Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Mumtahanah Verse 10

Mufti Taqi Usmani

O you who believe, when the believing women come to you as emigrants, put them to a test. Allah knows best about their faith. So, if you find them faithful, do not send them back to the disbelievers. Neither these (women) are lawful for them, nor are those (disbelievers) lawful for these (women). And give them (the disbelievers) that (dower) which they had paid (to these women). And there is no sin for you if you marry them, when you give them their dowers. And do not hold on to the ties of marriage with the disbelieving women,and ask (their new Non-Muslim husbands to pay to you) that (dower) which you had paid (to your previous wives), and they (the previous Non-Muslim husbands of the Muslim women) should ask (their new Muslim husbands) to pay that (dower) which they had paid (to their previous wives). That is the decision of Allah. He decides between you. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

O believers! When the believing women come to you as emigrants,[[ According to the Treaty of Ḥudaibiyah (see footnote for {48:1}-3), Muslims who chose to move to Mecca would not be returned to Muslims in Medina, and Meccan pagans who accepted Islam and chose to move to Medina would be returned to Mecca (except for women). ]] test their intentions—their faith is best known to Allah—and if you find them to be believers, then do not send them back to the disbelievers. These ˹women˺ are not lawful ˹wives˺ for the disbelievers, nor are the disbelievers lawful ˹husbands˺ for them. ˹But˺ repay the disbelievers whatever ˹dowries˺ they had paid. And there is no blame on you if you marry these ˹women˺ as long as you pay them their dowries. And do not hold on to marriage with polytheistic women.[[ Those who moved to Mecca to marry pagans. ]] ˹But˺ demand ˹repayment of˺ whatever ˹dowries˺ you had paid, and let the disbelievers do the same. That is the judgment of Allah—He judges between you. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

Ruwwad Translation Center

O you who believe, when the believing women come to you as migrants, test their sincerity, although Allah knows best about their faith. Then if you find them to be believers, do not send them back to the disbelievers; they are not lawful [wives] for them, nor are they lawful [husbands] for them. But give the disbelievers whatever [dowries] they have spent. And there is no blame on you if you marry them, as long as you give them their dowries. Do not hold on to the marriage ties with the disbelieving women; ask for repayment of whatever [dowries] you have spent, and let the disbelievers ask for repayment of whatever [dowries] they have spent. This is the ruling of Allah that He judges between you, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

A. J. Arberry

O believers, when believing women come to you as emigrants, test them. God knows very well their belief. Then, if you know them to be believers, return them not to the unbelievers. They are not permitted to the unbelievers, nor are the unbelievers permitted to them. Give the unbelievers what they have expended; and there is no fault in you to marry them when you have given them their wages. Do not hold fast to the ties of unbelieving women, and ask what you have expended, and let them ask what they have expended. That is God's judgment; He judges between you; and God is All-knowing, All-wise.

Abdul Haleem

You who believe, test the believing women when they come to you as emigrants- God knows best about their faith- and if you are sure of their belief, do not send them back to the disbelievers: they are not lawful wives for them, nor are the disbelievers their lawful husbands. Give the disbelievers whatever bride-gifts they have paid- if you choose to marry them, there is no blame on you once you have paid their bride-gifts- and do not yourselves hold on to marriage ties with disbelieving women. Ask for repayment of the bride-gifts you have paid, and let the disbelievers do the same. This is God’s judgement: He judges between you, God is all knowing and wise.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

O ye who believe! when believing women come Unto you as emigrants examine them. Allah is the best Knower of their faith. Then if ye know them to be true believers, send them not back Unto the infidels; they are not lawful Unto them, nor are they lawful Unto them. And give them that which they have expended. Nor is it any crime in you if ye marry them when ye have given their hires. And hold not to the ties of the infidel women, and ask back that which ye have expended, and let them ask back that which they have expended. That is the judgment of Allah; He judgeth between you, And Allah is Knowing, Wise.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

O ye who believe! When there come to you believing women refugees, examine (and test) them; Allah knows best as to their Faith; if ye ascertain that they are Believers, then send them not back to the Unbelievers. They are not lawful (wives) for the Unbelievers, nor are the (Unbelievers) lawful (husbands) for them. But pay the Unbelievers what they have spent (on their dower), and there will be no blame on you if ye marry them on payment of their dower to them. But hold not to the guardianship of unbelieving women; ask for what ye have spent on their dowers, and let the (Unbelievers) ask for what they have spent (on the dowers of women who come over to you). Such is the command of Allah; He judges (with justice) between you. And Allah is Full of Knowledge and Wisdom.

Abul Ala Maududi

Believers, when believing women come to you as Emigrants (in the cause of faith), examine them. Allah fully knows (the truth) concerning their faith. And when you have ascertained them to be believing women, do not send them back to the unbelievers. Those women are no longer lawful to the unbelievers, nor are those unbelievers lawful to those (believing) women. Give their unbelieving husbands whatever they have spent (as bridal-dues); and there is no offence for you to marry those women if you give them their bridal-dues. Do not hold on to your marriages with unbelieving women: ask for the return of the bridal-due you gave to your unbelieving wives and the unbelievers may ask for the return of the bridal-due they had given to their believing wives. Such is Allah's command. He judges between you. Allah is All-Knowing, Most Wise.

Ahmed Ali

O believers, when believing women come over to you as refugees, then examine them. God alone is cognisant of their faith. If you find that they are believers, do not send them back to unbelievers. They are not lawful for them, nor are infidels lawful for believing women. Give the unbelievers what they have spent on them. There is no sin if you marry them provided you give their dowers to them. Do not retain your (marriage) ties with unbelieving women. Ask for the return of what you have spent (on them); and the unbelievers should ask for the return of what they have spent. This is the judgement of God. He judges between you. God is all-knowing and all-wise.

Ahmed Raza Khan

O People who Believe! When Muslim women leave the lands of disbelief and migrate towards you, examine them; Allah knows more about their faith; so if you judge the women to be believers, do not send them back to the disbelievers; neither are they lawful for the disbelievers, nor are the disbelievers lawful for them; and give their disbelieving husbands what they had spent; and there is no sin upon you to marry them if you give them their bridal money; and do not continue the marriage with disbelieving women – and ask for what you had spent, and the disbelievers may ask for what they had spent; this is Allah’s command; He judges between you; and Allah is All Knowing, Wise.

Ali Quli Qarai

O you who have faith! When faithful women come to you as immigrants, test them. Allah knows best [the state of] their faith. Then, if you ascertain them to be [genuinely] faithful women, do not send them back to the faithless. They are not lawful for them, nor are they lawful for them, but give them what [dowry] they have spent [for them]. There is no sin upon you in marrying them when you have given them their dowries. Do not hold on to [conjugal] ties with faithless women. Demand [from the infidels] what you have spent [as dowries], and let the faithless demand [from you] what they have spent [as dowries]. That is Allah’s judgment; He judges between you, and Allah is all-knowing, all-wise.

Ali Ünal

O you who believe! When believing women come to you as emigrants, test them, (though only) God knows best their faith. Then, if you have ascertained that they are believers, do not return them to the unbelievers. They are not (being believers) lawful (as wives) for the unbelievers nor are the unbelievers lawful (as husbands) for them. But return to them (the unbelievers) whatever they expended (by way of bridal-due when they wed those women). And there will be no blame on you (O believers) if you marry them when you have given them their bridal-due. Also, (on the other side) do not continue to retain disbelieving women in marriage, and ask for the return of whatever you expended as their bridal-due (if they remain among or join the unbelievers), just as the disbelieving men (whose wives have emigrated to you after embracing Islam) have the right to demand the return of whatever they spent. That is God’s judgment and His law; He lays down the law and judges between you. God is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

Amatul Rahman Omar

O you who believe! when the believing women come to you having fled their homes, examine them. Allâh knows best the state of their faith. If you ascertain them to be (true) believers do not send them back to the disbelievers. These (believing women) are not lawful (wives) to those (disbelievers); nor are they lawful (husbands) to these (women). You shall however give them (their former disbelieving husbands) what they have spent on them. And you will be doing nothing unlawful if you marry these women after you have given them their dowries. And do not hold matrimonial ties with the disbelieving women, (should they join the disbelievers) you can claim what you have spent on them. So can (the disbelieving husbands) claim that which they have spent (on these believing women). This is the judgment of Allâh. He implements this judgment between you. Allâh is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

English Literal

You, you those who believed, if the believing females came to you emigrating , so test/examine them (F) , God (is) more knowing with their faith/belief, so if you knew them (F) (to be) believers (F), so do not return them to the disbelievers, they (F) are not permitted/allowed for them, and nor they (the disbelievers) be permitted/allowed for them (F), and give them what they spent, and (there is) no offense/sin that (E) youmarry them (F) if you gave them (F) their rewards (dowries) , and do not hold fast/grasp/seize with the (insisting) disbelievers` ties/bonds (discontinue marriage to disbelieving women), and ask (for) what you spent, and they should ask (for) what they spent, that (is) God`s judgment/rule, He judges/rules between you, and God (is) knowledgeable, wise/judicious.

Faridul Haque

O People who Believe! When Muslim women leave the lands of disbelief and migrate towards you, examine them; Allah knows more about their faith; so if you judge the women to be believers, do not send them back to the disbelievers; neither are they lawful for the disbelievers, nor are the disbelievers lawful for them; and give their disbelieving husbands what they had spent; and there is no sin upon you to marry them if you give them their bridal money; and do not continue the marriage with disbelieving women - and ask for what you had spent, and the disbelievers may ask for what they had spent; this is Allah’s command; He judges between you; and Allah is All Knowing, Wise.

Hamid S. Aziz

O you who believe! When believing women come to you fleeing (as refugees), then examine (or test) them; Allah knows best their faith. If you find them to be believing women, do not send them back to the unbelievers. Neither are they lawful (wives) for them, nor are they lawful (husbands) for them. But pay them what they have spent (as dower); and no blame attaches to you in marrying them on payment of their dowries. But hold not to the ties of unbelieving women. Ask for what you have spent for them, and let them ask for what they have spent. That is Allah´s judgment; He judges between you, and Allah is Knowing, Wise.

Hilali & Khan

O you who believe! When believing women come to you as emigrants, examine them, Allah knows best as to their Faith, then if you ascertain that they are true believers, send them not back to the disbelievers, they are not lawful (wives) for the disbelievers nor are the disbelievers lawful (husbands) for them. But give the disbelievers that (amount of money) which they have spent [as their Mahr] to them. And there will be no sin on you to marry them if you have paid their Mahr to them. Likewise hold not the disbelieving women as wives, and ask for (the return of) that which you have spent (as Mahr) and let them (the disbelievers, etc.) ask back for that which they have spent. That is the Judgement of Allah. He judges between you. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Allah forbids you only respecting those who fight you for religion, and drive you forth from your homes and help (others) in your expulsion, that you make friends of them; and whoever makes friends of them, these are the wrongdoers.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

O you who believe! when believing women come to you flying, then examine them; Allah knows best their faith; then if you find them to be believing women, do not send them back to the unbelievers, neither are these (women) lawful for them, nor are those (men) lawful for them, and give them what they have spent; and no blame attaches to you in marrying them when you give them their dowries; and hold not to the ties of marriage of unbelieving women, and ask for what you have spent, and let them ask for what they have spent. That is Allah's judgment; He judges between you, and Allah is Knowing, Wise.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

O ye who believe! When believing women come unto you as fugitives, examine them. Allah is Best Aware of their faith. Then, if ye know them for true believers, send them not back unto the disbelievers. They are not lawful for them (the disbelievers), nor are they (the disbelievers) lawful for them. And give them (the disbelievers) that which they have spent (upon them). And it is no sin for you to marry such women when ye have given them their dues. And hold not to the ties of disbelieving women; and ask for (the return of) that which ye have spent; and let them (the disbelievers) ask for that which they have spent. That is the judgment of Allah. He judgeth between you. Allah is Knower, Wise.

Muhammad Sarwar

Believers, when believing immigrant women come to you, test them. God knows best about their faith. If you know that they are believers, do not return them to the disbelievers. Such women are not lawful for them and disbelievers are not lawful for such women. Give the disbelievers whatever they have spent (on such women for their dowry). There is no offense for you to marry them if you agree to give them their dowry. Do not hold unto your disbelieving wives; you may get back what you have spent on them for their dowry and the disbelievers may also ask for what they have spent. This is the command of God by which He judges you. God is All-knowing and All-wise.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Believers, when believing women come to you as emigrants, test them. Allah best knows their belief. If you find them to be believers do not return them to the unbelievers; they are not permitted to the unbelievers, nor are the unbelievers permitted to them. But give back to the unbelievers what they have spent, and there is no fault in you to marry such women, provided you give them their dowries. Do not hold on to the ties with unbelieving women, ask what you have spent and let them ask what they have spent. Such is the Judgement of Allah; He judges between you; and Allah is the Knower, and the Wise.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

O you who believe! When believing women come to you as emigrants, examine them; Allah knows best as to their faith, then if you ascertain that they are true believers, send them not back to the disbelievers. They are not lawful for the disbelievers nor are the disbelievers lawful for them. But give them (disbelievers) that which they have spent (on their dowery). And there will be no sin on you to marry them if you have paid their due to them. Likewise do not keep the disbelieving women, and ask for that which you have spent (on their dowery) and let them (the disbelievers) ask for that which they have spent. That is the judgement of Allah, He judges between you. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

Wahiduddin Khan

Believers! When believing women come to you as refugees, submit them to a test. Their faith is best known to God. Then if you find them to be true believers, do not send them back to those who deny the truth. These [women] are not lawful for them, nor are those who deny the truth lawful for these women. But hand back to those who deny the truth the dowers they gave them; nor is it an offence for you to marry such women, provided you give them their dowers. Do not maintain your marriages with those women who deny the truth: demand repayment of the dowers you have given them and let the disbelievers ask for the return of what they have spent. Such is God's judgement; He judges with justice between you. God is all knowing and all wise.

Talal Itani

O you who believe! When believing women come to you emigrating, test them. God is Aware of their faith. And if you find them to be faithful, do not send them back to the unbelievers. They are not lawful for them, nor are they lawful for them. But give them what they have spent. You are not at fault if you marry them, provided you give them their compensation. And do not hold on to ties with unbelieving women, but demand what you have spent, and let them demand what they have spent. This is the rule of God; He rules among you. God is Knowing and Wise.

Tafsir jalalayn

O you who believe, when believing women come to you, [saying] with their tongues [that they are], emigrating, from the [company of] disbelievers -- [this was] following the truce concluded with them [the disbelievers] at al-Hudaybiyya to the effect that if any of their number should go to [join] the believers, that person should be sent back -- test them, by making them swear that they had only gone forth [from Mecca] because of their [sincere] wish to embrace Islam, and not out of some hatred for their disbelieving husbands, nor because they might be enamoured by some Muslim man; that was how the Prophet (s) used to take from them their oaths. God knows best [the state of] their faith. Then, if you know them, if you suppose them, on the basis of their oaths, to be believers, do not send them back to the disbelievers. They [the women] are not lawful for them, nor are they [the disbelievers] lawful for them. And give them, that is to say, their disbelieving husbands, what they have expended, on them [on such women], in the way of dowries. And you would not be at fault if you marry them, on that [previous] condition, when you have given them their dowries. And do not hold on (read tumassik or tumsik) to the [conjugal] ties of disbelieving women, your wives, for your Islam automatically prohibits you from this, or [to the ties of] those apostatising women who return to the idolaters, for [likewise] their apostatising automatically prohibits you from marrying them, and ask for, demand, [the return of] what you have expended, on these women, of dowries, in the event of apostasy, from those disbelievers to whom they are married. And let them ask for what they have expended, on those women who have emigrated, as explained above, that it may be repaid to them. That is God's judgement. He judges between you, therewith, and God is Knower, Wise.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

After Al-Hudaybiyyah, Emigrant Muslim Women may not be returned to the Disbelievers

In Surah Al-Fath, we related the story of the treaty at Al-Hudaybiyyah that was conducted between the Messenger of Allah and the disbelievers of Quraysh. In that treaty, there were these words,

"Everyman (in another narration, every person) who reverts from our side to your side should be returned to us, even if he is a follower of your religion."

This was said by Urwah, Ad-Dahhak, Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd, Az-Zuhri, Muqatil bin Hayyan and As-Suddi.

So according to this narration, this Ayah specifies and explains the Sunnah. And this is the best case of understanding.

Yet according to another view of some of the Salaf, it abrogates it.

Allah the Exalted and Most High ordered His faithful servants to test the faith of women who emigrate to them. When they are sure that they are faithful, they should not send them back to the disbelievers, for the disbelievers are not allowed for them and they are not allowed for the disbelievers.

In the biography of Abdullah bin Abi Ahmad bin Jahsh in Al-Musnad Al-Kabir, we also mentioned that Abdullah bin Abi Ahmad said,

"Umm Kulthum bint Uqbah bin Abi Mu`ayt emigrated and her brothers, Umarah and Al-Walid, went after her. They came to Allah's Messenger and talked to him about Umm Kulthum and asked that she be returned to them. Allah abolished the part of the treaty between the Prophet and the idolators about the women particularly. So He forbade returning Muslim women to the idolators and revealed the Ayah about testing them."

Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn `Abbas, about Allah's saying;

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُوا إِذَا جَاءكُمُ الْمُوْمِنَاتُ مُهَاجِرَاتٍ فَامْتَحِنُوهُنَّ

O you who believe!

When believing women come to you as emigrants, examine them;

"Their examination was asking them to testify to La ilaha illallah, and that Muhammad is Allah's servant and His Messenger."
.
اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِإِيمَانِهِنَّ
..

Allah knows best as to their faith,

Mujahid explained the Ayah,
فَامْتَحِنُوهُنَّ
(examine them) by saying,

"Ask them why they migrated. If they came because they were angry with their husbands, or for any other reason, and you realized that they did not embrace the faith, then send them back to their husbands."

Allah's statement,

فَإِنْ عَلِمْتُمُوهُنَّ مُوْمِنَاتٍ فَلَإ تَرْجِعُوهُنَّ إِلَى الْكُفَّارِ

then if you ascertain that they are true believers, send them not back to the disbelievers.

This Ayah indicates that faith can be recognized and affirmed.
The Believing Woman is prohibited from marrying an Idolator and the Believing Man is prohibited from marrying the Idolatress

Allah's statement,

لَاا هُنَّ حِلٌّ لَّهُمْ وَلَاا هُمْ يَحِلُّونَ لَهُنَّ

They are not lawful for the disbelievers nor are the disbelievers lawful for them.

This Ayah forbids Muslim women for idolators, which was a lawful marriage in the beginning of Islam.

Abu Al-`As bin Ar-Rabi` was married to Zaynab, the Prophet's daughter. She was a Muslim, while Abu Al-`As was still an idolator like his people. When he was captured during the battle of Badr, his wife, Zaynab sent his ransom, a necklace that belonged to the Prophet's first wife Khadijah. The Prophet became very emotional when he saw the necklace and said to the Companions,

إِنْ رَأَيْتُمْ أَنْ تُطْلِقُوا لَهَا أَسِيرَهَا فَافْعَلُوا

If you decide to set free the prisoner who belongs to her, then do so.

They did, and Allah's Messenger set him free. His ransom was that he send his wife to Allah's Messenger.

Abu Al-`As fulfilled his promise and sent Zaynab to Allah's Messenger along with Zayd bin Harithah. Zaynab remained in Al-Madinah after the battle of Badr, which took place in the second year of Hijrah, until her husband Abu Al-`As bin Ar-Rahi` embraced Islam in the eighth year after the Hijrah. She returned to their marriage without renewing the dowry.

Allah's statement,

وَاتُوهُم مَّا أَنفَقُوا


But give them that which they have spent.

meaning, the husbands of the emigrant women who came from the idolators, return the dowry that they gave to their wives.

This was said by Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah, Az-Zuhri and several others.

Allah's statement,

وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ أَن تَنكِحُوهُنَّ إِذَا اتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ

And there will be no sin on you to marry them if you have paid their due to them.

means, when you wish to marry them, then give them their dowry. That is, marry them under the condition that their `Iddah (waiting period) is finished and they have a legal guardian for their marriage etc.

Allah said,

وَلَا تُمْسِكُوا بِعِصَمِ الْكَوَافِرِ

Likewise do not keep disbelieving women,

thus forbidding His faithful servants from marrying idolator women or remaining married to them.

In the Sahih, it is recorded that Al-Miswar and Marwan bin Al-Hakam said that

after the Messenger of Allah conducted the treaty with the Quraysh idolators at Al-Hudaybiyyah, some Muslim women emigrated to him and Allah the Exalted sent down this Ayah about them,

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُوا إِذَا جَاءكُمُ الْمُوْمِنَاتُ مُهَاجِرَاتٍ

O you who believe! When believing women come to you as emigrants) until,

وَلَا تُمْسِكُوا بِعِصَمِ الْكَوَافِرِ

Likewise do not keep disbelieving women,

Then Umar bin Al-Khattab divorced two of his wives, who were idolatresses, and one of them got married to Mu`awiyah bin Abi Sufyan, while the other got married to Safwan bin Umayyah.

Ibn Thawr narrated that Ma`mar said that Az-Zuhri said,

"This Ayah was revealed to Allah's Messenger while he was in the area of Al-Hudaybiyyah, after making peace. He agreed that whoever comes from the Quraysh to his side, will be returned to Makkah. When some women came, this Ayah was revealed. Allah commanded that the dowry that was paid to these women be returned to their husbands. Allah also ordered that if some Muslim women revert to the side of the idolators, the idolators should return their dowry to their Muslim husbands.

Allah said,

وَلَا تُمْسِكُوا بِعِصَمِ الْكَوَافِرِ

Likewise do not keep disbelieving women."

Allah's statement,

وَاسْأَلُوا مَا أَنفَقْتُمْ وَلْيَسْأَلُوا مَا أَنفَقُوا

and ask for that which you have spent and let them ask for that which they have spent.

means, ask them for what you have paid to your wives who reverted to the side of the idolators, and they are entitled to get back the dowry that they gave their wives who emigrated to the Muslims.

Allah's statement,

ذَلِكُمْ حُكْمُ اللَّهِ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَكُمْ

That is the judgement of Allah, He judges between you.

means, this judgement about the treaty and excluding women from its clauses, is a decision that Allah made for His creatures,

وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ



And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

meaning, He knows what benefits His servants and is the Most Wise about that.

Allah the Exalted said