LISANULLAH (tongue of Allah)

SURAH (33) AL-'AHZAAB (AYA 31 to 40)

وَمَنْ يَقْنُتْ مِنْكُنَّ لِلَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَتَعْمَلْ صَالِحًا نُؤْتِهَا أَجْرَهَا مَرَّتَيْنِ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لَهَا رِزْقًا كَرِيمًا {33:31}

[Q33:31] Wa mai yaqnut minkunna liLLaahi wa Rasoolihee wa ta'mal saalihan nu'tihaaa ajrahaa marratayni wa a'tadnaa lahaa rizqan kareema.
[Q33:31] And whoever of you is obedient to ALLAH (SWT) and His Messenger and does good, We will give to her her reward doubly, and We have prepared for her an honorable sustenance.

[Q33:31] Dan sesiapa di antara kamu semua tetap taat kepada ALLAH (SwT) dan RasulNya serta mengerjakan amal yang soleh, Kami akan beri kepadanya pahala amalnya itu dua kali ganda dan Kami sediakan baginya limpah kurnia yang mulia.

The term ‘double reward’ mentioned above DOES NOT MEAN TWICE BUT A GREATER REWARD.

They earn this grace of ALLAH (SWT) for their denying themselves the ordinary comforts of life and their remaining faithful to the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) abiding by his guidance. As they are entitled to an increased punishment for any ordinary indecency, they are also entitled to a similar increase in the reward for their virtue. See also verse 28:54

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(33:31) But whoever of you is obedient to Allah and His Messenger and does good deeds, Allah will double her reward. *45 We have prepared for her a generous provision.

*45 The reason for giving a double punishment for a sin and a double reward for a good work is that those whom Allah honours with a high rank in society generally become the leaders of men and the majority of the people follow them for good or for evil. Thus, their evil does not remain their own evil but becomes the cause of a people's degeneration, and their goodness does not remain them own goodness but becomes the cause of the true success of many other people also. Therefore, when they commit evil they are punished for their own as well as for others degeneration, and whcn they do good they are not only rewarded for their own good works but also for this that they guided others also to do good. This verse also gives the principle that the greater the degree of prohibition and trust in respect of somebody and something the greater and more serious will be the crime of violating that prohibition and trust and the greater will be the punishment for it. For example, drinking in the mosque is a much morc serious crime than drinking privately in the house, and therefore, it will entail a severer punishment. Likewise, committing adultery with the prohibited relations is a far morc serious crime than committing it with another woman, and therefore, will call for a severer punishment.

يَا نِسَاءَ النَّبِيِّ لَسْتُنَّ كَأَحَدٍ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ ۚ إِنِ اتَّقَيْتُنَّ فَلَا تَخْضَعْنَ بِالْقَوْلِ فَيَطْمَعَ الَّذِي فِي قَلْبِهِ مَرَضٌ وَقُلْنَ قَوْلًا مَعْرُوفًا{33:32}

[Q33:32] Yaa nisaaa'an Nabiyyi lastunna ka ahadim minan nisaaa'i init taqaitunna falaa takhda'na bilqawli fa yatma'al lazee fee qalbihee maradunw wa qulna qawlam ma’roofaa.
[Q33:32] O wives of the Prophet! you are not like any other of the women; If you will be on your guard, then be not soft in (your) speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease yearn; and speak a good word.

[Q33:32] Wahai isteri-isteri Nabi, kamu semua bukanlah seperti mana-mana perempuan yang lain kalau kamu tetap bertakwa. Oleh itu janganlah kamu berkata-kata dengan lembut manja (semasa bercakap dengan lelaki asing) kerana yang demikian boleh menimbulkan keinginan orang yang ada penyakit dalam hatinya (menaruh tujuan buruk kepada kamu) dan sebaliknya berkatalah dengan kata-kata yang baik (sesuai dan sopan).

THE WIVES OF THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) ARE INFORMED OF THEIR UNIQUE POSITION TO BE THE MODELS OF RIGHTENOUS AMONG THE WOMEN. It has been made quite clear that mere alliance with the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) will never suffice them without the righteousness expected of their position, THEY ARE WARNED TO BE GUARDED when they talk gently to any people lest their kindness and gentle voice might be understood and taken a wrong advantage of, by evil-minded ones. All these go to show that every woman being merely the wife of any apostle of ALLAH (SWT) would never be entitled to any special honour or particular regard UNLESS she qualifies herself with the virtues and leads the prescribed guarded life.

THOUGH THIS ORDINANCE is addressed to the wives of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) BUT it has its general application as well, for every Muslim woman. No Muslim woman shall indulge in a soft and amorous or passionate talk with any member of the opposite sex. Islam is not the collection of mere ideas. It has its own practical side. ISLAM IS A WAY OF LIFE. The fair sex has to duly guard itself against the rebellious passions.

THE INJUNCTION GIVEN HERE IS TO PROMOTE AND MAINTAIN THE PURITY OF MIND AND HEART AND CHASTITY IN THE PRACTICAL LIFE OF BOTH THE SEXES OF THE HUMAN FAMILY AND THUS TO CONTROL AND SUBLIMATE THE SELF IN MAN AND WOMAN.

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(33:32) Wives of the Prophet, you are not like other women. *46 If you fear Allah, do not be too complaisant in your speech lest those with diseased hearts should covet you; but speak in a straight forward manner. *47

*46 The verses from here to the end of the paragraph are those with which the Commandments of Purdah were introduced in Islam. In these verses though the wives of the Holy Prophet only have been addressed, the intention is to enforce reforms in aII the Muslim houses. The object of addressing the Holy Prophet's wives particularly is that when a pure way of life will start from his house, it will be followed by the women of all other Muslim houses as well, because this house was looked upon by the Muslims as a model to follow. Some people, when they see that these verses have been addressed only to the wives of the Holy Prophet, assert that these Commandments were only meant for them. But when one reads what follows in these verses one feels that there is nothing which might have been meant particularly for the holy wives and not for the other Muslim women. Could Allah have intended only this that the holy wives alone should be fret from uncleanliness and they alone should obey Allah and His Prophet and they alone should offer the Salat and pay the Zakat? If this could not be the intention, then how could the Command for them to stay in their houses and avoid displaying the fineries and abstain from talking to the other men in an alluring voice be meant particularly for them to the exclusion of all other Muslim women? Is there any rational proof on the basis of which some Commands in one and the same context and series be regarded as general and some others as particular and special?
As for the sentence, °You are not like the other women," it also does not mean that the other women should come out in full make-up and should talk to the other men coquettishly and flirt with them, but "as for you, you should not adopt such a conduct." The style, to the contrary, is such as if a gentleman would tell his child, `You are not like the common children of the street: you should not use abusive language." From this no sensible person would ever conclude that the speaker regarded only his own child using abusive language as bad; as for others he would not mind if they used abusive language.
*47 That is, "There is no harm if the other man is spoken to in case of a genuine need, but on such an occasion the woman's tone and manner of speech should be such as does not let the other man think that he could cherish any false hope from her. There should be no undue softness in her tone, no allurement in her conversation, no consciously affected mellowness in her voice, which should excite the male hearer's emotions and encourage him to make advances.
About such a manner of speech Allah clearly says that this dces not behove a woman who has any fear of God in her heart and desire to avoid evil. In other words, this is the way and manner of the wicked and unchaste woman's speech and not of the believing pious woman's speech: If this verse is read together with verse 31 of Surah An-Nur, in which Allah says: "They should not stamp the ground in walking Iest their hidden decoration is revealed," the intention of the Lord clearly seems to be that the wvmcn should not attract other men by their voice or the jingle of their ornaments unnecessarily and if at all they have to speak to the other men, they should speak to them in an un-affected tone and manner. That is why it is forbidden for the woman to pronounce the call to the Prayer. Moreover, if a woman is attending a congregational Prayer and the Imam commits a mistake, she is not permitted to say Subhan-Allah like the males but should only tap her hands to call the imam's attention to the error.
Now just consider this: When Islam disallows the woman to talk to other men in a soft and sweet tone and even forbids her to produce her voice before the other men without a genuine need, will it approve her to appear on the stage and sing, dance, flirt and behave coquettishly? Will it permit her to sing love songs over the radio and excite the people's emotions by presenting sweet melodies full of obscene themes? Will it permit that she should play the roles of the wives and sweet-hearts of others in dramas? Or that the women should be made the airhostesses and be especially trained to charm and allure the passengers? Or that they should visit clubs and attend social functions and gatherings in full make-up and mix freely with men and have fun and a good time with them? From which Qur'an has this culture been derived? For the Qur'an that was sent down by God there is to be found no hint as to the admissibility of this sort of culture.

وَقَرْنَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ وَلَا تَبَرَّجْنَ تَبَرُّجَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ الْأُولَىٰ ۖ وَأَقِمْنَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتِينَ الزَّكَاةَ وَأَطِعْنَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ ۚ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًا {33:33}

[Q33:33] Wa qarna fee buyoo tikunna wa laa tabarrajna tabarrujal Jaahiliyyatil oolaa wa aqimnas Salaata wa aaateenaz Zakaata wa ati'naL Laaha wa Rasoolah; innamaa yureeduL Laahu liyuzhiba 'ankumur rijsa Ahlal Bayti wa yutahhirakum tatheeraa.
[Q33:33] And stay in your houses and do not display your finery like the displaying of the ignorance of yore; and keep up prayer, and pay the poor-rate, and obey ALLAH (SWT) and His Messenger. ALLAH (SWT) only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House! And to purify you a (thorough) purifying.

[Q33:33] Dan hendaklah kamu tetap diam di rumah kamu serta janganlah kamu mendedahkan diri seperti yang dilakukan oleh orang-orang Jahiliah zaman dahulu dan dirikanlah sembahyang serta berilah zakat dan taatlah kamu kepada ALLAH (SwT) dan RasulNya. Sesungguhnya ALLAH (SwT) (perintahkan kamu dengan semuanya itu) hanyalah kerana hendak menghapuskan perkara-perkara yang mencemarkan diri kamu wahai "AhlulBait" dan hendak membersihkan kamu sebersih-bersihnya (dari segala perkara yang keji).

While the previous verse dealth with the observance of the purity and the decency which the muslim women in general, and the wives of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) in particular, *had to effect in their practical life, *to be guarded in their dealings with the other sex, …….

this verse prescribes a further restriction on their **remaining indoors in their houses and **their strict and regular offering of the prescribed daily prayers and **giving away of the poor-rate and **their being subservient to ALLAH (SWT) and the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad). Every wives strictly observed this ordinance. It is related of Lady Sauda that some people asked her why she did not go to Haj or Umrah, to which she replied saying: “It was compulsory upon me once and now my Haj and Umrah is that I should stay in the room in which the Holy Prophet left me.” She stayed in the room for her whole life and only after her death the body was brought out of it.

BUT ONLY ONE OF THE LADIES DID NOT STAY IN HER ABODE BUT rode at the head of a huge army to Basra, and conducted the battle of Jamal (the Camel) against Ali which caused the slaughter of thousands of Muslim in the field, AND it was the most disgraceful event in the political history of the Muslims. Under Islam, fighting even in Jihad, is forbidden for women. This ordinance was not only violated by one of the wives of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) BUT also she led against was the first Holy Imam about whom the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) had declared;-*“I and Ali are one of the same Light.”---*“O’ Ali! Thou art to me as Aaron was to Moses.” *“O’ Ali! Thou art my brother in this world and the hereafter.” *“O’ Ali! Thy flesh is my flesh and thy blood is my blood. Fight with thee is fight with me and peace with thee is peace with me.”

The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) had prophesied about this event. For deails as to who fomented the public discontent against the Holy Imam Ali ibne Abi Talib in preparing for the battle of ‘Jamal’. See Tabari and the Annals of the Early Caliphate by Sir W. Muir. EHI by SSH and the works on the Early History of the Muslims.

THE PORTION OF THIS VERSE RELATING TO THE DIVINELY EFFECTED PURITY OF THE HOLY AHLUL BAIT NEEDS A PROPER EXPLANATION COMMENTING WITH REFERENCE TO ITS CORRECT CONTEXT. This portion of this verse is a separate ‘ayat’ or verse by itself revealed separately on particular occasions BUT placed here as it deals with the wives of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad). THE OCCATION OF THIS VERSE HERE if studied properly makes it obvious that it has its own significant and important purpose behind it. While the address in the beginning of this verse is in the feminine gender---there is the transition here in the address from the feminine to the masculine gender. While referring to the consorts of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), the pronouns also are consistently feminie. For a mixed assembly of men and women, generally the masculine gender is used. This transition in the gramamatical use of the language, makes it quite obvious that this clause is quite a different matter used for a different group other than the previous one, AND HAS BEEN SUITABLY PLACED HERE to show a comparative position of the Ahlul Bait in contrast to the wives of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad).

Amr ibne Abi Salma who was brought up by the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) relates:-

° WHEN THIS VERSE WAS REVEALED the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) was in the house of Umme-Salema. At the revelation of: - “Verily willeth ALLAH (SWT) to keep away impurity from you O’ People of the House! And He purifieth you with the perfect purification,” The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) assembled his daughter Fatema, her sons Hasan and Husain and her husbands his cousin Ali and covered the group including himself, with his ownmantle and addressing ALLAH (SWT) said “O’ ALLAH (SWT)! These constitute my pogeny! Keep them away from every kind of impurity, purified with perfect purification.” Umme-Salema, the righteous wife of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), witnessing this marvellous occasion, humbly submitted to the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) ‘O’ Apostle of ALLAH (SWT)! May I also join the group?” to which the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) replied, ‘No’ remain thou in thine own place, thou art in goodness.” See Jama-e-Tarmizi; Itee’aab; Riazun Nazarah; Usdul-Ghaba; Izalatul-Khifa; and Mustadrak

Ommul Momineen Ayesha’s report on the revelation of this part of this verse, says that the matter was repeatedly revealed which indicates its extra-importance to make people know through various sources to hear witness to the fact so that none, be he a friend OR even a foe, dare deny the special excellence and glory bestowed upon the holy ones and their divine unique position in view of the Lord. Ayesha’s version fully concurs with that of Umme Salema.

It is historically acknowledge fact that Ayesha was not well-disposed towards Fatema and particularly towards Ali. This one and the same matter being revealed, repeatedly **once in the house of Umme Salema and **again in that of Ayesha, makes the divine plan quite obvious that it was willed by ALLAH (SWT) to put the two wives of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) differently disposed towards the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and his progeny, to bare witness to the event.

Ayesha reports:-

° One day when the Holy Prophet was enwrapped in a black mantle, came to him (his grandson) Hasan and the Holy prophet got him under the mantle. Then came Husain (the other grandson) and he was also received similarly by the Holy Prophet by under the mantle, when came his daughter Fatema, the Holy Prophet took her under the mantle. In the last, came Ali. The Holy Prophet received him also under the mantle and the Holy Prophet recited the above-mentioned verse of Tatheer, (i.e., purification).” See Siratul-Muhammadiya; Musnad-e-Imame-Ahmed Hambal; and Kanzul Ummal.

According to all the basic and the fundamental authorities like the Sahih Bokhari; Sahih Muslim; Musnad-e-Imame-Ahmed Hambal; Sunon of Abu Dawood; Sawique-Mohriqa; and Mawatta of Malik., IT HAS BEEN UNANIMOUSLY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE REFERENCE IN THE LAST SENTENCE OF THIS VERSE IS ONLY TO [1] THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD), [2] THE HOLY IMAM ALI IBNE ABI TALIB, [3] THE LADY OF LIGHT AND THE TWO SONS OF LADY FATEMA AND ALI, I.E., [4] THE HOLY IMAM HASAN AND [5] HOLY IMAM HUSAIN.

The above quoted basic Sunni authorities relate to Ayesha, Umme Salema and **Abu-Sayead Khudri that this verse was revealed referring only to the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), Ali, Fatema, Hasan and Husain.

° Imame-Ahmed Hambal in his renowed work Musnad-e-Imame-Ahmed Hambal relates of Ata bin Riah that Umme Salema said that once when the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) was in her house, came Fatema with food cooked in a mud pot. The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) desired Fatema to call Ali her husband and her two sons Hasan and Husain. When these Holy ones had come, they set together and had their meals, then the Messenger Angle Gabriel appeared with this verse. The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) threw his mantle over these persons and said, “O’ ALLAH (SWT)! These are my ‘Ahlul Bait’. Keep these away fro every impurity!” The Umme salema said: “I am also of you.” The HP said: “Thou art in goodness but not of my Ahlul Bait.”

° And according to the report in the Name-e-Usool which is the consolidated of the traditions of all the renowned six Sunni basic authorities viz. the ‘Shia-e-Sittah’----Umme Salema said that “I also caught hold of the corner of the mantle and wanted to get under it but the Holy Prophet snatched it away from me and said: “Thou art in goodness but not of the Ahlul Bait.”

° Tha’labi reports that once it was told to Ayesha that going to the Battle of Jamal she has violated the ordinance from ALLAH (SWT) for the wives of the Holy Prophet , to stay indoors, to which she replied that it was her fate. When she was asked about Ali ibne Abi Talib—I saw the Holy Prophet taking Ali, Fatema, Hasan and Husain under his mantle and saying “O’ ALLAH (SWT)! These and only these are my ‘Ahlul Bait’. Keep them away from every impurity, I asked the Holy Prophet, ‘Am I not of thine ‘Ahlul Bait’? The Holy Prophet said ‘Get thou hence! Thou art not of my Ahlul Bait’

° It was asked of Zaid bin Arqam as to those who constitute the ‘Ahlul Bait’, if the wives are also included in them? The reply was that a wife is associated as long as the wedlock continues or the husband lives…If divorced or windowed the wife return to her parents. The Ahlul Bait are those whose relationship is unbreakable or unceasable with the Holy Prophet and on whom ‘Sadaqa’ (i.e., charity done to repulse any calamity to any person) is ‘Haram’, i.e., forbidden.

° Abu Dawood and Imam Malik have reported of Anas that after the revealation of this verse, whenever the Holy Prophet got out of his house for his morning prayers, he used to recite it at the door of his daughter Fatema.

ON THE OCCASION OF THE HISTORIC EVENT OF MUBAHILA, (see note on verse 3:61) when the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) was commanded by ALLAH (SWT) to call the Christians of Najran to a Spiritual Contest, which the whole public around, both muslims and the non-muslims witnessed, the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), came out with his daughter Fatema, her husband Ali and her two sins Hasan and Husain and said “O’ ALLAH (SWT) these are my Ahlul Bait.” (Sahih Muslim). Through the challenge contained the plural for women also BUT the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) took only one woman although there are nine wives of his. BESIDES the word ‘Nisa’ could mean wives as well as women in general, BUT the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) leaving his wives at home took along with him only his daughter.

Some commentators advance the term Ahlul Bait used in verse 11:73 where the term has been used by the angels addressing ‘Sara’ the wife of Ibrahim. It must be noted that the address to ‘Sara’ was not BECAUSE she was the wife of Ibrahim BUT as she was the mother of Isaac who was to be an apostle of ALLAH (SWT). OTHERWISE merely being the wife of an apostle of ALLAH (SWT) could not be of any avail to any woman for there are the wives of the apostles Noah and Lot, and we know what kind of women they were and what their fate was.

The word ‘Innama’, as already said above, indicates the firmly determined decision of the Lord against anything else otherwise. The mention of the mere decision does not serve any purpose at all without its having taken full effect. A decision OR a determination on the part of a mortal like man is quite different from its taking any effect for our decisions need the means to the end. THIS IS NOT THE CASE WITH THE WILL OF ALLAH (SWT). ALLAH (SWT)’S WILL IS ITSELF THE EFFECT OF IT FOR HE HIMSELF IS THE CAUSE OF A THING AND ITS SIMULTANEOUS EFFECT (see verses 2:117, 16:40, 19:35 and 36:82). It is quite obvious that it was not the mere revelation of the will of the Lord BUT the declaration of its effect, to announce their excellence and their unique position among mankind, and the declaration of the will here would naturally mean to say THAT SINCE the Ahlul Bait had already been purified, the decision is also to keep them as such, i.e., to keep them away from every kind of impurity, forever.

ì The prayer in verses 2:127-129 seems a prayer for the furure BUT it actually is a prayer to be kept or to be maintained as already conditioned, i.e., for the continuance of the graciously gifted excellence in their own selves and also in their progeny.

It is a matter of common sense and simple logic THAT THOSE WHO HAD BEEN PURIFIED BY ALLAH (SWT) HIMSELF could never at any time be impure. It could not be that ALLAH (SWT) the Creator by mistake throughtlessly made some one with any impurity and then with an after-thought amended the original decisions and brought about any change in His policy, and purified the creature, for ALLAH (SWT) is free from the defect of ’Taghaiyyur’, i.e., change. His will never undergoes any change; it is AND it shall be AND always as it was so. Those whom He purifies He does it at the very creation of that being. Those purified by ALLAH (SWT) would naturally be pure in their very origin, spiritual as well as physical and their practical life from its very beginning until its divinely determined destination, cannot be but infallible.

THE LIVES OF THE WOMEN JOINING THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) IN WEDLOCK, could never be as such and the conduct of some of them during wedlock was not free from the impurity of mischief, envy, greed, intrigue, pride and prejudice. **One of the wives of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) violated the ordinance issued to the wives of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) to remain indoors, by leading the armies to the Battle of ‘Jamal’ while she very well knew Islam’s forbidding warfare for women. **This has openly and doubtlessly proved the fact that wives of a prophet could never be one of his ‘Ahlul Bait, unless they are his blood relaions or the mother of his issues. NONE of the wives of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), save Khadija, was the mother of any of his surviving issues, nor has any relation with him previous to the wedlock which is only a revocable social contract.

IF the wives of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) had to be included in his ‘Ahlu Bait’ what could be said of the wives of Noah and Lot who have declared by the Holy Qur’an, the Word of ALLAH, as the cursed ones of the Lord.

WHEN ANY QUALITY OR ATTRIBUTE IS MENTIONED IN AN INDEFINITE SENSE THE DEGREE MEANT IN THE CONTEXT WOULD BE THE PERFECT OR THE MAXIMUM POSSIBLE ONE. The purity meant here is the purity absolute, i.e., of every kind, without any impurity or uncleanliness whatsoever, otherwise the use of the term ‘pure’ would never be in its fullness.

The ‘Shirk’ polytheism is mentioned in the Holy Qur’an as impurity and also the greatest iniquity (verse 31:13) and iniquity is the impurity of faith. HENCE the purified ones by ALLAH (SWT) would be only those whom ‘Shrik’ i.e., polytheism should never have polluted their lives at anytime in their life AND none of the wives of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) were free from this impurity prior to their embracing Islam and joining him in the revocable social contract of the matrimonial alliance.

Hence form all points of view of reasoning, and the factual position, and as clearly proved by the open declaration of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), conveyed to us through the evidence from the several wives of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) themselves, and the companions and the great scholars that only Ali, Fatema, Hasan and Husain constitute the Ahlul Bait of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad). **It is also the fact of history that only these are the ones whose lives had ever been pure and free from the polytheism pollution while all others had once been polluted with the impurity of idolatry and the heathen and the pagan life.

THE VERY FACT that so many reliable people have consistently related the different occasions of the revelation of this clause, is itself evident of the significance of the matter so repeatedly revealed and the necessity of the people knowing its importance and significance for use in guiding themselves with regard to their faith and their faithfulness to the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and his family (the Holy Ahlul Bait).

IN SPITE OF SO MUCH OF CAUTION AND CARE DIVINELY TAKEN to make the people know the actual position of the holy ones, the brutal treatment they had at the hands of the people is a matter of surprise and wonder. A reference to the detailed history of the godly BUT the most miserable life of these divines, would disclose to any fair-minded one that none of the holy Fourteen passed any moments of their life in this world without suffering some misery or torture at the hands of the people AND NONE

BUT THE LAST OF THEM DEPARTED FROM THIS WORLD IN THE NATURAL COURSE OF IT, FOR ALL OF THEM WERE MARTYRED. Even in the worst of their sufferings they led an absolutely pure and ideal godly life, as the best and the most perfect models of a pure human life tempered with divinity in every aspect of their faith and its practice to guide the others.

“I leave behind me amidst you Two great things, the “Book of ALLAH (SWT)” (the Holy Qur’an) and my “Ahlul Bait”. Should ye be attached to these Two, never, never, shall you be misled after me, for verily these Two will never, never, be separated from each other, until they met me at the Critern of ‘Kauthar.’”

And

The likeness of my Ahlul Bait is that of the Ark of Noah: whosoever got into it, got saved, and whosoever turned away from it got damned and lost.”

THE HOLY ONES WHO CONSTITUE THE AHLUL BAIT ARE THE FOLLOWING:

	Name	Designation	Martyed by means of	Buried at
1	Muhammad-al-Mustafa	The Last Apostle of ALLAH (SWT)	Effects of poisoning…	Madina
2	Fatema-tuz-Zahra	The Holy Prophet (pbuhnf)---Lady Of Light, Wife of Imam Ali, the Mother of Imam Hasan and Husain and Grandmother of Nine Imams.	Wounded by the fall of the door cause by outrage at her dwellings.	Madina
3	Ali-al-Murtaza	The First Imam	Assassinated while in prayer at Kufa.	Najaf
4	Hasan-al-Mujtaba	The Second Imam	Poisoned	Madina
5	Husain-Syyedush-Shu’hada	The Third Imam	Massacred with his kith and kin and friends seventy-two in all.	Karbala
6	Ali-az-Zainul-abideen	The Fourth Imam	Poisoned	Madina
7	Muhammad-al-Baquir	The Fifth Imam	Poisoned	Madina
8	Jafar-as-Sadiq	The Sixth Imam	Poisoned	Madina
9	Musa-al-Kazim	The Seventh Imam	Poisoned	Madina
10	Ali-ar-Riza	The Eighth Imam	Poisoned	(Iran) Mashhad, Tus
11	Muhammad-at-Taqi	The Nineth Imam	Poisoned	Kazimain
12	Ali-an-Naqi	The Tenth Imam	Poisoned	Samarra
13	Hasan-al-Askari	The Eleventh Imam	Poisoned	Samarra
14	Muhammad-al-Mahdi	The Twelfth Imam and the Last Imam.	Disappeared in the cave in samarra to reappear before the Resurrection Day when Jesus also have his second advent to join him.

ONE OF THE MYSTERIES:-

One of the wonderful factors about the personalities of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), his daughter Fatema, the Lady of Light and the Eleven of the Twelve Divinely Chosen Successors of the Imams from Ali-al-Murtaza to Hasan –al-Askari, *is that everyone is martyred. AND NONE of the Holy Fourteen *had any education AND YET every one of them was the fountain-head of a wonderful, divinely inspired, all-round knowledge unequalled by anyone else other than those of their own group.

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NOTE:

1. Imam Hasan-al-Askari the Eleventh Imam was martyred in 260 A.H. ----The Abbasi Kalif Mo’tmad sent his men to kill the Twelth Imam who under divine inspiration took shelter in the Cave at ‘Surra Manra’ and disappeared. Many great Sunni Scholars have acknowledged this incident viz:

1. Mullah Jami in his Shawahidun-Nubuwwat.

2. Abdul-Wahab Sha’rani in his Lawahaqul-Anwar and in his Alyawadueet-Wal-Jawahir.

3. Shaik-e-Akbar, Moheiddin ibne Arbani in their Futuhate-Makkiah.

4. Khaja Parsa in Faslul-Khitab.

5. Abdul Huq Mohaddith Delhavi in his A’immatul-At’har.

6. Jamaluddin Mohaddith in Rauzatul-Ahbab.

7. Abu-Abdullah Shami, author or Kifayatul-Tibyan-FiAkbare-Sahebuz-Zaman.

8. Sibt-ibne-Jawzi in Tizkira-e-Khasawal-Umma.

9. Ibne-sabbagh Nuruddin Ali Maleki in his Fusoolul-Muhimma.

10. Kamaluddin-bin Talha Shafayi in his Matalebus-Su’ool.

11. Shah Valiullah in his Fazlul-Mubeen.

12. Shaikh Sulaiman Hanafi in his Yanabiul Mo’addah (and many other great scholar also)

2. About the indefinite and extraordinary length of the life granted to the Twelth Imam the great scholars have also replied that when muslims believe in the life of the Holy prophets Jesus, Khizr, Idris and even Dajjal, AND the long life of 950 years granted to Noah, and similarly to other apostles of ALLAH (SWT). Where is the point in wondering about the life of this Divine.

3. That the word ‘Innama’ signifies---exclusive distinction and to emphasise this exclusiveness, the second object of the verb ‘Yazhiba’ , i.e., the phrase ‘Ankom’ has been put before the first object---‘Arrijis’ and for further emphasis, the phrase ‘Ahlul-Bait’ has been mentioned to explain the pronoun ‘Ankom’. In short the grammatical structure of the clause indicates beyond doubt that this is a privilege and the distinction granted to the Ahlul Bait by ALLAH (SWT), exclusive of all thers.

4. The verb ‘Yoreedo’ which means continuous will and the intention of ALLAH (SWT), is of His Creative Will and intention and not of Legislation as many commentators have confirmed on the ground of the above mentioned exclusiveness. The attempt of some commentators to interpret the will and the intention here, as the Legislative one as in verse 5:7, means distortion of the whole verse and its use of the exclusive particle and the exclusive arrangements. EVEN granting the legislative nature of the will and the intention, it would only mean that only the Ahlul Bait were up to the standard and nobody else.

5. This verse is to be taken as the minor premises of what is asserted in verses 56:77-79 which asserts that Qur’an in its original hidden form, is beyond the reach of all save those who are purified.

6. As regards the personnel of the Ahlul Bait, via verse 3:61 is to be taken into consideration, i.e., ‘Abna’ana’, ‘Nisa’ana’ and ‘Anfosana’ are undoubtedly included in the Ahlul Bait.

7. As to who the ‘Nisa’ana’, the ‘Abna’ana’ and the ‘Anfosana’ are, though there are many authentic traditions BUT the unanimous verdict of the Muslims throughout the ages, is that none other than the Holy Prophet, Ali, Fatema and Hasan and Husain were included in the Ahlul Bait. This is the best evidence.

8. As far as the degree of the purification meant here, we hardly need to say anything more than what the verse itself conveys---that they were kept away from all sorts of uncleanliness, spiritual and physical, which the creatures are subject to and they were purified to the utmost degree possible for a creature. THE ONLY thing to be kept in view that they are purified by ALLAH (SWT) Himself and not by themselves which means their utmost submissiveness to His will and their being in utmost communion with Him.

9. Besides the clear evidences of Qur’an about the significance and the personnel of the Ahlul Bait there are several authentic saying of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), narrated by the authors of the ‘Sahih’ and the ‘Masaneed’ of the Sunni Schools, in support of the above statements and that none BUT these Five Persons were gather under the ‘Shuroot’ and that the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) pointed out saying Allahumma haa’oolaaye Ahlo-baiti-haa’oolaaye Itrati’----‘O’ ALLAH (SWT) these are the people of my House and these are my ‘Ithrat’, i.e., (close kindern). And as ‘Tahavi’ says in his Book ‘Muskilul-Aathaar’ that for six or nine months after the revelation of this verse the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) used to stand at the door of Fatema’s House in the morning and in the evening saying---‘As salama alaikum ya Ahlul Bait---and recited this verse.’

And the tradition records two anecdotes one concerning Ayesha who says that she approached the ‘Shuroot’ to enter into it and the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) said ‘No! These are the Ahlul Bait’. And another anecdote concerning Omme Salema that she approached the ‘Shuroot’ for the same purpose and the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) told her ‘Though thou art righteous, yet these are the people meant by his passage.’

THERE IS not even a single, even authentic tradition to show that the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) included the wives in the verse 33:33. And even the companions such as Abu Bakr or Zaid ibne Arqam excluded the wives from the passage though Zaid ibne Arqam attempted to expand it to include all Hishimites. THE ATTEMPT TO INCLUDE THE WIVES IN THIS PASSAGE HAD NO QUR’ANIC OR THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD)’S SUPPORT AT ALL.

In the later period of ‘Tayabeen’ some anti-Ahlul Bait commentators of the Pro-Omayyad and the Abbasides, forwarded the weak and unwarranted argument that the passage being in line with the verses in which the wives is an evidence for their inclusion but the point has already been cleared. The attempt is one of the examples of using their discretion against Qur’an and the saying of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad).

More suprising is that some of the modern commentators have attempt distort the phrase ‘Allahumma Ha’oolaai’, i.e., ‘O’ ‘These are’ as to mean ‘these also’. Such wrong and unwarranted attempts had only the support of the temporal powers and not of any logical or intellectual force. HOWEVER IT IS ALMOST NOW UNANIMOUSLY ACCEPTED by all schools of thought that these five personalities are meant by the verse and none else.

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(33:33) And stay in your homes *48 and do not go about displaying your allurements as in the former Time of Ignorance. *49 Establish Prayer, give Zakah, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah only wishes to remove uncleanness from you, O members of the (Prophet’s) household, and to purify you completely. *50

*48 The word qarna in the original is derived from qarar according to some lexicographers and from waqar according to others. In the first sense, it will mean: `Settle down, stick firmly;" and in the second sense: "Live peacefully, sit with dignity." In both the cases the verse means to impress that the woman's real sphere of activity is her home; she should carry out her functions within that sphere peacefully, and she should come out of the house only in case of a genuine need. This meaning is clear from the words of the verse itself and the Holy Prophet's Ahadith also impress it even more forcefully. **Hafiz Abu Bakr Bazzar has related on the authority of Hadrat Anas that the women made a submission to the Holy Prophet, saying: "All kinds of virtues have been secured by the men: they fight and accomplish great deeds in the way of AIlah. What should we do that we may also get a reward equal to that of the warriors?" The Holy Prophet replied: The one who sits in her house from among you; will attain the reward of the warriors." What he meant was: The warrior can fight confidently and with full peace of the mind in the way of Allah only when he is sure that aII is well at home: his wife is there to look after the house and the children, and there is no cause for him to worry that she will betray him in his absence. The woman who will provide him this satisfaction and peace of the mind will be an equal partner with him in his fighting though she will be sitting back at home. **According to another tradition that Bazzar and Tirmidhi have related on the authority of Hadrat 'Abdullah bin Mas`ud, the Holy Prophet said: `The woman must remain veiled and concealed. When she comes out of her house, Satan stares at her. And she is closer to Allah's mercy when she is inside her house." (For further details, see E.N. 49 of Surah An-Nur).
In the presence of such a clear and express command of the Qur'an, it is not at all permissible that the Muslim women should seek membership of the councils and parliaments; that they should run after social activities outside the house; that they should work side by side with men in the government offices, should get education along with boys in the colleges, serve as nurses in the male wards of hospitals, should be employed as hostesses in the aeroplanes and rail cars, and should be sent abroad for education and training.

The greatest argument that is given in support of the permissibility of the women's outdoor activities is that Hadrat 'A'ishah had taken part in the Battle of the Camel. But the people who present this argument perhaps do not know what was Hadrat `A'ishah's own opinion in this regard. **`Abdullah bin Ahmad bin Hanbal has related in his Zawa id az-Zuhd and Ibn Mundhir, Ibn Abi Shaibah and Ibn Sa'd in their own books the tradition from Masruq, saying that when Hadrat `A'ishah during her recitation of the Qur'an would reach this verse (wa qarna fi buyut-i kunna), she would start crying involuntarily; so much so that her head-wrapper would become wet, for this reminded her of the error that she had committed in the Battle of the Camel.
*49 In this verse two important words have been used, which must be understood for the proper understanding of its intention. They are tabarruj and jahiliyyat al-ula. The word tabarruj in Arabic means to become manifest and appear openly before others. The Arabs use the word baraj for every conspicuous and elevated object. A burj (tower) is so called because of its prominence and elevation. A sailing-boat is called barijah, because its sails become visible from a distance. The word tabarruj when used in respect of a woman will have three meanings: (1) that she should show the charms of her face and body before the people; (2) that she should display the adornments of her dress and ornaments before others; and (3) that she should make herself conspicuous by her gait and figure and coquetry. The same explanation of this word has been given by the leading lexicographers and commentators. **Mujahid, Qatadah and Ibn Abi Nujaih say: "Tabarruj means to walk in a vain, alluring and coquettish manner." Muqatil says: °It means a woman's displaying of her necklaces, ear-rings and bosom. "AI-Mubarrad says: "That a woman should reveal her adornments which she should conceal. " Abu 'Ubaidah comments: "This that a woman should make herself conspicuous by display of her body and dress to attract the attention of men."
The word jahiliyyat has been used at three other places in the Quran besides this, in Al-i `Imran: 154, where about those who shirk fighting in the way of Allah, it has been said: °They began to cherish about Allah thoughts of Ignorance (Jahiljyyat) which were void of the truth," and in Al-Ma`idah: 50, where about those who want to be judged by their own law instead of the law of AIlah, it has been said: "Do they desire to be judged by the laws of ignorance (Jahiliyyat)?" and in Al-Fath: 26, where the prejudice of the people of Makkah due to which they did not permit the Muslims to perform 'Umrah, has been called as "the haughty spirit of paganism ( jahiliyyat)." **According to a Hadith once Hadrat Abu ad-Darda' in the heat of a quarrel abused another person in respect of his mother. When the Holy Prophet heard of it, he remarked: "You still have jahiliyyat in you." **According to another Hadith the Holy Prophet said: "Three things show jahiliyyat to taunt the lineage of another person, to take omens from the movement of the stars, and to mourn over the dead." All these customs show that jahiliyyat in the Islamic terminology is every such conduct which goes against Islamic culture and civilization and Islamic morality and etiquette and Islamic way of thinking and behaviour. THUS, jahiliyyat al-ula would mean all those evils in which the Arabs of the pre-Islamic days and the people of the entire world were involved.
This explanation makes it abundantly clear that what Allah forbids women is to move out of their houses showing off their physical charms and beauty. He instructs them to stay in their houses because their real sphere of activity is their home and not the world outside. However, if they have to move out of the house for an out-door duty, they should not move out as the women used to do in the pre-Islamic days of ignorance. For it does not behove the women of a Muslim society to walk out fully embellished to make their face and figure conspicuous by adornments and tight-fitting or transparent dresses, and to walk coquettishly. These are the ways of ignorance which Islam does not approve. Now everybody can see for himself whether the culture which is being made popular in our country is the culture of Islam, according to the Qur'an, or the culture of ignorance.
*50 The context in which this verse occurs makes it manifest that the word ahl al-bait (people of the house) here implies the wives of the Holy Prophet (upon whom be Allah's peace), because the address begins with: "O wives of the Prophet," and they are the addressees in the whole discourse preceding it as well as following it. MOREOVER, the word ahl al-bait in Arabic is used precisely in the sense in which the word "household" is used in English, which includes both a man's wife and children. No one would exclude the wife from the "household." THE QUR'AN itself has used this word at two other places besides this, and at both the wife is included in its sense, rather as the most important member of the family. In [1] Surah Hud, when the angels give the Prophet Abraham the good news of the birth of a son, his wife exclaims: "Shall I bear a child now when I have grown too old, and this husband of mine has also become old?" The angels say: What! Are you surprised at Allah's decree, O people of Abraham's household? Allah's mercy and blessings are upon you." In [2] Surah Al-Qasas, when the Prophet Moses reaches the Pharaoh's house as a suckling, and the Pharaoh's wife is in search of a suitable nurse for the child, the Prophet Moses' sister says, "Shall I tell you of a household whose people will bring him up for you and look after him well?" THUS, the Arabic idiom and the usage of the Qur'an and the context of this verse, 'all point clearly to the fact that the Holy Prophet's wives as well as his children are included in his ahl al-bait; rather the more correct thing is that the verse is actually addressed to the wives and the children become included in the household only because of the sense of the word. **That is why according to lbn 'Abbas and 'Urwah bin Zubair and `Ikrimah, the word ahl al-bait in this verse implies the wives of the Holy Prophet.

But if somebody says that the word ahl al-bait has been used only for the wives and none else can be included in it, it will also be wrong. Not only this that the word "household" includes all the members of a man's family, but the Holy Prophet has himself explained that this includes even himself. **According to Ibn Abi Hatim, once when Hadrat `A'ishah was asked about Hadrat `Ali, she said, Do you ask me about the person who was among the most loved ones of the Holy Prophet and whose wife was the Holy Prophet's daughter and most beloved to him?" THEN SHE RELATED THE EVENT when the Holy Prophet had called Hadrat 'Ali and Fatimah and Hasan and Husain (may Allah be pleased with them all) and covered them alI with a sheet of cloth and prayed: "O Allah, these are my household, remove uncleanness from them and make them pure." Hadrat 'A'ishah says, "I said: I also am included among your household (i.e. I may also be covered under the sheet and prayed for)." Thereupon the Holy Prophet replied" You stay out: you, of course, are already included." A great many Ahadith bearing on this subject have been related by traditionists like Muslim, Tirmidhi, Ahmad, Ibn Jarir, Hakim, Baihaqi, etc. on the authority of Abu Said Khudri, Hadrat 'A'ishah, Hadrat Anas, Hadrat Umm Salamah, Hadrat Wathilah bin Aqsa' and some other Companions, which show that the Holy Prophet declared Hadrat 'AIi and Fatimah and their two sons as his ahl al-bait. THEREFORE, THE VIEW OF THOSE WHO EXCLUDE THEM FROM THE AHL AL-BAIT IS NOT CORRECT.

SIMILARLY THE VIEW OF THOSE PEOPLE ALSO IS NOT CORRECT, WHO, ON THE BASIS OF THE ABOVE-CITED AHADITH, REGARD THE WIVES OF THE HOLY PROPHET AS EXCLUDED FROM HIS AHL AL-BAIT. In the first place, anything which has been clearly stated in the Quran cannot be contradicted on the basis of a Hadith. Secondly, these Ahadith also do not have the meaning that is put on them. **As related in some traditions that the Holy Prophet did not cover Hadrat 'A'ishah and Hadrat Umm Salamah under the sheet of cloth which he put on the four members of his family, does not mean that he had excluded those ladies from his "household." But it means that the wives were already included in ahl al-bait, because the Qur'an, in fact, had addressed them as ahl al-bait. The Holy Prophet, however, thought that the apparent words of the Qur'an might cause somebody the misunderstanding about these members that they were excluded from the ahl al-bait. Therefore, he felt the need for clarification in their case and not in the case of his wives.
A SECTION OF THE PEOPLE HAVE NOT ONLY MISCONSTRUED THIS VERSE TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY HAVE MADE THE WORD AHL AL-BAIT EXCLUSIVELY APPLICABLE TO HADRAT `ALI AND FATIMAH AND THEIR CHILDREN TO THE EXCLUSION OF THE HOLY WIVES, BUT HAVE GONE EVEN FURTHER AND CONCLUDED WRONGLY FROM ITS WORDS "ALLAH ONLY INTENDS TO REMOVE UNCLEANLINESS FROM YOU AND PURIFY YOU COMPLETELY", THAT HADRAT 'ALI AND FATIMAH AND THEIR CHILDREN ARE INFALLABLE LIKE THE PROPHETS OF ALLAH. THEY SAY THAT "UNCLEANLINESS" IMPLIES ERROR AND SIN, AND, AS ALLAH SAYS, THESE AHL AL-BAIT HAVE BEEN PURIFIED OF THIS, whereas the words of the verse do not say that uncleanliness has been removed from them and they have been purified. But the words are to the effect: "Allah intends to remove uncleanliness from you and purify you completely." The context also does not tell that the object here is to mention the virtues and excellences of the Holy Prophet's household. On the contrary, they have been advised here what they should do and what they should not, because Allah intends to purify them. IN OTHER WORDS, THEY HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IF THEY ADOPTED SUCH AND SUCH AN ATTITUDE AND WAY OF LIFE, THEY WILL BE BLESSED WITH CLEANLINESS, OTHERWISE NOT. HOWEVER, IF THE WORDS "ALLAH INTENDS TO REMOVE UNCLEANLINESS FROM YOU . . . " ARE TAKEN TO MEAN THAT ALLAH HAS MADE THEM INFALLABLE, THEN IS NO REASON WHY ALL THE MUSLIMS WHO PERFORM THEIR ABLUTIONS BEFORE OFFERING THE PRAYER ARE NOT HELD AS INFALLABLE, BECAUSE ABOUT THEM ALSO ALLAH SAYS: "BUT ALLAH WILLS TO PURIFY YOU AND COMPLETE HIS BLESSINGS UPON YOU." (AL-MA'IDAH: 6)

وَاذْكُرْنَ مَا يُتْلَىٰ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَالْحِكْمَةِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ لَطِيفًا خَبِيرًا {33:34}

[Q33:34] Wazkurna maa yutlaa fee bu yootikunna min aayaatiL Laahi wal Hikmah; innaL Laaha kaana lateefan Khabeera.

[Q33:34] And keep to mind what is recited in your houses of the communications of ALLAH (SWT) and the wisdom; surely ALLAH (SWT) is Knower of subtleties, Aware.
[Q33:34] Dan ingatlah (serta amalkanlah) apa yang dibaca di rumah kamu dari ayat-ayat ALLAH (SwT) (Al-Quran) dan hikmah pengetahuan (hadis-hadis Rasulullah). Sesungguhnya ALLAH (SwT) Maha Halus tadbirNya, lagi Maha Mendalam pengetahuanNya.

In this verse THE GENDER (FEMININE PLURAL) AGAIN REFERS TO THE WIVES OF THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) AND TO "HOUSES", NOT TO THE PEOPLE OF THE HOUSE (AHLUL BAYT) of verse 33.

**The wives of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) are commanded (as an admonition) to pay attention to [1] the teachings of the Qur’an and [2] the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), the fountain of wisdom, so that they might not go astray as some of them did (see commentary of verses 28 to 32 of this surah.

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(33:34) Remember the Signs of Allah and the words of wisdom which are rehearsed in your homes. *51 Verily Allah is All-Subtle, *52 All-Aware.

*51 The word wadhkurna in the original has two meanings: Remember and mention. According to the first meaning the verse would mean: "O wives of the Prophet, you should never forget that yours is the house from where the world is being instructed in Divine Revelations and Wisdom; therefore, your responsibility is very great. Let it not happen that the people might see specimens of ignorance in this very house." According to the second meaning, it would mean: "O wives of the Prophet, you should mention and relate before the people whatever you hear and see, for by virtue of your close and constant social association and attachment with the Prophet you will know and experience many such things which the other people. will not be able to know by any other means than you."
Two things have been mentioned in this verse: (1) The Revelations of Allah; and (2) the wise sayings. The revelations of Allah are the verses of Allah's Book, BUT hikmat (wisdom) is a comprehensive word which includes all those wise things which the Holy Prophet taught the people. This word may also imply the teachings of the Book of Allah, but there is no reason why it should be made exclusively applicable to them. IT INEVITABLY INCLUDES THE WISDOM THAT THE HOLY PROPHET TAUGHT BY HIS PURE CHARACTER AND BY HIS SAYINGS BESIDES RECITING THE VERSES OF THE QUR'AN. Some people, only on the basis that the word ma yutla (that which is recited) has been used in the verse, make the assertion that the "Revelations of Allah" and "Wisdom" imply only the Qur'an, for the word "recitation" as a term is specifically used for the recitation of the Qur'an. But this reasoning is absolutely wrong. The use of the word "recitation" specifically as a term for the recitation of the Qur'an or the Book of Allah is the work of the people of the later ages. The Qur'an has not used this word as a term. In Surah AI-Baqarah: 102, this same word has been used for the incantation of the magical formulas which the satans falsely attributed to the Prophet Solomon and taught the people. ("They followed that which the satans recited attributing it to the kingdom of Solomon. ") This shows that the Qur'an uses this word in its lexical meaning, and dces not specify it for reciting the verses of the Book of Allah.
*52 "Knower of everything": Knower of even the most secret and hidden things.

SECTION 5

No believer shall have any choice against

the command of the Prophet of ALLAH (SwT)

The reward for the various kinds of virtous men and women---Prophet’s marriage with Zainab---When the Prophet of ALLAH (SwT) commands, it shall be carried out and no believer shall have any choice of his own against it---He who disobeys ALLAH (SwT) and His Apostle has openly strayed away from the right way.

إِنَّ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمَاتِ وَالْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَالْقَانِتِينَ وَالْقَانِتَاتِ وَالصَّادِقِينَ وَالصَّادِقَاتِ وَالصَّابِرِينَ وَالصَّابِرَاتِ وَالْخَاشِعِينَ وَالْخَاشِعَاتِ وَالْمُتَصَدِّقِينَ وَالْمُتَصَدِّقَاتِ وَالصَّائِمِينَ وَالصَّائِمَاتِ وَالْحَافِظِينَ فُرُوجَهُمْ وَالْحَافِظَاتِ وَالذَّاكِرِينَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا وَالذَّاكِرَاتِ أَعَدَّ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ مَغْفِرَةً وَأَجْرًا عَظِيمًا {33:35}

[Q33:35] Innal muslimeena wal muslimaati wal mu'mineena wal mu'minaati walqaaniteena walqaanitaati wassaadiqeena wassaadiqaati wassaabireena wassaabiraati walkhaashi'eena walkhaashi'aati walmutasaddiqeena walmutasaddiqaati wassaaa'imeena wassaaa'imaati walhaafizeena furoojahum walhaafizaati waz zaakireenaL Laaha kaseeranw waz zaakiraati a'addaL Laahu lahum maghfiratanw wa ajran 'azeemaa.
[Q33:35] Surely the men who submit and the women who submit, and the believing men and the believing women, and the obeying men and the obeying women, and the truthful men and the truthful women, and the patient men and the patient women and the humble men and the humble women, and the almsgiving men and the almsgiving women, and the fasting men and the fasting women, and the men who guard their private parts and the women who guard, and the men who remember ALLAH (SWT) much and the women who remember-- ALLAH (SWT) has prepared for them forgiveness and a mighty reward.

[Q33:35] Sesungguhnya orang-orang lelaki yang Islam serta orang-orang perempuan yang Islam dan orang-orang lelaki yang beriman serta orang-orang perempuan yang beriman dan orang-orang lelaki yang taat serta orang-orang perempuan yang taat dan orang-orang lelaki yang benar serta orang-orang perempuan yang benar, dan orang-orang lelaki yang sabar serta orang-orang perempuan yang sabar dan orang-orang lelaki yang merendah diri (kepada ALLAH (SwT)) serta orang-orang perempuan yang merendah diri (kepada ALLAH (SwT)) dan orang-orang lelaki yang bersedekah serta orang-orang perempuan yang bersedekah dan orang-orang lelaki yang berpuasa serta orang-orang perempuan yang berpuasa dan orang-orang lelaki yang memelihara kehormatannya serta orang-orang perempuan yang memelihara kehormatannya dan orang-orang lelaki yang menyebut nama ALLAH (SwT) banyak-banyak serta orang-orang perempuan yang menyebut nama ALLAH (SwT) banyak-banyak, ALLAH (SwT) telah menyediakan bagi mereka semuanya keampunan dan pahala yang besar.

ISLAM, OR SUBMITTING TO ALLAH (SWT)'S WILL, INCLUDES ALL THE VIRTUES, AS PARTICULARLY SPECIFIED IN THIS VERSE. As soon as a man sincerely believes in the truth of the religion of ALLAH (SWT) and becomes a Muslim every virtue takes root in his character.

· It is said that, after the return from Abysinia, Asma wife of Jafar Tayyar, wondered as to why there was no particular mention about women in the Qur’an so far revealed, then this verse was revealed.

On several occasions the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) had said that every Muslim man and Muslim woman must cultivate the following virtues:

(1) Faith, hope and trust in ALLAH (SWT), and in His benevolent administration of the whole universe;

(2) devotion and service in practical life;

(3) love and practice of the teachings of Islam in thought and intention, word and deed;

(4) patience in suffering and constancy in right endeavour;

(5) humility, the avoidance of an attitude of arrogance and superiority;

(6) financial help to the poor and less fortunate fellow-beings;

(7) self denial,

(8) purity in sex life, purity in motive, thought, word and deed;

(9) constant attention to ALLAH (SWT)'s commands,

(10) safe-guarding oneself against evil with full awareness of laws made by ALLAH (SWT).

FORGIVENESS AND EQUAL RECOMPENSE ARE FOR BOTH MEN AND WOMEN. Refer to the commentary of Ali Imran 3:195. The general statement about believing men and women in this verse indicates that the privilege and distinction mentioned in the preceding verse are exclusive for the Ahlul Bayt.

· Although every wife of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) must be respected as the "mother of believers", but in view of the verse 66:5 of Tahrim they may not be included in this verse.

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(33:35) Surely *53 the men who submit (to Allah) and the women who submit (to Allah), *54 the men who have faith and the women who have faith, *55 the men who are obedient and the women who are obedient, *56 the men who are truthful and the women who are truthful; *57 the men who are steadfast and the women who are steadfast, *58 the men who humble themselves (to Allah) and the women who humble themselves (to Allah), *59 the men who give alms and the women who give alms, *60 the men who fast and the women who fast, *61 the men who guard their chastity and the women who guard their chastity, *62 the men who remember Allah much and the women who remember Allah much: *63 for them has Allah prepared forgiveness and a mighty reward. *64

*53 Presentation of this theme immediately after the foregoing paragraph contains a subtle allusion to the faet that the -instructions given above to the Holy Prophet's wives are not exclusively meant for them but the Muslim society as a whole should reform itself in accordance with them.
*54 "Who have surrendered themselves to Allah : Who have accepted Islam as a code of life for themselves, and have decided to follow it in their lives, and who have no wish to resist the Islamic way of life and thought, but have adopted the way of obedience and submission to it.
*55 "Who are believing": Whose obedience is not merely outward nor unwilling but who sincerely regard the guidance given by Islam as based on the truth whose faith is that the way shown by the Qur'an and the Holy Prophet Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace and blessings) is the only right and straight way in following which alone lies their true success. That which has been declared as wrong by Allah and His Prophet is certainly wrong even according to their judgement and that which has been declared as right by AIlah and His Prophet is certainly right even according to their thinking and sense. Psychologically and intellectually also they do not regard as improper any injunction that has been enjoined by the Qur'an and Sunnah, and do not remain on the lookout to change it somehow to suit their own desire or mould it according to the current trends of the world, avoiding at the same time the blame that they have effected a change in the Command given by AIlah and His Prophet. The Holy Prophet has described the true state of faith in a Hadith in these words: "He who reconciled himself to Allah as his Lord and to Islam as his Way of Life and to Muhammad as his Messenger, has the true taste of Faith." (Muslim) In another Hadith, he has explained it thus: "None of you becomes a believer until the desires of his self become subordinate to what I have brought." (Sharh as-Sunnah)
*56 That is, "They do not rest content with mere belief but are obedient practically also. They are not the sort of the people who would honestly believe that what Allah and His Messenger have commanded was true but would violate it in practice: that they would sincerely regard what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden as bad but would go on following the same in practical life."
*57 That is, "They are truthful in their speech and honest in thou dealings. They do not deal in lies, deceptions, frauds and forgeries. They utter with their tongues only what their conscience approves as true. They practise and perfom only what they honestly find to be in accordance with righteousness and truth, and they arc honest in all their dealings with others."
*58 That is, "They patiently and steadfastly bear and face all the obstacles, dangers, difficulties and losses that they might have to encounter in following the right way taught by Allah and His Messenger and in establishing Allah's Religion in the world; no fear and no temptation and no lust of the self can succeed in diverting them from the right way."
*59 That is, "They arc free from pride, vanity and haughtiness: they havc full understanding of the reality that they arc servants and they havc no other position than that of servitude. Therefore, their hearts as well as their bodies remain bowed before Allah, dominated by fear of Him. They never display the attitude which is the hall-mark of the lives of those who are fearless of God and arc involved in arrogance. "From the sequence it appears that the mention of Khushu' (expression of humility) in particular along with the general attitude of the fear of God implies the Prayer, for the mention of the practice of charity and fast has been made just after it.
*60 This does not only imply payment of the obligatory Zakat, but it also includes general charity. It means to say that they spend their wealth freely in the way of Allah and they are not at aII niggardly in the matter of helping the servants of Allah as much as they can. No orphan and no sick or afflicted person, no weak or disabled person, no poor and needy one remains deprived of their support in their dwelling; and if there arises the need for monetary help for promoting the cause of Allah's Religion, they arc never miserly in expending their wealth for that purpose.
*61 This includes both the obligarory and the voluntary fasts.
*62 This has two meanings: (1) They refrain from adultery; and (2) they avoid nudity. One should also note that nudity dces not only mean being naked but it is also nudity to put on a thin dress which shows the body, or is so tight-fitting that it reveals aII the outlines of the body.
*63 "Remember Allah much" means that one should mention Allah's name in one way or other at aII times in every business of life. Man cannot develop such a state of the mind unless the thought of God becomes deeply embedded in his heart. When this idea has passed beyond his conscious mind and settled deep in his subconscious and unconscious mind, then only he will remember and mention God's name in whatever he does and in whatever he says. He will begin with bismillah when he eats and say al-hamdu lillah when he finishes; he will remember Allah when he goes to bed, and mention Allah's name when he gets up. In his conversation also he will again and again pronounce bismillah, al-hamdu-lillalh, insha-Allah, ma sha Allah, etc. and ask for Allah's help in every matter, and thank Him for every blessing. He will seek His mercy in every affliction, and turn to Him in every trouble. He will fear Him on encountering every evil, and ask for His forgiveness when he happens to havc committed an error and will pray to Him for fulfilment of every need. In short, in every state and in every business of life his function will be to remember Allah.
This, in fact, is the essence of the Islamic life. For all other acts of worship there is a prescribed time when they are performed, and one is free when one has performed them. But this is the worship which has no special time; it has to be performed constantly so that it links up the man's life with Allah and His service permanently. The other worships and religious acts themselves also become meaningful only when the heart of man remains inclined to Allah not only at the time when the act is actually being carried out but at aII times when the tongue is uttering Allah's name constantly. In such a state as this worship and religious acts develop and flourish in a man's life precisely in the same manner as a plant grows in a congenial climate and environment. Contrary to this, the example of the religious services and worships which are carried out only on special times and occasions in the life which is devoid of this constant remembrance of Allah is of the plant which has been planted in an un-congenial climate, and which is growing only due to the special attention and care of the gardener. This very thing has been explained by the Holy Prophet in a Hadith, thus:
"Mu'adh bin Anas Juhani relates that a person asked the Holy Prophet of Allah. who among those who fight in the way of AIlah will get the highest reward? He replied: The one who remembers Allah the most. The man asked: Who among the observers of the fast will get the highest reward? He replied: The one who remembers Allah the most. The man then asked the same question about the offerer of the Prayer, the payer of the Zakat and charities and the performer of Hajj and the Holy Prophet in every case gave the same answer, saying: He who remembers Allah the most." (Musnad Ahmad)
*64 THIS VERSE PLAINLY TELLS WHAT QUALITIES AND CHARACTERISTICS ARE OF REAL WORTH IN THE SIGHT OF ALLAH. These are the basic values of Islam which have been compressed into one sentence. As regards these, there is no difference between the man and woman. However, as for their life-activity, the two sexes have separate spheres to function. The males have to function in some particular spheres and the females in some others. But if they possess these qualities and characteristics equally, Allah will raise them to equal ranks and bless them with equal rewards. It will in no way affect their rank and reward if one carried out household chores and the other performed the duties of caliphate and enforced the Shari'ah injunctions; one reared children in the house and the other went to the battlefield and fought for the sake of Allah and His religion.

وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ وَلَا مُؤْمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَمْرًا أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُمُ الْخِيَرَةُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ ۗ وَمَنْ يَعْصِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا مُبِينًا {33:36}

[Q33:36] Wa maa kaana limu'mininw wa laa mu'minatin izaa qadaL Laahu wa Rasooluhooo amran ai yakoona lahumul khiyaratu min amrihim; wa mai ya'siL Laaha wa Rasoolahoo faqad dalla dalaalam mubeenaa.
[Q33:36] And it behoves not a believing man and a believing woman that they should have any choice in their matter when ALLAH (SWT) and His Messenger have decided a matter; and whoever disobeys ALLAH (SWT) and His Messenger, he surely strays off a manifest straying.

[Q33:36] Dan tidaklah harus bagi orang-orang yang beriman, lelaki dan perempuan apabila ALLAH (SwT) dan RasulNya menetapkan keputusan mengenai sesuatu perkara (tidaklah harus mereka) mempunyai hak memilih ketetapan sendiri mengenai urusan mereka. Dan sesiapa yang tidak taat kepada hukum ALLAH (SwT) dan RasulNya maka sesungguhnya dia telah sesat dengan kesesatan yang jelas nyata.

Ibne Abbas relates that when the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) demanded the hand of Zainab binti Jahesh, the daughter of his parental uncle, thinking that it was for the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) himself, the demand was readily accepted BUT it was for Zaid ibne Harith who was a liberated slave of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and who was brought up by him in his household---see verse 4 of this Surah. When Zainab came to know of the person for whom she was demanded in a wedlock, she, as a member of a leading noble family of the place, did not like it and her brother Abdullah bin Jahesh also agree to her resentment.

· The Fifth holy Imam Muhammad ibne Ali Al-Baquir says that Zainab had told the Holy Prophet that she would herself consider the demand and then reply. It was then that this verse was revealed. See verse 4:65. The point underlying this command is that man should never bring in his will or wisdom against the will of ALLAH (SWT) but must accept it faithfully and help himself as best as he coulds carry out his individual will in agreement to the universal will of the Lord of the Universe.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE ARE THE GREATEST ENEMIES OF THE TRUE FAITH IN ALLAH (SWT) and the genuine godly life on earth. The simple meaning of this verse referring to an ordinary event in the life of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) has been purposefully made a subject of very violent and defamatory critism by some of the prejudiced brethren of the chirstian fold like Muir and Arnold. The critism most reasonably laid against the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) mades it quite obvious as to how far religious bigotry and prejudice can blind even the great scholars of repute. These critics in their eagerness to fabricate some charge or the other, be that even baseless, have been attaching undue importance and unreasonable significance to things and events which in their individual opinion could be imagined as derogatory to the ever increasing popularity of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad). The prejudicial interpretation of such critics which could inject poison into the mind of a common man, has necessitated a detailed explanation of this verse, giving out the actual context of the events in which this verse was revealed.

Zaid, the son of Harith of the Kalb tribe, while still a child was sold away in the slave market and was brought by the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) ---see note in verse 4 and 36 above. Zaid was so much attached to the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) that inspite of his having been freed and being at liberty to return to his father who had come to fetch him, chose to remain with the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad).

° Owing to his extraordinary and affectionate attachment Zaid was called the son of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad). Whether an adopted one also becomes son in fact is not, has been dealt with in verse 4 of this Surah. It was the magnanimity of the natural love of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) that he wanted his real cousin Zainab binti Jahesh, the daughter of Abdul Muttalib to marry Zaid which was resented both by Zainab and her brother Abdullah.

° BUT Zainab and her brother and also her other near relatives wanted the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) to take Zainab into a wedlock for himself, BUT the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) insisted upon Zainab to be married to Zaid. See note on verse 36 above.

° Under the pressure from the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) Zainab was married to Zaid. Zainab was by nature too conscious of her nobler birth and the stigma of Zaid being only a freed slave was always disturbing the mind of Zainab AND consequently there was no harmony between Zainab and Zaid and ultimately Zaid wanted to divorce the lady BUT the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) advised him to somehow reconcile with her and continue his life with her.

° In spite of the admonition from the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), Zaid divorced Zainab and the life of Zainab was made doubly miserable, firstly having become the wife of a freed slave AND secondly having been deserted by her husband. The marriage having been effected by the pressure and the insistence of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), it becomes incumbent upon the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) to bring solace to the broken heart of the lady.

° Zainab was offered to be the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) when she was a virgin. She, her brother and all her relatives had desired the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) to take her in wedlock to himself. Now when the alliance effected at the insistence of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), had brought misery to the lady and the lady herself, along with her brother and the other relatives wanted her alliance now at least to be with himself. The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) was naturally bound to console the broken heart by accepting the offer.

AS REGARDS ZAID who was only brought up by the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), being taken as a real son, was meaningless and its untenability is given out in verse 4 above. There is A MISTAKEN CUSTOM AMONG THE PEOPLE, OF HOLDING AN ADOPTED SON, AS THE REAL ONE. It was the duty of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) to deal a death blow to annihilate the false custom forever, and this was a providentially arranged opportunity to do it and he, under the command of ALLAH (SWT), did it. These plain facts of the event have been used with unwarranted additions and multiplications, effected with the selfish motive of blackmailing the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) with the blasphemy saying that he once saw Zainab through a half open door and was fascinated by her extraordinary beauty and Zaid having learn about the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad)’s inclination, divorced the lady AND then the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) took her as his wife. The fabrication is not only untenable in view of the facts BUT also ridiculous. [1] It is ridiculous to believe such a vile concoction against the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) personality which did not care for any amount of beauty in any woman when it was persuasively volunteered to him when he was in his teens. [2] Zainab, being his cousin, the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) had seen her when she was yet a virgin under the custom of the time when purdah had not yet then been imposed upon women AND was not fascinated by her virgin beauty AND refused to accept her hand in marriage when the lady herslf and all her relatives wanted him to have her for himself. How could the same lady when under the wedlock of another man fascinate an apostle of ALLAH (SWT) when he himself declined the offer and had effected the alliance against the expressed desire of the lady herself along with all her relatives to have her for himself?

Ä The latter part of this verse clearly gives out the command of ALLAH (SWT) that, he should not refrain from receiving the lady in a wedlock fearing the public opinion. Zainab had accepted to be wedded to Zaid just to please the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) for in fact, she along with her brother was not willing for the alliance and when Zaid divorced her, the shock was too violent for her to bear.

The only way to console the unhappy soul with the broken heart, was to accept her original or the first offer to accept her in wedlock to himself which he had rejected in favour of Zaid, for she had also, against her own liking and again the wishes of her brother and the other relatives, pleased the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and accepted to be wedded to Zaid AND now Zaid would not retain her.

The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) could not do otherwise than accepting her desire to go over to him, to pass the remaining part of her life with the unique honour and with the enviable privilege of being the wife of the Apostle of ALLAH (SWT). It would be a very great lesson to the freed slave Zainab, for her submitting her will to the will of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) is marrying Zaid, proving to him the real worth of the lady which he failed to correctly assess, appreciate and acknowledge AND thus deprived himself of having the privilege of possessing such noble lady as his wife.

In fact Zainab, for her submitting her will to the will of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) in marrying Zaid against her own wish which was originally to marry the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), was rewarded by the grant of her first or the original desire to have the dignity and privilege of being the wife of ALLAH (SWT)’s Vicegerent on earth and the Ummol-Momineen, i.e., the Mother of the Faithful.

It is said that when this verse with the word ‘Zawajnakaha’, i.e., We (ALLAH (SWT) Himself) have wedded her (Zainab) to thee, was revealed, the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) received Zainab in the wedlock. It is quite obvious that it is a divine plan to prove to the people the fallcy of their imagination of an adopted son being the real one. The concluding words of this verse disclose this meaning.

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(33:36) It *65 does not behove a believer, male or female, that when Allah and His Messenger have decided an affair they should exercise their choice. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has strayed to manifest error. *66

*65 From here begin the verses which were sent down in connection with the Holy Prophet's marriage with Hadrat Zainab.
*66 Ibn 'Abbas, Qatadah, 'Ikrimah and Muqatil bin Hayyan say that this verse was sent down at the time when the Holy Prophet proposed Hadrat Zainab for Hadrat Zaid, and Zainab and her relatives did not agree. According to Ibn 'Abbas, when the Holy Prophet made the proposal, Hadrat Zainab said, "I am better than him in lineage." Ibn Sa'd says that she also said, "I do not approve him for myself. I am a Quraishite by birth." The same sort of disapproval was expressed by her brother, 'Abdullah bin Jahsh, because Hadrat Zaid was a freed slave of the Holy Prophet and Hadrat Zainab was the daughter of his paternal aunt, Umaimah bint 'Abdul Muttalib. They did not like the Holy Prophet to propose a girl of a noble Quraishite family, who was none other than his own first cousin, for his freed slave. At this, this verse was sent down and on hearing it Hadrat Zainab and all her relatives yielded to the proposal at once. Then the Holy Prophet married them, paid ten diners and 60 dirhams from his own pocket as dower on behalf of Zaid, provided the bridal dress and sent some articles of food for domestic use.
Though this verse was sent down on g special occasion, the injunction given in it is the cardinal principle of the constitutional law of Islam, and it applies to the entire Islamic system of life. According to it no Muslim individual or nation, or institution, or court or parliament or state, is entitled to use its own freedom of opinion in a matter in which Allah and His Prophet have already given a dceision. To be a Muslim means to surrender one's freedom of opinion and action before Allah and His Messenger. It would be a contradiction in terms if a person or a nation claimed to be Muslim and then reserved for itself the freedom of choice and action. No sensible person can think of combining the two contradictory attitudes together. The one who desires to remain a Muslim will inevitably have to bow down to the Command of Allah and His Prophet, and the one who is not inclined to bow will have to admit that he is not a Muslim. If he does not admit he will be regarded as a hypocrite both by God and by the people even though he might proclaim to be a Muslim at the top of his voice.

وَإِذْ تَقُولُ لِلَّذِي أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَأَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَمْسِكْ عَلَيْكَ زَوْجَكَ وَاتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَتُخْفِي فِي نَفْسِكَ مَا اللَّهُ مُبْدِيهِ وَتَخْشَى النَّاسَ وَاللَّهُ أَحَقُّ أَنْ تَخْشَاهُ ۖ فَلَمَّا قَضَىٰ زَيْدٌ مِنْهَا وَطَرًا زَوَّجْنَاكَهَا لِكَيْ لَا يَكُونَ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ حَرَجٌ فِي أَزْوَاجِ أَدْعِيَائِهِمْ إِذَا قَضَوْا مِنْهُنَّ وَطَرًا ۚ وَكَانَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ مَفْعُولًا {33:37}

[Q33:37] Wa iz taqoolu lillazeee an'amaL Laahu 'alaihi wa an'amta 'alaihi amsik 'alaika zawjaka wattaqiL Laaha wa tukhfee fee nafsika maL Laahu mubdeehi wa takhshan naasa waLLaahu ahaqqu an takhshaah; falammaa qadaa Zaidum minhaa wataran zawwajnaa kahaa likay laa yakoona 'alal mu'mineena harajun feee azwaaji ad'iyaaa'ihim izaa qadaw minhunna wataraa; wa kaana amruL Laahi af’oolaa.
[Q33:37] And when you said to him to whom ALLAH (SWT) had shown favor and to whom you had shown a favor: Keep your wife to yourself and be careful of (your duty to) ALLAH (SWT); and you concealed in your soul what ALLAH (SWT) would bring to light, and you feared men, and ALLAH (SWT) had a greater right that you should fear Him. But when Zaid had accomplished his want of her, We gave her to you as a wife, so that there should be no difficulty for the believers in respect of the wives of their adopted sons, when they have accomplished their want of them; and ALLAH (SWT)'s command shall be performed.

[Q33:37] Dan (ingatlah wahai Muhammad) ketika engkau berkata kepada orang yang telah dikurniakan oleh ALLAH (SwT) (dengan nikmat Islam) dan yang engkau juga telah berbuat baik kepadanya: Jangan ceraikan isterimu itu dan bertakwalah kepada ALLAH (SwT), sambil engkau menyembunyikan dalam hatimu perkara yang ALLAH (SwT) akan menyatakannya; dan engkau pula takut kepada (cacian manusia padahal ALLAH (SwT) jualah yang berhak engkau takuti (melanggar perintahNya). Kemudian setelah Zaid selesai habis kemahuannya terhadap isterinya (dengan menceraikannya), Kami kahwinkan engkau dengannya supaya tidak ada keberatan atas orang-orang yang beriman untuk berkahwin dengan isteri-isteri anak-anak angkat mereka, apabila anak-anak angkat itu telah selesai habis kemahuannya terhadap isterinya (lalu menceraikannya) dan sememangnya perkara yang dikehendaki ALLAH (SwT) itu tetap berlaku.

REGARDING THE STORY OF ZAID AND ZAINAB, according to what the Qur’an indicates that the marriage of the lady with the man effected as per the advice of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), was

[1] For breaking the aristrocrate tendencies and barriers and the tribal superiority complex, AND

[2] The purpose of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) himself taking her in a wedlock, was just as the Qur’an says----for repealing of the paganic rule of not marrying the divorced wives of the adopted sons---as a part of the annulment of the pagan cult of adoption refers to in verse 4.

The clause ‘Thou didst fear the people’, does not mean that the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) was really afraid of the people. It means the right course shall be adopted; whether the people like it or not.

v Refer to verse 5:54 where depicting the qualities of the true believer, Qur’an says---‘They fear not the cencure of any censor.’

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(33:37) (O Prophet), *67 call to mind when you said to him *68 whom Allah had favoured and you had favoured: “Cleave to your wife and fear Allah,” *69 and you concealed within yourself for fear of people what Allah was to reveal, although Allah has greater right that you fear Him. *70 So when Zayd had accomplished what he would of her, *71 We gave her in marriage to you *72 so that there should not be any constraint for the believers regarding the wives of their adopted sons after they had accomplished whatever they would of them. *73 And Allah’s command was bound to be accomplished.

*67 The discourse from here to verse 48 was sent down after the Holy Prophet had married Hadrat Zainab, and the hypocrites, the Jews and the mushriks had started a relentless propaganda campaign against him. While studying these verses one should bear in mind the fact that this Divine discourse was not meant for the instruction of the enemies who were engaged in a wilful campaign of vilification and slander and falsehood to defame the Holy Prophet intentionally and to satisfy their rancour. But its real object was to protect the Muslims against the influence of their campaign and to safeguard them against doubts and suspicions. Evidently, the Word of Allah could not satisfy the unbelievers. It could give peace of mind only to those who knew and believed it to be Allah's Word. There was a danger that those righteous people also might be confused and influenced by the objections that were being raised by their enemies. Therefore, on the one hand, Allah removed all possible doubts from their minds, and on the other, taught the Muslims as well as the Holy Prophet himself how they should conduct themselves under the circrunstances.
*68 It refers to Hadrat Zaid as has been mentioned clearly below. In order to understand how Allah had favoured him and how the Holy Prophet, it is necessary here to relate his story briefly. He was the son of Harithah bin Shurahbil, a person of the Kalb tribe, and his mother, Su'da bint Tha'labah, was from the Bani Ma'n, a branch of the Tay tribe. When he was eight years old, she took him along to her parents. There the people of Bani Qain bin Jasr raided their camp, plundered their good: and took some men prisoners, Hadrat Zaid included. Then they sold Zaid at the fair of 'Ukiiz near Ta'if. His buyer was Hakim bin Hizam, a nephew of Hadrat Khadijah. Hakim brought him to Makkah and presented him to his paternal aunt. When the Holy Prophet married Hadrat Khadijah he found Zaid in her service and was so impressed by his good manners and conduct that he asked him of her. Thus, this fortunate boy entered the service of the best of men, whom Allah, after a few years, was going to appoint a Prophet. Hadrat Zaid at that time was 15 years old. Afterwards when his father and uncle came to know that their child was at Makkah, they came to the Holy Prophet and requested him to return him in exchange for ransom. The Holy Prophet said, "I shall call the boy and leave it to him whether he would like to go with you or stay with me. If he chose to go, I would take no ransom but would Iet Trim go with you. However, if he chose to stay back, I am not the one who would turn out a person who would like to stay with me." They said, "This is perfectly right and just. Please ask the boy." The Holy Prophet called Zaid and asked him, do you know these two gentlemen?" He said, "Yes sir, this is my father and this my uncle." The Holy Prophet then said, "Well, you know them as well as me. You have the choice to go with them, or stay with me if you so desire. "He said, "I have no wish to leave you and go with anyone else. "His father and uncle said, I 'Zaid, will you prefer slavery to freedom, and choose to stay with others in preference to your parents and family?" He replied, "After what I have seen of this person I cannot now prefer anything else of the world to him." Hearing the reply the father and uncle of Zaid were reconciled to his remaining with the Holy I Prophet. The Holy Prophet set Zaid fret immediately and proclaimed before a gathering of the Quraish in the Ka'bah, "Bear witness that hence-forth Zaid is my son: he will receive inheritance from me and I from him." Thereafter, he began to be called Zaid bin Muhammad by the people. All this happened before the Holy Prophet's advent as a Prophet. Then, when he was blessed with Prophethood by Allah, there were four persons who accepted his claim to it without a moment's hesitation as soon as they heard of it from him. They were Hadrat Khadijah, Hadrat Zaid, Hadrat 'AIi and Hadrat Abu Bakr. Hadrat Zaid was 30 years old then, and had already spent 15 years in the Holy Prophet's service. In the fourth year after Hijrah, the Holy Prophet marred him to his first cousin Hadrat Zainab, paid her dower on his behalf and provided them with necessary articles for setting up the house. This is to what Allah has alluded in the verse, saying: "Whom Allah as well as you had favoured."
*69 These words were said when the relations between Hadrat Zaid and Hadrat Zainab had become very strained, and after making repeated complaints Hadrat Zaid had finally told the Holy Prophet that he intended to divorce her. Although Hadrat Zainab had accepted to be married to him in obedience to Allah and His Messenger's command, she could not overcome her feeling that Zaid was a freed slave, who had been brought up by her own family, and she in spite of being the daughter of a noble Arab family, had been wedded to him. Due to this feeling she could never regard Hadrat Zaid as her equal in matrimonial lift, and this caused more and more bitterness between them. Thus after a little more than a year the marriage ended in divorce.
*70 Some people have misconstrued this sentence to mean this: The Holy Prophet desired to marry Hadrat Zainab and wanted that Zaid should divorce her. But when Zaid came to the Holy Prophet and said that he wanted to divorce his wife, the Holy Prophet stopped him from this only half-heartedly. At this Allah said: 'You were keeping hidden in your heart that which Allah intended to reveal. The real meaning, however, is contrary to this. If this the sentence is read with verses 1, 2, 3 and 7 of this Surah, one can clearly see that in the very days when bitterness was increasing between Hadrat Zaid and his wife, Allah had hinted to His Prophet that when Zaid had divorced his wife, he would Inave to marry the divorced lady. But since the Holy Prophet knew what it meant to marry the divorced wife of the adopted son in the contemporary Arab society, and that too at a time when apart from a handful of the Muslims the entire country had become jealous of him, he was hesitant to take any step in that direction. That is why when Hadrat Zaid expressed his intention to divorce his wife, the Holy Prophet said to him, `Fear Allah and do not divorce your wife." What he meant by this was that Zaid should not divorce his wife so that he was saved from facing the trial, otherwise in case the divorce was pronounced he would have to comply with the command, and thus provoke a severe storm of criticism and vilification against himself. But when the Holy Prophet deliberately forbade Zaid to divorce his wife so that he himself might be saved from what he feared would cause him defamatian, Allah found this below the high position that He wanted His Prophet to enjoy, whereas Allah intended to effect a great reform through this marriage of the Prophet. The words 'You were fearing the people, whereas Allah has a greater right that you should fear Him," clearly point to the same theme.
The same explanation of this verse has been given by Imam Zain-ul-'Abedin Hadrat 'AIi bin Husain (may Allah be pleased with him). He says, Allah had indicated to His Prophet that Zainab would be included among his wives. But when Zaid complained about her to him, the Holy Prophet admonished him to fear Allah and keep his wife. At this Allah said to His Prophet, 'I had informed you that I would marry you to Zainab. But when you were forbidding Zaid to divorce his wife, you were hiding that which Allah was going to reveal'." (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir on the authority of Ibn Abi Hatim).
'Allama Alusi also in his Ruh al-Ma ani has given the same meaning of it. He says, 'This is an expression of displeasure on abandoning the better course, which was that the Holy Prophet should have kept quiet, or should have told Zaid to do as he liked. The displeasure amounted to this: 'Why did you tell Zaid to keep his wife, whereas I had informed you beforehand that Zainab would be included among your wives?"
*71 That is, Zaid divorced his wife and her waiting-period came to an end. The words "fulfilled his desire of her" by themselves give the meaning that Zaid was left with no desire attached to her. And this state of affairs does not appear on mere pronouncement of the divorce, because even during the waitingperiod the husband can take his wife back if he has any interest in her; and the husband also has this desire left with the divorced wife that it should become known whether she is pregnant or not. Therefore, the desire of her former husband with the divorced wife comes to an end only on the expiry of the waiting period.
*72 These words are explicit that the Holy Prophet had married Hadrat Zainab not because of any personal desire but under the Command of Allah.
*73 These words clearly indicate that Allah accomplished this social reform through the Holy Prophet to effect a great change which could not be enforced" by any other means. There was no way to put an end to the wrong customs that had become prevalent in Arabia in respect of the adopted relations but that Allah's Messenger himself should take initiative to abolish them. Therefore, AIlah arranged this marriage not for the sake of adding a wife to the Holy Prophet's household but for enforcing an important social change.

مَا كَانَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ مِنْ حَرَجٍ فِيمَا فَرَضَ اللَّهُ لَهُ ۖ سُنَّةَ اللَّهِ فِي الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِنْ قَبْلُ ۚ وَكَانَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ قَدَرًا مَقْدُورًا {33:38}

[Q33:38] Maa kaana 'alan nabiyyyi min harajin feemaa faradaL Laahu lahoo sunnataL Laahi fil lazeena khalaw min qabl; wa kaana amruL Laahi qadaram maqdooraa.
[Q33:38] There is no harm in the Prophet doing that which ALLAH (SWT) has ordained for him; such has been the course of ALLAH (SWT) with respect to those who have gone before; and the command of ALLAH (SWT) is a decree that is made absolute:

[Q33:38] Tidaklah ada sebarang keberatan yang ditanggung oleh Nabi dalam melaksanakan perkara yang telah ditetapkan ALLAH (SwT) baginya. (Yang demikian itu) adalah menurut peraturan ALLAH (SwT) yang tetap, yang berlaku juga kepada Nabi-nabi yang telah lalu. Dan (ingatlah) perintah ALLAH (SwT) itu adalah satu ketetapan yang ditentukan berlakunya.

HAVING MORE THAT ONE WIFE WAS NOT PERCULIAR ONLY WITH THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) BUT his predecessors were also allowed to have a great number of wives viz. David, Solomon and the other apostles of ALLAH (SWT) and even the great rishes---including the father of Rama and Lakshman had more than one wife. Islam on the other hand controlled and restricted it with such an ordinance that strictly observing the law, one can have one.

This also supports the fact that the apostleship and the prophethood does not deprive the person and the members of his family from the ordinary human rights and the natural demands, divinely legalised for all. HENCE SAYING ATTRIBUTED TO THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) THAT WE THE GROUP OF PROPHETS NEITHER LEAVE BEHIND ANY LEGANCY NOR INHERIT ONE FROM ANYONE, WAS GROUNDLESS.

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(33:38) There could be no hindrance to the Prophet regarding what Allah ordained for him. *74 Such has been Allah’s Way (with the Prophets) who went before. Allah’s command is a decree firmly determined. *75

*74 These words show that for the other Muslims such a marriage is just permissible but for the Holy Prophet it was a duty which Allah had imposed on him.
*75 That is, "For the Prophets it has always been a law that whatever Command they receive from Allah, they have to act on it as a duty which they cannot in any case avoid. When Allah enjoins something on His Prophet, he has to accomplish it even if the whole world is deadly opposed to it."

الَّذِينَ يُبَلِّغُونَ رِسَالَاتِ اللَّهِ وَيَخْشَوْنَهُ وَلَا يَخْشَوْنَ أَحَدًا إِلَّا اللَّهَ ۗ وَكَفَىٰ بِاللَّهِ حَسِيبًا {33:39}

[Q33:39] Allazeena yuballighoona RisaalaatiL Laahi wa yakhshaw nahoo wa laa yakkhshawna ahadan illaL Laah; wa kafaa biLLaahi Haseebaa.
[Q33:39] Those who deliver the messages of ALLAH (SWT) and fear Him, and do not fear any one but ALLAH (SWT); and ALLAH (SWT) is sufficient to take account.

[Q33:39] (Nabi-nabi yang telah lalu itu) ialah orang-orang yang menyampaikan syariat ALLAH (SwT) serta mereka takut melanggar perintahNya dan mereka pula tidak takut kepada sesiapa pun melainkan kepada ALLAH (SwT) dan cukuplah ALLAH (SwT) menjadi Penghitung (segala yang dilakukan oleh makhluk-makhlukNya untuk membalas mereka).

MAN’S RESPONSIBILITY PARTICULARLY THAT OF THE APOSTLE, IS TO ALLAH (SWT) AND NOT TO ANYBODY ELSE. **NONE HAS ANY OPTION OF USING HIS WISDOM OR DECRETION IN EXECUTING THE WILL OF ALLAH (SWT) viz. while discharging the duty of conveying ALLAH (SWT)’s message, the apostle has to fear none but ALLAH (SWT).

± WHAT THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) apprehended in regard to receiving Zainab in wedlock was not his fear of the people BUT the people being misled by the false propaganda of the hupocrites against Islam AND himself AND waited for the revelation of the divine will for he was the one who never spokeor acted save what was revealed to him, refer verse 53:3 and 4.

WHEN ALLAH (SWT)’S COMMAND WAS REVEALED THROUGH THIS VERSE, the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) executed it for it then became his duty to act and what he apprehended before came to be true, for no sooner Zainab was received by the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) in his wedlock THAN the hypocrites began spreading the blasphemous propaganda of his making his son’s wife, his own.

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(33:39) (This is Allah’s Way) regarding those who deliver the Messages of Allah and who fear Him, and fear no one else than Allah. Allah is Sufficient as a Reckoner. *76

*76 The words in the Text havc two meanings: (1) That Allah is enough to counter every fear and danger; and (2) that Allah is enough to take account: none else but Allah should be feared for accountability.

مَا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَبَا أَحَدٍ مِنْ رِجَالِكُمْ وَلَٰكِنْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَخَاتَمَ النَّبِيِّينَ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمًا {33:40}

[Q33:40] Maa kaana Muhammmadun abaaa ahadim mir rijaalikum wa laakir RasoolaL Laahi wa Khaataman Nabiyyeen; wa kaanaL Laahu bikulli shai'in 'Aleema.

[Q33:40] Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of ALLAH (SWT) and the Last of the prophets; and ALLAH (SWT) is cognizant of all things.

[Q33:40] Bukanlah Nabi Muhammad itu (dengan sebab ada anak angkatnya) menjadi bapa yang sebenar bagi seseorang dari orang lelaki kamu, tetapi dia adalah Rasul ALLAH (SwT) dan kesudahan segala Nabi-nabi dan (ingatlah) ALLAH (SwT) adalah Maha Mengetahui akan tiap-tiap sesuatu.

THIS VERSE REFERS also to the actual position of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) with reference to his connection with his people saying

[1] THAT HE WAS NOT THE ACTUAL FATHER OF ZAID, NOT TO MARY THE WOMAN ZAID DIVORCES BUT AN APOSTLE OF ALLAH (SWT), [2] TO CARRY OUT THE COMMAND OF ALLAH (SWT) AND ACT UPON IT,

[3] TO SET THE CORRECT EXAMPLE AGAINST THE FANCIFUL TABOO OF THE PEOPLE UNDER WHICH AN ADOPTED SON WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A REAL ONE.

THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) HAD TO PREACH AND PRACTICE THE NECESSARY CORRECTION TO THE FALSE BELIEF OF THE PEOPLE ABOUT AN ADOPTED ONE, FOR NO OTHER PROPHET HAD TO COME THEREAFTER.

It is a matter which needs only common sense to know and understand that when a thing is perfected there remains no room for any addition to it NOR would it allow anything to be taken out of it for addition as well as subtraction would equally disturb its perfection.

SINCE the transitory stages of the progress of the evolution of the human consciousness and understanding did not suit OR allow the revelation of law of universal use for the human race as a whole for all times until the end of the world. See John 3:12; 16:12. HENCE the office of the Prophethood or the apostleship had necessarily to continue and prophet after prophet had been constantly raised in the various parts of the earth and in the various languages spoken by different units of the human habitations in the world.

EVERY PEOPLE HAD A WARNER FROM ALLAH (SWT) AND IN THE LANGUAGE OF EACH INDIVIDUAL GROUP. This facts is borne out by verses 10:47, 14:4, 16:36, and 35:24. The divine plan of the revelation is ultimate of the Word of ALLAH (SWT) about the perfect Universal Code of human life on earth was already made known to the ancient people through the several apostles that had come for their guidance---See Duet 18:15-18, Acts 23:22-24, John 16:7, 8, 12 and 13. Particularly Jesus had open and in clearest language foretold about the advent of the ‘Comfertor’, John 16:7; ‘Holy Ghost’, the ‘Spirit of Truth’, John 16:13, who would teach all things, i.e., the Universal Law (Islam).

1. Jesus had also said that the Comfertor to come will abide forever. John 14:16 i.e., the law he would convey and the religion he would preach would be current and forever; AND

2. What he would preach would be the ‘All-Truth’ (i.e., the faith with its code in its perfection and the secrets of reaching perfection in the spiritual life). John 16:13, AND

3. Whatever he would speak would be nothing but the revealed Word of God --- John 16:13. A similar prophecy was also made to Moses---Duet. 18:18.

4. While every other prophet was sent into the world for some particular people, place or age, including Jesus (Math. 15:22-26)

Ù This prophecy was fulfilled in the advent of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) Qur’an verse 53:3.

Ù The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) was sent to the human race as a whole and for all times. See Qur’an verses 2: 213, 4:79, 7:158, 10:19, 21:107, 34:28, and 48:29.

The word ‘Khatam’ used in this verse means a ‘Seal’ and also the ‘End’, the ‘Conclusion’ or the ‘Termination.’ THUS it is clearly said here that the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad)’s mission was the seal or the conclusion of the apostleship of the prophethood. Prophets or the apostle were needed as long as the Word had to be conveyed and once it has been completed and the perfect code of the life has been delivered to mankind (see verse 5:3), there remains no need for any prophet or apostle.

THE NEED WAS FOR THE PROPER GUIDANCE OF MANKIND TOWARDS THE CORRECT INTERPRETATION OF THE FINAL WORD OF ALLAH (SWT) AND THE CORRECT TRANSLATION OF IT IN THE PRACTICAL LIFE. For this the infinite Grace of ALLAH (SWT) instituted the institution of ‘Imamat’ or ‘the Divine Guidance’ through the seed of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) himself which was inaugurated and declared along the start of the mission of the apostleship of the Last Apostle of ALLAH (SWT), the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), at the very …..

Ä FIRST INSTANT of the ‘Dawat-e-Asheera’ or the summons of the kith and kin of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) when he commenced his ministry and along with it the ‘Imamat’ of Ali ibne Abi Talib. A reference to any detailed Islamic history dealing with the ‘Dawat-e-Asheera’ would enlighten the student of the Holy Qur’an on the topic. (See note on verse 26:4. See also History of Tabari; Ibne –Asakir; Gibbon, W. smith and Amir Ali).

Ä The matter of the announcement of the ‘imamat’ at the eve of the conclusion of the ‘Risalat’, i.e., Apostleship or prophethood, was so important AND it is being made known to as many as possible was so essential at the conclusion of the ‘Risalat’ or the prophethood that ALLAH (SWT) commanded the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) to declare it openly to the greatest collection of the selected believers, i.e., ‘Hajies’ or the pilgrims at ‘Ghadeer-e-Khum at the return of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) from the last ‘Haj’. See note on verse 5:67 at the execution of which order only the religion of Islam was declared to be completed AND bestowal of the divine favours on mankind was perfected. See note on verse 5:3.

Ä Not only these two occasions BUT during the life-time, as frequently and as the occasions were found opportune, the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) was never tired of announcing the position of Ali and the ‘Imamat’ in his seed----See Rauzatul-Ahbab; Mishkat; Early History of Islam—S.S.Husain 1933 Edn.; Musnad-e-Imame-Ahmaed Hambal and any authority on the life-history of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) or his tradition.

Ä The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) has even numbered his successors as the divinely commissioned Imams and in some places he even foretold their names also. See the following Sunni authorities---Shafa of Qazi Ayaz---Fathul-Bahri of Ibn Hajr Asqalani---Tarikhul-Khulafa of Suyuti---Shurhe Fighul-Akbar of Mullah Ali Qari, Izalatul-Khulafa of Maulvi Valiullah Shah (and the many others) and see note on verse 33 above.

Revelation of the divine guidance was effected by several different sources:

1. Through the direct contact of the Messenger Angel Gabriel, which has stopped with the conclusion of the mission of the Last Apostle of ALLAH (SWT), the Holy Prophet Muhammad (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad).

2. Through an instinct bestowed as a native endowment as in the case of the fly bee---(See verse 16:68)

3. Through dreams--- (See verse 37:102)

4. Common inspiration of goodness---‘Tawfeeq’

SIMPLY because the source of general guidance through the several sources other than the agency of an angel, was made to continue, it could never mean that the door of prophethood or apostleship was left open---also anyone who is correct in his faith in ALLAH (SWT), clean in his character and conduct woud naturally have ‘Tawfeeq’ to be inspired with goodness and be always guide aright. It would never mean that all such righteous ones are also the prophets or the prophets of ALLAH (SWT). WHEN THE DIVINE LAWS OF ISLAM HAVE BEEN SEALED WITH PERFECTION, NONE HAS TO ADD TO, OR SUBTRACT ANYTHING FROM IT, THERE REMAINED NO PLACE OR PURPOSE FOR ANY OTHER PROPHET OR APOSTLE TO SERVE. Mere interpretation of the Word of ALLAH (SWT), in any particular or peculiar way, would only entitle the interpreter to be a commentator along with the several such others of his kind and not make him a prophet or apostle. Many imposters appeared after the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), and every such one had his own following from some misguided ones.

§ The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) has also similarly foretold of the imposters after him. Many people, born of sinful parents and themselves having led their own passionate life, as any others in the world, had claimed to be apostles of ALLAH (SWT), the Last Imam the ‘Mahdi’ and Jesus Christ, and some claimed to be all together in their respective single self. Such false claims to apostleship has already been prophesied even by Jesus:-

“For there shall arise Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; in so much that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” Math. 24:24.

§ As regards being the Mahdi, the Last or the Twelfth Imam, the claimant perhaps did not know that the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) had said that all the Twelve Imams will be from his seed through Fatema the Lady of Light, and accordingly all the Twelth have appeared from the seed of Ali and Fatema. The Twelth one, the ‘Mahdi’ has also had his advent---see note on verse 33. This was the promise or the covenant given by ALLAH (SWT) to Abraham: Qur’an 2:124)

“And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget and I will make him a great nation.” Genesis 17:20

§ Unfortunately the claimants to be the promised ‘Mahdi’ forget that when the promise of ALLAH (SWT) to Abraham was fulfilled in the eleven of the Imams in the seed of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), i.e., in the seed of Ishmael, there could be no reason whatsoever for ALLAH (SWT), not to be true to His promise in the case of the Twelth one.

ANY SENSIBLE AND INTELLIGENT ONE WOULD EASILY FIND OUT THE HOLLOWNESS OF THE CLAIMS OF SUCH IMPOSTERS.

This is the comfirmation of the annulment of pagan law of adoption. Therefore the passage says that ‘The Holy Prophet is not the father of any of your men’ addressing all the followers. It does not mean that he has no issues. On the contrary it emphasises the fact that he and his members of his House termed pronoun ‘Kum’ in the phrase ‘your men.’

r Refer ‘Imamat’---See note on verse 17:71.

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(33:40) Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the seal of the Prophets. Allah has full knowledge of everything. *77

*77 This one sentence arts at the root of aII those objections which the opponents were raising in connection with this marriage of the Holy Prophet. Their first objection was that he had married his own daughter-in-law, whereas according to his own law the son's wife is forbidden for the father. This was answered by saying: "Muhammad is not the father of any of your men." That is, Zaid was not his real son, and so it was not unlawful to marry his divorced wife. Their second objection was that even if his adopted son was not his real son, it was not necessary that he should have marred his divorced wife. This was answered by saying: '' . . . but he is the Messenger of AIlah." That is, it was his duty as the Messenger of Allah to put an end to all kinds of prejudices about a lawful thing which custom and tradition had made unlawful without good reason and declare it to be lawful once again.
The point was stressed by saying: " ... and (he is) the last of the Prophets." That is, not to speak of a Messenger, no other Prophet would be raised after him, who could make up for a possible deficiency in the enforcement of a reform in the law and society that might have been left un-enforced in his time. Therefore, it had become all the more necessary that he should himself root out the custom of ignorance.
Again, to further emphasize this point, it was said: "Allah has knowledge of everything. " that is, Allah knows best why it was imperative to get the custom of ignorance rooted out at that juncture through the Holy Prophet Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace) rather than let it remain as it was. He knows that no other prophet would be coming after him in the future; therefore, if He did not abolish this custom through His Last Prophet, no other person after him would be able to abolish it for all the Muslims of the world for ever. Even if the later refomers would abolish it, no action of any one of them will havc the permanent and universal authority behind it so that the people of every country and every age might -start following it, and none of them would have a personality endowed with that holiness and sanctity that an action's being merely his way (Sunnah) might root out every feeling of aversion and abhorrence from the mind of the people.
It is a pity that a section of the people in our age have given wrong interpretations of this verse and opened the way to a great mischief. We have therefore added a comprehensive appendix at the end of the commentary of this Surah for the explanation of the question of the Finality of Prophethood and the eradication of the misunderstanding spread by these people.

LISANULLAH (tongue of Allah)

Thursday 20 July 2017

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