THE CONFEDERATES【Quran commentary】Surah 33 al Ahzab

Commentary By Maulana Wahiduddin khan

1-3. The Prophet Muhammad was the call-giver of the pu…

The Prophet Muhammad was the call-giver of the purest Truth. In this world, one who rises as such has to face the most discouraging circumstances. He remains a stranger in his surroundings. The prevalent creed, based as it is on worldly considerations, does not accord with the Hereafter-oriented religion of the missionary. Time-serving tendencies clash with his fearless policy of following the Truth. Religion has been made subservient to communal beliefs, while the missionary demands that religion should be based purely on worship of God.

Under these circumstances, if a preacher succumbs to the pressure of his surroundings and makes compromises, he may attract many supporters. If he is firm in the way of Truth, he will find no support except that of the one and only God. But, the call-giver must not adopt the first alternative under any circumstances. He has to trust in God, stick to the unadulterated Truth and hope that as God is All-knowing and Wise, He will definitely help His subject.

4-5. A man does not have two hearts in his chest. This…

A man does not have two hearts in his chest. This shows that contradictory thinking does not fit in with the scheme of creation. When a man has been given one heart, his thinking should also be one. It cannot be that in one and the same heart, sincerity coexists with hypocrisy, devotion to God with a time-serving mentality, justice with oppression and vanity with modesty. Of the two alternatives, man can have only the God-fearing one, and that is as it should be.

This is a matter of principle, and under it are covered the pre-Islamic conventions of divorce (zihar) and adoption. It was the custom among pre-Islamic Arabs that if a man said to his wife, ‘You are like my mother’s back for me’, then his wife was treated as forbidden for him forever, just as his mother was forbidden for him. Similarly, in the matter of an adopted son, they held the belief that he became just like a real son. He was given the same status as a real son in every respect. The Quran abolished this custom completely. It has been made clear in the Quran that it is against the system underlying creation for the status of a real mother to be the same as that of an adoptive mother or the status of an adopted son to be the same as that of a real son.

If a man commits an error unknowingly, he is pardonable before God. But, if a man is fully aware of the reality of an affair, and in spite of that he does not desist from wrongdoing, he ceases to be pardonable.

6. A Prophet during his life-time is, in person, of prime…

A Prophet during his life-time is, in person, of prime importance to the faithful and after his death he is so in principle. The reason for this is that Prophet is God’s representative on earth. In order to maintain the dignity and importance of the Prophet’s teachings, it is necessary that his existence should be sacred in the eyes of the people. Even his wives should be held in high esteem as mothers. After the prophet and his wives, relations with other members of society or community are determined on the basis of the principle of ‘blood-relatives being the nearest’ and, accordingly, people have rights over each other. Sometimes, in fulfillment of requirements in religious matters, the sharing of rights among non-relatives may be established temporarily, as was done after the migration (hijrah) to Madinah in the early days. But, as a permanent social arrangement, real relatives have preferential claims and it will be so always.

7-8. The plan according to which Almighty God has creat…

The plan according to which Almighty God has created human beings is designed to put man to the test. To this end he is provided with all the amenities of life and sustenance in an atmosphere of freedom. Thereafter to confer upon him, according to his deeds, eternal rewards or eternal punishment. The life of a man being for the purpose of trial requires that he be made fully aware of the real position, in advance. For this purpose, Almighty God established the institution of prophets. Prophethood is not fulfilled by making announcements on a loudspeaker. It is a task which is extremely trying to the patience. Therefore, all the prophets were made to vow that they would perform this crucial task of conveying the message of God, all the while observing its every requirement and doing full justice to it without the slightest shortcoming.

9-11. At the battle of Ahzab (in the fifth year of Hijrah)…

At the battle of Ahzab (in the fifth year of Hijrah) there was a combined attack by Arab tribes and Jews on Madinah. The number of attackers in this battle was about thirteen thousand and the Muslims were not capable of fighting this huge army. But, Almighty God, by His special devices, caused Islam’s enemies to become so terror-stricken that they themselves abandoned the siege of Madinah and retreated.

Such difficulties befall the Islamic mission firstly in order to separate the sincere from the insincere and secondly to show to the enemy forces that God Himself is a supporter of His religion. He will not allow it to be vanquished.

12-17. Realizing that the situation at the battle of Ahzab…

Realizing that the situation at the battle of Ahzab, was fraught with danger, the hypocrites were terrified and started exploring ways and means of fleeing. But the true and faithful ones firmly placed their reliance on God. They knew very well that God was before them and He was behind them. To run away from the danger of the enemies of Islam amounted to placing oneself in danger of God’s chastisement, which was by far the greater hazard. They firmly believed that if they were steadfast in the face of their enemies, God’s help would be forthcoming. On the other hand, they knew that if they fled the Islamic front, they would not be able to save themselves from either destruction in this world or God’s terrible scourge in the Hereafter.

18-19. There are those who lag behind at the time when…

There are those who lag behind at the time when sacrifice is required, but who feel ashamed of this shortcoming. Then there are others who do not make sacrifices when they are called for, but who feel no shame on this account. This amounts to adding arrogance to neglect of duty. A shortcoming may be pardonable, but arrogance is not.

Even if some apparently good deeds are performed by those who are flawed by arrogance, they are worthless, because the essence of a good deed is sincerity, and that is the very thing which is lacking.

Shirking the duty of making sacrifices for a religious cause is invariably the result of a love for worldly affairs. Man loses his faith for the sake of saving his worldly assets. When materially-minded people see that worldly advantage is coupled with religion, they display their oratorical skill in speaking in favour of religion, in order to show off their connection with religion and then they extract the maximum advantage from this. But when following religion means sacrifice, they lose interest in becoming men of religion.

20. Wandering Arabs.

Wandering Arabs.

21-24. The lives of the Prophet and his companions were…

The lives of the Prophet and his companions were of an exemplary, godly character and were meant to be followed by all the faithful till the Day of Judgement. They set an example to show what it means to seek God’s pleasure and merit success in the Hereafter; what is meant by remembering God; how to be steady and persevering in difficult times; how reliance is placed on the promises of God; what ever-increasing faith is and how it is achieved; and how to fulfill the vows taken before God.

The Prophet and his companions set the final example in all these matters. Under the most difficult circumstances, they did not falter. They were the embodiment of Islamic thought and Islamic character in all matters. Before the arrival of the moment of trial, they were firm in their acceptance of Truth and even after the arrival of that moment they remained unwavering.

Then, it was the life of the Prophet and his companions which set an example and showed that no decision was taken by God, unless one was put to the test. It is the way of God that He creates severe conditions so as to separate the truly faithful from the false claimants. In this Divine precept and practice, there was no exception earlier and neither will there be any exception in future.

25-27. At the Battle of Ahzab, or the Trenches, conditions…

At the Battle of Ahzab, or the Trenches, conditions were very severe. But, in this battle the stage of regular fighting was never reached. Almighty God sent stormy winds and an army of angels against the enemies and terrified them to such an extent that they themselves fled the battlefield.

The Jews of Madinah (the Banu Qurayzah) had entered into a pact of peace with the Muslims, but on the occasion of the Battle of Ahzab, they betrayed the Muslims. In breach of the pact, they supported the idolaters. Therefore, when the army of the attackers left Madinah, the Prophet Muhammad, as ordained by God, invaded the areas occupied by the Banu Qurayzah and the Islamic forces besieged their forts. The siege lasted for twenty five days. When they surrendered, everything that they possessed was forfeited.

28-30. The Hijrah (migration to Madinah) had greatly dis…

The Hijrah (migration to Madinah) had greatly disrupted the economy of the Muslims. Moreover, after the Hijrah, the enemies of Islam kept the Muslims continuously engaged in wars. As a result, the economic condition of the Muslims had seriously deteriorated.

The greatest impact of this condition was on the Prophet Muhammad. It was difficult to provide even the bare necessities of life to the members of his household. Things reached the stage when his consorts were forced to demand maintenance.

What his consorts asked for was basic necessities, but this was mentioned by God as a demand for worldly glitter?possibly too forceful an expression, just like the expression ‘shameful acts’ (fahishah). The Prophet had been assigned the most important mission in history, i.e. bringing to an end the age of polytheism and ushering in an era of monotheism. Under these circumstances, it was not possible for him to give importance to anything else. So, the consorts of the Prophet were told that either they should live contentedly with the Prophet and display greater endurance or, if that was not acceptable, to seek separation gracefully, but that raising domestic problems and thus diverting the attention of the Prophet could not be countenanced.

31-32. The consorts of the Prophet had the position of lea…

The consorts of the Prophet had the position of leaders in the society. Such people have to make greater sacrifices than those made by ordinary people. That is why God has promised a double reward for such people. They use more will power than others in the performance of a (good) deed and that is why they receive greater credit for it.

The Prophet’s consorts in view of their qualities used to come in contact with others very often. People used to come to them to seek guidance on religious matters. That is why they were instructed to adopt a slightly dry tone while talking to others and not talk to them informally and familiarly as one is likely to do in the case of near relatives (in respect of whom marriage is not permissible).

33-34. Here, addressing the Prophet’s consorts about corr…

Here, addressing the Prophet’s consorts about correct behaviour, instruction is indirectly given to Muslim women as to how they should conduct themselves. Unlike worldly women, it should not be their aim to show off their charms and finery. Their attention should be entirely directed towards the worship of God. They should spend their wealth for the cause of God and their time in understanding the teachings of Islam.

This style of life makes one pure and righteous and it is only the pure and righteous who are approved of by Almighty God.

35. This verse shows what Almighty God wishes a man or…

This verse shows what Almighty God wishes a man or woman to be like. The ten virtues He would like them to possess are as follows: Islam (submission to God), Faith in God, obedience, truthfulness, patience, sincerity, charity, fasting, chastity and remembrance of God.

These ten virtues encompass all the aspects of the Islamic faith and Islamic character. Briefly speaking, one who hopes to receive God’s pardon and His rewards should bow to His injunctions, thus showing his total belief in God. There should be no contradiction between his words and his deeds. He should stand firm, regardless of the circumstances. The realization of God’s greatness should have made him modest and he should consider the meeting of others’ needs as his own responsibility. He must fast regularly and, in the context of sexual desires, he is chaste and pure. His days and nights are spent in the remembrance of God.

Just as these qualities are required of men, so also are they required of women. Although their manifestation may in some respects be different, as far as the qualities themselves are concerned, they are the same for both. A human being, whether a woman or a man, will be considered acceptable to God only when he or she approaches God endowed with these ten qualities.

36. Man has been created independent, but he has to surr…

Man has been created independent, but he has to surrender his independence to God. This is the real test of man in this world. One who passes this crucial test is the one who is on the right path.

An example of this is the marriage in the early period of Zayd and Zaynab. Zayd was a freed slave, unlike Zaynab, who belonged to a highly placed family of the Quraysh, being the daughter of Aminah, daughter of Abdul Muttalib. The Prophet Muhammad wanted Zayd to marry Zaynab but Zaynab’s people were not ready for this. Zaynab herself said, ‘I am of higher birth than he.’ But, when the Quran’s aforesaid verse was recited to them, they showed their willingness immediately. In the year 4 AH the marriage took place.

This is the Islamic temperament and this should be the temperament of every Muslim male and every Muslim female.

37. Zayd’s marriage with Zaynab took place in the year…

Zayd’s marriage with Zaynab took place in the year 4 AH, but the marriage was a failure and the next year they separated. When Zayd expressed to the Prophet, his intention of giving a divorce in this case, the Prophet of God asked the reason for it. Zayd said that she had a superiority complex over him due to her being from a noble family. However, the Prophet Muhammad urged him not to divorce her. However, on Zayd’s insistence, he permitted them to separate.

When Zayd and Zaynab got married, they broke an old convention and it was ordained that a difference in social status should not come in the way of marriage. But when they separated, it was the will of Almighty God that Zaynab should be made the means of breaking yet another erroneous custom.

By tradition, in the old pre-Islamic period, an adopted son was treated just like a real son, enjoying the same rights and titles. The best way of breaking this custom was that after her divorce, Zaynab should marry the Prophet Muhammad. Zayd was the adopted son of the Prophet Muhammad, and was known as Zayd bin (son of) Muhammad. Under these circumstances, the Prophet’s marrying the divorced wife of his adopted son amounted to a disastrous contravention of the old custom, which held that a man’s marrying a woman formerly married to his adopted son, and then divorced by him, was prohibited because she was no different from a woman married to and then divorced by his real son.

The Prophet Muhammad was told in advance that if there should be a separation between the aforesaid couple, then as a device to break the old pre-Islamic custom, Zaynab would be given in marriage to him. Since such a marriage in the prevailing atmosphere would have given him a bad name, the Prophet urged Zayd not to divorce Zaynab, so that he might be spared this very trying ordeal. But, whatever was ordained by God, did happen. Zayd divorced Zaynab and, so as to break the old custom, Zaynab was married to the Prophet in the year 5 A.H.

38-40. After the above-mentioned incident, there was…

After the above-mentioned incident, there was as expected, a great deal of propaganda against the Prophet Muhammad. It was alleged that the Prophet had married his own daughter-in-law and such a marriage was illegal. To counter this, it was clarified that, in Muhammad’s case, the fact was that he had only daughters? no sons. Zayd, son of Harithah, was only his adopted son and not his real son. So how could a woman, married to and divorced by him, be illegal for one who was not his real father?

Why is it that the Prophet had to face so many ups and downs, in spite of being the Prophet? The reason is that though the Prophet received divine revelation, he had to lead his life as a common man. In the world of trial, he faced the same circumstances as others had to face. Had it not been so, the Prophet’s life would not have been an example for the common people. That is why prophetic guidance is given within the framework of realistic events, rather than under unrealistic or artificial conditions.

The Prophet Muhammad was the seal of the prophets. The word ‘khatam’ is used for ‘seal’, i.e. the final act. To seal an envelop means closing it finally, after which nothing can either be extracted or inserted into it. That is why in Arabic, the‘khatam’ of a community means the last person of that community.

The announcement that the Prophet Muhammad was the ‘khatemun-Nabiyyin’ means that no prophet was going to come after him and, as such, it was necessary that all godly matters be revealed through him.

41-44. When an adulterated religion is dominant, the adopt…

When an adulterated religion is dominant, the adoption of true religion is always the most difficult task. Under such circumstances, the hearts of the faithful sometimes harbour feelings of dejection and disappointment. There is one certain method of saving oneself from this and that is to keep looking for the silver lining in the dark clouds.

Common people live on the strength of materialism, while the Faithful live on the strength of ideas. To live on the level of ideas means that a man lives for the remembrance of God. The angels’ inaudible discourse should be audible to him. He should give the utmost importance to his intellectual and spiritual development.

45-48. The witness (shahid), the bearer of good news (mub…

The witness (shahid), the bearer of good news (mubashshir), the warner, (nadhir) and the giver of the call for the Truth (da‘i) all represent different aspects of the same reality. It is the Prophet’s mission to make people aware of the realities of life and inform them about heaven and hell. This is an action related to the call of the Prophet and on this basis only, will the Prophet give evidence in the Court of the Hereafter as to which of his addressees accepted the message of Truth, and which did not.

The Prophet’s mission is also the mission of the followers of Islam. While treading this path, one has to face trouble from the people in getting support; while some give timely support, they later desert, uttering falsehoods. Under these circumstances, it was Trust in God alone which kept the Prophet (or his follower missionaries) firmly on the true path of their missionary work. To be tolerant of whatever is negative in the people, to ignore it and under all circumstances to keep one’s eyes fixed on God: these are the real assets of one who performs work.

49. If a man marries a woman, but divorces her before…

If a man marries a woman, but divorces her before the marriage is consummated, the waiting period (‘iddah) does not have to be observed, as happens in ordinary cases. But Islamic ethical considerations demand that the separation of husband and wife should be as dignified as their coming together was. If some alimony (mahr) was fixed for the concerned lady, then the man shall have to repay half of that. Otherwise, she should be graciously sent off after being given some amount commensurate with her status and the man’s capacity to pay. The woman is permitted to enter into a second marriage immediately, if she wants to do so. There is no need for her to observe the waiting period.

50. For Muslims in general the permitted maximum numb…

For Muslims in general the permitted maximum number of wives has been restricted to four. But, in the case of the Prophet Muhammad, this restriction was not applicable. By the special permission of Almighty God, he took more than four wives. The wisdom behind it was that the Prophet should experience no problem in the performance of his mission.

‘Restriction’ here refers to the problems encountered in the execution of the prophetic mission. In view of various missionary and reformative imperatives, the Prophet felt the need to marry more than four women. In view of these religious considerations, Almighty God did not apply the restriction of four wives in his case. For example, the advantage of the Prophet’s marriage to Umm Salmah and Umm Habibah was that Khalid ibn Walid, the famed general, and Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, the influential leader no longer opposed him. And the wisdom in the Prophet’s marriage with ‘A’ishah was that a young and intelligent lady should be in his company permanently, so that after him she could teach religion to people for a long period. Accordingly, ‘A’ishah acted as a recorder of the Prophet’s thoughts, words and deeds, and for half a century after his demise, went on nobly serving the cause of Islam by promulgating his ideas.

51-52. Where a number of ladies are involved, the scope…

Where a number of ladies are involved, the scope for complaint increases. The Prophet Muhammad had many wives. In view of this, there was a possibility that these ladies might have grievances about ineqalities in conjugal rights, as a result of which giving his full concentration to the performance of his missionary work might have been hampered. So, it was laid down that his case was a special one and that he was not subject to the provisions regarding the observance of equality in conjugal rights which were applicable to Muslims in general. If there had been any clash between the provisions regarding conjugal rights and those regarding Islamic rights, then it would have been legitimate for the Prophet to give preference to Islamic rights. The purpose of granting exemption to the Prophet from the general provisions, was to prevent the growth of resentment among his wives; as a matter of fact, the Prophet hardly ever took advantage of these powers in practice.

53-54. Here, the Prophet Muhammad’s instructions have…

Here, the Prophet Muhammad’s instructions have been given to Muslims as to what their domestic and social behaviour should be; that whenever they enter anybody else’s house, they should do so with permission; when they are invited by somebody to partake of food, etc., they should remain in the house only as long as necessary, and leave soon afterwords. If they visit somebody, they should desist from unnecessary talks; in case they have any work in connection with women, they should do it with a curtain in between, etc.

In social life, a man should not simply concern himself with his own interests, needs and desires, but should very seriously ensure that his actions do not give trouble to others. Pointless chatter should not result in wastage of others’ time.

55. In the foregoing verse, men were prohibited from com…

In the foregoing verse, men were prohibited from coming before the Prophet’s consorts. In this verse, it has been clarified that near relatives (with whom marriage is not permissible) and frequent lady visitors are exempt from these restrictions. In the range of relations mentioned here, other relations will be included which come within the ambit of this instruction, further details of which are contained in chapter 24, verse 31.

The sum and substance of all these instructions is that men and women should have the fear of God in their hearts. They should lead their lives bearing in mind that God is keeping a watch on them at all times.

56-58. The Prophet Muhammad was sent into this world…

The Prophet Muhammad was sent into this world to convey the divine religionto man. The subject of God who undertakes such a divine mission receives the full support of God and his angels. To favour him is as good as favouring God and His angels, and to evade him amounts to evading God and His angels.

Those who harassed the Prophet Muhammad were, to their way of thinking, making life difficult for a mere man, but they forgot that they were actually dealing with a representative of God. And those who harass God’s representatives have always rendered themselves accursed in the eyes of the Lord of the Universe.

59-62. When a Muslim woman leaves her house on an err…

When a Muslim woman leaves her house on an errand, she should be so clad as to give the impression that she is a well-bred, respectable, modest woman, and that she has left her home for some serious need and not to make merry or to go in search of entertainment.

Simple apparel, a modest gait, the body properly covered, etc. – these are the symbols of that approach.

Hypocrites here refers to those who indulged in acts of treason by siding secretly with the enemies of the Prophet.

63-68. Enquiring about the exact day when the Day of…

Enquiring about the exact day when the Day of Judgement would arrive did not mean that the enquiries had no belief whatsoever in Judgement Day. This was not meant to mock the Day of Judgement, but to ridicule the person who gave news of that Day. They did not deny that Judgement Day would actually come, but they did not believe in the nature of that Day, of which the Prophet and his companions gave specific details.

Their real fault was that they gave undue importance to the leaders of their community, rather than showing due respect to the Prophet. That is why the words of the prominent persons of their community appeared to them more worthy of consideration than the words of the Prophet. But, on the Day of Judgement when the reality is revealed, they will regret that they could not differentiate between real greatness and false greatness, and that; having been deceived by false greatness, they went astray.

69-71. The injunction refrains believers from harassing…

The injunction refrains believers from harassing the Prophet Muhammad, as did the Jews to the Prophet Moses. The verse was revealed in the backdrop of the following incident. Once when the Prophet was in Madinah, he received some goods, which he distributed among the people. Subsequently, one of the Ansars (followers of the Prophet who hailed from Madina) criticized him, saying: ‘By God, Muhammad has sought neither the pleasure of God nor a home in the Hereafter, by this distribution.’ When this incident was brought to the notice of the Prophet, he said, ‘May the Mercy of God be on Moses. He was given much more trouble, but he remained patient.’ (Tafsir ibn Kathir).

There are two types of utterances – the straightforward and the devious. The straightforward utterance is that which exactly conforms to the facts; which is based on factual analysis and which is presented with the support of solid arguments. As opposed to this, the devious utterance is that which is not reality oriented, which is based on guesses and conjectures and simply amounts to expressing an opinion: it is not factual reporting. The first mentioned is the utterance of the believer (mu’min), while the second is that of the hypocrite.

72-73. The offering of ‘trust’ here means a transference…

The offering of ‘trust’ here means a transference of power, to be used at man’s discretion. This power is something with which God has entrusted man temporarily, by way of trial, so that man of his own volition, should become obedient to God. Acceptance of this trust amounts to becoming God’s representative. One has to impose upon oneself what the stars and planets do under compulsion. In other words, surrender voluntarily to God’s will.

In this universe, only God is the Lord and all things are His subjects. But, Almighty God willed that He should create independent creatures who, without any compulsion, would voluntarily do whatever God wanted them to do. This voluntary obedience constituted a great trial for mankind. The heavens, the earth and the mountains could not undertake it. However, man accepted it, in spite of the serious risks involved. Now man is God’s trustee in this world. He has to apply the rule of God to himself just as God applies it to others according to His will. Man is being put to the test and the present world is a vast examination hall.

God’s trust is an extremely crucial responsibility, because it gives rise to the problem of reward and punishment. Other creatures, being helpless, are bound to conform to the will of God. So there is no question of reward or punishment for them. But, man enjoys freedom and this being so, he is deserving of reward or punishment. There is a tradition handed down from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas, which says that when Almighty God mentioned the subject of trust to Adam, he asked what was meant by trust. Almighty God replied: ‘If you perform good deeds, you will receive a reward, but if you perform bad deeds, you will be punished.’ (Tafsir ibn Kathir).

The will of God has been enforced on the whole world. This same will of God has to be imposed on man of his own accord.