Man has always had two choices to choose one from. No one needs formal education to know what is good or what is bad for him, for everyone intrinsically knows the difference. Yet when one makes a mistake or chooses a bad option, many lament that it was because of bad environment one has been part of or some family pressure that compelled him to make a bad choice.
Like all other walks of life, choosing the right faith also poses a dilemma for many who more often than not fall into the cobweb of family traditions, faith or even family pressures beside the pressure of a bad environment one is in and choose a bad option. It is not necessary that a person from a good family will always choose a better option and a person reared in a bad foamily to always follow the family traditions. It is often seen that people born in families with bad reputation or worshipping idols chose a better life and faith from them, while people born in pious and honourable families follow the path of the evil and destroy the name of their families forever.
This is the theme of the last three verses of Surah At-Taḥrīm in which Allah gives three powerful examples involving women. Let us know how personal decision can bring blessings or a doom.
Verse 10: Wives of Prophets who disbelieved
ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًۭا لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ٱمْرَأَتَ نُوحٍۢ وَٱمْرَأَتَ لُوطٍۢ ۖ كَانَتَا تَحْتَ عَبْدَيْنِ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا صَـٰلِحَيْنِ فَخَانَتَاهُمَا فَلَمْ يُغْنِيَا عَنْهُمَا مِنَ ٱللَّهِ شَيْـًۭٔا وَقِيلَ ٱدْخُلَا ٱلنَّارَ مَعَ ٱلدَّٰخِلِينَ
Allah sets forth an example for the disbelievers: the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot. Each was married to one of Our righteous servants, yet betrayed them.1 So their husbands were of no benefit to them against Allah whatsoever. Both were told, “Enter the Fire, along with the others!”
In the verse above, the wives of Nuh (Noah) and Lut (Lot) have been mentioned. Both were married to righteous prophets but rejected faith. and when the wrath of Allah fell on the people of Nuh and Lot, both perished along with their disbelieving people for their relationship did not save them since they disbelieved and did not follow the light of the true faith being shown by their husbands.
Ibn Kathir explains:
- Their “betrayal” was not marital infidelity, but betrayal in faith. They disbelieved in their husbands’ message and supported the enemies and even mocked their prophet husbands.
- Key point: Even the closest relationship to a prophet did not benefit them without iman (faith)
The Lesson: Faith is personal — family ties cannot replace it
Verse 11: The believing wife of Pharaoh
وَضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًۭا لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱمْرَأَتَ فِرْعَوْنَ إِذْ قَالَتْ رَبِّ ٱبْنِ لِى عِندَكَ بَيْتًۭا فِى ٱلْجَنَّةِ وَنَجِّنِى مِن فِرْعَوْنَ وَعَمَلِهِۦ وَنَجِّنِى مِنَ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
And Allah sets forth an example for the believers: the wife of Pharaoh, who prayed, “My Lord! Build me a house in Paradise near You, deliver me from Pharaoh and his ˹evil˺ doing, and save me from the wrongdoing people.”
Asiya bint Muzahim was married to Pharaoh, one of the most oppressive tyrants of the time. Yet she believed and prayed for a home in Paradise.
Ibn Kathir highlights:
- She was tortured by Pharaoh for believing, but she continued to pray for purification of her soul.
- Her du‘ā in the Qur’an is powerful: “My Lord, build for me a house with You in Paradise…”
- Despite her disposition with a abusive tyrant, She chose the Hereafter over worldly power - and for this very reason she is among the best women ever.
Lesson: A bad environment cannot stop true faith
Verse 12: Maryam (Mary)
وَمَرْيَمَ ٱبْنَتَ عِمْرَٰنَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَحْصَنَتْ فَرْجَهَا فَنَفَخْنَا فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِنَا وَصَدَّقَتْ بِكَلِمَـٰتِ رَبِّهَا وَكُتُبِهِۦ وَكَانَتْ مِنَ ٱلْقَـٰنِتِينَ
˹There is˺ also ˹the example of˺ Mary, the daughter of ’Imrân, who guarded her chastity, so We breathed into her ˹womb˺ through Our angel ˹Gabriel˺.1 She testified to the words of her Lord and His Scriptures, and was one of the ˹sincerely˺ devout.
The third woman mentioned in the 12th verse is Maryam (Mary), the mother of Prophet Isa (Jesus). She was known for purity, faith, and devotion and was specially chosen as a model of obedience and spiritual excellence.
Ibn Kathir explains:
- She guarded her chastity and retained purity in both body and soul. And believed in Allah’s commandment to be blessed with a baby boy (and prophet to be) without hesitation.
- She thus represents Perfect faith, modesty, and obedience
Lesson: Spiritual excellence is based on sincerity, not status
Importance of These Verses
These verses completely break common assumptions about religion and identity:
- Lineage does NOT guarantee success Even being married to prophets didn’t save the wives of Nuh and Lut. That is why Islam rejects the idea of “automatic salvation”
- Individual responsibility Every person stands on their own faith. No one can rely on: Family, Culture, or Society.
- Faith can survive any environment Asiya lived in a palace of ظلم (oppression) - yet reached one of the highest spiritual ranks
- True honor is taqwa (piety) Maryam had no worldly power - but became one of the greatest women in history because of her piety and obedience to her Creator.
Relevance Today
These verses are extremely relevant in modern life:
- “My family is religious, so I’m fine” These verses challenge that mindset. Being born into a Muslim family is not enough - One needs personal belief and practice
- Living in a negative environment
- Many people say: “My surroundings are bad” or “Society is corrupt”. But Asiya’s example shows you can still be righteous even in the worst system.
- If we look around, more and more people living in anti Islam environment are reverting to Islam despite family pressures or mocking by the people among whom they have lived since birth.
- Social pressure & identity
- Today people often follow Culture over religion and Trends over truth.
- These verses remind that Truth is not based on majority - rather it’s based on your connection with Allah.
- Women’s spiritual status These verses are powerful because Allah gives female role models of both failure and success. It shows women are individually accountable and capable of the highest faith. Perhaps for this very reason most of the reverts are women, specially in the United States.
Core Message Across All Three Verses
Your relationship with Allah is independent of everyone else: (1) Not your spouse, (2) Not your parents
Not your society. One is on his own when it comes to choosing a faith. In most cases reverts confronted hostile families and were even abandoned by friends and families. Yet they stand on their feet, confident, relieved of false and misleading teachings.
Simple Takeaway
- Bad family won’t ruin you (if you choose faith)
- Good family won’t save you (if you reject faith)
- What matters is your own sincerity and actions
Other Qur’anic Examples with the Same Message
These verses are part of a larger Qur’anic theme:
- Family ties cannot save you Son of Prophet Nuh (Noah) refused to believe and drowned in the flood when his father wanted him to denounce his faith and follow what he was preaching (Surah Hud (11:46)) - Even being the son of a prophet didn’t save him.
- Guidance is not inherited
- Father of Prophet Ibraheem (Abraham) was a staunch idol worshipper. Yet despite pressure from his father, Prophet Abraham rejected family faith despite Ibrahim’s efforts (Mentioned in Surah At-Tawbah 9:114)
- This shows Faith is independent and personal and that guidance is not inherited - it permeates into the hearts of those who truly strive for it.
- Tyranny cannot suppress desire to find the true faith Like Asia, who despite being surrounded by tyranny, chose the Divine truth, Prophet Musa (Moses) who was raised in the alongside the Pharaoh, also did not succumb to treacheries and machination of Pharaoh and his magicians.
- Leaving Corrupt society to Preserve Faith The example of the young People of the Cave, mentioned in Surah 18. Kahf, who left a corrupt society to preserve faith. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ too migrated from Makkah where he along with the newly reverted Muslims were subjected to torture by the polytheists of Makkah and found a new home for them in Medina to live by their faith.
Across the Qur’an, a consistent principle appears: “Individual accountability before Allah”
These examples form a pattern:
- Good family, bad individual: Example Wives of Nuh & Lut - Lesson: No inherited salvation
- Bad environment, good individual: Example Asiya - Lesson: Environment doesn’t define you
- Pure devotion Example Maryam - Lesson: Sincerity elevates you
- Prophet’s child rejecting truth Example Son of Nuh - Lesson: Even closest ties don’t matter
Final Powerful Insight
These verses end Surah At-Tahrim with a striking contrast: Two women close to prophets Failed, while two women in difficult or unique situations Succeeded. That means Your relationship with Allah is your true identity—not your circumstances.
Now having unpacked the last three verses of Surah At Tahrim, there is no reason left for anyone not to pursue the truth that Islam brings to them for it has been amply highlighted above that no matter how bad the environment or family pressures, one is till responsible for himself individually and will be answerable on the Day of Judgment in his own personal capacity to answer for the path he chose for himself. Time is now to take the correct decision and choose a faith that is more closer to Nature and Divinely true.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
Disclaimer: The purpose of this post and its contents is for education purpose and explain verses from Qur'an to the information of non Muslims. It is not intended to force someone to accept Islam - but to provide an option duly explained for better understanding of Islam and Qur'an, which is oft misquoted.
You may refer to more Selected Verses from Sürah 66. At-Taḥrīm (The Prohibition) already published. You may also refer to our exclusive reference page: Selected verses from selected Surahs of Al-Qurʾān for compiled verses from other surahs.
For verses on Selected Subjects, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from Al Qur'an about a Specific Subject (Reference Page) to know more about what Qur'an says about specific subjects and our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an.
An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of Al-Qurʾān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.
In addition, other sources which have been explored and views of other scholars have been incorporated while explaining meaning of a verse. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites. For expansion of meaning and themes / contextual background help from ChatGPT is also taken.
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