She that is to be examined · Medinan · 13 verses · Revelation order 91
الممتحنة
In verse 10 of this Surah it has been enjoined that the women who emigrate to dar al-Islam (the Islamic State) and claim to be Muslims, should be examined hence the title Al-Mumtahinah. The word is pronounced both as mumtahinah and as mumtahanah, the meaning according to the first pronunciation being 'the Surah which examines', and according to the second, 'the woman who is examined.'
O you who have believed, do not take My enemies and your enemies as allies, extending to them affection while they have disbelieved in what came to you of the truth, having driven out the Prophet and yourselves [only] because you believe in Allāh, your Lord. If you have come out for jihād [i.e., fighting or striving] in My cause and seeking means to My approval, [take them not as friends]. You confide to them affection [i.e., instruction], but I am most knowing of what you have concealed and what you have declared. And whoever does it among you has certainly strayed from the soundness of the way.
Wahiduddin Khan
Believers! Do not offer friendship to those who are enemies of Mine and of yours. Would you show them affection when they have rejected the truth you have received; when they have driven you and the Messenger out [simply] because you believe in God, your Lord. If you have left your homes to strive for My cause and out of a desire to seek My goodwill, how can you secretly offer them friendship? I know all that you conceal and all that you reveal. Whoever of you does this will surely stray from the right path
Shabbir Ahmed
O You who have chosen to be graced with belief! Do not take My enemies - who are your enemies as well - for friends. Do you extend love and friendship to them when they reject the Truth that has come to you, driving out the Messenger and you because you believe in Allah, your Lord? If you are committed to strive in My Way and to seek My Approval, befriend them not. Do you show them friendship in secret, when I am best Aware of what you conceal and what you reveal? And whoever among you does that, he has certainly strayed from the right way
If they gain dominance over you, they would be [i.e., behave] to you as enemies and extend against you their hands and their tongues with evil, and they wish you would disbelieve.
Wahiduddin Khan
If they gain ascendancy over you, they will behave towards you as enemies and stretch out their hands as well as their tongues with evil intent; they long for you to renounce your faith
Shabbir Ahmed
If they ever overcome you, they will divide you, and smite you with their hands and tongues causing much disruption. For, they will love to see you reject the Truth. ('Idia' = Wedge = Wedge of division = Enmity = Dissension = Distance. 'Su' = Disruption = Imbalance = Evil = Inequity)
Never will your relatives or your children benefit you; the Day of Resurrection He will judge between you. And Allāh, of what you do, is Seeing.
Wahiduddin Khan
Neither your relatives nor your children will be of any help to you on the Day of Resurrection. He will judge between you, and God sees all that you do
Shabbir Ahmed
(Divine Ideology comes first. Know that) Your family, relatives and your children will avail you not on the Resurrection Day. He will decide between you on individual merit alone. And Allah is Seer of all that you do
There has already been for you an excellent pattern in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people, "Indeed, we are disassociated from you and from whatever you worship other than Allāh. We have denied you, and there has appeared between us and you animosity and hatred forever until you believe in Allāh alone" - except for the saying of Abraham to his father, "I will surely ask forgiveness for you, but I have not [power to do] for you anything against Allāh. Our Lord, upon You we have relied, and to You we have returned, and to You is the destination.
Wahiduddin Khan
Indeed you have an excellent example in Abraham and those who followed him, when they said to their people, "We disown you and whatever you worship besides God. We renounce you. Enmity and hatred shall endure between us and you, until you believe in the one God." [The exception was] when Abraham said to his father, "I shall indeed pray for [God"s] forgiveness for you; although I do not have it in my power to obtain anything from God on your behalf." They prayed, "O our Lord, in You we have placed our trust and to You we turn in repentance and to You is the final return
Shabbir Ahmed
Indeed there is an Excellent Pattern for you in Abraham, and his companions. They said to their folk, "Verily, we stay clear of you and of what you worship instead of Allah. We denounce you and between us and you has arisen distance and aversion until you believe in Allah alone." The only exception was Abraham's saying to his father, "I will indeed pray for your forgiveness, although I have no power to achieve anything from Allah on your behalf." Then he prayed, "Our Lord! In You we place our trust, unto You we turn, and unto You is the Final Destination. (9:113), (14:41), (19:47), (3)
Our Lord, make us not [objects of] torment for the disbelievers and forgive us, our Lord. Indeed, it is You who is the Exalted in Might, the Wise."
Wahiduddin Khan
Our Lord, do not make us a prey for those who deny the truth, and forgive us our Lord. For You alone are the Mighty, the Wise One
Shabbir Ahmed
Our Lord! Let us not be made a target of persecution at the hands of the rejecters. And protect us, our Lord!" Verily, You, You alone are the Mighty, the Wise." ('Ghafara = Helmet, armor = Protection = Forgiveness = Absolution of faults = Protection against intrinsic or extrinsic loss)
There has certainly been for you in them an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allāh and the Last Day. And whoever turns away - then indeed, Allāh is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy.
Wahiduddin Khan
Surely, there is a good example in them for you; for those who place their hopes in God and the Last Day. Whoever turns away will surely learn that God is self-sufficient and worthy of all praise
Shabbir Ahmed
In them, indeed, you have an excellent pattern, for anyone who looks forward to Allah and the Last Day. And whoever turns away, behold! Allah, He is Independent, the Owner of All Praise
Perhaps Allāh will put, between you and those to whom you have been enemies among them, affection. And Allāh is competent, and Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
Wahiduddin Khan
It may well be that God will create goodwill between you and those of them with whom you are now at enmity -- for God is all powerful, most forgiving and merciful
Shabbir Ahmed
It may well be that Allah will bring about affection between you and those whom you now consider enemies. Allah is the Powerful Appointer of His Laws. And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful
Allāh does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes - from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allāh loves those who act justly.
Wahiduddin Khan
He does not forbid you to deal kindly and justly with anyone who has not fought you on account of your faith or driven you out of your homes: God loves the just
Shabbir Ahmed
Allah does not forbid you from being kind, and fully equitable to those who do not fight you on account of Religion, and do not evict you from your homelands. Behold, Allah loves those who lead a just, balanced life
Allāh only forbids you from those who fight you because of religion and expel you from your homes and aid in your expulsion - [forbids] that you make allies of them. And whoever makes allies of them, then it is those who are the wrongdoers.
Wahiduddin Khan
God only forbids you to make friends with those who have fought against you on account of your faith and driven you out of your homes or helped others to do so. Any of you who turn towards them in friendship will truly be transgressors
Shabbir Ahmed
Allah only forbids you from befriending only those who fight you on account of Religion and evict you from your homelands, or help others in evicting you. Whoever befriends them, it is they, they who will be wrongdoers
O you who have believed, when the believing women come to you as emigrants, examine [i.e., test] them. Allāh is most knowing as to their faith. And if you know them to be believers, then do not return them to the disbelievers; they are not lawful [wives] for them, nor are they lawful [husbands] for them. But give them [i.e., the disbelievers] what they have spent. And there is no blame upon you if you marry them when you have given them their due compensation [i.e., mahr]. And hold not to marriage bonds with disbelieving women, but ask for what you have spent and let them [i.e., the disbelievers] ask for what they have spent. That is the judgement of Allāh; He judges between you. And Allāh is Knowing and Wise.
Wahiduddin Khan
Believers! When believing women come to you as refugees, submit them to a test. Their faith is best known to God. Then if you find them to be true believers, do not send them back to those who deny the truth. These [women] are not lawful for them, nor are those who deny the truth lawful for these women. But hand back to those who deny the truth the dowers they gave them; nor is it an offence for you to marry such women, provided you give them their dowers. Do not maintain your marriages with those women who deny the truth: demand repayment of the dowers you have given them and let the disbelievers ask for the return of what they have spent. Such is God's judgement; He judges with justice between you. God is all knowing and all wise
Shabbir Ahmed
O You who have chosen to be graced with belief! When believing women come to you as immigrants, investigate their case, although only Allah is best Aware of their Faith. Once you establish that they are indeed believers, do not return them to the rejecters of the Truth. They are not lawful for the rejecters, nor are the rejecters lawful for them. Give the rejecters what they have spent on them (as dowry). And there is no blame on you if you marry these women, when you have given them their due marital gift. And do not hold on to wedlock with women who continue to deny the Truth. And you may ask them for the dowry you had paid, just as the rejecters have the right to ask the return of what they spent. This is the Judgment of Allah. He judges between you, for Allah is all-Knowing, all-Wise
And if you have lost any of your wives to the disbelievers and you subsequently obtain [something], then give those whose wives have gone the equivalent of what they had spent. And fear Allāh, in whom you are believers.
Wahiduddin Khan
If any of your wives desert you to go over to the disbelievers, and you subsequently have your turn, [by the coming over of a woman from the other side] give to those who have been deserted by their wives the equivalent of the dowers they gave them. Fear God in whom you believe
Shabbir Ahmed
If the dower of a believer's immigrant wife has gone to the disbelievers, at your turn (when a believing woman comes to you for asylum, the government will) compensate your men from what they had given (to their disbelieving wives as dower). Be mindful of Allah in Whom you are believers
O Prophet, when the believing women come to you pledging to you that they will not associate anything with Allāh, nor will they steal, nor will they commit unlawful sexual intercourse, nor will they kill their children, nor will they bring forth a slander they have invented between their arms and legs, nor will they disobey you in what is right - then accept their pledge and ask forgiveness for them of Allāh. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
Wahiduddin Khan
O Prophet! When believing women come to you and pledge themselves not to associate in worship any other thing with God, not to steal or commit adultery or kill their children or indulge in slander, intentionally inventing falsehoods, and not to disobey you in that which is right, then accept their pledge of allegiance and pray to God to forgive them their sins, for God is forgiving and merciful
Shabbir Ahmed
O Prophet! When believing women come unto you taking oath of allegiance to you (they shall pledge that they will) - Not associate anyone with Allah. Not steal the rights of others. Not commit immodesty. Neither kill their children, nor deprive them of good rearing. Not indulge in fabricating slander, either overtly or covertly. Not disobey you in the Qur'anic Values. When they have made the pledge, accept their allegiance and ask Allah to bestow upon them the protection of forgiveness. For, behold, Allah is Forgiving, Merciful
O you who have believed, do not make allies of a people with whom Allāh has become angry. They have despaired of [reward in] the Hereafter just as the disbelievers have despaired of [meeting] the companions [i.e., inhabitants] of the graves.
Wahiduddin Khan
Believers! Do not make friends with those who have incurred the wrath of God. Such men are indeed bereft of all hope of a life to come, just as those who deny the truth lying in their graves are bereft of all hopes
Shabbir Ahmed
O You who have chosen to be graced with belief! Do not befriend a people whom Allah has condemned. Of the Hereafter they are already in despair - just as the deniers of the Truth despair (the resurrection) of those who are in the graves