Al-Qur'an Surah At-Tahrim Verse 10

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Allah has cited for the disbelievers the example of the wife of NūH and the wife of LūT. Both were married with two of Our righteous servants, but betrayed them. So they could not benefit them against Allah at all, and it was said, “Enter the Fire along with those who enter.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Allah sets forth an example for the disbelievers: the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot. Each was married to one of Our righteous servants, yet betrayed them.[[ Both wives were disbelievers. Noah’s wife used to give away the identity of the new believers so the disbelievers could persecute them. And Lot’s wife used to tell the men about her husband’s handsome male visitors so they could approach them.]] So their husbands were of no benefit to them against Allah whatsoever. Both were told, “Enter the Fire, along with the others!”

Ruwwad Translation Center

Allah sets forth an example for the disbelievers: the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot, who were married to two of Our righteous slaves, but they betrayed them. Their husbands could not avail them anything against Allah, and they both were told, “Enter the Fire along with those who enter!”

A. J. Arberry

God has struck a similitude for the unbelievers -- the wife of Noah, and the wife of Lot; for they were under two of Our righteous servants, but they betrayed them, so they availed them nothing whatsoever against God; so it was said, 'Enter, you two, the Fire with those who enter.'

Abdul Haleem

God has given examples of disbelievers: the wives of Noah and Lot who married two of Our righteous servants but betrayed them. Their husbands could not help them against God: it was said, ‘Both of you enter the Fire with the others.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Allah propoundeth for those who disbelieve the similitude of the wife of Nuh and the wife of Lut. They were under two of our righteous bondmen; then they defrauded them. Wherefore the twain availed them naught against Allah, and it was said: enter ye twain the Fire with those who enter.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Allah sets forth, for an example to the Unbelievers, the wife of Noah and the wife of Lut; they were (respectively) under two of our righteous servants, but they were false to their (husbands), and they profited nothing before Allah on their account, but were told; "Enter ye the Fire along with (others) that enter!"

Abul Ala Maududi

Allah has set forth for the unbelievers the parable of the wives of Noah and Lot. They were wedded to two of Our righteous servants, but each acted treacherously with her husband, and their husbands could be of no avail to them against Allah. The two of them were told: “Enter the Fire with all the others who enter it.”

Ahmed Ali

God advances the example of Noah's wife and the wife of Lot for those who do not believe. They were married to Our two pious devotees, but they were unfaithful to them, and even (the apostles) could not avail them in the least against God; and it was said to them: "Enter Hell with those (who are condemned) to enter it."

Ahmed Raza Khan

Allah illustrates the example of the disbelievers – the wife of Nooh and the wife of Lut; they were bonded in marriage to two of Our bondmen deserving Our proximity – they then betrayed them so they did not benefit them the least against Allah and it was declared, “Both of you women enter the fire, along with others who enter.”

Ali Quli Qarai

Allah cites an example of the faithless: the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot. They were under two of our righteous servants, yet they betrayed them. So they did not avail them in any way against Allah, and it was said [to them], ‘Enter the Fire, along with those who enter [it].’

Ali Ünal

God presents the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot as an example for those who disbelieve. They were married to two of Our righteous servants yet betrayed them (by rejecting the Messages they brought from God and collaborating with the unbelievers). But they (their husbands) availed them nothing against God and it was said to them: "Enter the Fire with all those who enter it!"

Amatul Rahman Omar

Allâh compares those who disbelieve to the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot. They were both under (the wedlock of) two of Our righteous servants but acted treacherously towards them both. So they (- Noah and Lot) could do nothing to save them from (the punishment of) Allâh. And it was said to them, `Enter you both into the (Hell) Fire along with those (of your category) who enter therein.

English Literal

God gave an example/proverb to those who disbelieved, Noah`s woman (wife), and Lot`s woman (wife), they (B) were under (at) two worshippers (B) from Our worshippers (the) correct/righteous, so they (B) betrayed/were unfaithful to them (B), so they (B) did not enrich/avail from them (B) from God a thing, and (it was) said: "Enter (B) the fire with the entering."

Faridul Haque

Allah illustrates the example of the disbelievers - the wife of Nooh and the wife of Lut; they were bonded in marriage to two of Our bondmen deserving Our proximity – they then betrayed them so they did not benefit them the least against Allah and it was declared, “Both of you women enter the fire, along with others who enter.”

Hamid S. Aziz

Allah sets forth an example to those who disbelieve: the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot: they were both under two of Our righteous servants, but they were false towards them so they (the husbands) availed them naught against Allah, and it was said, "Enter you the Fire with those (others) who enter it.

Hilali & Khan

Allah sets forth an example for those who disbelieve, the wife of Nuh (Noah) and the wife of Lout (Lot). They were under two of our righteous slaves, but they both betrayed their (husbands by rejecting their doctrine) so they [Nuh (Noah) and Lout (Lot)] benefited them (their respective wives) not, against Allah, and it was said: "Enter the Fire along with those who enter!"

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And Mary, the daughter of Amran, who guarded her chastity, so We breathed into him Our inspiration and she accepted, the truth of the words of her Lord and His Books, and she was of the obedient ones.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Allah sets forth an example to those who disbelieve the wife of Nuh and the wife of Lut: they were both under two of Our righteous servants, but they acted treacherously towards them so they availed them naught against Allah, and it was said: Enter both the fire with those who enter.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Allah citeth an example for those who disbelieve: the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot, who were under two of Our righteous slaves yet betrayed them so that they (the husbands) availed them naught against Allah and it was said (unto them): Enter the Fire along with those who enter.

Muhammad Sarwar

God has told the disbelievers the story of the wives of Noah and Lot as a parable. They were married to two of Our righteous servants but were unfaithful to them. Nothing could protect them from the (wrath) of God and they were told to enter hell fire with the others.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Allah has given as an example for the unbelievers, the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot. They were married to two of Our righteous worshipers, but theybetrayed them. It was not for (Noah and Lot) to avail them a thing. It was said to them both: 'Enter the Fire with those who shall enter'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Allah sets forth an example for those who disbelieve: the wife of Nuh and the wife of Lut. They were under two of our righteous servants, but they both betrayed them. So, they availed them not against Allah and it was said: "Enter the Fire along with those who enter!"

Wahiduddin Khan

As an example to those who are bent on denying the truth, God cited the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot, who were married to two of Our righteous servants, but who betrayed them. So they could not help them against God, and they were told, "Enter the Fire along with all the others."

Talal Itani

God illustrates an example of those who disbelieve: the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot. They were under two of Our righteous servants, but they betrayed them. They availed them nothing against God, and it was said, “Enter the Fire with those who are entering.”

Tafsir jalalayn

God has struck a similitude for those who disbelieve; the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot. They were under two of Our righteous servants, yet they betrayed them, in [their] religion, for they both disbelieved -- Noah's wife, called Whila, used to say to his people that he was a madman, while Lot's wife, called W`ila, used to tell his people the whereabouts of his guests when they stayed with him, at night by lighting a fire, and during the day by making smoke. So they, that is, Noah and Lot, did not avail the two women in any way against God, against His chastisement, and it was said, to the two women; `Enter, both of you, the Fire along with the incomers', from among the disbelievers of the peoples of Noah and Lot.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلً لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا


Allah sets forth an example for those who disbelieve,

meaning, the disbelievers who live together in this life with Muslims, their mixing and mingling with Muslims will not help the disbelievers, nor will it avail them with Allah, until and unless they gain faith in their hearts.

Then Allah mentioned the parable, saying,

اِمْرَأَةَ نُوحٍ وَاِمْرَأَةَ لُوطٍ

كَانَتَا تَحْتَ عَبْدَيْنِ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا صَالِحَيْنِ

the wife of Nuh and the wife of Lut. They were under two of our righteous servants,

means, they were the wives of two of Allah's Messengers and were their companions by day and night, eating with them and sleeping with them, as much as any marriage contains of interaction between spouses.

However,

فَخَانَتَاهُمَا

they both betrayed them.

meaning, in the faith, they did not adhere to the faith sent through their husbands nor accepted their message. Therefore, all the intimate knowledge of their husbands neither helped them nor prevented punishment, hence Allah's statement,

فَلَمْ يُغْنِيَا عَنْهُمَا مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْيًا

So, they availed them not against Allah.

means, because their wives were disbelievers,


وَقِيلَ

and it was said,

meaning, to these wives,

ادْخُلَ النَّارَ مَعَ الدَّاخِلِينَ




Enter the Fire along with those who enter!

The part of the Ayah that reads,
فَخَانَتَاهُمَا
(but they both betrayed them) does not pertain to committing illegal sexual intercourse, but to refusing to accept the religion. Surely, the wives of the Prophets were immune from committing illegal sexual intercourse on account of the honor that Allah has granted His Prophets, as we explained in Surah An-Nur.

Al-`Awfi reported from Ibn Abbas,

"They betrayed them by not following their religion. The wife of Prophet Nuh used to expose his secrets, informing his oppressive people whenever any person embraced the faith with Nuh. As for the wife of Prophet Lut, she used to inform the people of the city (Sodom), who committed the awful sexual act (sodomy), whenever a guest was entertained by her husband."

Ad-Dahhak reported that Ibn Abbas said,

"No wife of a Prophet ever committed adultery and fornication. Rather, they betrayed them by refusing to follow their religion."

Similar was said by Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Ad-Dahhak and others