Al-Ahzaab

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ ٱتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُطِعِ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ وَٱلْمُنَـٰفِقِينَ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا ۱

{ يأيها النبى اتق الله } دم على تقواه { ولا تطع الكفرين والمنفقين } فيما يخالف شريعتك { إن الله كان عليما } بما يكون قبل كونه { حكيما } فيما يخلقه.

O Prophet! Fear God, remain in fear of Him, and do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites, [and so follow them] in what contravenes your Law. Truly God is Knower, of what will happens before it happens, Wise, in what He creates.

وَٱتَّبِعْ مَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا ۲

{ واتبع ما يوحى إليك من ربك } أي القرآن { إن الله كان بما تعملون خبيرا } وفي قراءة (يعملون)بالتحتانية.

And follow what is revealed to you from your Lord, namely, the Qur’ān. Truly God is Aware of what you do (ta‘malūna; a variant reading has ya‘malūna, ‘[what] they do’).

وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ وَكِيلًا ۳

{ وتوكل على الله } في أمرك { وكفى بالله وكيلا } حافظا لك. وأمته تبع له في ذلك كله.

And put your trust in God, regarding this affair of yours; and God suffices as Guardian, to preserve you. And [the members of] his [the Prophet’s] community are subject to the same [admonitions] in all of the above.

مَّا جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لِرَجُلٍ مِّن قَلْبَيْنِ فِى جَوْفِهِۦ ۚ وَمَا جَعَلَ أَزْوَٰجَكُمُ ٱلَّـٰٓـِٔى تُظَـٰهِرُونَ مِنْهُنَّ أُمَّهَـٰتِكُمْ ۚ وَمَا جَعَلَ أَدْعِيَآءَكُمْ أَبْنَآءَكُمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ قَوْلُكُم بِأَفْوَٰهِكُمْ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَقُولُ ٱلْحَقَّ وَهُوَ يَهْدِى ٱلسَّبِيلَ ۴

{ ما جعل الله لرجل من قلبين فى جوفه } ردا على من قال من الكفار: إن له قلبين يعقل بكل منهما أفضل من عقل محمد { وما جعل أزوجكم الىء } بهمزة وياء وبلا ياء { تظهرون } بلا ألف قبل الهاء وبها، والتاء الثانية في الأصل مدغمة في الظاء { منهن } يقول الواحد مثلا لزوجته: أنت علي كظهر أمي { أمهتكم } أي كالأمهات في تحريمها بذلك المعد في الجاهلية طلاقا، وإنما تجب به الكفارة بشرطه كما ذكر في سورة (المجادلة)[2:58-4] { وما جعل أدعياءكم } جمع دعي وهو من يدعى لغير أبيه ابنا له { أبناءكم } حقيقة { ذلكم قولكم بأفوهكم } أي اليهود والمنافقين لما قالوا لما تزوج النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم زينب بنت جحش التي كانت امرأة زيد بن حارثة الذي تبناه النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم،قالوا تزوج محمد امرأة ابنه، فأكذبهم الله تعالى في ذلك { والله يقول الحق } في ذلك { وهو يهدى السبيل } سبيل الحق.

God has not placed two hearts inside any man: [this was revealed] in order to refute those disbelievers who said that they each had two hearts with which they could reason better than Muhammad’s single mind; nor has He made your wives whom (read as allā’ī, or allā’) you repudiate by zihār (read tazzahharūna, or tuzāhirūna; the original tā’ [of tatazāharūna] has been assimilated with the zā’) — a man would say to his wife for example, ‘You are for me as [untouchable as] my mother’s back’ — your mothers, in other words, [He has not made you wives] like [your] mothers, so that they are illicit [for conjugality] in that respect, [a practice] which in pre-Islamic times was considered a [valid form of] divorce. An atonement with [necessary] conditions is necessary in such a case, as mentioned in sūrat al-Mujādila [Q. 58:2-3]. Nor has He made those whom you claim as [adopted] sons (ad‘iyā’, the plural of da‘iyy, which is one claimed as the son of one who is not his [biological] father) your sons, in reality. That is a mere utterance of your mouths, namely, [of] the Jews and the hypocrites. When the Prophet (s) married Zaynab bt. Jahsh, who had been Zayd b. Hāritha’s wife, the adopted son of the Prophet (s), they said, ‘Muhammad married his son’s wife!’, and so God proved them liars in this. But God speaks the truth, in this [matter], and He guides to the way, the way of truth.

ٱدْعُوهُمْ لِـَٔابَآئِهِمْ هُوَ أَقْسَطُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ فَإِن لَّمْ تَعْلَمُوٓا۟ ءَابَآءَهُمْ فَإِخْوَٰنُكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ وَمَوَٰلِيكُمْ ۚ وَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ فِيمَآ أَخْطَأْتُم بِهِۦ وَلَـٰكِن مَّا تَعَمَّدَتْ قُلُوبُكُمْ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا ۵

{ ادعوهم لأبآئهم هو أقسط } أعدل { عند الله فإن لم تعلموا ءابآءهم فإخوانكم فى الدين وموليكم } بنو عمكم { وليس عليكم جناح فيما أخطأتم به } في ذلك { ولكن } في { ما تعمدت قلوبكم } فيه وهو بعد النهي { وكان الله غفورا } لما كان من قولكم قبل النهي { رحيما } بكم في ذلك.

Instead, attribute them to their [true] fathers. That is more equitable, [that is] more just, in the sight of God. If you do not know their [true] fathers, then they are your brethren in religion and [as] your associates. And you would not be at fault for any mistake you make, in this respect, except, in, what your hearts may premeditate, after the prohibition [has been issued]. And God is Forgiving, of whatever you said before the prohibition [was issued], Merciful, to you in this respect.

ٱلنَّبِىُّ أَوْلَىٰ بِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ ۖ وَأَزْوَٰجُهُۥٓ أُمَّهَـٰتُهُمْ ۗ وَأُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلَىٰ بِبَعْضٍ فِى كِتَـٰبِ ٱللَّهِ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُهَـٰجِرِينَ إِلَّآ أَن تَفْعَلُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰٓ أَوْلِيَآئِكُم مَّعْرُوفًا ۚ كَانَ ذَٰلِكَ فِى ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ مَسْطُورًا ۶

{ النبى أولى بالمؤمنين من أنفسهم } فيما دعاهم إليه ودعتهم أنفسهم إلى خلافه { وأزوجه أمهتهم } في حرمة نكاحهن { وأولوا الأرحام } ذوو القرابات { بعضهم أولى ببعض } في الإرث { فى كتب الله من المؤمنين والمهجرين } أي من الإرث بالإيمان والهجرة الذي كان أول الإسلام فنسخ { إلا } لكن { أن تفعلوا إلى أوليآئكم معروفا } بوصية فجائز { كان ذلك } أي نسخ الإرث بالإيمان والهجرة بإرث ذوي الأرحام { فى الكتب مسطورا } وأريد بالكتاب في الموضعين اللوح المحفوظ.

The Prophet is closer to the believers than their [own] souls, in terms of what he calls them to and what their own souls have called them to contravene, and his wives are their mothers, insofar as they [the believers] are forbidden to marry them. And those related by blood, kinsmen, are more entitled, to inherit [from], one another in the Book of God than the [other] believers and the Emigrants, in other words, than inheriting on account of [their sharing] faith and the Emigration, which had been the case at the beginning of Islam but was then abrogated; barring any favour you may do your friends, by [making] a bequest, which is permissible. This, namely, the abrogation of inheritance on account of [shared] faith and Emigration by the inheritance on account of kinship, is written in the Book — in both instances al-kitāb, ‘the Book’, denotes the Preserved Tablet (al-lawh al-mahfūz).

وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِنَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ مِيثَـٰقَهُمْ وَمِنكَ وَمِن نُّوحٍ وَإِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَى ٱبْنِ مَرْيَمَ ۖ وَأَخَذْنَا مِنْهُم مِّيثَـٰقًا غَلِيظًا ۷

{ و } اذكر { إذ أخذنا من النبيين ميثاقهم } حين أخرجوا من صلب آدم، كالذر جمع ذرة: وهي أصغر النمل { ومنك ومن نوح وإبرهيم وموسى وعيسى ابن مريم } بأن يعبدوا الله ويدعوا إلى عبادته، وذكر الخمسة من عطف الخاص على العام { وأخذنا منهم ميثقا غليظا } شديدا بالوفاء بما حملوه وهو اليمين بالله تعالى.

And, mention, when We took a pledge from the prophets, at the point when they were brought forth from the loins of Adam, the size of atoms, and from you, and from Noah and Abraham and Moses and Jesus son of Mary, that they worship [only] God and call others to worship Him (the mention of the five [names] is an instance of supplementing the specific to the general). And We took from them a solemn pledge, a solid [one], that they fulfil what they have been charged with, and this was [effected] by [swearing] an oath to God, after which the pledge was consummated;

لِّيَسْـَٔلَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ عَن صِدْقِهِمْ ۚ وَأَعَدَّ لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا ۸

، ثم أخذ الميثاق { ليسأل } الله { الصدقين عن صدقهم } في تبليغ الرسالة تبكيتا للكافرين بهم { وأعد } تعالى { للكفرين } بهم { عذابا أليما } مؤلما هو عطف على أخذنا.

that He, God, may question the truthful about their truthfulness, in delivering the Message, as a way thereby to [justifiably] reproach the disbelievers; and He, exalted be He, has prepared for those who disbelieve, in them, a painful chastisement (‘adhāban alīman is a supplement to akhadhnā, ‘We took’).

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَةَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ جَآءَتْكُمْ جُنُودٌ فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ رِيحًا وَجُنُودًا لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرًا ۹

{ أليما يأيها الذين ءامنوا اذكروا نعمة الله عليكم إذ جآءتكم جنود } من الكفار متحزبون أيام حفر الخندق { فأرسلنا عليهم ريحا وجنودا لم تروها } من الملائكة { وكان الله بما تعملون } بالتاء من حفر الخندق، و(يعملون) بالياء من تحزيب المشركين { بصيرا }.

O you who believe! Remember God’s favour to you when hosts, of disbelievers, came against you, as confederates, at the time the Ditch (al-khandaq) was being dug, and We unleashed against them a [great] wind and hosts, of angels, you did not see. And God is ever Seer of what you do (read ta‘malūna to imply ‘in the way of [your] digging of the ditch’; or read ya‘malūna, ‘[of what] they do’, to imply ‘the idolaters’ forming of a confederation’).

إِذْ جَآءُوكُم مِّن فَوْقِكُمْ وَمِنْ أَسْفَلَ مِنكُمْ وَإِذْ زَاغَتِ ٱلْأَبْصَـٰرُ وَبَلَغَتِ ٱلْقُلُوبُ ٱلْحَنَاجِرَ وَتَظُنُّونَ بِٱللَّهِ ٱلظُّنُونَا۠ ۱۰

{ إذ جآءوكم من فوقكم ومن أسفل منكم } من أعلى الوادي وأسفله من المشرق والمغرب { وإذ زاغت الأبصر } مالت عن كل شيء إلى عدوها من كل جانب { وبلغت القلوب الحناجر } جمع حنجرة وهي منتهى الحلقوم من شدة الخوف { وتظنون بالله الظنونا } المختلفة بالنصر واليأس.

When they came at you from above you and from below you, in other words, from the higher side of the valley and from its lower side, from the east and from the west, and when the eyes turned away [in fear], from everything, to [gaze at] their enemies [approaching] from every side, and the hearts lept to the throats (hanājir, the plural of hunjura, which lies at the bottom of the gullet) out of intense fear, while you entertained all sorts of, different, thoughts concerning God, [some] of assistance, some of despair;

هُنَالِكَ ٱبْتُلِىَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَزُلْزِلُوا۟ زِلْزَالًا شَدِيدًا ۱۱

{ هنالك ابتلى المؤمنون } اختبروا ليتبين المخلص من غيره { وزلزلوا } حركوا { زلزالا شديدا } من شدة الخوف و الفزع.

it was there that the believers were [sorely] tried, [there] they were tested, to distinguish the sincere individual from the one otherwise, and were shaken with a mighty shock, because of the severity of the terror.

وَإِذْ يَقُولُ ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقُونَ وَٱلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ مَّا وَعَدَنَا ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥٓ إِلَّا غُرُورًا ۱۲

{ و } اذكر { إذ يقول المنفقون والذين في قلوبهم مرض } ضعف اعتقاد { ما وعدنا الله ورسوله } بالنصر { إلا غرورا } باطلا.

And, mention, when the hypocrites, and those in whose hearts is sickness, namely, weakness of conviction, were saying, ‘What God and His Messenger promised us, of assistance [to victory], was [nothing] but delusion’, falsehood.