Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Ahzab Verse 36

Mufti Taqi Usmani

It is not open for a believing man or a believing woman, once Allah and His messenger have decided a thing, that they should have a choice about their matter; and whoever disobeys Allah and His messenger, he indeed gets off the track, falling into an open error.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

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.

Ruwwad Translation Center

It is not for a believing man or woman – when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter – to have any other choice in their matter. Whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has clearly gone astray.

A. J. Arberry

It is not for any believer, man or woman, when God and His Messenger have decreed a matter, to have the choice in the affair. Whosoever disobeys God and His Messenger has gone astray into manifest error.

Abdul Haleem

When God and His Messenger have decided on a matter that concerns them, it is not fitting for any believing man or woman to claim freedom of choice in that matter: whoever disobeys God and His Messenger is far astray.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And it is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His apostle have decreed an affair, that they should have any choice in their affair. And whosoever disobeyeth Allah and His apostle hath strayed with a manifest straying.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

It is not fitting for a Believer, man or woman, when a matter has been decided by Allah and His Messenger to have any option about their decision; if any one disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he is indeed on a clearly wrong Path.

Abul Ala Maududi

It does not behove a believer, male or female, that when Allah and His Messenger have decided an affair they should exercise their choice. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has strayed to manifest error.

Ahmed Ali

No believing men and women have any choice in a matter after God and His Apostle have decided it. Whoever disobeys God and His Apostle has clearly lost the way and gone astray.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And no Muslim man or woman has any right in the affair, when Allah and His Noble Messenger have decreed a command regarding it; and whoever does not obey the command of Allah and His Noble Messenger, has indeed clearly gone very astray.

Ali Quli Qarai

A faithful man or woman may not have any option in their matter, when Allah and His Apostle have decided on a matter, and whoever disobeys Allah and His Apostle has certainly strayed into manifest error.

Ali Ünal

When God and His Messenger have decreed a matter, it is not for a believing man and a believing woman to have an option insofar as they themselves are concerned. Whoever disobeys God and His Messenger has evidently gone astray.

Amatul Rahman Omar

It does not behove a believing man or a believing woman to exercise an option in their affair after Allâh and His Messenger have decided the matter. Indeed, he who disobeys Allâh and His Messenger surely strays far away in clear error.

English Literal

And (it) was not to a believer (M) and nor a believer (F), if God and His messenger ordered/passed judgment an order/command/matter/affair that to be for them the choice from their matter/affair, and who disobeys God and His messenger, so he had misguided a clear/evident misguidance.

Faridul Haque

And no Muslim man or woman has any right in the affair, when Allah and His Noble Messenger have decreed a command regarding it; and whoever does not obey the command of Allah and His Noble Messenger, has indeed clearly gone very astray.

Hamid S. Aziz

Verily, men who surrender and the women who surrender, and the believing men and the believing women, and the obeying men and the obeying women, and the truthful men and the truthful women, and the patient men and the patient women and the humble men and the humble women, and the charitable men and the charitable women, and the fasting men and the fasting women, and the men who guard their modesty and the women who guard (their modesty), and the men who remember Allah much and the women who remember - Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a mighty reward.

Hilali & Khan

It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed in a plain error.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Surely the men who submit and the women who submit, and the believing men and the believing women, and the truthful men and the truthful women, and the patient men and the patient women, and the humble men and the humble women, and the charitable men and the charitable women, and the fasting men and the fasting women, and the men who guard their chastity and the women who guard, and the men who remember Allah much and the women who remember -- Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a mighty reward.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And it behoves not a believing man and a believing woman that they should have any choice in their matter when Allah and His Apostle have decided a matter; and whoever disobeys Allah and His Apostle, he surely strays off a manifest straying.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And it becometh not a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His messenger have decided an affair (for them), that they should (after that) claim any say in their affair; and whoso is rebellious to Allah and His messenger, he verily goeth astray in error manifest.

Muhammad Sarwar

The believing men and women must not feel free to do something in their affairs other than that which has been already decided for them by God and His Messenger. One who disobeys God and His Messenger is in plain error.

Qaribullah & Darwish

It is not for any believer man or woman to have the choice in the affair when a matter is decreed by Allah and His Prophet. Whosoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger strays into clear error.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed into a plain error.

Wahiduddin Khan

It is not fitting for a believing man or woman to exercise any choice in his or her own affairs once God and His Messenger have reached a decision upon them. Anyone who disobeys God and His Messenger is in manifest error.

Talal Itani

It is not for any believer, man or woman, when God and His Messenger have decided a matter, to have liberty of choice in their decision. Whoever disobeys God and His Messenger has gone far astray.

Tafsir jalalayn

And it is not [fitting] for any believing man or believing woman, when God and His Messenger have decided on a matter, to have (read takna or yakna) a choice in their matter, in contravention of the decision of God and His Messenger. This [verse] was revealed regarding `Abd Allh b. Jahsh and his sister Zaynab, whose hand the Prophet had asked for in marriage, but meaning on behalf of Zayd b. Hritha. They were loathe to this [proposal] when they found out [that it was on the latter's behalf], for they had thought that the Prophet (s) wanted to marry her himself. But afterwards they consented because of the [following part of the] verse; And whoever disobeys God and His Messenger has certainly strayed into manifest error. Thus the Prophet (s) gave her in marriage to Zayd. Then on one occasion he [the Prophet] caught sight of her and felt love for her, whereafter [when he realised that] Zayd lost his affection for her and so said to the Prophet (s), `I want to part with her'. But the Prophet said to him, `Retain your wife for yourself', as God, exalted be He, says;

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Reason for Revelation

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Barzah Al-Aslami said;

"Julaybib was a man who used to enter upon women and joke with them. I said to my wife, `Do not let Julaybib enter upon you, for if he enters upon you I shall do such and such.'

If any of the Ansar had a single female relative, they would not arrange a marriage for her until they found out whether the Prophet wanted to marry her or not. The Prophet said to one of the Ansar;
زَوِّجْنِي ابْنَتَك
(Give me your daughter for marriage).

He said, `Yes, O Messenger of Allah, it would be an honor and a blessing.'

He said,
إِنِّي لَسْتُ أُرِيدُهَا لِنَفْسِي
(I do not want her for myself).

He said, `Then for whom, O Messenger of Allah?'

He said,
لِجُلَيْبِيب
(For Julaybib).

He said, `O Messenger of Allah, let me consult her mother.'

So he went to the girl's mother and said, `The Messenger of Allah is proposing marriage for your daughter.'

She said, `Yes, it would be a pleasure.'

He said, `He is not proposing to marry her himself, he is proposing on behalf of Julaybib.'

She said, `What! Julaybib No, by Allah, we will not marry her to him.'

When he wanted to get up and go to the Messenger of Allah to tell him what the girl's mother had said, the girl asked, `Who is asking for my hand!'

So her mother told her, and she said, `Are you refusing to follow the command of the Messenger of Allah? Follow his command, for I will not come to any harm.'

So her father went to the Messenger of Allah and said, `Deal with her as you wish.' So he married her to Julaybib. Then the Messenger of Allah went out on one of his military campaigns, and after Allah had granted him victory, he said to his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them,
هَلْ تَفْقِدُونَ مِنْ أَحَد
(See whether there is anybody missing),

They said, `We have lost so-and-so, and so-and-so.'

He said,
انْظُرُوا هَلْ تَفْقِدُونَ مِنْ أَحَد
(See if there is anybody missing).

They said, `No one.'

He said;
لَكِنَّنِي أَفْقِدُ جُلَيْبِيبًا
(But I see that Julaybib is missing).

He said;
فَاطْلُبُوهُ فِي الْقَتْلَى
(Go and look for him among the dead).

So they looked for him, and found him beside seven of the enemy whom he had killed before he was himself killed.

They said, `O Messenger of Allah, here he is, beside seven of the enemy whom he had killed before he was himself killed.'

The Messenger of Allah came and stood beside him and said,

قَتَلَ سَبْعَةً وَقَتَلُوهُ هَذَا مِنِّي وَأَنَا مِنْه

He killed seven before he was himself killed. He belongs to me and I belong to him.

He said this two or three times, then the Messenger of Allah carried him in his arms and held him while his grave was dug, then he placed him in his grave. It was not mentioned that he washed him, may Allah be pleased with him."

Thabit, may Allah be pleased with him, said;

"There was no widow among the Ansar who was more sought after for marriage than that girl."

Ishaq bin Abdullah bin Abi Talhah asked Thabit, "Do you know how the Messenger of Allah prayed for that girl?"

He told him;"He said,

اللَّهُمَّ صُبَّ عَلَيْهَا الْخَيْرَ صَبًّا وَلَا تَجْعَلْ عَيْشَهَا كَدًّا


O Allah, pour blessings upon her and do not make her life hard

And this is how it was; there was no widow among the Ansar who was more sought after for marriage than her."

This is how it was recorded by Imam Ahmad, in full.

Muslim and An-Nasa'i recorded the story of his death in Al-Fada'il.

Al-Hafiz Abu Umar bin Abd Al-Barr mentioned in Al-Isti`ab that when the girl said in her seclusion, `Are you refusing to follow the command of the Messenger of Allah ' -- This Ayah was revealed;

وَمَا كَانَ لِمُوْمِنٍ وَلَا مُوْمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَمْرًا أَن يَكُونَ لَهُمُ الْخِيَرَةُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ

It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision.

It was narrated that Tawus asked Ibn Abbas about praying two Rak`ahs after `Asr and he told him not to do that. Ibn Abbas recited;

وَمَا كَانَ لِمُوْمِنٍ وَلَا مُوْمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَمْرًا أَن يَكُونَ لَهُمُ الْخِيَرَةُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ

(It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision).

This Ayah is general in meaning and applies to all matters, i.e., if Allah and His Messenger decreed a matter, no one has the right to go against that, and no one has any choice or room for personal opinion in this case.

Allah says;

فَلَ وَرَبِّكَ لَا يُوْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُواْ فِى أَنفُسِهِمْ حَرَجاً مِّمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُواْ تَسْلِيماً

But no, by your Lord, they can have no faith, until they make you judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission. (4;65)

Hence the issue of going against it is addressed in such strong terms, as Allah says;

وَمَن يَعْصِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَلاً مُّبِينًا



And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed into a plain error.

This is like the Ayah;

فَلْيَحْذَرِ الَّذِينَ يُخَـلِفُونَ عَنْ أَمْرِهِ أَن تُصِيبَهُمْ فِتْنَةٌ أَوْ يُصِيبَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

And let those who oppose the Messenger's commandment, beware, lest some Fitnah should befall them or a painful torment be inflicted on them. (24;63)