The surah that mentions the complaint of Khawlah bint Thaʿlabah to the Prophet as The Pleader for dignity of women against the abominable practice whereby husbands estranged their wives from intimacy on false pretext. It takes its name from the phrase “pleads with you” (tujādiluka) mentioned in verse 1. The surah disallows a specific pagan divorce practice. It goes on to state that those who oppose God and His messenger, who secretly ally themselves with Satan, who lie in their oaths and make intrigues against the Prophet, will be defeated and suer humiliation both in this world and in the next (verse 5 and verse 20), while those on God’s side will triumph (verse 22).The surah is also known as: She Who Argued, She Who Pleaded, The Disputant, The Dispute, The Disputer, The Disputing Woman, The Pleading Woman, The Woman Who Pleads.
1
قَد سَمِعَ اللَّهُ قَولَ الَّتي تُجادِلُكَ في زَوجِها وَتَشتَكي إِلَى اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ يَسمَعُ تَحاوُرَكُما ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَميعٌ بَصيرٌ
qad samiʿa llāhu qawla llatī tujādiluka fī zawjihā wa-tashtakī ʾilā llāhi wa-llāhu yasmaʿu taḥāwurakumā ʾinna llāha samīʿun baṣīrun-i
Allah has certainly heard the speech of herwho pleads with you about her husbandand complains to Allah.Allah hears the conversation between the two of you.Indeed Allah is all-hearing, all-seeing.
2
الَّذينَ يُظاهِرونَ مِنكُم مِن نِسائِهِم ما هُنَّ أُمَّهاتِهِم ۖ إِن أُمَّهاتُهُم إِلَّا اللّائي وَلَدنَهُم ۚ وَإِنَّهُم لَيَقولونَ مُنكَرًا مِنَ القَولِ وَزورًا ۚ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَعَفُوٌّ غَفورٌ
alladhīna yuẓāhirūna minkum min nisāʾihim mā hunna ʾummahātihim ʾin ʾummahātuhum ʾillā llāʾī waladnahum wa-ʾinnahum la-yaqūlūna munkaran mina l-qawli wa-zūran wa-ʾinna llāha la-ʿafuwwun ghafūrun
As for those of you who repudiate their wives by ẓihār,1they are not their mothers;their mothers are only those who bore them,and indeed they utter an outrageous utteranceand a lie.Indeed Allah is all-excusing, all-forgiving.A kind of repudiation of the marital relationship among pre-Islamic Arabs which took place on a husband’s saying to his wife ‘Be as my mother’s back’ (ẓahr; hence the derivative ẓihār).
3
وَالَّذينَ يُظاهِرونَ مِن نِسائِهِم ثُمَّ يَعودونَ لِما قالوا فَتَحريرُ رَقَبَةٍ مِن قَبلِ أَن يَتَماسّا ۚ ذٰلِكُم توعَظونَ بِهِ ۚ وَاللَّهُ بِما تَعمَلونَ خَبيرٌ
wa-lladhīna yuẓāhirūna min nisāʾihim thumma yaʿūdūna li-mā qālū fa-taḥrīru raqabatin min qabli ʾan yatamāssā dhālikum tūʿaẓūna bihī wa-llāhu bi-mā taʿmalūna khabīrun
Those who repudiate their wives by ẓihārand then retract what they have said,shall set free a slave before they may touch each other.This you are advised [to carry out],and Allah is well aware of what you do.
4
فَمَن لَم يَجِد فَصِيامُ شَهرَينِ مُتَتابِعَينِ مِن قَبلِ أَن يَتَماسّا ۖ فَمَن لَم يَستَطِع فَإِطعامُ سِتّينَ مِسكينًا ۚ ذٰلِكَ لِتُؤمِنوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسولِهِ ۚ وَتِلكَ حُدودُ اللَّهِ ۗ وَلِلكافِرينَ عَذابٌ أَليمٌ
fa-man lam yajid fa-ṣiyāmu shahrayni mutatābiʿayni min qabli ʾan yatamāssā fa-man lam yastaṭiʿ fa-ʾiṭʿāmu sittīna miskīnan dhālika li-tuʾminū bi-llāhi wa-rasūlihī wa-tilka ḥudūdu llāhi wa-li-l-kāfirīna ʿadhābun ʾalīmun
He who can not afford [to free a slave]shall fast for two successive monthsbefore they may touch each other.If he cannot [do so],he shall feed sixty needy persons.This, that you may have faith in Allah and His Apostle.These are Allah’s bounds,and there is a painful punishment for the faithless.
5
إِنَّ الَّذينَ يُحادّونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسولَهُ كُبِتوا كَما كُبِتَ الَّذينَ مِن قَبلِهِم ۚ وَقَد أَنزَلنا آياتٍ بَيِّناتٍ ۚ وَلِلكافِرينَ عَذابٌ مُهينٌ
ʾinna lladhīna yuḥāddūna llāha wa-rasūlahū kubitū ka-mā kubita lladhīna min qablihim wa-qad ʾanzalnā ʾāyātin bayyinātin wa-li-l-kāfirīna ʿadhābun muhīnun
Indeed those who oppose Allah and His Apostlewill be subduedjust as were subdued those before them.We have certainly sent down manifest signs,and there is a humiliating punishment for the faithless.
6
يَومَ يَبعَثُهُمُ اللَّهُ جَميعًا فَيُنَبِّئُهُم بِما عَمِلوا ۚ أَحصاهُ اللَّهُ وَنَسوهُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ عَلىٰ كُلِّ شَيءٍ شَهيدٌ
yawma yabʿathuhumu llāhu jamīʿan fa-yunabbiʾuhum bi-mā ʿamilū ʾaḥṣāhu llāhu wa-nasūhu wa-llāhu ʿalā kulli shayʾin shahīdun
The day when Allah will raise them all together,He will inform them about what they have done.Allah has kept account of it, while they forgot it,and Allah is witness to all things.
7
أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعلَمُ ما فِي السَّماواتِ وَما فِي الأَرضِ ۖ ما يَكونُ مِن نَجوىٰ ثَلاثَةٍ إِلّا هُوَ رابِعُهُم وَلا خَمسَةٍ إِلّا هُوَ سادِسُهُم وَلا أَدنىٰ مِن ذٰلِكَ وَلا أَكثَرَ إِلّا هُوَ مَعَهُم أَينَ ما كانوا ۖ ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُهُم بِما عَمِلوا يَومَ القِيامَةِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَيءٍ عَليمٌ
ʾa-lam tara ʾanna llāha yaʿlamu mā fī s-samāwāti wa-mā fī l-ʾarḍi mā yakūnu min najwā thalāthatin ʾillā huwa rābiʿuhum wa-lā khamsatin ʾillā huwa sādisuhum wa-lā ʾadnā min dhālika wa-lā ʾakthara ʾillā huwa maʿahum ʾayna mā kānū thumma yunabbiʾuhum bi-mā ʿamilū yawma l-qiyāmati ʾinna llāha bi-kulli shayʾin ʿalīmun
Have you not regarded that Allah knowswhatever there is in the heavensand whatever there is in the earth?There is no secret talk among three,but He is their fourth [companion],nor among five but He is their sixth,nor less than that, nor more,but He is with them wherever they may be.Then He will inform them about what they have doneon the Day of Resurrection.Indeed Allah has knowledge of all things.
8
أَلَم تَرَ إِلَى الَّذينَ نُهوا عَنِ النَّجوىٰ ثُمَّ يَعودونَ لِما نُهوا عَنهُ وَيَتَناجَونَ بِالإِثمِ وَالعُدوانِ وَمَعصِيَتِ الرَّسولِ وَإِذا جاءوكَ حَيَّوكَ بِما لَم يُحَيِّكَ بِهِ اللَّهُ وَيَقولونَ في أَنفُسِهِم لَولا يُعَذِّبُنَا اللَّهُ بِما نَقولُ ۚ حَسبُهُم جَهَنَّمُ يَصلَونَها ۖ فَبِئسَ المَصيرُ
ʾa-lam tara ʾilā lladhīna nuhū ʿani n-najwā thumma yaʿūdūna li-mā nuhū ʿanhu wa-yatanājawna bi-l-ʾithmi wa-l-ʿudwāni wa-maʿṣiyati r-rasūli wa-ʾidhā jāʾūka ḥayyawka bi-mā lam yuḥayyika bihi llāhu wa-yaqūlūna fī ʾanfusihim law-lā yuʿadhdhibunā llāhu bi-mā naqūlu ḥasbuhum jahannamu yaṣlawnahā fa-biʾsa l-maṣīru
Have you not regarded thosewho were forbidden from secret talks1but again resumedwhat they had been forbidden from,and hold secret talks[imbued] with sin and transgressionand disobedience to the Apostle?And when they2 come to youthey greet you with thatwith which Allah never greeted you,and they say to themselves,3‘Why does not Allah punish us for what we say?!’Let hell suffice them: they shall enter it;and it is an evil destination!That is, the Jews and the hypocrites.That is, the Jews and the hypocrites who, instead of as-salāmu ʿalaykum (peace be on you), would greet the Prophet (ṣ) with such words as as-sāmu ʿalaykum (death to you), telling themselves that if the Prophet (ṣ) were really from God, He would punish them for it.Or ‘in their hearts.’
9
يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنوا إِذا تَناجَيتُم فَلا تَتَناجَوا بِالإِثمِ وَالعُدوانِ وَمَعصِيَتِ الرَّسولِ وَتَناجَوا بِالبِرِّ وَالتَّقوىٰ ۖ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ الَّذي إِلَيهِ تُحشَرونَ
yā-ʾayyuhā lladhīna ʾāmanū ʾidhā tanājaytum fa-lā tatanājaw bi-l-ʾithmi wa-l-ʿudwāni wa-maʿṣiyati r-rasūli wa-tanājaw bi-l-birri wa-t-taqwā wa-ttaqū llāha lladhī ʾilayhi tuḥsharūna
O you who have faith!When you talk secretly,do not hold secret talks[imbued] with sin and aggressionand disobedience to the Apostle,but talk secretly in [a spirit of] pietyand Godfearing,and be wary of Allahtoward whom you will be mustered.
10
إِنَّمَا النَّجوىٰ مِنَ الشَّيطانِ لِيَحزُنَ الَّذينَ آمَنوا وَلَيسَ بِضارِّهِم شَيئًا إِلّا بِإِذنِ اللَّهِ ۚ وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَليَتَوَكَّلِ المُؤمِنونَ
ʾinnamā n-najwā mina sh-shayṭāni li-yaḥzuna lladhīna ʾāmanū wa-laysa bi-ḍārrihim shayʾan ʾillā bi-ʾidhni llāhi wa-ʿalā llāhi fa-l-yatawakkali l-muʾminūna
Indeed [malicious] secret talks are from Satan,that he may upset the faithful,but he cannot harm them in any wayexcept by Allah’s leave,and in Allah let all the faithful put their trust.
11
يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنوا إِذا قيلَ لَكُم تَفَسَّحوا فِي المَجالِسِ فَافسَحوا يَفسَحِ اللَّهُ لَكُم ۖ وَإِذا قيلَ انشُزوا فَانشُزوا يَرفَعِ اللَّهُ الَّذينَ آمَنوا مِنكُم وَالَّذينَ أوتُوا العِلمَ دَرَجاتٍ ۚ وَاللَّهُ بِما تَعمَلونَ خَبيرٌ
yā-ʾayyuhā lladhīna ʾāmanū ʾidhā qīla lakum tafassaḥū fī l-majālisi fa-fsaḥū yafsaḥi llāhu lakum wa-ʾidhā qīla nshuzū fa-nshuzū yarfaʿi llāhu lladhīna ʾāmanū minkum wa-lladhīna ʾūtū l-ʿilma darajātin wa-llāhu bi-mā taʿmalūna khabīrun
O you who have faith!When you are told, ‘Make room,’ in sittings,then do make room;Allah will make room for you.And when you are told, ‘Rise up!’Do rise up.Allah will raise those of you who have faithand those who have been given knowledgein rank,and Allah is well aware of what you do.
12
يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنوا إِذا ناجَيتُمُ الرَّسولَ فَقَدِّموا بَينَ يَدَي نَجواكُم صَدَقَةً ۚ ذٰلِكَ خَيرٌ لَكُم وَأَطهَرُ ۚ فَإِن لَم تَجِدوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفورٌ رَحيمٌ
yā-ʾayyuhā lladhīna ʾāmanū ʾidhā nājaytumu r-rasūla fa-qaddimū bayna yaday najwākum ṣadaqatan dhālika khayrun lakum wa-ʾaṭharu fa-ʾin lam tajidū fa-ʾinna llāha ghafūrun raḥīmun
O you who have faith!When you talk secretly to the Apostle,offer a charity before your secret talk.That is better for you and purer.But if you cannot afford [to make the offering],then Allah is indeed all-forgiving, all-merciful.
13
أَأَشفَقتُم أَن تُقَدِّموا بَينَ يَدَي نَجواكُم صَدَقاتٍ ۚ فَإِذ لَم تَفعَلوا وَتابَ اللَّهُ عَلَيكُم فَأَقيمُوا الصَّلاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكاةَ وَأَطيعُوا اللَّهَ وَرَسولَهُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ خَبيرٌ بِما تَعمَلونَ
ʾa-ʾashfaqtum ʾan tuqaddimū bayna yaday najwākum ṣadaqātin fa-ʾidh lam tafʿalū wa-tāba llāhu ʿalaykum fa-ʾaqīmū ṣ-ṣalāta wa-ʾātū z-zakāta wa-ʾaṭīʿū llāha wa-rasūlahū wa-llāhu khabīrun bi-mā taʿmalūna
Were you apprehensive of offeringcharities before your secret talks?So, as you did not do it,and Allah was clement to you,maintain the prayer and pay the zakāt,and obey Allah and His Apostle.And Allah is well aware of what you do.
14
۞ أَلَم تَرَ إِلَى الَّذينَ تَوَلَّوا قَومًا غَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيهِم ما هُم مِنكُم وَلا مِنهُم وَيَحلِفونَ عَلَى الكَذِبِ وَهُم يَعلَمونَ
ʾa-lam tara ʾilā lladhīna tawallaw qawman ghaḍiba llāhu ʿalayhim mā hum minkum wa-lā minhum wa-yaḥlifūna ʿalā l-kadhibi wa-hum yaʿlamūna
Have you not regardedthose who befriend a people1at whom Allah is wrathful?They neither belong to you, nor to them,and they swear false oaths [that they are with you]and they know.That is, the Jews, with whom the hypocrites amongst muslims were on intimate terms.
15
أَعَدَّ اللَّهُ لَهُم عَذابًا شَديدًا ۖ إِنَّهُم ساءَ ما كانوا يَعمَلونَ
ʾaʿadda llāhu lahum ʿadhāban shadīdan ʾinnahum sāʾa mā kānū yaʿmalūna
Allah has prepared a severe punishment for them.Evil indeed is what they used to do.
16
اتَّخَذوا أَيمانَهُم جُنَّةً فَصَدّوا عَن سَبيلِ اللَّهِ فَلَهُم عَذابٌ مُهينٌ
ittakhadhū ʾaymānahum junnatan fa-ṣaddū ʿan sabīli llāhi fa-lahum ʿadhābun muhīnun
They make a shield of their oathsand bar [people] from the way of Allah;so there is a humiliating punishment for them.
17
لَن تُغنِيَ عَنهُم أَموالُهُم وَلا أَولادُهُم مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيئًا ۚ أُولٰئِكَ أَصحابُ النّارِ ۖ هُم فيها خالِدونَ
lan tughniya ʿanhum ʾamwāluhum wa-lā ʾawlāduhum mina llāhi shayʾan ʾulāʾika ʾaṣḥābu n-nāri hum fīhā khālidūna
Their possessions and children will not avail themin any way against Allah.They shall be the inmates of the Fireand they shall remain in it [forever].
18
يَومَ يَبعَثُهُمُ اللَّهُ جَميعًا فَيَحلِفونَ لَهُ كَما يَحلِفونَ لَكُم ۖ وَيَحسَبونَ أَنَّهُم عَلىٰ شَيءٍ ۚ أَلا إِنَّهُم هُمُ الكاذِبونَ
yawma yabʿathuhumu llāhu jamīʿan fa-yaḥlifūna lahū ka-mā yaḥlifūna lakum wa-yaḥsabūna ʾannahum ʿalā shayʾin ʾa-lā ʾinnahum humu l-kādhibūna
The day when Allah will raise them all together,they will swear to Him,just like they swear to you [now],supposing that they stand on something.Look! They are indeed liars!
19
استَحوَذَ عَلَيهِمُ الشَّيطانُ فَأَنساهُم ذِكرَ اللَّهِ ۚ أُولٰئِكَ حِزبُ الشَّيطانِ ۚ أَلا إِنَّ حِزبَ الشَّيطانِ هُمُ الخاسِرونَ
istaḥwadha ʿalayhimu sh-shayṭānu fa-ʾansāhum dhikra llāhi ʾulāʾika ḥizbu sh-shayṭāni ʾa-lā ʾinna ḥizba sh-shayṭāni humu l-khāsirūna
Satan has prevailed upon them,so he has caused them to forgetthe remembrance of Allah.They are Satan’s confederates.Look!Indeed it is Satan’s confederates who are the losers!
20
إِنَّ الَّذينَ يُحادّونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسولَهُ أُولٰئِكَ فِي الأَذَلّينَ
ʾinna lladhīna yuḥāddūna llāha wa-rasūlahū ʾulāʾika fī l-ʾadhallīna
Indeed those who oppose Allah and His Apostle—they will be among the most abased.
21
كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَأَغلِبَنَّ أَنا وَرُسُلي ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَوِيٌّ عَزيزٌ
kataba llāhu la-ʾaghlibanna ʾana wa-rusulī ʾinna llāha qawiyyun ʿazīzun
Allah has ordained: ‘I shall surely prevail,I and My apostles.’Indeed Allah is all-strong, all-mighty.
22
لا تَجِدُ قَومًا يُؤمِنونَ بِاللَّهِ وَاليَومِ الآخِرِ يُوادّونَ مَن حادَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسولَهُ وَلَو كانوا آباءَهُم أَو أَبناءَهُم أَو إِخوانَهُم أَو عَشيرَتَهُم ۚ أُولٰئِكَ كَتَبَ في قُلوبِهِمُ الإيمانَ وَأَيَّدَهُم بِروحٍ مِنهُ ۖ وَيُدخِلُهُم جَنّاتٍ تَجري مِن تَحتِهَا الأَنهارُ خالِدينَ فيها ۚ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنهُم وَرَضوا عَنهُ ۚ أُولٰئِكَ حِزبُ اللَّهِ ۚ أَلا إِنَّ حِزبَ اللَّهِ هُمُ المُفلِحونَ
lā tajidu qawman yuʾminūna bi-llāhi wa-l-yawmi l-ʾākhiri yuwāddūna man ḥādda llāha wa-rasūlahū wa-law kānū ʾābāʾahum ʾaw ʾabnāʾahum ʾaw ʾikhwānahum ʾaw ʿashīratahum ʾulāʾika kataba fī qulūbihimu l-ʾīmāna wa-ʾayyadahum bi-rūḥin minhu wa-yudkhiluhum jannātin tajrī min taḥtihā l-ʾanhāru khālidīna fīhā raḍiya llāhu ʿanhum wa-raḍū ʿanhu ʾulāʾika ḥizbu llāhi ʾa-lā ʾinna ḥizba llāhi humu l-mufliḥūna
You will not find a people believing in Allahand the Last Dayendearing those who oppose Allah and His Apostleeven though they were their own parents,or children,or brothers, or kinsfolk.[For] such, He has written faith into their heartsand strengthened them with a spirit from Him.He will admit them into gardenswith streams running in them,to remain in them [forever],Allah is pleased with them,and they are pleased with Him.They are Allah’s confederates.Look!The confederates of Allah are indeed felicitous!