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Surah al-Ahzab (Surah 33: Revelation Order 60)

Commandments for the prophet

  • O you prophet, you shall fear God, and do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites. Indeed, God has been Knower, Wise (33:1). And you shall follow what is inspired to you from your Lord. Indeed, God has been Cognizant of what you do (33:2). And you shall put trust upon God and with God has sufficed as a Disposer (33:3).
    Note: God has ordered the prophet to follow what is inspired to him and to fear Him and to continue his God given mission putting his trust on God being a Disposer of all things.

We must do what is right to God and is decreed in His scripture

  • God has not made any man with two hearts within his body, nor has He made your wives whom you estrange them as your mothers, nor has He made your adopted sons as your sons. That is your saying by your mouths, but God speaks the truth, and He guides to the path (33:4). You shall call them (adopted sons) by their fathers, which is just with God. But if you do not know their fathers, then they are your brothers in the religion and family members. And there is no sin for you in what you have made a mistake with this except that has intended of your hearts. And God has been Forgiving, Merciful (33:5). The prophet is closer to the believers than of their selves, and his wives are their mothers. Possessors of the relationships of them are closer to another in God’s scripture than the believers and the emigrants except that you do to your friends being a kind. That has been to be written in the scripture. (33:6).
    Note: The relationship is established through blood relation not by verbal words, except what has decreed being written in the scripture.

God has taken a covenant from prophets to send a messenger after them

  • And when we had taken from the prophets their covenant, and from you (Muhammad), and from Noah, and Abraham, and Moses, and Jesus, son of Mary. And we had taken from them a solemn covenant (33:7). That He will ask the truthful about their truthfulness, and He has prepared for the disbelievers a painful retribution (33:8).
    Note: The covenant with all the prophets about sending a messenger upon delivering all the scripture placed in every scripture has been confirmed in (3:81) and there is also an indication in 33:7 that the covenant has been placed in the Quran given to Muhammad including the references of placing the covenant in the scripture given to Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus (33:7), which is also a confirmation of Muhammad not to be a messenger of the covenant except misinterpretation by many so called scholars, while the disbelievers of the covenant and the messenger when he has come to them will suffer a painful retribution (33:8).

Fighting is decreed to expose the disbelievers and hypocrites

  • O you who believed, remember God’s favor upon you when there had come upon you soldiers, and we had sent upon them a wind and soldiers (angels) you could not see them. And God is Seer of what you do (33:9). When they had come upon you from above of you and from beneath against you, and when your eyes had become terrified, and the hearts had reached the throat, and you think of God the unbefitting thoughts (33:10). That is when the believers were tested and were shaken by a severe shake (33:11). And when says the hypocrites and those in their hearts there is a disease: “What God has promised us and His messenger is not but a delusion (33:12)!” And when a party of them said, “O people of Yathrib (Medina), there is no stand for you; so you shall go back.” While a group of them asked permission from the prophet saying, “Indeed, our homes are exposed,” while were not exposed. They do not wish except fleeing (33:13). And if it had been entered over them from all sides, then they had been asked the treachery, they would have done it and they would not have hesitated over it except a little (33:14). And indeed, they had pledged to God before they would not turn their backs, and a pledge has done to God to be questioned (33:15). Say: “The fleeing will not benefit you if you had fled from the death or the killing (this time), and then you will not be allowed to enjoy except a short while (33:16).” Say: “Who is the one can protect you from God if He intends for you any harm, or He intends for you a mercy?” And they will not find any protector other than God nor a helper (33:17). Certainly, God knows the hinderers among you, and those who say to their brothers: “Come with us.” And they will not come to the battle except a few (33:18). They are miserly towards you. Then when the fear has come, you see them looking at you rolling their eyes like one who faints upon him from the death. Then when the fear has gone, they have smitten you sharping with tongues, are miserly towards the good. Those – they do not believe, so God has made worthless their deeds, and that has been easy for God (33:19). They think that the confederates have not mobilized, and if the confederates march on, they wish if that they were in the desert among the Arabs, seeking about your news. And if they were among you, they would not have fought except a few (33:20).
    Note: God has decreed fighting in the religion to expose the disbelievers and the hypocrites while the believers who put their trust upon their Lord participated in the battle, and God nullified the deeds of those who claimed themselves believers but escaped fighting with their excuses.

Signs of the true believers

  • Certainly, there has been a good example for you in God’s messenger (Quran) for one whoever has made to hope for God and the Last Day, and has remembered God very often (33:21). And when has seen the believers the confederates said: “This is what God has promised us and His messenger, and God has spoken truth and His messenger.” And it has not increased them except in faith and compliance (33:22). There are men among the believers who have fulfilled what they had promised to God on it. So, among them whoever has fulfilled his vow (through death), while among them whoever is waiting, and they have not changed any change (33:23). That God will recompense the truthful for their truthfulness, and will punish the hypocrites if He wills, or He may turn to them in mercy (upon their repentance). Indeed, God has been Forgiving, Merciful (33:24).
    Note: What is sent to the prophet has been referred as God’s messenger confirming that God and His messenger always speak the truth to augment the trust of the believers in His message as well as the person who has been chosen to deliver the message.

God granted victory to the believers

  • And God turned back those who disbelieved in their rage, they gained no good. God has sufficed the battle for the believers. And God is Powerful, Almighty (33:25). And He had brought down those who had supported them from a people of the scripture from their fortress, and had cast terror into their hearts – a group you killed while a group you took captive (33:26). And He caused to inherit you their land, and their homes, and their properties, and a land you had never stepped on. And God is powerful over everything (33:27).
    Note: Victory comes from God who has permitted the believers to occupy the opposition’s land, homes and properties to punish them on the earth by the hands of the believers.

Warning for the prophet’s wives

  • O you prophet, say to your wives, “If you have committed to desire the life of the world and its adornment, then come, I will provide for you and will release you a fair release (33:28). And if you have made to desire for God and His messenger and the abode of the Hereafter, then indeed, God has prepared a great reward for the good doers from you (33:29).” O wives of the prophet, whoever commits of immorality is clear from you, the punishment will be multiplied two-fold for her. And it has been that is easy for God (33:30). And whoever from you be obedient to God and His messenger and does as righteous, we will give her double of her reward and we have prepared for her an honorable provision (33:31). O wives of the prophet, you have not been like anyone among the women, if you have feared (God), then you do not be soft in the speech lest the one who has disease in his heart may move with desire, and you shall say a word being a right one (33:32). And you shall stay in your homes and do not display as displaying of the old days of the ignorance. And you shall establish the salat prayer and shall give the zakat, and shall obey God and His messenger. God only wishes to remove the impurity from you, a people of the Shrine as well as to purify you a perfect purification (33:33). And you shall pay heed what is recited in your homes of God’s revelations and the wisdom. Indeed, God is Sublime, Cognizant (33:34).
    Note: God has addressed Muhammad as the prophet to interact with his people being part of his lifetime activities and the example here is very convincing to eliminate any doubt about it when he was asked to warn his wives; and his wives were commanded to obey God and His messenger what has been revealed to their husband but not their husband.

Whoever disobeys God and His messenger has gone astray

  • Indeed, the submitting men, and the submitting women, the believing men, and the believing women, the obedient men, and the obedient women, 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 charitable men, and the charitable women, and the fasting men, and the fasting women, and the men who guard their chastity, and the chaste women, and the men who commemorate God frequently, and the commemorating women; God has prepared for them forgiveness and a great recompense (33:35). And it has not been for a believing man nor a believing woman, when has decided God and His messenger a matter that there should be any choice for them of their affair, and whoever disobeys God and His messenger, then certainly, he has strayed far astray (33:36).
    Note: Those who whether men or women have obeyed God and His messenger, and have done righteous works deserve a great recompense with God while those who have disobeyed God and His messenger have gone far astray.

God’s command is a destined decree

  • And you (Muhammad) said to whom God has bestowed favor on him and you have bestowed on him: “You shall keep your wife to yourself and shall fear God.” And you concealed within yourself what God was to disclose, and you feared the people, while God is worthy that you should fear Him. So, when Zaid ended his relationship from her, we wished you to have her as spouse that there is no wrongdoing for the believers for the wives of their adopted sons when they have ended relationship from them. And God’s command has to be done (33:37). There has been no discomfort upon the prophet in what God has ordered for him. It is God’s system about those who had passed away before. It has been God’s command being a destined decree (33:38). Those who convey God’s messages and fear Him, and they do not fear anyone except God. And with God has sufficed as a Reckoner (33:39).
    Note: No one can hide from God what is in his heart, even the prophet was not what was in his heart about marriage of the divorced wife of his adopted son and His command shall be done, which is the system from the past while those who convey God’s message shall not fear anyone except God.

What has been given to Muhammad is a seal of the prophets

  • Muhammad has not been a father of anyone of your men, but has been a messenger of God and a seal of the prophets. And God has done as Knower of everything (33:40).
    Note: God has introduced Muhammad to the people of the world mentioning who he has been and what has been given to him. Even though Muhammad has not been a father of any men but what has been given to him is the message to deliver should get attention of all, which is a God’s messenger and seal of the prophets being the last edition of the scripture while He has sent down scripture to humanity from time to time to guide it before it has also reflected here.

Honorable reward for the believers from God for His frequent remembrance

  • O you who have believed, you shall remember God a frequent remembrance (33:41). And you shall glorify Him morning and evening (33:42). He is the One who helps you and (so do) His angels, to bring you out of the darkness into the light. And He is Merciful to the believers (33:43). Their greeting on a day they meet Him: “Peace” and He has prepared for them an honorable reward (33:44).
    Note: The true believers will be greeted with “Peace” when they meet their Lord because of frequent remembrance of their Lord according to the message given to His prophet.

The message given to the prophet is a great blessing for the believers

  • O you prophet; indeed, we have sent you a witness, and a bearer of good news, and a warner (33:45), and a caller to God by His permission, and an illuminating light (33:46). And you shall give the believers good news of that there is a great blessing for them from God (33:47). And you are not to obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites and shall ignore their insult, and shall put your trust upon God, and it has sufficed with God as an Advocate (33:48).
    Note: The teaching in the above verses is not the prophet as a person but the message (scripture) given to him is a great blessing from God for the believers being witness, bearer of good news, warner, a caller to God and an illuminating light. Even, the factual conclusion can be drawn from the above 3 verses (33:45 – 47) being the total of the relevant surah and verse numbers a multiple of 19 to eliminate any traces of doubt from our hearts => 33 + 45 + 46 + 47 = 171 (19x9).

Divorce and marriage laws and privileges for the prophet

  • O you who believed, when you marry the believer women, then you have divorced them before that you have touched them, then you do not have to count any waiting period on them for you. So, you shall provide for them and shall release them a fair release (33:49). O you prophet; indeed, we have made lawful for you your wives to whom you have given their dowry, and whom is already yours from whom God has granted to you, and daughters of your paternal uncles, and daughters of your paternal aunts, and daughters of your maternal uncles, and daughters of maternal aunts who has emigrated with you, and a believing woman if she has given herself to the prophet if the prophet has intended to marry her, is only for you other than the believers. Certainly, we have known what we have made obligatory upon them about their wives and whom is already theirs that it would not be a discomfort upon you. And God has been Forgiving, Merciful (33:50). You may defer whomever you will of them and you may take to yourself whomever you will. And whoever you desire of those whom you have set aside then there is no sin upon you. That is more appropriate that they may be comforted and they do not grieve, and may be pleased with what you have given each of them. And God knows what is in your hearts while God is Knower, Forbearing (33:51). No women are lawful for you beyond this, and that you are not to exchange of them for (other) wives, even if their beauty pleases you except for whom you rightfully possess. And God is Watcher over all things (33:52).
    Note: Divorce must be done in a fair manner, even though the prophet has given certain privileges in marriage for good reason but limiting to certain matters as well.

Warning against exceeding limits falling into advantageous situation

  • O you who have believed, you do not enter the prophet’s homes except that permission is given to you for a meal without awaiting its preparation. But when you have been invited, then you shall enter; then when you have eaten, then you shall leave, and not staying for a conversation. Indeed, that have been to hurt the prophet, and he shies from you, while God does not shy for the truth. And when you have asked them (prophet’s wives) something, then you shall ask them from behind a screen. That are purer for your hearts and their (prophet’s wives) hearts. And it has not been for you that you hurt a messenger of God. And it is not that you should marry his wives after him ever. Indeed, that have been a gross offense at God (33:53). If you reveal anything, or hide it, then indeed, God has done being Knower of everything (33:54).
    Note: God has made restrictions for the believers including access to prophet’s home and marrying his wife after him, which is better for the believers as well for the prophet’s wives and He has done it having knowledge of everything.

Dress code for the believing women

  • There is no sin upon them (women) around their fathers nor their sons, nor their brothers, nor sons of their brothers, nor sons of their sisters, nor their women, nor what they rightfully possess (their male servants). And you (women) shall fear God. Indeed, God has been over everything as a Witness (33:55).
    Note: God has not defined any dress code for the believing women in the family setting while they can dress up whatever they seem befitting for them.

The believers were to support and honor the prophet

  • Indeed, God and His angels support the prophet. O you who have believed, you shall support him, and shall respect him with due respect (33:56).
  • Indeed, those who hurt God and His messenger, God has cursed them in the world and the Hereafter, and has prepared for them a humiliating punishment (33:57). And those who harm the believing men and the believing women, without having what they have earned, then certainly, they bear false accusation and a gross sin (33:58).
    Note: Here is the commandment for the contemporary believers to support and honor the prophet being involved in the prophet’s lifetime activities but not after him while those who annoy God and harm His messenger including the believing men and women will face serious consequences.

Appropriate covering of contemporary believing women

  • O you prophet; say to your wives, and your daughters, and wives of the believers to cover them with their garments. That is appropriate that they can be recognized, so that they may not be harmed. And God has been Forgiving, Merciful (33:59).
    Note: The believing women should cover them appropriately, is better for them that they can be recognized to prevent them from being harmed and the message is a recommendation from God for their good.

God punished the criminals on earth by the believers

  • Surely, if do not refrain the hypocrites, and those who in their hearts there is a disease, and those who spread rumors in the city, then we will let you overpower them, then they will not remain your neighbors therein except for a short while (33:60). They are cursed wherever they are found. They are seized and are killed a terrible killing (33:61). It is God’s system with those who had passed away before, and you will not find any change in God’s system (33:62).
    Note: God has cursed the criminals and has ensured their punishment in this world by the hands of the believers while He will punish them in the Hereafter as well. Its is God’s system from the past and there is no change in it.

Knowledge of the Hour and compensation followed by it

  • The people ask you (prophet) about the Hour. Say: “Its knowledge is only with God, and what will make you know that the Hour is near (33:63)!” Indeed, God has cursed the disbelievers, and has prepared for them Blazing Fire (33:64); abiding therein forever, they will find no protector or helper (33:65). A day will be turned about their faces in the Fire, they will say: “Oh! We wish we had obeyed God and we had obeyed the messenger (33:66).” And they will say: “Our Lord, we had obeyed our leaders and our learned, while they misled us to the (crooked) path (33:67). Our Lord, give them double of the punishment, and curse them a woeful curse (33:68).”
    Note: It has come down to us that prophet had no knowledge when the world will end except that it is near when the Quran was revealed in 609 while it has been confirmed from the Quran that the world will come to an end in 2280, and the end of the world after 1672 years is not too far as per God is concern. The disbelievers would wish that they obeyed the messenger when they see the retribution on a day of their meeting with God and would admit that they are in such consequences because of misguidance for obeying their leaders and learned ones that we see as a disaster in the world for those who claim them to be the believers deserting the messenger, the Quran but accepting the fabrications.

Obeying God and His messenger is a means to attain nearness with God

  • O you who have believed, you would not be like those who had harmed Moses, then God had cleared him of what they said, and he had been honorable to God (33:69). O you who have believed, you shall fear God and shall speak a right word (33:70). He will amend your deeds for you, and will forgive your sins for you. And whoever obeys God and His messenger; then certainly, he has achieved a great achievement (33:71).
    Note: God’s command about the great achievement with Him is very simple and straightforward, which is just to obey Him and to follow His message so that every one of us who fears God and the Hereafter can achieve this goal.

Test of trustworthiness of all God’s creatures

  • Indeed, we had offered the trust to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they refused that they can bear it and feared from it, while the human being had born it. Indeed, he had been an ignorant wicked (33:72). That God will punish the hypocrite men and the hypocrite women, and the idolatrous men and the idolatrous women while God will turn in mercy to the believing men and the believing women. And God has been Forgiving, Merciful (33:73).
    Note: Through this test God detected ignorance and inconsistency of the human being in the past and He has given him a chance on the earth to get back to Him being the true believers in Him following His guidance.

Conclusion

Surah al-Ahzab consists of 73 verses and starts with addressing Muhammad as a prophet involving him at his lifetime activities with the contemporaries during the revelation of the message given to him to accomplish his mission. So, the contemporary believers are ordered to support and honor the prophet being involved in the prophet’s lifetime activities while he has been ordered to follow what has been inspired to him and to fear Him as well as to continue his God given mission despite strong opposition from the disbelievers and the hypocrites having his firm confidence in Him. Muhammad has been addressed as the prophet in many instances in the Quran being part of his lifetime activities but which is very convincing to eliminate any doubt about it as the prophet was asked to warn his wives; and his wives were commanded to obey God and His messenger.

Those who deliver God’s message are accountable to Him, even though Muhammad has not been a father of any men but the message he has been delivering is a God’s messenger and a seal of the prophets being the final edition of the scripture for humanity. While not the prophet as a person but the message given to him being a messenger of God, a seal of the prophets, witness, bearer of good news, warner, a caller to God and an illuminating light is a great blessing from God for the believers of all generations of people.

The covenant with the prophets about sending a messenger upon delivering all the scripture placed in every previous scripture has been confirmed in the Quran (3:81), and has also been placed in the Quran given to Muhammad including a reference in what has been given to Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus, son of Mary (33:7). Hence, there should not be any doubt in our hearts about Muhammad to be the messenger of the covenant as misinterpreted by the so called scholars. Despite a severe warning that anyone whoever disbelieves the messenger of covenant when he comes to them has to suffer painful retribution has been disregarded by the vast majority, even the message, ‘Quran’s mathematical coding’ delivered by the messenger is around us about 50 years.

The world will come to an end in 2280 has been confirmed from the Quran being aware of the hint that it is near when the Quran was sent down in 609, and the end of the world after 1672 years is not too far as per God is concern. The disbelievers would wish that they had obeyed the messenger when they see the retribution and would admit that they are in such consequences because of misguidance for obeying their leaders and learned that we see as a disaster in the world for those who claim them to be the believers but deserting the Quran, a messenger and the final edition of scripture sent down to prophet Muhammad. But God’s command for the great achievement with Him is very simple and straightforward, which is just to obey Him and to follow His message so that every one of us who fears God and ascertains the Hereafter can achieve this goal.

The true believers will be greeted with “Peace” when they meet their Lord because of frequent remembrance of their Lord, and we can be with them if we only follow God’s messenger (message), which is a means of great achievement with God avoiding the misguidance of leaders and learned so that we do not have to say “Oh, we wish we had obeyed God and obeyed the messenger.” which is a clear indication that the disbelievers had followed nothing.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.
Tafazzal (8/23/2019).