Al-Ahzaab 33:4
الأحزابمَّا 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
Allah has not made for any man two hearts inside him, nor has he made your wives – whom you declare unlawful – your real mothers[1], nor has he made your adopted sons your real sons[2]. These are only words that you utter, but Allah speaks the truth and He guides to the right way.
[1] This type of divorce is called zihār: a common practice in Arabia before the Prophet (ﷺ). If someone declared his wife as unlawful for him as the zahr (back) of his mother is unlawful for him, his wife would be divorced. Islam abolished this divorce. Allah says: “As for those among you who divorce their wives by likening them to their mothers, they are not their mothers; their mothers are none but those who gave birth to them.” See 58:2.
[2] Adoption of a child or an orphan is not permissible by ascribing the child to other than their real parents. Whereas, it is permissible for one to sponsor a child or host them in their home and care for them as they care for their own children, except for legal matters.
Meaning: English Translation - Rowwad Translation Center. Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website. Version 1.0.19, 2026-03-12. QuranEnc.com
Allāh has not made for a man two hearts in his interior. And He has not made your wives whom you declare unlawful[1180] your mothers. And He has not made your claimed [i.e., adopted] sons your [true] sons. That is [merely] your saying by your mouths, but Allāh says the truth, and He guides to the [right] way.
[1180] By the expression "You are to me like the back of my mother." Such an oath taken against approaching one's wife was a pre-Islāmic practice declared by Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) to be a sin requiring expiation as described in 58:3-4.
Meaning: English Translation - Noor International Center. Issued by Noor International Center. Version 1.1.2, 2025-06-24. QuranEnc.com
4. Allâh has not made for any man two hearts inside his body. Neither has He made your wives whom you declare to be like your mothers’ backs, your real mothers. [az-Zihâr is the saying of a husband to his wife, "You are to me like the back of my mother" i.e. You are unlawful for me to approach],[1] nor has He made your adopted sons your real sons. That is but your saying with your mouths. But Allâh says the truth, and He guides to the (Right) Way.
[1] (V.33:4) See the Qur’ân (V58:3 & 4).
Meaning: English Translation - Hilali and Khan. Translated by Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali and Muhammad Muhsin Khan. Version 1.1.2, 2025-09-04. QuranEnc.com
Allah hath not assigned unto any man two hearts within his body, nor hath He made your wives whom ye declare (to be your mothers) your mothers, nor hath He made those whom ye claim (to be your sons) your sons. This is but a saying of your mouths. But Allah saith the truth and He showeth the way.
Meaning: English Translation - Mohammed Marmaduke Pickthall. The Meaning of the Glorious Koran (1930), as distributed by the Tanzil Project (last update 4 September 2010). Version 2010-09-04, 2010-09-04. Tanzil
The Arabic is Tanzil’s text, unchanged. The meanings are their publishers’ editions, unchanged; Sabīl’s own reviewers have not yet examined them. Arabic: Tanzil Uthmani text, version 1.1. Source: tanzil.net