Surah Al-Ahzab

Submission to the commands of Allah.

These were the questions that were engaging the attention of the Prophet ﷺand the Muslims at the time Surah Al-Ahzab was revealed. The Surah replies to questions being presented.

A perusal of the theme and the background shows that the Surah is not a single discourse which was sent down in one piece but it consists of several injunctions, commandments and discourses. These were sent down one after the other in connection with the important events of the time and then were put together in one Surah. Its following parts stand out clearly distinguished from one another.

1. Verses 1-8 seem to have been sent down before the Battle of the Trench. Their perusal keeping the historical background in view shows that at the time of their revelation Zayd had already divorced Zaynab. The Prophet ﷺ was feeling the necessity that the concepts, customs and superstitions of ignorance concerning the adoption of the son should be eradicated and he was also feeling that the delicate and deep sentiments the people cherished about the adopted relations merely on emotional grounds would not be rooted out until he himself took the initiative to eradicate the custom practically. At the same time he was hesitant and considered seriously that if he married the divorced wife of Zayd then the hypocrites, the Jews and the polytheists who were already bent on mischief would get a fresh excuse to start a propaganda campaign against Islam. This was the occasion of the revelation of v. 1-8.
2. In verses 9-27, an appraisal has been made of the Battle of the Trench and the raid against the Banu Quraythah. This is a clear proof that these verses were sent down after these events. The discourse contained in v. 28-35 consists of two parts. In the first part Allah has given a notice to the wives of the Prophet ﷺwho were being impatient of the straitened circumstances to the effect: “...If you should desire the worldly life and its adornment, then come, I will provide for you and give you a gracious release. However, if you should desire Allah and His Messenger and the home of the Hereafter - then indeed, Allah has prepared for the doers of good among you a great reward.”
3. In the second part, initial steps were taken towards the social reforms whose need was being felt by the minds moulded in the Islamic pattern themselves. In this regard, reform was started from the house of the Prophet ﷺhimself and his wives were commanded to avoid behaving and conducting themselves in the ways of the pre-Islamic days of ignorance, to remain in their houses with dignity and to exercise great caution in their conversation with the other men. This was the beginning of the commandments of the veil (hijab).
4. Verses 36-48 deal with the Prophet’s ﷺmarriage with Zaynab. In this section the opponents’ objection about this marriage have been answered; the doubts that were being created in the minds of the Muslims have been removed; the Muslims have been acquainted with the Prophet’s ﷺposition and status; and the Prophet ﷺhimself has been counselled to exercise patience on the false propaganda of the disbelievers and the hypocrites.
5. In verse 49, a clause of the law of divorce has been laid down. This is a unique verse which was sent down on some occasion probably in connection with the same events.
6. In verses 50-52 a special regulation of marriage has been laid down for the Prophet ﷺwhich points out that he is an exception to the several restrictions that have been imposed on the other Muslims in regard to marital life.
7. In verses 53-55 the second step was taken towards social reform. It consists of the following injunctions: Restriction on the other men to visit the houses of the Prophet’s ﷺwives; Islamic etiquette concerning visits and invitations; the law that only the near relatives could visit the wives in their houses; as for the other men, they could speak to or ask them a thing from behind a curtain; the injunction that the Prophet’s ﷺwives were forbidden for the Muslims like their mothers; and none could marry any of them after him.
8. In verses 56-57, warning was given to stop criticizing the Prophet’s ﷺ marriage and his domestic life, and the Believers instructed not to indulge in fault finding like the enemies of Islam, but to invoke the blessings of Allah for their Prophet ﷺ. Moreover, they were instructed that they should avoid falsely accusing one another even among themselves, not to speak of the person of the Prophet ﷺ.
9. In verse 59, the third step for social reform was taken. All the Muslim women were commanded that they should come out well covered with the outer garments and covering their faces whenever they came out of their houses for a genuine need.

After this, till the end of the Surah, the hypocrites and other foolish and mean people have been rebuked for the propaganda that they were carrying on at that time against Islam and the Muslims.55