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Al-Ahzab 51

Ayah 51 of 73 · Medinan

۞ تُرۡجِي مَن تَشَآءُ مِنۡهُنَّ وَتُـٔۡوِيٓ إِلَيۡكَ مَن تَشَآءُۖ وَمَنِ ٱبۡتَغَيۡتَ مِمَّنۡ عَزَلۡتَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيۡكَۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَدۡنَىٰٓ أَن تَقَرَّ أَعۡيُنُهُنَّ وَلَا يَحۡزَنَّ وَيَرۡضَيۡنَ بِمَآ ءَاتَيۡتَهُنَّ كُلُّهُنَّۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَعۡلَمُ مَا فِي قُلُوبِكُمۡۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَلِيمٗا ٥١

You, [O Muḥammad], may put aside whom you will of them1 or take to yourself whom you will. And any that you desire of those [wives] from whom you had [temporarily] separated - there is no blame upon you [in returning her]. That is more suitable that they should be content and not grieve and that they should be satisfied with what you have given them - all of them. And Allāh knows what is in your hearts. And ever is Allāh Knowing and Forbearing.

Translation: Saheeh International (English)

1 Those mentioned in the previous verse as being lawful to the Prophet (ﷺ) or his wives to which he was married.

Word by word

Each word's meaning and sound

  1. ۞ تُرۡجِيYou may defertur'jī
  2. مَنwhomman
  3. تَشَآءُyou willtashāu
  4. مِنۡهُنَّof themmin'hunna
  5. وَتُـٔۡوِيٓor you may takewatu'wī
  6. إِلَيۡكَto yourselfilayka
  7. مَنwhomman
  8. تَشَآءُۖyou willtashāu
  9. وَمَنِAnd whoeverwamani
  10. ٱبۡتَغَيۡتَyou desireib'taghayta
  11. مِمَّنۡof those whommimman
  12. عَزَلۡتَyou (had) set aside ʿazalta
  13. فَلَاthen (there is) nofalā
  14. جُنَاحَblamejunāḥa
  15. عَلَيۡكَۚupon youʿalayka
  16. ذَٰلِكَThatdhālika
  17. أَدۡنَىٰٓ(is) more suitableadnā
  18. أَنthatan
  19. تَقَرَّmay be cooledtaqarra
  20. أَعۡيُنُهُنَّtheir eyesaʿyunuhunna
  21. وَلَاand notwalā
  22. يَحۡزَنَّthey grieveyaḥzanna
  23. وَيَرۡضَيۡنَand they may be pleasedwayarḍayna
  24. بِمَآwith whatbimā
  25. ءَاتَيۡتَهُنَّyou have given them ātaytahunna
  26. كُلُّهُنَّۚall of themkulluhunna
  27. وَٱللَّهُAnd Allahwal-lahu
  28. يَعۡلَمُknowsyaʿlamu
  29. مَاwhatmā
  30. فِي(is) infī
  31. قُلُوبِكُمۡۚyour heartsqulūbikum
  32. وَكَانَAnd Allah iswakāna
  33. ٱللَّهُAnd Allah isl-lahu
  34. عَلِيمًاAll-Knowerʿalīman
  35. حَلِيمٗاMost Forbearingḥalīman

Tafsir

O Messenger! Defer the turn of whichever of your wives you wish to defer by not spending the night with her when it is her turn that you do, and spend the night with whichever of your wives you wish. And there is no sin on you should you wish to spend the night with the one whose turn you deferred. This choice and broadening your options for you is more effective in making you the coolness of the eyes of your wives and in them being pleased with whatever you give all of them, because they know that you have not left out an obligation or have not fulfilled a right. O Men! Allah knows the inclination of your hearts towards some of your wives over others; Allah is the knower of the actions of His servants, nothing from them is hidden from Him. He is also forbearing; He does not punish them immediately in case they repent to Him.

Al-Mukhtasar in interpreting the Noble Quran