The New Nation - Internet Edition

Tamizul Haque

Barrister-at-Law

Surah Al-Tahrim (Prohibition) i.e. Surah 66 is the 10th surah of the last series of short Madina surah which begin with surah 57 i.e. surah Al-hadid. But that they followed a distinct logical order more helpful for study then the chronological order. The comprehensive scheme of building up the new Ummah or Brotherhood of its spiritual implications is now complete. The remaining 10th of Holy Quran may be roughly considered in two parts. The first contain 10 surah's i.e. surah 57 to surah 66 all revealed in Madina Sharif, and each dealing with some special points which needs emphasis in the social life of the Ummah. The 2nd i.e. surch 67 to surah 94 contain short Makkan lyrics each dealing with some aspect of spiritual life, express in language of great mystic beauty.

The present Madina surah including surah Al-Hadid is chiefly concerned with spiritual humility and avoidance of arrogance and a warning that retirement from the world may not be the best way of seeking the good pleasure of Allah Subhanahu Tahla .

Allah's Power and Knowledge extend to all things; follow His Light direct and without doubt or fear or half-heartedness, but with humility, generous, charity and faith, and not in a life of isolation from the world. Now coming back to Al-Tahrim the point delth with here is; how far the turning away from sex or the opposition of one sex against another or want of a harmony between the sexes may injure the higher interest of society.

Summary; the failing of the weaker sex should not turn away man from normal social life; harmony and mutual confidence should be taught and enforced and Allah's blessing will decent on the virtuous even if their lot is cast with the wicked. This surah contains of only 12 verses which explained the relation between the sexes are embittered by misunderstanding and conflicts that produce unhappiness and misery, personal and Social Harmony and confidence are due between the sexes, not disgust or isolation, which may please some but cause injustice to others.

Respect each other's confidence and if you fail, repent and make amends. The good man seeks, virtue for himself and his family. If evil is yoked to good it must take the fruit of its own deed; the worldly tie will profit naught; but good should firmly make a stand and will be saved, for Allah does care for all His true devoted Servants.

The first ayat or verse of surah Al-Tahrim starts by addressing the Holy Prophet (S.M) thus :-

O Prophet! Why

Holdest thou to be forbidden

That which Allah has

Made lawful to thee?

Thou seekest to please

Thy consorts. But Allah

Is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Abdullah Yousuf Ali explains the Ayat thus :-

The Prophet's household was not like other households. The Consorts of Purity were expected to hold a higher standard in behaviour and reticence than ordinary women, as they had higher work to perform. But they were human beings after all,

and were subject to the weakness of their sex, and they sometimes failed.

The imprudence of Aishah once caused serious difficulties: the Holy Prophet's mind was sore distressed and he renounced the society of his wives for sometime. This renunciation seems to be referred to here.

The situation was none the less difficult for him because she was a daughter of Abu Bakr, one of the truest and most intimate of his Companions and lieutenants. The commentators usually cite the following incident in connections with the revelation of these verses. It is narrated from Aisha, the wife of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon Him) by Bukhari, Muslim, Nasa'I Abu Dawud and others that the Holy Prophet usually visited his wives daily after Asr Prayer.

Once it so happened that he stayed longer than usual at the quarters of Zaynab bint Jahsh, for she had received from somewhere some honey which the Holy Prophet liked very much. At this, says Aisha (RH), "I felt jealous, and I, Hafsah, Sawda and Safiyah agreed among ourselves that when he visits us each of us would tell him that a peculiar odour came from his mouth as a result of what he had eaten, for we knew that he was particularly sensitive to offensive smells".

So when his wives hinted at it, he vowed that he would never again use honey. Thereupon these verses were revealed reminding him that he should not declare to himself unlawful that which Allah had made lawful to him.

The important point to bear in mind is that he was at once rectified by revelation, which reinforces the fact that the Prophets are always under Divine Protection, and even the slightest lapse on their part is never left uncorrected by Allah Subhanahu Tahla.

(To be continued)

The tender words of admonition addressed to the Consorts in 33:28-34 explain the situation far better than any comments can express. If the Holy Prophet had been a mere husband in the ordinary sense of the term, he could not have held the balance even between his private feelings and his public duties. But he was not an ordinary husband, and he abandoned his renuniciation on his realization of the higher duties with which he was charged, and which required conciliation with firmness.

Now few points are to be noted by the readers of my treatise that Allah Subhanahu Tahla will not call you or anyone to account for what is futile in his oaths but He will call you to account for his deliberate Oaths; for expiation, it is necessary to feed 10 poor persons on a scale of the average for the food of his own families, or clothes them; or give a slave his freedom. If that is beyond anybodies means Fast for 3 days i.e. the expiation for the oaths he has sworn.

From ayats 28 to 34 of surah 33 i.e. surah Al-Ahzab Allah Subhanahu Tahla while addressing the Holy Prophet spoke about his Consorts. I am mentioning the gist of ayat Nos.28 to 31 explanation given by Abdullah Yousuf Ali which runs thus :

Note : We now come to the subject of the position of the Consorts of Purity (azwaj mutahharat), the wives of the Holy Prophet. Their position was not like that of ordinary women or ordinary wives. They had special duties and responsibilities. The only youthful marriage of the Holy Prophet was his first marriage - that with Khadujah (RH), the best of women and the best of wives. He married her fifteen years before he received the call to Prophethood; the married life lasted for twenty five years, and their mutual devotion was of the noblest, judged by spiritual as well as social standards. During her life he had no other wife, which was unusual for a man of his standing among his people. When she died, his age was 50, and but for two considerations, he would probably never have married again, as he was most abstemious in his physical life. The two considerations which governed his later marriages were (1) compassion and clemency, as when he wanted to provide for suffering widows, who could not be provided for in any other way in that stage of society, some of them, like Sawda, had issue by their former marriage, requiring protection; (2) help in his duties of leadership, with women, who had to be instructed and kept together in the large Muslim family, where women and men had similar social rights. Hazrat Aishah (R.H), daughter of Abu Bakr, was clever and learned, and in Hadith she is an important authority on the life of the Holy Prophet. Zaynab, daughter of Khuzaymah, was specially devoted to the poor: she was called the "Mother of the Poor". The other Zaynab, daughter of Jahas, also worked for the poor, for whom she provided from the proceeds of her manual work, as she was skilled in leather work. But all the Consorts in their high position had to work and assist as Mothers of the Ummah. Theirs were not idle lives, like those of Odalisques (a female slave in a haram), either for their own pleasure or the pleasure of their husband. They are told here that they had no place in the sacred Household if they merely wished for ease or worldly glitter. If such were the case, they could be divorced and amply provided for.

They were all well-doers. But being in their exalted position, they had extra responsibility and they had to be specially careful to discharge it. In the same way, their reward would be great for higher services being higher spiritual satisfaction, though they were asked to deny themselves some of the ordinary indulgence of life.

Evident unseemly conduct i.e. proved misconduct, as opposed to false slanders from enemies. Such slanders were of no account, but if any of them had behaved in an unseemly manner, it would have been a worse offence than in the case of ordinary women, on account of their special position. Of course none of them were in the least guilty.

The punishment in this life for a married woman's un-chastity is very severe; for adultery, public flogging with a hundred stripes, under 24:2, or for lewdness imprisonment, or stoning to death for adultery, according to certain precedents established in Canon Law. But here the question is not about this kind of punishment or this kind of offence. Even minor indiscretions, in the case of women who were patterns of decorum, would have been reprehensible; and the punishment in the Hereafter is on a higher plane, which we can scarcely understand. But Allah can appreciate every shade of motive in us. More or less is possible there, which might not be possible in the rough and ready law, which we administer here.

Experience shows that there exist some mischief mongers to spread false rumours with the intention of maligning a particular personality and his or her honour. I am reminded of a particular incident which happened with Hazrat Aishah (R.H). This incident has been revealed in Ayat 11 of Sura 24 i.e. Surah Al-Nur.

The particular incident here referred to occurred on the return from the expedition to the Banu Mustaliq, A.H. 5-6. When the march was ordered, Hazrat Aishah (R.H) was not in her tent, having gone to search for a valuable necklace she had dropped. As her litter was veiled, it was not noticed that she was not in it, until the army reached the next halt. Meanwhile, finding the camp had gone, she sat down to rest, hoping that some one would come back to fetch her when her absence was noticed. It was night, and she fell asleep. Next morning she was found by Safwan, a Muhajir, who had been left behind in the camp expressly to pick up anything inadvertently left behind. He put her on his camel and brought her, leading the camel on foot. This gave occasion to enemies to raise a malicious scandal. The ringleader among them was the chief of the Madinah Hypocrites, Abdullah ibn Ubayy, who is referred to in the last clause of this verse. He had other sins and enormities to his debit, and he was left to the spiritual punishment of an unrepentant sinner, for he died in that state. The minor tools were given the legal punishment of the law, and after penitence mended their lives. They made good.

It is the worse for a scandal to be whispered about with bated breath, than that is should be brought into the light of day and disproved.

Allah Subhanahu Tahla in ayat 15 has warned us not to use our tongues and say things from our mouths of which we may not have any knowledge and yet one might think it to be a light matter. While it was most serious in the sight of Allah Sobhanahu Tahla. Abdullah Yousuf Ali describe this ayat thus :-

"There are three things here reprobated by way of spiritual teaching (1) if others speak an evil word, that is no reason why you should allow it to defile your tongue; (2) if you get a thought or suspicion which is not based on your certain knowledge, do not give it currency by giving it expression; and (3) others may think it is a small matter to speak lightly of something which blasts a person's character or reputation in the eyes of Allah it is a most serious matter in any case, but specially when it involves the honour and reputation of pious women.

How one should behave in such a circumstance has been also clearly ordained by Allah Subhanahu Tahla. In such a circumstance the right course could have been to stop any further currency of false slanders by ignoring them and at least refusing to help in their circulation. The exclamation "Subhanaka". "Praise to the (O Allah)", or "Glory to Allah! Is an exclamation of surprise and deny as much as to say, "We do not believe it! And we shall have nothing to do with you. O False slanderers!".

Ayats 17 to 19 of Surah Al-Nur (24) are again Allah's strict admonition to us that we may never repeat such conduct, if we are true believers of the faith. Allah Subhanahu Tahla makes the signs to us plain and simple because Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom. To those who love to see scandal published or broadcast among the belivers will indeed have a grievous Penalty in this life and in the Hereafter.

"What mischief can be planned by Evil to delude simple folk who mean no harm in their own minds but who by thoughtlessness are deluded step by step to become the instruments of Evil, may not be known to the most instructed of men, but it is all known to Allah. Man should therefore always be on his guard against the traps of Evil, and it is only Allah's grace that can save him.

Ayat 20 of the said surah also speaks that "the refrain that comes four times in this passage. Were it not for the grace and mercy of Allah" Each time it has a different application. (1) In 24:10, it was in connection with the accusation of infidelity by one of the spouses against the other, they were both reminded of Allah's mercy and warned against suspicion and untruth. (2) In 24:14 the Believers were told to be wary of false rumours lest they should cause pain and division among themselves: it is Allah's grace that keeps them united. (3) Here is an admonition for the future: there may be conspiracies and snares laid by Evil against simple people: it Allah's grace that protects them (4) In 24:21, the general warning is directed to the observation of purity in act and in thought, concerning one's self and concerning others, it is only Allah's grace that can keep that purity spotless, for He hears prayers and knows of all the snares that are spread in the path of the good.

The gist of ayats 24, 27 to 34 is the authority for the proposition that privacy in the home is a nature of virtue; respect it with dignity and decorum, Guard your eyes and thoughts with rules of modesty in dress and manners, and learn from these to keep your spiritual gaze from straying to any but Allah Subhanahu Tahla. True marriage should teach us charity and Purity and such are the virtue which lead us to the Light sublime which illuminates the world.

Again Ayat 27 of surah Al-Nur i.e. Surah-24 discusses the conventions of propriety and privacy which are essential to a refined life of goodness and purity. The English saying that an Englishman's home is his castle, suggests a certain amount of exclusiveness and defiance. The Islamic principle of asking respectful permission and exchanging salutations ensures privacy without exclusiveness, and friendliness without familiarity, and there is also directive in ayat 28 of the said surah that incase if any one find no one in the house he should not enter in the house until permission is given to him and if he is asked to go back he must do so. This etiquette are ordained expressly in the Holy Quran by Allah Subhanahu Tahla. In another aspect of perfection includes justice fidelity, discipline and firm execution of duty according to lawful Commands. So in the attributes of Allah Subhanahu Tahla Himself, Justice and Mercy, Kindness and Correction are not contradictory but complimentary. Therefore an earthly ruler will be unkind to his loyal subjects if he does not punish the evil-dowers.

The unbelievers will only reap the fruit of their own deeds that is they must know this is no hardship or injustice which is imposed on them are the fruit of their own deeds; the result of their own deliberate choice.

The opposition of sex against sex, individual or concerted, having been condemned by Allah Subhanahu Tahla, we are now exhorted to turn to the Light, and to realize that the good and righteous can retain their integrity even though their own mates, in spite of their example and precept, remain in evil and sin. Allah Subhanahu Tahla in ayat 8 of surah Al-Tahrim has given option to the believers of the faith to turn to Allah with sincere repentance; in the hope that his Lord will remove from him his ills and admit him to Havens. Whatever may have been the faults of the past, unite in good deeds, and abandon petty sectional jealousies, and Allah will remove his difficulties and distresses, and all the evils from which he suffer. Indeed He will grant him the Bliss of Heaven and save him from any humiliation, which he may have brought on himself by his conduct and on the revered Prophet and Teacher (namely the Holy Prophet of Islam} whose name he professed to take.

In ayat 9 of Surah Al-Tahrim Allah Subhanahu Tahla while directly addressing the Holy Prophet to strive heard against the Unbelievers and the Hypocrites and be firm against them. Their abode is Hell and evil refuge indeed.

In ayat 10 Allah Subhanahu Tahla sets forth, for an example to the Unbelievers, the wife of Noah (A.H) and the wife of Lut (A.H): They were respectively two most righteous Servants of Allah Subhanahu Tahla.

In order to understand more clearly please read Noah (A.H)'s story in 11:36-48. Evidently his contemporary world had got so corrupt that it needed a great Flood to purge it. None of the people will believe except those who have believed already. So grieve no longer over their evil deeds. But there were evil ones in his own family. A foolish and undutiful son is mentioned in 11:42-46.Poor Noah (A.H) tried to save him and pray for him as one "of his family", but the answer came, he is not of thy family; for his conduct is unrighteous. We might expect such a son to have a mother like him, and here we are told that it was so. Noah (A.H)'s wife was also false to the standards of her husband, and perished in this world and the Hereafter.

The wife of Lut (A.H) has already been mentioned more than once. The world around her was wicked and she sympathized with and followed that wicked world, rather than her righteous husband. She suffered the fate of her wicked world.

False to their husbands: not necessarily in sex, but in the vital spiritual matters of truth and conduct. They had the high privilege of the most intimate relationship with the noblest spirits of their age: but if they failed to rise to the height of their dignity, their relationship did not save them. They could not plead that they were the wives of pious husbands. They had to enter Hell like any other wicked women. There is personal responsibility before Allah Subhanahu Tahla. One soul cannot claim the merits of another, any more than one pure soul can be injured by association with a corrupt soul. The pure one should keep its purity intact.

Traditionally Hazrat Asiyah (R.A) is known as one of the four perfect women, the other three being Mary (Hazrat Marium A.H) the mother of Jesus. Hazrat Khadijah (R.A) the wife of the Holy Prophet, and Hazrat Fatimah (R.A.) his daughter. Pharaoh is the type of arrogance, godlessness, and wickedness. For his wife to have preserved her Faith, her humility, and her righteousness was indeed a great spiritual triumph. She was probably the same who saved the life of the infant Moses (Musa Ali-His-Salam): 28:9.

Her spiritual vision was directed to Allah Subhanahu Tahla, rather than to the worldly grandeur of Pharaoh's court. It is probable that her prayer implies a desire for martyrdom, and it may be that she attained her crown of martyrdom.

The last ayat of surah Al-Tahrim that is ayat 12 clearly declares that Mary (Hazrat Marium A.H) the daughter of Imran who guarded here chastity, and Allah Subhanahu Tahla breathed into her body His spirit. Similar wording are used with reference to Hazrat Adam (A.H). The virgin birth should not therefore be supposed to imply that Allah Subhanahu Tahla was the father of Jesus (Naawoozubillah)

Hazrat Marium (A.H) had true faith and testified her faith in the Prophet Jesus and in his revelation as well as in the revelations which he came to confirm (and to foreshadow). She was of the company of the Devout of all ages. The fact that Qanitin (devout) is not here in the feminine gender implies that the highest spiritual dignity is independent of sex. And so we close the lesson of this Surah, that while sex is a fact of our physical existence, the sexes should act in harmony and cooperation for in the highest spiritual matters. We are all one. Allah Subhanahu Tahla made her and her son a Sign for all peoples. "Verily this Brotherhood of ours is a single Brotherhood, and I am your Lord and Cherisher;" therefore we must serve Allah Subhanahu Tahla and no other surah-21 ayats 91-92.

In this context the religion of Islam means broadening the mental horizon of mankind, for our life is not confined to this world alone and continues even beyond it-towards eternity. This attitude inspires hope in man's heart, encourages him to live and strive for the achievement of higher ideals and to remain steadfast against evil and oppression. The religion of Islam teaches love, sympathy and universal brotherhood and is thus the only way to peace, prosperity and progress. It equips man in the best possible way for the hard struggle of life.

Minus faith he is torn away from the total reality of the creation and is rendered into an isolated being. This reduces him to an unsocial animal or a brute. Belief in the Hereafter gives man a firm sense of security, banishing from his heart the fear of extinction with his physical death and promising him an eternal life in the Hereafter.