قَدْ سَمِعَ ٱللَّهُ قَوْلَ ٱلَّتِى تُجَـٰدِلُكَ فِى زَوْجِهَا وَتَشْتَكِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَٱللَّهُ يَسْمَعُ تَحَاوُرَكُمَآ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌۢ بَصِيرٌ 1
Translations
Certainly has Allāh heard the speech of the one who argues [i.e., pleads] with you, [O Muḥammad], concerning her husband and directs her complaint to Allāh. And Allāh hears your dialogue; indeed, Allāh is Hearing and Seeing.
Transliteration
Qad sami'a Allahu qawla allatee tujaadiluka fee zawjihaa wa tashtakee ila Allahi wa Allahu yasma'u tahahawurakuma. Inna Allaha samee'un baseer.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah opens Surah Al-Mujadila by affirming that Allah has heard the complaint of the woman (Khawlah bint Tha'labah) who disputed with the Prophet Muhammad regarding her husband's pronouncement of zihar (an pre-Islamic form of divorce). The ayah emphasizes Allah's complete awareness of both her plea to Him and her dialogue with the Prophet, establishing that no sincere appeal to Allah goes unheard. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir emphasize that this revelation demonstrates Allah's mercy toward the oppressed and His attentiveness to the suffering of His servants, particularly women in vulnerable circumstances.
Revelation Context
This surah was revealed in response to the specific incident of Khawlah bint Tha'labah, whose husband Aws ibn al-Samit pronounced zihar upon her (saying she was to him like his mother's back), leaving her in a state of neither married nor divorced. She came to the Prophet complaining of her injustice, and this surah was revealed to address her situation and establish the ruling regarding zihar as a form of wrongdoing that requires expiation (kaffaarah).
Related Hadiths
Aisha reported: 'Blessed is Khawlah bint Tha'labah, for her complaint has reached the heavens' (Tirmidhi). Additionally, the detailed account of Khawlah's case is recorded in the Sunnah collections (Tirmidhi, Nasai) where the Prophet listened to her grievance and Allah revealed this surah in response to her petition.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that Allah is ever-listening to the sincere cries of the afflicted and that bringing our grievances to Him with sincerity will be answered—it also established important Islamic jurisprudence protecting women's rights in family matters. For modern believers, it is a reminder to have hope in Allah's justice when facing injustice, and that patience combined with seeking divine intervention can bring about positive change.