Turjee man tashao minhunna watuwee ilayka man tashao wamani ibtaghayta mimman AAazalta fala junaha AAalayka thalika adna an taqarra aAAyunuhunna wala yahzanna wayardayna bima ataytahunna kulluhunna waAllahu yaAAlamu ma fee quloobikum wakana Allahu AAaleeman haleeman
English
Ahmed Ali
You may defer the turn of any of your wives you like, and may take any other you desire. There is no harm if you take any of those (whose turn) you had deferred. This would be better as it would gladden their hearts and they will not grieve, and each will be happy with what you have given her. God knows what is in your heart, for He is all-wise and benign.
51
Tafseer
'Abdullāh Ibn 'Abbās / Muḥammad al-Fīrūzabādī
تفسير : (thou canst defer) you can leave (whom thou wilt of them) from among the daughters of your aunts from your father's side, and or the daughters of your uncles from your mother's side, and not marry them (and receive unto thee whom thou wilt) and marry them, (and whomsoever thou desirest) to marry (of those whom thou hast set aside (temporarily), it is no sin for thee (to receive her again)) it is also said that this could be understood in this manner: you can abstain from whoever you will of your wives and you can go to whoever you will of your wives and there is no sin for you in abstaining from some and going to others; (that) the widening of the scope and dispensation (is better; that they may be comforted) when they know that this widening of scope is from allah (and not grieve) for fear of divorce, (and may all be pleased with what thou givest them) of sharing your physical presence with them. (allah knoweth what is in your hearts) whether it is contentment or resentment; (and allah is knower) of your righteousness and theirs, (clement) in that which he explained to you and forgave you.
Jalāl al-Dīn al-Maḥallī
تفسير : you may put off (read turji’ or turjī), you may postpone [consorting with], whomever of them you wish, namely, of your wives, from their turn [for intimacy], and consort, embrace [in conjugality], whomever you wish, of them, and come unto her, and as for whomever you may desire of those whom you have set aside, from their share, you would not be at fault, to desire her and consort with her [again]. he was given the choice in this respect after it had been obligatory for him to give each wife her [equal] share [of conjugality]. that, freedom of choice, makes it likelier that they will be comforted and not grieve, and that they will be satisfied with what you give them, of what has been mentioned of your freedom to choose [whom to consort with], every one of them (kulluhunna emphasises the subject of [the verb] yardayna, ‘they will be satisfied’) will be well-pleased with what you give her. and god knows what is in your hearts, with respect to [your] women and [your] preferring some [to others]. we have given you the freedom to choose [from among them] in order to make it easier for you to have what you desire. and god is knower, of his creatures, forbearing, in refraining from punishing them.
Ali ibn Ahmad al-Wahidi
تفسير : (thou canst defer whom thou wilt of them…) [33:51].
the commentators of the qur’an said: “this verse was revealed when some of the wives of the prophet, allah bless him and give him peace, felt jealous [of other co-wives] so much so that they harmed him and asked for increase in their maintenance. the messenger of allah, allah bless him and give him peace, did not sleep with them in the same bed for a month until the verse of choice [33:29] was revealed. allah, exalted is he, commanded him to ask them to choose between this worldly life and the afterlife. he was commanded to divorce those who chose this worldly life and keep whoever among them chose allah, glorified is he, and his messenger as mothers of the believers who will never marry after him. he was also given permission to receive anyone of them he wanted to receive and defer anyone he wanted to defer; they had to be content whether or not he apportioned something for them, and regardless of whether or not he prefers some over the others with regard to the apportioning of provision and the time spent with them. it was all up to him to do as he wished. all of them accepted these terms. however, the messenger of allah, allah bless him and give him peace, gave an equal part of maintenance to all his wives, even though allah, exalted is he, had granted him wide compass [in his dealings with them]”.
abu ‘abd allah muhammad ibn ibrahim al-muzakki informed us> ‘abd al-malik ibn al-hasan ibn yusuf al-saqati> ahmad ibn yahya al-halwani> yahya ibn ma‘in> ‘abbad ibn ‘abbad> ‘asim al-ahwal> mu‘adhah> ‘a’ishah who said: “after the verse (thou canst defer whom thou wilt of them…) was revealed, the messenger of allah, allah bless him and give him peace, used to seek permission from us [to go to another of his wives] when it was the turn of one of us [to spend time with him]”. mu‘adhah asked her: “what did you use to say?” i used to say: “if this is my turn, i would not prefer anyone else to have you instead of me!” this was narrated by bukhari> hibban ibn musa> ibn al-mubarak and also by muslim> shurayh ibn yunus> ‘abbad; and both ‘abbad and ibn al-mubarak related it from ‘asim.
some commentators said: “when the verse of choice [33:29] was revealed, the wives of the prophet were scared of being divorced. they said to him: ‘o prophet of allah, apportion for us whatever you like of your wealth and person; just leave us as we are’. and so this verse was revealed”.
‘abd al-rahman ibn ‘abdan informed us> muhammad ibn ‘abd allah ibn muhammad ibn nu‘aym> muhammad ibn ya‘qub al-akhram> muhammad ibn ‘abd al-wahhab> muhadir ibn al-muwaddi‘> hisham ibn ‘urwah> his father> ‘a’ishah who used to say to the wives of the prophet, allah bless him and give him peace: “does a woman not feel ashamed of offering herself?” and so allah, exalted is he, revealed this verse (thou canst defer whom thou wilt of them and receive unto thee whom thou wilt). ‘a’ishah then said: “i see that your lord hastens for you what you desire”. this is narrated by bukhari from zakariyya ibn yahya and also by muslim from abu kurayb; both zakariyya ibn yahya and abu kurayb related it from abu usamah who related it from hisham.
