إِنَّ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ وَٱلْمُسْلِمَـٰتِ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ وَٱلْقَـٰنِتِينَ وَٱلْقَـٰنِتَـٰتِ وَٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ وَٱلصَّـٰدِقَـٰتِ وَٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ وَٱلصَّـٰبِرَٰتِ وَٱلْخَـٰشِعِينَ وَٱلْخَـٰشِعَـٰتِ وَٱلْمُتَصَدِّقِينَ وَٱلْمُتَصَدِّقَـٰتِ وَٱلصَّـٰٓئِمِينَ وَٱلصَّـٰٓئِمَـٰتِ وَٱلْحَـٰفِظِينَ فُرُوجَهُمْ وَٱلْحَـٰفِظَـٰتِ وَٱلذَّٰكِرِينَ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرًا وَٱلذَّٰكِرَٰتِ أَعَدَّ ٱللَّهُ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةً وَأَجْرًا عَظِيمًا 35
Translations
Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women, the obedient men and obedient women, the truthful men and truthful women, the patient men and patient women, the humble men and humble women, the charitable men and charitable women, the fasting men and fasting women, the men who guard their private parts and the women who do so, and the men who remember Allāh often and the women who do so - for them Allāh has prepared forgiveness and a great reward.
Transliteration
Inna al-muslimīna wa-al-muslimāti wa-al-mu'minīna wa-al-mu'mināti wa-al-qānitīna wa-al-qānitāti wa-al-sādiqīna wa-al-sādiqāti wa-al-sābirīna wa-al-sābirāti wa-al-khāshi'īna wa-al-khāshi'āti wa-al-mutasaddiqīna wa-al-mutasaddiqāti wa-al-sā'imīna wa-al-sā'imāti wa-al-hāfizīna furūjahum wa-al-hāfizāti wa-al-dhākirīna Allāha kathīran wa-al-dhākirāti a'adda Allāhu lahum maghfiratan wa-ajran 'azīman
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah emphasizes the spiritual equality and mutual accountability of men and women in Islam by listing parallel righteous deeds and characteristics for both genders. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi note that this verse demonstrates Islam's recognition that piety and reward are not gender-dependent; both believing men and women who practice submission to Allah, truthfulness, patience, humility, charity, fasting, chastity, and remembrance of Allah will receive His forgiveness and a magnificent reward. The parallel enumeration underscores that moral and spiritual excellence is a universal human potential regardless of gender.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Ahzab, a Medinan surah revealed during the later Islamic period when community life and social structures were being established. The verse is thematically connected to the surah's broader discussion of believers' conduct and household ethics, particularly relevant after the Battle of the Confederates when the Muslim community needed clear spiritual guidance on righteous conduct for all its members.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best among you to my family' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3895), and 'Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him honor his neighbor; whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him be hospitable to his guest; and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak good or remain silent' (Sahih Muslim 47), both emphasizing virtue applicable to all believers regardless of gender.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that spiritual worth and divine reward in Islam are determined by righteous character and deeds, not gender, offering modern believers the empowering message that both men and women have equal opportunity to achieve closeness to Allah through virtue, sincerity, and devotion. It challenges discrimination by affirming that excellence in faith is a human quality transcending gender boundaries.