ਅਲ-ਅਹਜ਼ਾਬ
The Surah has directions for the inner clan and a reminder of how to be mindful of Allah, about daily struggles, and talks about tests including battle and not fleeing battle.
O Prophet! ˹Always˺ be mindful of Allah, and do not yield to the disbelievers and the hypocrites. Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.
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And put your trust in Allah, for Allah is sufficient as a Trustee of Affairs.
3 / [Trust in Alha more in your daily life]
Don't ever think of your wife as unlawful/doing wrong, respect your son.
Let your adopted children keep their family names. That is more just in the sight of Allah. But if you do not know their fathers, then they are ˹simply˺ your fellow believers and close associates. There is no blame on you for what you do by mistake, but ˹only˺ for what you do intentionally. And Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
The Prophet has a stronger affinity to the believers than they do themselves. And his wives are their mothers. As ordained by Allah, blood relatives are more entitled ˹to inheritance˺ than ˹other˺ believers and immigrants, unless you ˹want to˺ show kindness to your ˹close˺ associates ˹through bequest˺. This is decreed in the Record.
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O believers! Remember Allah’s favour upon you when ˹enemy˺ forces came to ˹besiege˺ you ˹in Medina˺, so We sent against them a ˹bitter˺ wind and forces you could not see. And Allah is All-Seeing of what you do.
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Yathrib was the name of Medina before the arrival of the Prophet (ﷺ) and Muslim emigrants.
They had already pledged to Allah earlier never to turn their backs ˹in retreat˺. And a pledge to Allah must be answered for.
15 / All pledges to Alha will be especially accounted for.
Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Fleeing will not benefit you if you ˹try to˺ escape a natural or violent death. ˹If it is not your time,˺ you will only be allowed enjoyment for a little while.”
16 / [If you do outsmart God it will be for a short time]
Allah knows well those among you who discourage ˹others from fighting˺, saying ˹secretly˺ to their brothers, “Stay with us,” and who themselves hardly take part in fighting.
18 / [Those who discourage people to do things often do little themselves]
˹They are˺ totally unwilling to assist you. When danger comes, you see them staring at you with their eyes rolling like someone in the throes of death. But once the danger is over, they slash you with razor-sharp tongues, ravenous for ˹worldly˺ gains. Such people have not ˹truly˺ believed, so Allah has rendered their deeds void. And that is easy for Allah.
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They ˹still˺ think that the enemy alliance has not ˹yet˺ withdrawn. And if the allies were to come ˹again˺, the hypocrites would wish to be away in the desert among nomadic Arabs, ˹only˺ asking for news about you ˹believers˺. And if the hypocrites were in your midst, they would hardly take part in the fight.
20 / [Be cautious of being someone who only asks for news in an activity, and doesn't do some active work or no recent contributions]
Among the believers are men who have proven true to what they pledged to Allah.1 Some of them have fulfilled their pledge ˹with their lives˺, others are waiting ˹their turn˺. They have never changed ˹their commitment˺ in the least.
23 / There are some very good souls in the Muslem community.
And Allah drove back the disbelievers in their rage, totally empty-handed. And Allah spared the believers from fighting. For Allah is All-Powerful, Almighty.
25 / Not actually fighting seems to be a recurring motif in other religious scriptures.
O Prophet! Say to your wives, “If you desire the life of this world and its luxury, then come, I will give you a ˹suitable˺ compensation ˹for divorce˺ and let you go graciously.
But if you desire Allah and His Messenger and the ˹everlasting˺ Home of the Hereafter, then Surely Allah has prepared a great reward for those of you who do good.”
28 / Don't indulge in any luxury.
Be very moral at all times.
O wives of the Prophet! You are not like any other women: if you are mindful ˹of Allah˺, then do not be overly effeminate in speech ˹with men˺ or those with sickness in their hearts may be tempted, but speak in a moderate tone.
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Settle in your homes, and do not display yourselves as women did in the days of ˹pre-Islamic˺ ignorance. Establish prayer, pay alms-tax, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah only intends to keep ˹the causes of˺ evil away from you and purify you completely, O members of the ˹Prophet’s˺ family!
33 / You don't need to follow clothing and customs of people.
˹Always˺ remember what is recited in your homes of Allah’s revelations and ˹prophetic˺ wisdom. Surely Allah is Most Subtle, All-Aware.
34 / Keep these surahs flowing in day-to-day contemplation.
Humbleness is a quality.
It is not for a believing man or woman—when Allah and His Messenger decree a matter—to have any other choice in that matter.(Meaning, if Allah makes a ruling in the Quran or the Prophet (ﷺ) makes a ruling, then a Muslim is not allowed to seek judgment from anyone else, nor follow their own desires.)
Indeed, whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has clearly gone ˹far˺ astray.
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Don't considering people (helping you/aiding you), consider Allah.
When someone loses interest in keeping something it can be ok to receive that.
There is no blame on the Prophet for doing what Allah has ordained for him. That has been the way of Allah with those ˹prophets˺ who had gone before. And Allah’s command has been firmly decreed.
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˹That is His way with˺ those ˹prophets˺ who deliver the messages of Allah, and consider Him, and none but Allah. And sufficient is Allah as a ˹vigilant˺ Reckoner.
39 / Alhas character is present (and a lot) in this world. 📿
Muḥammad is not the father of any of your men, but is the Messenger of Allah and the seal of the prophets. And Allah has ˹perfect˺ knowledge of all things.
O believers! Always remember Allah often,
and glorify Him morning and evening.
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Do not yield to the disbelievers and the hypocrites. Overlook their annoyances, and put your trust in Allah. For Allah is sufficient as a Trustee of Affairs.
48 / Disregard disbeliever's harm and annoyances.
[There is no wrong in calling back what you have set aside]
And when you ˹believers˺ ask his wives for something, ask them from behind a barrier. This is purer for your hearts and theirs. [You can use phone in similar circumstances]
As for those who abuse believing men and women (By harming them physically or accusing them falsely.) unjustifiably, they will definitely bear the guilt of slander and blatant sin.
58 / Nindya is abuse
O Prophet! Ask your wives, daughters, and believing women to draw their cloaks over their bodies. In this way it is more likely that they will be recognized ˹as virtuous˺ and not be harassed. And Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
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If the hypocrites, and those with sickness in their hearts, and rumour-mongers in Medina do not desist, We will certainly incite you ˹O Prophet˺ against them, and then they will not be your neighbours there any longer.
This verse is intended to deter the hypocrites. The Prophet (ﷺ) never killed any hypocrite as long as they did not join the enemy to attack and kill Muslims.
60 / Hypocrites, people with sickness/disease lit. in their hearts, rumour mongers are considered in the same lines/closely related to each other. Don't live in proximity of people you don't want to live with.
And they will say, “Our Lord! We obeyed our leaders and elite, but they led us astray from the ˹Right˺ Way.
Our Lord! Give them double ˹our˺ punishment, and condemn them tremendously.”
67 / If you do something wrong be careful to not make up an excuse.
O believers! Be mindful of Allah, and say what is right.
He will bless your deeds for you, and forgive your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, has truly achieved a great triumph.
70 / [Telling people the truth has huge benefits]
Verily, We did offer the trust [of reason and volition] to the heavens, and the earth, and the mountains: but they refused to bear it because they were afraid of it. Yet man took it up - for, verily, he has always been prone to be most wicked, most foolish
72 / [The mountains are different realm than earth and heavens?]
so that Allah will punish hypocrite men and women and polytheistic men and women, and Allah will turn in mercy to believing men and women. For Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
(This is a guarantee from Allah that if the hypocrites and polytheists ever turn to Him in repentance, He is always willing to forgive them.)
73 / [Offer anyone acceptance to the clan if they are in surrenderance.]