Wala tankihoo almushrikati hatta yuminna walaamatun muminatun khayrun min mushrikatin walaw aAAjabatkum wala tunkihoo almushrikeena hatta yuminoo walaAAabdun muminun khayrun min mushrikin walaw aAAjabakum olaika yadAAoona ila alnnari waAllahu yadAAoo ila aljannati waalmaghfirati biithnihi wayubayyinu ayatihi lilnnasi laAAallahum yatathakkaroona
English
Ahmed Ali
Do not marry idolatrous women unless they join the faith. A maid servant who is a believer is better than an idolatress even though you may like her. And do not marry your daughters to idolaters until they accept the faith. A servant who is a believer is better than an idolater even though you may like him. They invite you to Hell, but God calls you to Paradise and pardon by His grace. And He makes His signs manifest that men may haply take heed.
221
Tafseer
'Abdullāh Ibn 'Abbās / Muḥammad al-Fīrūzabādī
تفسير : (wed not idolatresses). this was revealed about marthad ibn abi marthad al-ghanawi who wanted to marry an idolatress woman by the name of 'inaq. allah prohibited such marriage, saying: do not marry idolatresses women (till they believe) in allah; (for lo! a believing bondwoman) marrying a believing slave woman (is better than an idolatress) who is a free woman (though she pleases you) though you may like her comeliness and beauty; (and give not your daughters in marriage to idolaters till they believe) in allah, (for lo! a believing slave) allah says: giving your daughters in marriage to a believing slave (is better than an idolater) is better than your daughter marrying an idolater who is free (though he pleases you) though his body and strength may please you. (these invite unto the fire) they invite to disbelief and to works that lead to hell, (and allah inviteth unto the garden) by means of his divine oneness, (and unto forgiveness) through repentance (by his grace) by his leave, (and he expoundeth thus his revelations) his commands and prohibitions regarding marriage (to mankind that they may remember) so that they may take admonition and refrain from unlawful marriage.
Jalāl al-Dīn al-Maḥallī
تفسير : o muslims, do not marry idolatresses, disbelievers, until they believe; a believing slavegirl is better than an idolatress, who may be a free woman; this was revealed as a rebuttal of the idea that it was shameful to marry a slavegirl and that it was better to marry an idolatress free woman; though you may admire her, because of her beauty and wealth: this provision excludes the womenfolk of the people of the scripture (as indicated by the verse [q. 5:5], [lawful to you] are the chaste women among those who were given the scripture). and do not marry, off believing women to, idolaters, until they believe. a believing slave is better than an idolater, though you may admire him, for his wealth and good looks. those, the people of idolatry, call to the fire, because they invite one to perform deeds that merit this, and for this reason one should not marry with them; and god calls, through the voice of his prophets, to paradise and pardon, that is, to the deeds that merit these two, by his leave, by his will, so that his call may be heeded by marrying with his friends; and he makes clear his signs to the people so that they might remember, [that] they [might] be admonished.
Ali ibn Ahmad al-Wahidi
تفسير : (wed not idolatresses till they believe…) [2:221].
abu 'uthman ibn 'amr al-hafiz informed us> his grandfather> abu 'amr ahmad ibn muhammad al-jurashi> isma'il ibn qutaybah> abu khalid> bukayr ibn ma'ruf> muqatil ibn hayyan who said: “this verse was revealed about abu marthad al-ghanawi who sought the permission of the prophet, allah, bless him and give him peace, to marry 'anaq, who was a poor, fairly beautiful woman from quraysh. but this woman was an idolatress whereas marthad was muslim. marthad said to the prophet, allah bless him and give him peace: 'o prophet of allah! i like her!' allah then revealed this verse (wed not idolatresses till they believe…)”.
abu 'uthman informed us> his grandfather> abu 'amr> muhammad ibn yahya> 'amr ibn hammad> asbat> al-suddi> abu malik> ibn 'abbas who said regarding this verse: “this verse was revealed about 'abd allah ibn rawahah who owned a black slave. it happened that 'abd allah punched this slave because he got angry with her. but then he became worried as a result of what he had done which made him rush to the messenger of allah, allah bless him and give him peace, to inform him of what had happened. the messenger of allah, allah bless him and give him peace, asked him: 'and what is it that is really making you worried?' 'abd allah said: 'o messenger of allah! she fast and prays and performs the ritual ablution in the proper way and she bears witness that there is no god but allah and that you are his messenger'. the prophet, allah bless him and give him peace, said: 'o 'abd allah! she is a believer!' 'abd allah said: 'by him who has sent you with the truth, i will set her free and marry her'. and he did. a group of muslims reproached him for doing so, saying: 'he married a slave!' this is because muslims were still looking forward to marry idolatresses and marry their own daughters to idolaters, out of desire for their noble lineages. allah, exalted is he, therefore revealed about them (for lo! a believing bondwoman is better than an idolatress though she please you…)”.
ibn 'abbas is reported to have said according to the narration of al-kalbi from abu salih: “the messenger of allah, allah bless him and give him peace, sent a man from ghaniyy called marthad ibn abi marthad, an ally of banu hashim, to mecca to try to free some muslims who were held prisoners there. when marthad reached mecca, a woman called 'anaq heard of his arrival and went to see him. this woman used to be his mistress in the pre-islamic period but when he embraced islam, he abandoned her. she said to him: 'woe unto you, o marthad! should we not go somewhere secluded?' he said: 'islam has placed a barrier between you and i and seclusion with you is forbidden for me. however, if you wish, i will marry you. when i return back to the messenger of allah, allah bless him and give him peace, i will seek his permission and marry you'. she said to him: 'do you refuse the like of me?' she then cried for help, and marthad was beaten up very badly before they let him go. when he finished his business in mecca, he went back to the messenger of allah, allah bless him and give him peace, and informed him about 'anaq and what he went through because of her. he then asked: 'o messenger of allah! is it lawful for me to marry her?' allah revealed this verse forbidding him from marrying her (wed not idolatresses till they believe…)”.
