Sūra XXXIII. Aḥzāb, or The Confederates.

The Holy Quran, tr. by Yusuf Ali, [1934], at sacred-texts.com

p. 1102

Sūra XXXIII.

Aḥzāb, or The Confederates.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
Most Merciful.

1. O Prophet! Fear God,
And hearken not
To the Unbelievers
And the Hypocrites:
Verily god is full
Of knowledge and wisdom.

2. But follow that which
Comes to thee by inspiration
From thy Lord: for God
Is well acquainted
With (all) that ye do.

3. And put thy trust
In God, and enough is God
As a Disposer of affairs.

4. God has not made
For any man two hearts

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In his (one) body: nor has
He made your wives whom
Ye divorce by Ẓihār
Your mothers: nor has He
Made your adopted sons
Your sons. Such is (only)
Your (manner of) speech
By your mouths. but God
Tells (you) the Truth, and He
Shows the (right) Way.

5. Call them by (the names
Of) their fathers: that is
Juster in the sight of God.
But if ye know not
Their father's (names, call
Them) your Brothers in faith,
Or your Maulās.
But there is no blame
On you if ye make
A mistake therein:
(What counts is)
The intention of your hearts:
And god is Oft-Returning,
Most Merciful.

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6. The Prophet is closer
To the Believers than
Their own selves,
And his wives are
Their mothers. Blood-relations
Among each other have
Closer personal ties,
In the Decree of God.
Than (the Brotherhood of)
Believers and Muhājirs:
Nevertheless do ye
What is just to your
Closest friends: such is
The writing in the Decree
(Of God).

7. And remember We took
From the Prophets their
Covenant:
As (We did) from thee:
From Noah, Abraham, Moses,
And Jesus the son of Mary:
We took from them
A solemn Covenant:

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8. That (God) may question
The (Custodians) of Truth concerning
The Truth they (were charged with):
And He has prepared
For the Unbelievers
A grievous Penalty.

SECTION 2.

9. O ye who believe!
Remember the Grace of God,
(Bestowed) on you, when
There came down on you
Hosts (to overwhelm you):
But We sent against them

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A hurricane and forces
That ye saw not:
But God sees (clearly)
All that ye do.

10. Behold! they came on you
From above you and from
Below you, and behold,
The eyes became dim
And the hearts gaped
Up to the throats,
And ye imagined various
(Vain) thoughts about God!

11. In that situation
Were the Believers tried:
They were shaken as by
A tremendous shaking.

12. Find behold! The Hypocrites
And those in whose hearts
Is a disease (even) say: "God
And His Apostle promised us
Nothing but delusions!"

13. Behold! A party among them
Said: "Ye men of Yathrib!
Ye cannot stand (the attack)!
Therefore go back!"
And a band of them
Ask for leave of the Prophet,

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Saying, "Truly our houses
Are bare and exposed," though
They were not exposed:
They intended nothing but
To run away.

14. And if an entry had
Been effected to them
From the sides of the (City),
And they had been
Incited to sedition.
They would certainly have
Brought it to pass, with
None but a brief delay!

15. And yet they had already
Covenanted with God not to turn
Their backs, and a covenant
With God must (surely)
Be answered for.

16. Say: "Running away will not
Profit you if ye are
Running away from death
Or slaughter; and even if
(Ye do escape), no more
Than a brief (respite)
Will ye be allowed to enjoy!"

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17. Say: "Who is it that can
Screen you from God
If it be His wish
To give you Punishment
Or to give you Mercy?"
Nor will they find for themselves,
Besides God, any protector
Or helper.

18. Verily God knows those
Among you who keep back
(Men) and those who say
To their brethren, "Come along
To us", but come not
To the fight except
For just a little while,

19. Covetous over you
Then when fear comes,
Thou wilt see them looking
To thee, their eyes revolving,
Like (those of) one over whom
Hovers death: but when
The fear is past,
They will smite you
With sharp tongues, covetous
Of goods. Such men have
No faith, and so God
Has made their deeds
Of none effect: and that
Is easy for God.

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20. They think that the Confederates
Have not withdrawn; and if
The Confederates should come (again),
They would wish they were
In the deserts (wandering)
Among the Bedouins, and
Seeking news about you
(From a safe distance);
And if they were
In your midst, they
Would fight but little.

SECTION 3.

21. Ye have indeed
In the Apostle of God
A beautiful pattern (of conduct)
For any one whose hope is
In God and the Final Day,
And who engages much
In the praise of God.

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22. When the Believers saw
The Confederate forces,
They said: "This is
What God and His Apostle is
Had promised us, and God
And His Apostle told us
What was true." And it
Only added to their faith
And their zeal in obedience.

23. Among the Believers are then
Who have been true to
Their Covenant with God:
Of them some have completed
Their vow (to the extreme),
And some (still) wait:
But they have never changed
(Their determination) in the least:

24. That God may reward
The men of Truth for
Their Truth, and punish
The Hypocrites if that be

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His Will, or turn to them
In Mercy: for God is
Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

25. And God turned back
The Unbelievers for (all)
Their fury: no advantage
Did they gain; and enough
Is God for the Believers
In their fight. And God
Is full of Strength, Able
To enforce His Will.

26. And those of the people
Of the Book who aided
Them—God did take them
Down from their strongholds

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And cast terror into
Their hearts, (so that)
Some ye slew, and some
Ye made prisoners,

27. And He made you heirs
Of their lands, their houses,
And their goods,
And of a land which

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Ye had not frequented
(Before). And God has
Power over all things.

SECTION 4.

28. O Prophet! say
To thy Consorts:
"If it be that ye desire
The life of this world,
And its glitter,—then come!
I will provide for your

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Enjoyment and set you free
In a handsome manner.

29. But if ye seek God
And His Apostle, and
The Home of the Hereafter,
Verily God has prepared
For the well-doers amongst you
A great reward.

30. O Consorts of the Prophet
If any of you were guilty
Of evident unseemly conduct,
The Punishment would be
Doubled to her, and that
Is easy for God

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31. But any of you that is
Devout in the service of
God and His Apostle,
And works righteousness,—
To her shall We grant
Her reward twice: and We
Have prepared for her
A generous Sustenance.

32. O Consorts of the Prophet!
Ye are not like any
Of the (other) women:
If ye do fear (God),
Be not too complaisant
Of speech, lest one
In whose heart is
A disease should be moved
With desire: but speak ye
A speech (that is) just.

33. And stay quietly in
Your houses, and make not
A dazzling display, like
That of the former Times
Of Ignorance; and establish
Regular Prayer, and give
Regular Charity; and obey
God and His Apostle.
And God only wishes
To remove all abomination

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From you, ye Members
Of the Family, and to make
You pure and spotless.

34. And recite what is
Rehearsed to you in your
Homes, of the Signs of God
And His Wisdom:
For God understands
The finest mysteries and
Is well-acquainted (with them).

SECTION 5.

35. For Muslim men and women,—
For believing men and women,
For devout men and women,
For true men and women,
For men and women who are
Patient and constant, for men
And women who humble themselves
For men and women who give
In charity, for men and women
Who fast (and deny themselves),
For men and women who
Guard their chastity, and
For men and women who

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Engage much in God's praise,—
For them has God prepared
Forgiveness and great reward.

36. It is not fitting
For a Believer, man or woman.
When a matter has been decided
By God and His Apostle,
To have any option
About their decision:
If any one disobeys God
And His Apostle, he is indeed
On a clearly wrong Path.

37. Behold! thou didst say
To one who had received
The grace of God
And thy favour: "Retain thou
(In wedlock) thy wife,
And fear God." But thou
Didst hide in thy heart
That which God was about
To make manifest: thou didst
Fear the people, but it is

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More fitting that thou shouldst
Fear God. Then when Zaid
Had dissolved (his marriage)
With her, with the necessary
(Formality), We joined her
In marriage to thee:
In order that (in future)
There may be no difficulty
To the Believers in (the matter
Of) marriage with the vives
Of their adopted sons, when
The latter have dissolved
With the necessary (formality)
(Their marriage) with them.
And God's command must
Be fulfilled.

38. There can be no difficulty
To the Prophet in what
God has indicated to him
As a duty. It was
The practice (approved) of God
Amongst those of old
That have passed away.
And the command of God
Is a decree determined.

39. (It is the practice of those)
Who preach the Messages
Of God, and fear Him,
And fear none but God.

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And enough is God
To call (men) to account.

40. Muhammad is not
The father of any
Of your men, but (he is)
The Apostle of God,
And the Seal of the Prophets:
And God has full knowledge
Of all things.

SECTION 6.

41. O ye who believe!
Celebrate the praises of God,
And do this often;

42. And glorify Him
Morning and evening.

43. He it is Who sends
Blessings on you, as do
His angels, that He may
Bring you out from the depths
Of Darkness into Light:
And He is Full of Mercy
To the Believers.

44. Their salutation on the Day
They meet Him will be
"Peace!"; and He has
Prepared for them
A generous Reward.

45. O Prophet! Truly We
Have sent thee as

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A Witness, a Bearer
Of Glad Tidings,
And a Warner,—

46. And as one who invites
To God's (Grace) by His leave,
And as a Lamp
Spreading Light.

47. Then give the glad tidings
To the Believers, that
They shall have from God
A very great Bounty.

48. And obey not (the behests)
Of the Unbelievers
And the Hypocrites,
And heed not their annoyances,
But put thy trust in God.
For enough is God
As a Disposer of affairs.

49. O ye who believe!
When ye marry believing women,
And then divorce them
Before ye have touched them,

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No period of ’Iddat
Have ye to count
In respect of them:
So give them a present,
And set them free
In a handsome manner.

50. O Prophet! We have
Made lawful to thee
Thy wives to whom thou
Hast paid their dowers;
And those whom thy
Right hand possesses out of
The prisoners of war whom
God has assigned to thee;
And daughters of thy paternal
Uncles and aunts, and daughters
Of thy maternal uncles
And aunts, who migrated
(From Mecca) with thee;
And any believing woman
Who dedicates her soul

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To the Prophet if the Prophet
Wishes to wed her;—this
Only for thee, and not
For the Believers (at large);
We know what We have
Appointed for them as to
Their wives and the captives
Whom their right hands
Possess;—in order that
There should be no difficulty
For thee. And God is
Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

51. Thou mayest defer (the turn
Of) any of them that thou
Pleasest, and thou mayest receive
Any thou pleasest: and there
Is no blame on thee if
Thou invite one whose (turn)

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Thou hadst set aside.
This were nigher to
The cooling of their eyes,
The prevention of their grief,
And their satisfaction—
That of all of them—
With that which thou
Hast to give them:
And God knows (all)
That is in your hearts:
And God is All-Knowing,
Most Forbearing.

52. It is not lawful for thee
(To marry more) women
After this, nor to change
Them for (other) wives,
Even though their beauty
Attract thee, except any
Thy right hand should
Possess (as handmaidens):
And God doth watch
Over all things.

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SECTION 7.

53. O ye who believe!
Enter not the Prophet's houses,—
Until leave is given you,
For a meal, (and then)
Not (so early as) to wait
For its preparation: but when
Ye are invited, enter;
And when ye have taken
Your meal, disperse,
Without seeking familiar talk.
Such (behaviour) annoys
The Prophet: he is ashamed
To dismiss you, but
God is not ashamed
(To tell you) the truth.
And when ye
Ask (his ladies)
For anything ye want,
Ask them from before
A screen: that makes
For greater purity for
Your hearts and for theirs.
Nor is it right for you

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That ye should annoy
God's Apostle, or that
Ye should marry his widows
After him at any time.
Truly such a thing is
In God's sight an enormity.

54. Whether ye reveal anything
Or conceal it, verily
God has full knowledge
Of all things.

55. There is no blame
(On these ladies if they
Appear) before their fathers
Or their sons, their brothers,
Or their brothers’ sons,
Or their sisters’ sons,
Or their women,
Or the (slaves) whom
Their right hands possess.
And, (ladies), fear God;
For God is Witness
To all things.

56. God and His Angels
Send blessings on the Prophet:

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O ye that believe!
Send ye blessings on him,
And salute him
With all respect.

57. Those who annoy
God and His Apostle—
God has cursed them
In this world and
In the Hereafter,
And has prepared for them
A humiliating Punishment.

58. And those who annoy
Believing men and women
Undeservedly, bear
(on themselves)
A calumny and a glaring sin.

SECTION 8.

59. O Prophet! Tell
Thy wives and daughters,
And the believing women,
That they should cast
Their outer garments over
Their persons (when abroad):
That is most convenient,
That they should be known

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(As such) and not molested.
And God is Oft-Forgiving,
Most Merciful.

60. Truly, if the Hypocrites,
And those in whose hearts
Is a disease, and those who
Stir up sedition in the City,
Desist not, We shall certainly
Stir thee up against them:
Then will they not be
Able to stay in it
As thy neighbours
For any length of time:

61. They shall have a curse
On them: wherever they
Are found, they shall be
Seized and slain
(Without mercy).

62. (Such was) the practice
(Approved) of God among those
Who lived aforetime:
No change wilt thou find
In the practice (approved)
Of God.

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63. Men ask thee concerning
The Hour: say, "The knowledge
Thereof is with God (alone)":
And what will make thee
Understand?—perchance
The Hour is nigh!

64. Verily God has cursed
The Unbelievers and prepared
For them a Blazing Fire,—

65. To dwell therein for ever:
No protector will they find,
Nor helper.

66. The Day that their faces
Will be turned upside down
In the Fire, they will say:
"Woe to us! would that
We had obeyed God
And obeyed the Apostle!"

67. And they would say:
"Our Lord! We obeyed
Our chiefs and our great ones,
And they misled us
As to the (right) path.

68. "Our Lord! Give them
Double Penalty
And curse them
With a very great Curse!"

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SECTION 9.

69. O ye who believe!
Be ye not like those
Who vexed and insulted Moses,
But God cleared him
Of the (calumnies) they
Had uttered: and he
Was honourable in God's sight.

70. O ye who believe!
Fear God, and (always) say
A word directed to the Right:

71. That He may make
Your conduct whole and sound
And forgive you your sins:
He that obeys God
And His Apostle, has already
Attained the highest
Achievement.

72. We did indeed offer
The Trust to the Heavens

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And the Earth
And the Mountains;
But they refused
To undertake it,
Being afraid thereof:
But man undertook it;—
He was indeed unjust
And foolish;—

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73. (With the result (that
God has to punish
The Hypocrites, men and women,
And the Unbelievers, men
And women, and God turns
In Mercy to the Believers,
Men and women: for God
Is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

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