَبَ اللہُ مَثَلًا لِّلَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوا امْرَاَتَ نُوْحٍ وَّ امْرَاَتَ لُوْطٍ۝۰ۭ كَانَتَا تَحْتَ عَبْدَيْنِ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا صَالِحَيْنِ فَخَانَتٰہُمَا فَلَمْ يُغْنِيَا عَنْہُمَا مِنَ اللہِ شَيْــــًٔا وَّقِيْلَ ادْخُلَا النَّارَ مَعَ الدّٰخِلِيْنَ۝۱۰
Daraba Allahu mathalan lillatheena kafaroo imraata noohin waimraata lootin kanata tahta AAabdayni min AAibadina salihayni fakhanatahuma falam yughniya AAanhuma mina Allahi shayan waqeela odkhula alnnara maAAa alddakhileena

English

Ahmed Ali

God advances the example of Noah's wife and the wife of Lot for those who do not believe. They were married to Our two pious devotees, but they were unfaithful to them, and even (the apostles) could not avail them in the least against God; and it was said to them: "Enter Hell with those (who are condemned) to enter it."

10

 

Theme and Subject Matter of Surah At-Tahreem (التَّحْرِيم)

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. 

Virtues and Benefits of Surah At-Tahreem (التَّحْرِيم)

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)