Al-Qurʾān: Selected verses from Surah 14. Ibrāhīm "إبراهيم" (Prophet Abraham)

Surah Ibrāhīm "إبراهيم"  (Prophet Abraham) is the 14th Surah  (chapter) of the Qur'an with 52  āyāt (verses), part of Juzʼ 13 of Al Qur'an. The Surah is a powerful and deeply reflective Surah named after Prophet Ibrāhīm عليه السلام (Abraham), one of the greatest prophets and spiritual fathers of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. This Surah addresses major themes like faith, gratitude, divine guidance, prophetic mission, arrogance of disbelievers, and the Day of Judgment. The Surah focuses on spiritual awakening, the importance of gratitude, and the legacy of monotheism through Prophet Ibrāhīm عليه السلام.

We have already published detailed exegesis of the Surah which can be accessed from link given below:

Surah Ibrāhīm "إبراهيم" (Prophet Abraham) - Exegesis of 14th Surah / Chapter of Qur'an

Herein under we only share in skeleton form the major thrust of the surah and main subjects discussed therein, followed by links to some of the selected ayat / verses from this surah for information of our readers.

Core Subjects of Surah Ibrahim

• The Purpose of Revelation
• “This is a Book We have revealed to you so that you may bring mankind out of darkness into light...” (14:1)
• The Qur’an is not just information—it's transformation.
• It's a call from darkness (kufr, ignorance) to light (faith, guidance).
• The Mission of Prophets
• Prophets are sent to every nation with a clear message: "Worship Allah and avoid false gods..." (14:10)
• The Surah reminds that rejecting the messengers led past nations to destruction.
• The Arrogance of Disbelievers
• The Surah frequently quotes how disbelievers mocked prophets: “You are only humans like us.”
• They rejected the divine message based on pride and worldly status.
• The Parable of the Good Word (Faith)
• As in verse 24: “A good word is like a good tree...”
• Faith is shown as something that grows, benefits others, and connects to the heavens.
• Scenes from the Day of Judgment: Vivid images are given of:
• People blaming each other
• Regret of the arrogant and their followers
• The inability of worldly power to save anyone
• Prophet Ibrahim's Dua (Supplication): 
• One of the most touching parts of the Surah is Ibrahim’s heartfelt prayer: “My Lord, make this city (Makkah) secure... keep me and my children away from idol worship...” (14:35)
• He asks for:
• Protection from shirk (idolatry)
• Sustenance and peace for his descendants
• Acceptance of his deeds
• Forgiveness for himself, his parents, and the believers
• It shows his deep humility, concern for future generations, and total dependence on Allah.
• Warning and Hope for Humanity
• The surah concludes with a universal message: “This (Qur’an) is a message for humanity... Let them take warning and know that He is One God...” (14:52)
• It addresses all people, not just Muslims.

Key Lessons from Surah Ibrahim

• Gratitude vs. Ingratitude: “If you are grateful, I will increase you. If you are ungrateful, My punishment is severe.” (14:7) – Gratitude is a pathway to blessings.
• Prophetic Legacy: True leadership is spiritual, not just political. Ibrahim's role is honored not for empire, but for faith.
• Consequences of Rejection: Those who deny guidance bring ruin on themselves and their people.
• Faith Is Fruitful: A sincere believer benefits themselves and others – like a strong, rooted tree.
• Human Responsibility: We are free to choose – but we will be accountable for our choices.

Why It Matters Today

In the present times, darkness (materialism, idolatry of ego, blind consumerism) is not unlike ancient ignorance. It thus calls for:

• To reflect to be be grateful, and follow true guidance is still urgent.
• To reflect on true leadership, parenting, and legacy as reflected in Ibrahim’s character and prophetic role.

Summary:

Section                             Focus

Verses 1–5 The Qur’an as light and guidance

Verses 6–20 Past prophets and the fate of disbelievers

Verses 21–27 Day of Judgment, good and bad words

Verses 28–34 Gratitude vs. Ingratitude

Verses 35–41 Prophet Ibrahim’s dua

Verses 42–52 Warning of Allah’s justice and a universal message

We now share some of the verses from Surah Al-A'raf which have already been published covering some important messages:

• Allah Proclaims: If you give thanks, I will certainly grant you more - verse 7
• Beware, followers of the Satan, of the day when Satan will abandon you -verse 22
• The Day when Satan will declare his True Colours - verse 22
• Satan will say "I called you to my way and you responded to me. So, do not blame me but blame yourselves."  - verse 22
• The Divine Command to establish Prayer and Charity - verse 31
• Establishment of Prayer and Giving Out Charity - verse 31
• Do not think Allah is heedless of the evil deeds of the evil-doers - verse 42
• Prophet Ibrahim’s dua: My Lord! Enable me and my offspring to establish Prayer - verse 50

In time we will continue to add more selected verses from Surah 14. Ibrāhīm "إبراهيم"  for information of our readers.

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.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

You may also refer to our exclusive reference page: Selected verses from selected Surahs of Al-Qurʾān for compiled verses from other surahs.

For more 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. .

You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Reference: | 1 | 2 | 3 |

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.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

Who are the people of the Heights (Al-A'raf) mentioned in the Qur'an

Each Surah / chapter of the Qur'an is named after some important event or related to a place or prophet or people mentioned in the particular Surah. Like all other Surahs, the 7th Surah of Qur;an is named after the people of Al A'raf, which means the people of the Heights. Let us know about these people as mentioned in the ayat / verses 46-49 of the Surah.

The Verses:

وَبَيۡنَهُمَا حِجَابٌ​ۚ وَعَلَى الۡاَعۡرَافِ رِجَالٌ يَّعۡرِفُوۡنَ كُلًّاۢ بِسِيۡمٰٮهُمۡ​ ۚ وَنَادَوۡا اَصۡحٰبَ الۡجَـنَّةِ اَنۡ سَلٰمٌ عَلَيۡكُمۡ​ لَمۡ يَدۡخُلُوۡهَا وَهُمۡ يَطۡمَعُوۡنَ‏ 

(7:46) And between the two there will be a barrier, and on the Heights will be men who will recognize each person by his mark and will cry, out to the people of Paradise: 'Peace be to you.'These will be the ones who had not yet joined them in Paradise, though they long to do so.

وَاِذَا صُرِفَتۡ اَبۡصَارُهُمۡ تِلۡقَآءَ اَصۡحٰبِ النَّارِۙ قَالُوۡا رَبَّنَا لَا تَجۡعَلۡنَا مَعَ الۡقَوۡمِ الظّٰلِمِيۡنَ

(7:47) And when the eyes of the people of the Heights will be turned towards the people of Hell they will say: 'Our Lord! Do not cast us among the wrongdoing people.'

وَنَادٰٓى اَصۡحٰبُ الۡاَعۡرَافِ رِجَالًا يَّعۡرِفُوۡنَهُمۡ بِسِيۡمٰٮهُمۡ قَالُوۡا مَاۤ اَغۡنٰى عَنۡكُمۡ جَمۡعُكُمۡ وَمَا كُنۡتُمۡ تَسۡتَكۡبِرُوۡنَ‏ 

(7:48) And the people of the Heights will cry out to the men whom they would recognize by their marks. saving: 'Neither your numbers nor the riches of which you were proud availed you.

They then see some leading figures among the wrongdoing people and they recognize them by their features. They rebuke them for what they have been doing. You see now that you are in Hell, where your armies and great multitude are of no use to you, nor indeed are your arrogance and vain pride.

اَهٰٓؤُلَۤاءِ الَّذِيۡنَ اَقۡسَمۡتُمۡ لَا يَنَالُهُمُ اللّٰهُ بِرَحۡمَةٍ ​ؕ اُدۡخُلُوا الۡجَـنَّةَ لَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَلَاۤ اَنۡتُمۡ تَحۡزَنُوۡنَ‏ 

(7:49) Are these not the ones of whom you swore that Allah shall grant them nothing of His mercy?' To such it will be said: 'Enter Paradise. You have no cause to fear, nor shall you grieve.'

They remind them of what they used to say about the believers in this life, accusing them of being in error and that they would never be granted God’s mercy.

Who Are the "People of the Heights"?

The "Heights" (Al-A'raf) refers to an elevated place or wall - a separator realm or borderland between Jannah (heaven) and Jahannam (hell) over which stand some people who recognize the dwellers of heaven and the inmates of the fire by their looks and features. It is important to find out who these people are and what have they got to do with the two groups destined either for heaven or hell.

Ibn Kathir described A'raf as a wall that contains a gate. In this high wall lived people who witness the terror of hell and the beauty of paradise. They yearn to enter paradise, but their sins and virtues are evenly balanced. Yet with the mercy of God, they will be among the last people to enter the paradise.

The people stationed atop the wall are a group of men whose good and bad deeds are balanced — who are neither righteous enough to enter Paradise nor wicked enough to he cast into Hell. They will, therefore, dwell at a place situated between the two.

Scholars have offered a few key interpretations:

• The Barrier Wall:  The actual word is: حِجَابٌ. It refers to the wall that will be erected between Paradise and Hell. Verse 13 of Sūrah al-Ḥadīd mentions it.
• People with equal good and bad deeds:
• Their fate is undecided until Allah judges between them.
• They are stationed on the "A'raf" (a high wall or elevation between Paradise and Hell) temporarily.
• Honorable figures with special knowledge or insight: Some commentators say they are martyrs, prophets, or righteous servants who are placed on the A'raf by Allah to witness the fate of others.
• Recognizers by signs: 
• They recognize both the dwellers of Paradise and the people of Hell by their signs or marks — perhaps spiritual or symbolic indicators.
• Ie., from the sign which will become evident from their faces because of their deeds. It is mentioned in various Aḥādīth (eg. Muslim, 503) that Muḥammad (sws) will recognize the people of his ummah through the signs of wuḍū – with which their foreheads and faces will glisten. There are some indications to this in the Qur’ān as well.
• Or else they recognize the people of paradise by their looks, probably by the fact that their faces are white and bright, or by the light which accompanies them. They also recognize the people destined to the fire by their features, probably by their dark faces or the marks printed on their noses which they used to raise as a gesture of arrogance.

Key Themes in the Passage

• Hope and Fear: The people of the A'raf express hope for Paradise but fear being cast into Hell.
• Justice of Allah: 
• They witness Allah's judgment firsthand, highlighting the absolute justice and mercy of God.
• “Peace be upon you,” – they will not yet have entered Paradise but would be contenders [to enter it]" These words are used with reference to their mental situation: in spite of witnessing this honour and respect for them, out of humility and modesty they think that until the final verdict from the Almighty is delivered, they can only be hopeful of His mercy.
• Recognition: They call out to both groups, acknowledging the mercy shown to some and the arrogance or rejection shown by others.

These verses call out to us to hurry and add good deeds to our dossiers for we never know when the angel of death ebgets us and our dossiers closed forever. Blessed will be those who straightaway got the Jannah (Paradise), while many would stand atop the barrier wall with balanced dossiers of good and bad deeds, fearful of whichcamp their fate leads them too. Certainly, none would like to be thrown in the burning fire of hell and will be still hopeful that the Divine justice turns into Divine blessings and allows them to descend to Jannah.

You may like to watch the following video giving a deep explanation on the people of the A'raf:

May Allahhelp us to add more good deeds to our dossiers and blesses us an abode in Jannah. May we be saved from the torment of hell on that fateful day. Ameen

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 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. 

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.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Please refer to our reference page: Al-Qurʾān: Selected verses from Surah .7 Al-A'raf (The Heights) for more selected verses from Surah Al A'raf

Fore more selected verses from Al-Qurʾān Please refer to our Selected verses from Sūrahs of Qur'an to highlight important topics with detailed explanation and Reference Page on Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

Divine warning about divison of Divine Religions into sects

The main theme of all Divine religions is the same: Worship of one true Lord, we Muslims call Allah. Yet history refelcts followers of every religion dividing into sects and groups by those saints and scholars who want to project their individualism or become pied pipers so that the people upon whom such saints and scholars wield power and influence their hearts should get separated from the main stream and become a private sect and slave to them, so to say. This has happened to all Divine religions, and unfortunately to Islam too.

Today we share the 159th verse of Surah Al-An'am which is highly relevant to the divisions and sectarianism seen among Muslims today.

Surah Al-An'am (6:159) – The Verse

اِنَّ الَّذِيۡنَ فَرَّقُوۡا دِيۡنَهُمۡ وَكَانُوۡا شِيَـعًا لَّسۡتَ مِنۡهُمۡ فِىۡ شَىۡءٍ​ ؕ اِنَّمَاۤ اَمۡرُهُمۡ اِلَى اللّٰهِ ثُمَّ يُنَـبِّـئُـهُمۡ بِمَا كَانُوۡا يَفۡعَلُوۡنَ‏ 

(6:159) Surely you have nothing to do with those who have made divisions in their religion and become factions. Their matter is with Allah and He will indeed tell them (in time) what they have been doing.

Context and Meaning

Let us see who is being addressed? 

• Allah is instructing the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ not to align with those who split their religion into factions and divided themselves. 
• While this originally referred to Jews and Christians who had splintered into sects, many scholars interpret it as a universal warning, also applying to Muslims if they repeat the same mistakes.

Implication of the Verse

The implication is that the straight path of God is the religion of Abraham (sws) which the Qur’ān has once again made evident to them. Its followers were a single community. If the Jews and Christians and the Idolaters of Arabia have created divisions in it and become its sects, the Prophet (sws) should leave them alone and strongly adhere to it himself. He has fulfilled his obligation; if they do not accept, then he should merely ignore them.

In fact, this is the parting point between God’s Messenger and his faith on the one hand and all other doctrines and creeds on the other. In the latter group we may include the idolaters who were divided into groups, sects, tribes and clans on the basis of the myths, traditions and disputes of jahiliyyah, the Christians and Jews with their unending disputes and rivalries which break them into quarrelling blocs and states, as well as other creeds, ideologies, theories, and regimes that may surface at any time until the Day of Judgement.

Key Messages of the Verse

1. Condemnation of Sectarianism

• The verse clearly condemns division in religion.
• "Farraqū dīnahum - فَرَّقُوۡا دِيۡنَهُمۡ" means: those who split up their religion—by inventing new beliefs, disputing core principles, or dividing the community.
• This includes forming exclusive sects, naming groups, and declaring others as outsiders.

2. The Prophet’s Disassociation:  

• Allah tells Prophet Muhammad ﷺ: “You have no part in them.”
• This is serious — it means those who create sects are not following the true prophetic path.

3. Final Judgment Belongs to Allah

• That is Allah alone will judge between them.
• Although Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has been warned that he should have nothing to do with those who divide into sects, he is also cautioned not to label or condemn them, for:
• The verse discourages labeling people as irredeemable or condemned—Allah alone knows intentions and final outcomes.
• This is very important part of the verse, for many Muslims today label other sects of Muslims as infidels or Kafir for deviating from the main stream. This caution applies to such a case and they have been warned to leave the judgement to Allah to take.

Classical and Modern Tafsir Views

Scholar                                                                   

Ibn Kathir

The verse warns against splitting into sects like the Jews and Christians did before Islam.

Al-Qurtubi

Sectarianism is one of the major causes of the downfall of past nations and must be aoided in the Muslim Ummah.

Sayyid Qutb

Islam is meant to unite humanity. Dividing it into rival groups undermines its very foundation.                                   

Application to Today’s Muslim World - Applies Directly to Modern Muslim Divisions:

• Modern Reality: Qur'anic Principle Violated
• Sunni vs. Shia hostility: Unity of the Ummah
• Sects declaring each other deviant or kafir: Judgment belongs to Allah (6:159)
• Political factions using Islam for power: Corruption of faith-based unity
• Violence based on sect:  Direct opposition to Islamic ethics

Surah Al-Imran (3:103) reinforces this verse: “And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided…”

Practical Lessons for Muslims Today

• Don’t make labels your religion: Being Sunni, Shia, Salafi, Sufi, etc., should never outweigh being Muslim.
• Avoid takfir (declaring others non-Muslim): It is a dangerous spiritual crime.
• Focus on shared core beliefs: Like belief in Allah, the Prophet, the Qur’an, the pillars of faith and practice.
• Leave judgment to Allah: Surah 6:159 explicitly says He will judge disputes.

Final Thought

Surah Al-An'am 6:159 is a timeless warning. It reminds us that division in the name of religion is a betrayal of religion itself. The verse urges Muslims to:

• Preserve unity,
• Avoid factionalism, and
• Trust Allah with ultimate judgment.
• Unity is not optional in Islam — it is a divine command.

As the last point mentions, unity in Islam is not an option for the Muslims to exercise at will and personal accord. It is a Divine Command, which should and must never be violated. A lot of harm has already been done to Islam by dividing into various sects and schools of thoughts that have created dangerous fricitons among them all. The division into sects and creeds aside, each one freely and openly label the other sect of school of though infidel, kafir or mushrik. This is a dangerous trend that has crept into the Muslims and each year lot of lives are lost due to the hatred which is infused by the leaders ofeach sect / creed among their followers for others. 

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.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Please refer to our exclusive reference page: Al-Qurʾān: Selected verses from Surah 6. Al-An'am (The Cattle) for more selected verses from this surah. Dor selected verses from other surah, refer to our Reference Page: Selected verses from Selected Surahs of Al-Qurʾān

For more 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. .

You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Reference: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

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.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

Al-Qurʾān: Selected verses from Surah 6. Al-An'am (The Cattle)

Surah 6. Al-An'am (The Cattle – سورة الأنعام) with 165 verses, spread over Juz 7-8 of Al Qur'an, is a powerful, early Meccan surah focused on Tawheed (the Oneness of Allah), the refutation of shirk (polytheism), and correct belief in divine guidance and the afterlife. The title refers to livestock (al-an‘am)—which is used as a symbol to critique pagan superstitions and false religious practices prevalent in pre-Islamic Arabia.

Why is it called "Al-An'am" (The Cattle)?

• It critiques Arab pagan practices that invented religious rules around cattle—like claiming some were forbidden for women or only certain people could eat them.
• Allah rejects man-made religious innovations and reestablishes divinely revealed guidance.

It presents a comprehensive argument for monotheism through:

• Reason and reflection on creation
• Critique of idol worship
• Prophetic history
• Divine justice and accountability

Main Themes and Subjects

1. Tawheed (Oneness of Allah)

• The core message of the Surah is pure monotheism.
• Allah is presented as the sole Creator, Sustainer, Giver of life and death, and Ruler of the universe.
• It demolishes the rational basis of idolatry by appealing to reason, nature, and revelation.
• “Say: Surely my prayer and my sacrifice and my life and my death are (all) for Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.” (6:162)

2. Refutation of Shirk (Polytheism)

The surah repeatedly condemns associating partners with Allah. It criticizes:

• Pagan beliefs in intercessors.
• Fabricated dietary laws concerning livestock.
• Belief in multiple deities controlling nature.
• It exposes the irrationality of worshiping powerless idols.
• “Shall I seek a lord other than Allah, while He is the Lord of all things?” (6:164)

3. Signs in Creation (Ayat in the Universe)

• Nature and the animal kingdom are used as evidence of Allah’s creative power.
• Cattle are discussed in detail to challenge superstitions and man-made laws about lawful/unlawful animals.
• The sun, moon, stars, rain, growth, and life cycles are invoked as signs of Allah.
• “It is He who produces gardens... and cattle, of various kinds—eat from their fruits and give thanks.” (6:141)

4.  Prophethood and Revelation

• Repeated affirmations that the Qur'an is divine revelation, not poetry or magic.
• Emphasis on continuity with past prophets—Abraham, Noah, Moses, and others are mentioned.
• Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is instructed to patiently convey the message, even if rejected.
• “Indeed, messengers were denied before you, but they patiently endured...” (6:34)

5.  Day of Judgment and Accountability

• Strong emphasis on the reality of the Hereafter.
• Rejection of the idea that life ends with death.
• People will be held accountable for their deeds; reward and punishment are just and inevitable.

6. Moral and Legal Guidance

While not a legalistic surah, it addresses:

• False practices like burying daughters alive or manipulating religious rulings.
• Commands believers to act with integrity, speak the truth, and avoid superstition.
• The final verses (6:151–153) summarize key moral instructions—similar to the Ten Commandments.

7. Use of Reason and Argumentation

The surah invites the reader to think, reflect, and use intellect:

• Why worship that which cannot help or harm?
• Why invent religious laws not sanctioned by God?
• It encourages a rational, reflective faith based on signs and sound thinking.

Key Verses and Passages

6:19             The Qur'an is a clear warning and message to all.

6:74–83     The story of Prophet Ibrahim’s reflection on nature, leading to belief in One God.

6:108     Do not insult others' gods—mutual respect and wisdom in da'wah.

6:141     Warnings against extravagance and waste in food and agriculture.

6:151–153    A list of universal moral commandments: avoid shirk, honor parents, don’t kill, be just, etc.

6:162–163    Total devotion to Allah in all aspects of life.

6:164     Every soul is responsible for its own deeds.

Summary of Surah Al-An'am

Theme                                  Description

Monotheism             Reaffirmed powerfully and repeatedly.

Rejection of Shirk     Through logic, scripture, and creation.

Prophethood             Validated through continuity and divine wisdom.

Moral Values             Ethical guidelines and spiritual integrity.

Nature as Proof     Signs in creation as evidence of God.

Justice and Afterlife    Life has meaning, and all will be judged fairly.

Final Reflection

Surah Al-An’am is a philosophical and theological masterpiece, inviting deep thinking about existence, purpose, and divine truth. It’s not just about belief—it demands that belief be rational, heartfelt, and rooted in observation and submission to God's will.

We have alread shared the detailed explanation / tafseer of the Surah, which can be accessed from the links given below"

| Overview | Exegesis: | Part I | Part II | Part III | 

Herein under, we share links to explanation some of the individual verses from the Surah already published in our blog:

• Divine Commandments in Qur'an
• Fundamental Ethical and Moral Guidelines for Muslims (Divine Commandment from Qur'an) - Verse 151
• Forbidden and Preferred Acts - Part I - verse 151
• Forbidden and Preferred Acts - Part II - verse 152
• Speak with fairness and justice - regardless of personal relationships - verse 152
• Wishes and Hopes Will Not Help When One would see the Torment of Hell - verse 27
• Man's Regrets: Would that we were brought back to life? Then we would not give the lie to the signs of our Lord - verse 27
• The life of this world is nothing but a sport and a pastime - verse 32
• Glad tidings for Reverts -verse 54
• Allah alone is the Deliverer - Yet you associate others with Allah in His Divinity - verse 64
• Leave those who deluded by worldly life take amusement and diversion as their religion - verse 70
• Who are the Rightly Guided? - verse 82
• Do not revile those whom they invoke other than Allah - verse 108
• Indeed, Most of the People are in Utter Ignorance - verse 111
• Beware! Following the majority may mislead from path of Allah - verse 116
• Division of religions into sects
• Divine warning about divison of Divine Religions into sects - verse 159
• Surely you have nothing to do with those who make divisions in religion and become factions - verse 159
• Surely my Prayer, all my acts of worship,  and my living and my dying are for Allah - verse 162
• Do you seek someone other than Allah as Lord when He is the Lord of everything? - verse 164

In time, we will publish more individual immportant verses.

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.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Please refer to our exclusive reference page: Selected verses from selected Surahs of Al-Qurʾān for compiled verses from other surahs.

For more 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. .

You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Reference: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 

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.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Islam protects rights of women over the allowable polygamy - know how

Many non Muslims taunt and ridicule Muslims for being "commanded" to marry more than one wife. This allegation is generally aimed at letting down Islam and making caricatures showing Muslim men with four wives and a hoard of children following them. And in this connection they quote the 3rd verse from Surah 4. An Nisa (The Women) which allows men to marry up to four wives. Interesetingly, most of opponent of the substance of this verse are generally unaware of the reference to the context and the condition attached if one elects for polygamy. And they also fail to differentiate between CAN and SHOULD.

Let's explore both the verse and the ambiguity or conditionality that it presents.

Surah An-Nisa (4:3) – The Verse in Focus

وَاِنۡ خِفۡتُمۡ اَلَّا تُقۡسِطُوۡا فِى الۡيَتٰمٰى فَانْكِحُوۡا مَا طَابَ لَـكُمۡ مِّنَ النِّسَآءِ مَثۡنٰى وَثُلٰثَ وَرُبٰعَ​ ​ۚ فَاِنۡ خِفۡتُمۡ اَلَّا تَعۡدِلُوۡا فَوَاحِدَةً اَوۡ مَا مَلَـكَتۡ اَيۡمَانُكُمۡ​ ؕ ذٰ لِكَ اَدۡنٰٓى اَلَّا تَعُوۡلُوۡا ؕ‏ 

(4:3) If you fear that you might not treat the orphans justly, then marry the women that seem good to you: two, or three, or four. If you fear that you will not be able to treat them justly, then marry (only) one, or marry from among those whom your right hands possess. This will make it more likely that you will avoid injustice.

Clarifying the Ambiguity: What Does the Verse Actually Say?

1. Historical Context: Orphans and War Widows:  Before criticising the verse and the allowance so given in the verse, we must understand the context under which this verse was revealed.

• This verse was revealed after the Battle of Uhud, where many men were killed, leaving behind widows and orphans.
• Some men were marrying multiple widows to protect and provide for them—but may have feared injustice in handling orphaned inheritances or spousal fairness.
• The views of A'isha, Ibn 'Abbas and Sa'id b. Jubayr:
• There is the view of 'A'ishah, the revered wife of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, who says that men tended to marry orphan girls who were under their guardianship out of consideration for either their property, beauty or because they thought they would be able to treat them according to their whims, as they had no one to protect them. After marriage such men sometimes committed excesses against these girls. It is in this context that the Muslims are told that if they fear they will not be able to do justice to the orphan girls, then they should marry other girls whom they like. 
• The second view is that of Ibn 'Abbas and his disciple 'Ikrimah who expressed the opinion that in the Jahiliyah period there was no limit on the number of wives a man could take. The result was that a man sometimes married as many as ten women and, when expenses increased because of a large family, he encroached on the rights either of his orphan nephews or other relatives. It was in this context that God fixed the limit of four wives and instructed the Muslims that they may marry up to four wives providing they possessed the capacity to treat them equitably.
• Sa'id b. Jubayr, Qatadah and some other commentators say that while the Arabs of the Jahiliyah period did not approve of subjecting orphans to wrong, they had no concept of justice and equity with regard to women. They married as many women as they wanted and then subjected them to injustice and oppression. It is in this context that people are told that if they fear perpetrating wrongs on orphans they ought to be equally worried about perpetrating them on women. In the first place they should never marry more than four, and of those four, they should marry only as many as they can treat fairly.
• Each of the three interpretations is plausible and all three may possibly be correct. Moreover, the verse could also mean that if a person does not find himself able to treat orphans in a fair manner, then he might as well marry the women who are looking after those orphans.
• Thus this verse addresses social justice and ethical marital responsibility, not personal desire.

2. Not a Command, But a Conditional Permission

• AS generally understood, rather misunderstood, the verse does not command men to marry multiple women, rather have been "allowed" to marry more than one wife with conditions attached.
• The verse thus mean: Men CAN marry more than one women as agaisnt men SHOULD marry more than one women.
• The default recommendation is monogamy, not polygamy.

3. Justice Is a Strict Condition

• The phrase: "But if you fear that you will not be just, then marry only one" is crucial.
• In fact this is the catch point. Justice takes presedence over personal desires and wants. Unless one can treat all wives equally with justice, one is restrained to marry just one woman. For many, ensuring justice between all four wives, or even two wives, is generally not possible. 
• It limits the permission to cases where a man is absolutely confident he can treat multiple wives equally in:
• Spending
• Time
• Housing
• Emotional balance (to a degree)
• Justice is not a light requirement. Allah Himself states in verse 4:129: "You will never be able to be perfectly just between wives, even if you strive to do so…" So, there is built-in caution and even skepticism from the Qur’an itself.
• This verse stipulates that marrying more wives than one is permissible on the condition that one treats his wives equitably. A person who avails himself of this permission granted by God to have a plurality of wives, and disregards the condition laid down by God to treat them equitably has not acted in good faith with God. In case there are complaints from wives that they are not being treated equitably, the Islamic state has the right to intervene and redress such grievances.
• And if a man marries more than one women and is unable to ensure equal justice to everyone, then he will be liable to Divine admonishment and wrath for disobeying commandment of Allah. 

4. The Ambiguity: How Is “Justice” Defined and Enforced? The verse leaves "justice" undefined in absolute terms, which opens interpretation:

• Can emotional justice be achieved?
• What constitutes inequality?
• How is justice measured between subjective experiences?

Justice is a value that has to be maintained at all costs and cannot be sacrificed even for such a noble cause.

Because of this, many scholars argue that the practical ability to fulfill the condition is so difficult that monogamy is effectively encouraged.

Contemporary Interpretations:

Many modern scholars and reformers argue this verse is actually a limitation on the unlimited polygamy of pre-Islamic Arabia—not an open invitation to marry four women.

Classical & Contemporary Scholarly Views

• Ibn Kathir notes the justice condition as a strict limit; polygamy must not cause harm.
• Imam Al-Shafi’i emphasized the practical impossibility of perfect justice.
• Modern jurists Some say the justice clause discourages polygamy except in rare, clear need.
• Muhammad Abduh (Modernist) argued the verse intended to phase out polygamy by making justice practically unachievable.

Key Takeaway: Is Polygamy an Islamic Ideal?

No. Polygamy is permitted but not encouraged. The Qur’anic conditions make it morally, financially, and emotionally demanding—to the point that many scholars view the permission as highly conditional and in many cases, practically discouraged. " Marry only one" is the only explicit command in the verse, triggered by the likelihood of injustice."

Final Reflection

The "ambiguity" in Surah An-Nisa:3 lies not in contradiction, but in conditionality—the permission to marry up to four women is clearly tied to a near-impossible standard of justice, making it a social solution, not a license for desire.

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.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

For more posts on status of women in Islam, please refer to our exclusive page: Women in Islam. You may also refer to our reference page on Selected verses women exclusive Surah An Nisa (The Women)

You may also refer to our exclusive reference page: Selected verses from selected Surahs of Al-Qurʾān for compiled verses from other surahs.

For more 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. .

You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Reference: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

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.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

Rights of women in Islam

Islam came at a time when the world was utterly patriarchal where women had no rights, both as individuals and as part of a family, specially in matters related to inheritance. That is women's rights globally were limited and inconsistent, often dependent on social class, religion, and culture. The women had no rights at all in some of the major civilizations of the time and their rights ranged from very minimal to naught in many cases, wherein:

• Inheritance: Women typically did not inherit property.
• Marriage: They could be inherited as part of a man’s estate.
• Infanticide: Female infanticide was practiced in some tribes.
• Divorce and Custody: Women had no control over divorce or child custody.
• Property: Women could not own or control wealth independently.

Under such dark age of women's rights, the adevent of Islam brought sunshine to rights of women and by a rational analysis, the Qur'anic reforms—especially in Surah An-Nisa—were considered progressive and transformative, granting women rights that were rare or nonexistent in most other parts of the world at the time. In fact the rights of women mentioned in Qur'an paved way for the initiation of steps for the betterment of Muslim rights around the world.

The proponents of the allegations that Islam suppresses rights of women should know that asking women to wear Hijab is not suppression but adds dignity to women. They should instead focus on the status, repect, dignity and rights that Islam commands to be given to the women.

Today we share the 19th verse from Surah An Nisa (The Women) which mentions allowing women respect, status and rights never have been given before:

يٰۤـاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا لَا يَحِلُّ لَـكُمۡ اَنۡ تَرِثُوا النِّسَآءَ كَرۡهًا​ ؕ وَلَا تَعۡضُلُوۡهُنَّ لِتَذۡهَبُوۡا بِبَعۡضِ مَاۤ اٰتَيۡتُمُوۡهُنَّ اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ يَّاۡتِيۡنَ بِفَاحِشَةٍ مُّبَيِّنَةٍ​ ۚ وَعَاشِرُوۡهُنَّ بِالۡمَعۡرُوۡفِ​ ۚ فَاِنۡ كَرِهۡتُمُوۡهُنَّ فَعَسٰۤى اَنۡ تَكۡرَهُوۡا شَيۡـئًـا وَّيَجۡعَلَ اللّٰهُ فِيۡهِ خَيۡرًا كَثِيۡرًا‏ 

(4:19) Believers! It is not lawful for you to become heirs to women against their will. It is not lawful that you should put constraint upon them that you may take away anything of what you have given them; (you may not put constraint upon them) unless they are guilty of brazenly immoral conduct. Live with your wives in a good manner. If you dislike them in any manner, it may be that you dislike something in which Allah has placed much good for you.

Let us review the meaning of this verse:

"Believers! It is not lawful for you to become heirs to women against their will." This means that the relatives of the husband should not treat the widow of the deceased as if she were a part of the inheritance and begin imposing their will on her. Upon the death of her husband a woman becomes independent. As soon as her legally-prescribed period of waiting ends, she is free to go to wherever she likes and to marry anyone she wishes.

• This prohibited the pre-Islamic Arabian practice where a man would "inherit" his deceased relative's widow (i.e., treat her like property).
• Islam abolished this abuse, affirming a woman's autonomy and consent in marriage.

"It is not lawful that you should put constraint upon them that you may take away anything of what you have given them; (you may not put constraint upon them) unless they are guilty of brazenly immoral conduct." This permission is intended not in order to provide them with an excuse to misappropriate her property but to exercise a restraint on her conduct and prevent her from lewdness.

• That is Men are forbidden from pressuring or mistreating their wives to force them to return the mahr (dowry) or other marital gifts.
• This applies especially in divorce, where financial abuse or coercion is prohibited.
• The only exception where some marital rights may be withheld is in case of clear, proven immorality (e.g., adultery).

"Live with your wives in a good manner. If you dislike them in any manner, it may be that you dislike something in which Allah has placed much good for you." This means that if the wife is either not beautiful or has some shortcoming because of which she does not seem attractive enough to her husband, the latter should not suddenly decide, in a fit of rage and disgust, to part with her. Rather he should act with patience and forbearance. It often happens that a woman lacks physical attraction but has other qualities which are of much greater value for the success of married life. Hence if such a woman finds the opportunity to express her qualities, the same husband who initially felt revulsion towards her becomes captivated by her attractive conduct and character. Sometimes in the early stages of married life a husband dislikes certain things in his wife, and this initial dislike may even grow to revulsion. Were a man to be patient and allow all the potentialities of the woman to be realized, it would become evident to him that her merits outweighed her weaknesses. Hence a man's haste in taking the decision to rupture the matrimonial bond is not praiseworthy. Repudiation of marriage should be a man's last resort, a resort towards which he should turn only in unavoidable circumstances. 

• “Live with them honorably (عَاشِرُوهُنَّ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ)”: Islam commands respectful, kind, and just treatment of wives. This includes emotional care, fair financial support, and dignity in interaction.
• “If you dislike them… Allah may place much good in it.” A reminder that dislike is not sufficient reason to mistreat or divorce a spouse. Sometimes patience leads to unexpected blessings.

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has said: 

• For God, divorce is the most reprehensible of all lawful things.' (Abu Da'ud, Talaq', 3; Ibn Majah, 'Talaq', 1 - Ed.) 
• In another tradition the Prophet (peace be on him) said: 'Marry and do not go about divorcing. For God does not like men and women who keep on changing partners merely for a change of taste.' (al-Tabrani, cited by 'Ajluni in Kashf al-Khifa. vol. 1, p. 304 - Ed.)

Let us now share some Hadiths attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ which add explanation to the above quoted verse:

1. Marriage Requires Consent

• The Prophet ﷺ said: “A previously married woman should not be married until she is consulted, and a virgin should not be married until her permission is sought.”
• The companions asked: “How is her permission given?” He replied: “By her silence.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 5136; Sahih Muslim)
• This supports the Qur’anic prohibition of forcing women into marriage or treating them as inherited property.

2. Kindness Toward Women

• The Prophet ﷺ said: “The best of you are those who are best to their wives, and I am the best among you to my wives.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 3895 – Hasan Sahih)
• This echoes "live with them honorably" from 4:19.

3. Avoid Divorce Without Good Reason

• The Prophet ﷺ said: “Among lawful things, divorce is the most hated by Allah.” — (Sunan Abu Dawood, 2178 – Hasan)
• Supports the verse’s guidance on not rushing into divorce due to dislike alone.

4. Justice and Mahr (Dowry)

• The Prophet ﷺ said: “If a man gives a woman a heap of gold as dowry and then divorces her, he is not allowed to take anything back.” (Reported by al-Bukhari in practice and confirmed by Qur’an 4:20)
• Aligns with the verse’s warning against taking back what was given unfairly.

Lessons from Surah An-Nisa:19

• Marriage is based on consent, not coercion.
• Women have dignity, legal rights, and protection from abuse.
• Men are commanded to treat their wives with fairness and kindness.
• Patience in marriage can lead to unexpected blessings.
• Financial rights of women (like dowry) are inviolable.

Let us understand Islam in its totality, rather than collecting bits and pieces from here and there without looking in to the context and creating misunderstandings.The non Muslim women should be thankful to Islam for its laws and concessions about women that paved way for their independence and rights they had never known before.

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.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Photo | references: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

For more posts on status of women in Islam, please refer to our exclusive page: Women in Islam. You may also refer to our reference page on Selected verses women exclusive Surah An Nisa (The Women)

For more Q&A about Understanding Islam, please refer to our reference page: Understanding Islam - Frequently asked Q&A

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