ٱلَّذِينَ يُظَـٰهِرُونَ مِنكُم مِّن نِّسَآئِهِم مَّا هُنَّ أُمَّهَـٰتِهِمْ ۖ إِنْ أُمَّهَـٰتُهُمْ إِلَّا ٱلَّـٰٓـِٔى وَلَدْنَهُمْ ۚ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَيَقُولُونَ مُنكَرًا مِّنَ ٱلْقَوْلِ وَزُورًا ۚ وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَعَفُوٌّ غَفُورٌ 2
Translations
Those who pronounce ẓihār among you [to separate] from their wives - they are not [consequently] their mothers. Their mothers are none but those who gave birth to them. And indeed, they are saying an objectionable statement and a falsehood. But indeed, Allāh is Pardoning and Forgiving.
Transliteration
Al-ladhīna yuzāhirūna minkum min nisā'ihim mā hunna ummāhatihim. In ummāhatuhum illā allā'ī waladn ahum. Wa innahum layaqūlūna munkaran min al-qawl wa zūr. Wa inna Allāha la'afuwwun ghafūr.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses the pre-Islamic practice of ẓihār (saying to one's wife 'you are to me like the back of my mother'), which was a form of divorce used in Jahiliyyah. The ayah clarifies that wives are not literally mothers, and that such words constitute prohibited, abusive speech. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir emphasize that Allah condemned this practice while offering hope through His attributes of forgiveness (al-'afuww and al-ghafūr) for those who repent.
Revelation Context
This surah was revealed in Medina in response to the case of Khawlah bint Tha'labah, whose husband Aws ibn al-Sāmit pronounced ẓihār against her. She complained to the Prophet (peace be upon him), leading to this legislation that abolished the practice. The entire surah addresses the injustice of ẓihār and provides remedies for those affected by it.
Related Hadiths
Sunan Abu Dawud and Sunan Ibn Majah report the hadith of Khawlah bint Tha'labah complaining to the Prophet about her husband's ẓihār. Additionally, Sahih Bukhari contains hadiths regarding the prohibition of ẓihār and the expiation required (freeing a slave or fasting).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that Islam elevates women's status by protecting them from harmful treatment and degrading speech, while also emphasizing that repentance and reformation are always possible through Allah's infinite mercy. Believers must guard their tongues from prohibited and hurtful words, particularly within family relationships.