Al-Qur'an Surah At-Tahrim Verse 3

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And (remember) when the Prophet told one of his wives something in secret. So, when she disclosed it (to another wife), and Allah made it known to him, he told (the disclosing wife) part of it,and avoided another part. So when he informed her about it, she said, “Who told you about this?” He said, “I was told of it by the All-Knowing, the All-Aware.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

˹Remember˺ when the Prophet had ˹once˺ confided something to one of his wives, then when she disclosed it ˹to another wife˺ and Allah made it known to him, he presented ˹to her˺ part of what was disclosed and overlooked a part. So when he informed her of it, she exclaimed, “Who told you this?” He replied, “I was informed by the All-Knowing, All-Aware.”

Ruwwad Translation Center

And [remember] when the Prophet told one of his wives something in secret. Then when she disclosed it [to another wife], and Allah made it known to him, he told [the disclosing wife] part of what was disclosed and overlooked a part. When he informed her of that, she said, “Who informed you of this?” He said, “I was informed by the All-Knowing, the All-Aware.

A. J. Arberry

And when the Prophet confided to one of his wives a certain matter; and then, when she told of it, and God disclosed that to him, he made known part of it, and turned aside from part; then, when he told her of it, she said, 'Who told thee this?' He said, 'I was told of it by the All-knowing, the All-aware.'

Abdul Haleem

The Prophet told something in confidence to one of his wives. When she disclosed it [to another wife] and God made this known to him, he confirmed part of it, keeping the rest to himself. When he confronted her with what she had done, she asked, ‘Who told you about this?’ and he replied, ‘The All Knowing, the All Aware told me.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And recall what time the Prophet confided a story Unto one of his spouses, then she disclosed it, and Allah apprised him thereof, he made known part thereof and Withheld part. Then, when he had apprised her of it, she said: who hath acquainted thee therewith! He said the Knower, the Aware hath acquainted me.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

When the Prophet disclosed a matter in confidence to one of his consorts, and she then divulged it (to another), and Allah made it known to him, he confirmed part thereof and repudiated a part. Then when he told her thereof, she said, "Who told thee this? "He said, "He told me Who knows and is well-acquainted (with all things)."

Abul Ala Maududi

The Prophet confided something to one of his wives and then she disclosed it (to another); so after Allah revealed to the Prophet (that she had disclosed that secret), he made a part of it known to her and passed over a part of it. And when he told her about this (i.e., that she had disclosed the secret entrusted to her), she asked: “Who informed you of this?” He said: “I was told of it by He Who is All-Knowing, All-Aware.”

Ahmed Ali

When the Prophet told one of his wives something in confidence and she disclosed it, God revealed this to him. So he made some of it known to her, and held back some. When, however, he informed her about it, she asked: "Who told you this?" He said: "I was told this by the All-knowing, All-Informed."

Ahmed Raza Khan

And when the Holy Prophet confided a matter to one of his wives; so when she disclosed it and Allah conveyed this to the Holy Prophet, he told her part of it and held back a part; so when the Holy Prophet informed her about it, she said, “Who informed you?”; he said, “The All Knowing, the All Aware has informed me.”

Ali Quli Qarai

When the Prophet confided a matter to one of his wives, but when she divulged it [instead of guarding the secret] and Allah apprised him about it, he acquainted [her] with part of the matter and ignored part of it. So when he told her about it, she said, ‘Who informed you about it?’ He said, ‘The All-knowing and the All-aware has informed me.’

Ali Ünal

(It so happened that) the Prophet confided something to one of his wives, and when she divulged it (to another), and God acquainted him of it, he made known part of it, and missed out part. And when he informed her of it, she asked: "Who has told you this?" He said: "He informed me Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Aware."

Amatul Rahman Omar

(Recall the time) when the Prophet confided to one of his wives (-Hafsah) a certain (secret) matter. When she divulged it (to another of his wives âishah), and Allâh informed him (- the Prophet) of this, he then made known (to her) a part of it (to reprove her for what she had done) and avoided mentioning the other part. So when he told her about it she said, `Who has informed you of this?´ He (- the Prophet) said, `The All-Knowing, the All-Aware (God) has informed me.´

English Literal

And when the prophet confided to some (of) his wives an information/speech, so when she informed with it (others) and God made it apparent/visible on (to) him, he made some of it known and he opposed from some, so when he informed her with it, she said: "Who informed you (of) this?" He said: "The knowledgeable, the expert/experienced informed me."

Faridul Haque

And when the Holy Prophet confided a matter to one of his wives; so when she disclosed it and Allah conveyed this to the Holy Prophet, he told her part of it and held back a part; so when the Holy Prophet informed her about it, she said, “Who informed you?”; he said, “The All Knowing, the All Aware has informed me.”

Hamid S. Aziz

And the prophet communicated a piece of confidential information to one of his wives, but when she divulged it to another, Allah made it known to him. He confirmed part of it and denied part of it. Then when he informed her of it, she said, "Who told you of this?" He said, "He told me Who is the Knower, the Aware of all things."

Hilali & Khan

And (remember) when the Prophet (SAW) disclosed a matter in confidence to one of his wives (Hafsah), so when she told it (to another i.e. 'Aishah), and Allah made it known to him, he informed part thereof and left a part. Then when he told her (Hafsah) thereof, she said: "Who told you this?" He said: "The All-Knower, the All-Aware (Allah) has told me".

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Maybe, his Lord, if he divorce you, will give him in your place wives better than you, submissive, faithful, obedient, penitent, adorers, fasters, widows, and virgins.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And when the prophet secretly communicated a piece of information to one of his wives-- but when she informed (others) of it, and Allah made him to know it, he made known part of it and avoided part; so when he informed her of it, she said: Who informed you of this? He said: The Knowing, the one Aware, informed me.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

When the Prophet confided a fact unto one of his wives and when she afterward divulged it and Allah apprised him thereof, he made known (to her) part thereof and passed over part. And when he told it her she said: Who hath told thee? He said: The Knower, the Aware hath told me.

Muhammad Sarwar

The Prophet told a secret to one of his wives telling her not to mention it to anyone else. When she divulged it, God informed His Prophet about this. The Prophet told his wife part of the information which he had received from God and ignored the rest. Then she asked, "Who informed you about this?" He replied, "The All-aware and All-knowing one has told me".

Qaribullah & Darwish

The Prophet confided a certain matter to one of his wives but thereafter she disclosed it, then Allah revealed what she had done to him. He made part of it known and another part not. And when he acquainted her with it, she said: 'Who has told you this' He replied: 'I was told of it by the Knower, the Aware'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And (remember) when the Prophet disclosed a matter in confidence to one of his wives, then she told it. And Allah made it known to him; he informed part thereof and left a part. Then when he told her thereof, she said: "Who told you this" He said: "The All-Knower, the All-Aware has told me."

Wahiduddin Khan

The Prophet once told one of his wives something in confidence. She did not keep it secret and God informed him of this; he made known a part of it, and avoided [mentioning] part of it. When he spoke to his wife of this, she asked him who had told him about it. He replied, "The All Knowing, the All Aware One."

Talal Itani

The Prophet told something in confidence to one of his wives. But when she disclosed it, and God made it known to him; he communicated part of it, and he avoided another part. Then, when he informed her of it, she said, “Who informed you of this?” He said, “The All-Knowing, the All-Informed, informed me.”

Tafsir jalalayn

And, mention, when the Prophet confided to one of his wives, namely, Hafsa, a certain matter, which was his prohibition of Mriya, telling her; `Do not reveal it!'; but when she divulged it, to `'isha, reckoning there to be no blame in [doing] such a thing, and God apprised him, He informed him, of it, of what had been divulged, he announced part of it, to Hafsa, and passed over part, out of graciousness on his part. So when he told her about it, she said, `Who told you this?' He said, `I was told by the Knower, the Aware', namely, God.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

إِن تَتُوبَا إِلَى اللَّهِ فَقَدْ صَغَتْ قُلُوبُكُمَا

O Prophet!

Why do you forbid that which Allah has allowed to you, seeking to please your wives? And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Allah has already ordained for you (O men) the absolution from your oaths. And Allah is your Protector and He is the All-Knower, the All-Wise.

And (remember) when the Prophet disclosed a matter in confidence to one of his wives, then she told it.

And Allah made it known to him; he informed part thereof and left a part.

Then when he told her thereof, she said;"Who told you this?"

He said;"The All-Knower, the All-Aware has told me."

If you two turn in repentance to Allah, your hearts are indeed so inclined;

in reference to `A'ishah and Hafsah.

وَإِذْ أَسَرَّ النَّبِيُّ إِلَى بَعْضِ أَزْوَاجِهِ حَدِيثًا
And (remember) when the Prophet disclosed a matter in confidence to one of his wives, which refers to this saying,
بَلْ شَرِبْتُ عَسَلً
But I have drunk honey. Ibrahim bin Musa said that Hisham said that it also meant his saying,

وَلَنْ أَعُودَ لَهُ وَقَدْ حَلَفْتُ فَلَ تُخْبِرِي بِذَلِكِ أَحَدًا

I will not drink it anymore, I have taken an oath to that, therefore, do not inform anybody about it.

Al-Bukhari also recorded this Hadith in the Book of Divorce;

then he said,

"Al-Maghafir is a type of sap, and in Ar-Rimth (a type of citrus) its taste is sweet..."

Al-Jawhari said,

"The `Urfut is a tree of the shrub variety, which secretes Maghfur."

Muslim collected this Hadith from A'ishah in the Book of Divorce in his Sahih, and his wording is the same as Al-Bukhari in the Book of Vows.

In the Book of Divorce, Al-Bukhari recorded that A'ishah said,

"Allah's Messenger liked sweets and honey. After performing the `Asr prayer, he used to visit his wives, going close to them. So he went to Hafsah, daughter of Umar, and stayed with her more than his usual stay. I (A'ishah) became jealous and asked about that. It was said to me,

`A woman of her family sent her a small vessel of honey as a gift, and she gave a drink to Allah's Messenger made from it.'

I said, `By Allah, we will contrive a plot against him.'

I said to Sawdah bint Zam`ah, `When the Messenger visits you and draws close to you, say to him, `Have you eaten Maghafir?' And when he says to you, `No', then ask him, `What is this odor?'

He will say to you, `Hafsah has given me a drink of honey.' Then you should say to him, `The honeybees might have eaten from Urfut, and I will also say the same to him. Safiyyah, you should also say this.'

Sawdah later said, `It was under compulsion that I had decided to state that which you told me; soon, by Allah, he was standing at my door.'

So when Allah's Messenger came near her, she said, `O Messenger of Allah! Did you eat Maghafir'

He said, `No.'

She again said, `Then what is this odor'

He said,
سَقَتْنِي حَفْصَةُ شَرْبَةَ عَسَل
Hafsah gave me honey to drink.

She said, `The honeybees might have eaten from `Urfut."'

A'ishah continued, "When he came to me I said the same to him."

He then visited Safiyyah and she also said similar to him.

When he again visited Hafsah, she said, `O Messenger of Allah, should I not give you that (drink)?'

He said,
لَاا حَاجَةَ لِي فِيه
I do not need it.

Sawdah said, `By Allah! We have prevented him from drinking honey.'

I said to her, `Keep quiet!"'

Muslim also recorded this Hadith, but this wording is from Al-Bukhari.

In the narration of Muslim, A'ishah said,

"The Messenger of Allah used to hate to have a bad odor coming from him"

This is why they suggested to him that he ate Maghafir, because it causes a bad odor. When he said,
بَلْ شَرِبْتُ عَسَلً
No, I had some honey.

They said that the bees ate from a tree that is called Al-`Urfut, which has Maghafir gum, suggesting that this is the reason behind the bad odor they claimed was coming from him.

The latter narration, collected through Urwah from A'ishah, mentions that it was Hafsah who gave the Prophet the honey.

In another narration collected from `Ubayd bin `Umayr, from A'ishah, it was Zaynab bint Jahsh who gave the honey to the Prophet, while A'ishah and Hafsah were the plotters. Allah knows best.

Some might say that they were two separate incidents. However, it is not likely that the Ayat were revealed about both incidents, if indeed they were two separate incidents. Allah knows best.

A Hadith that Imam Ahmad collected in the Musnad mentions that A'ishah and Hafsah were the plotters.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn Abbas said,

"I was eager to ask `Umar about the two ladies among the wives of the Prophet , about whom Allah said,
إِن تَتُوبَا إِلَى اللَّهِ فَقَدْ صَغَتْ قُلُوبُكُمَا
(If you two turn in repentance to Allah your hearts are indeed so inclined);

Then I performed Hajj along with Umar, and on our way back from Hajj he went aside (to relieve himself). I also went aside along with him carrying a tumbler of water. When he finished and returned, I poured water on his hands from the tumbler and he performed ablution. I said,

`O Commander of the faithful! Who were the two ladies among the wives of the Prophet, to whom Allah said,
إِن تَتُوبَا إِلَى اللَّهِ فَقَدْ صَغَتْ قُلُوبُكُمَا
(If you two turn in repentance to Allah your hearts are indeed so inclined),'

Umar said, `I am astonished at your question, O Ibn `Abbas."' -

Az-Zuhri (a subnarrator) said that Umar did not like the question, but he still answered it, saying that they were `A'ishah and Hafsah."

Then `Umar went on relating the story and said,

`We, the people of Quraysh, used to have authority over our women. But when we came to live with the Ansar, we noticed that the Ansari women had the upper hand over their men, so our women started acquiring the habits of the Ansari women. At that time, I was residing at the house of Umayyah bin Zayd, in Al-Awali. Once I got angry with my wife, and she talked back to me; I disliked her answering me back. She said,

`Why do you dislike me talking back to you By Allah, the wives of the Prophet talk back to him, and some of them may not speak with him for the whole day, until nightfall.'

Then I went to Hafsah and asked her, `Do you talk back to Allah's Messenger'

She said, `Yes.'

I asked, `Does any of you keep Allah's Messenger angry all day long, until night?'

She replied, `Yes.'

I said, `Whoever among you does this is a ruined, losing person! Doesn't she fear that Allah may get angry for the anger of His Messenger and, thus, she will be ruined. Don't ask Allah's Messenger too many things, and don't retort him in any case. Demand from me whatever you like, and don't be tempted to imitate your neighbor, for she is more beautiful than you, and more beloved to Allah's Messenger than you.'

He meant `A'ishah.

I, and an Ansari neighbor of mine used to visit the Prophet in turns. He used to go one day, and I another day. When I went I would bring him the news of what had happened that day regarding the revelation and when he went, he used to do the same for me.

In those days it was rumored that the Ghassan (tribe) were preparing their horses to invade us. My companion went and returned to us at night and knocked at my door. I came out to him. He said that a grave thing happened.

I asked him, `What is it Have Ghassan come'

He replied that it was worse and more serious than that, adding that Allah's Messenger had divorced all his wives.

I said, `Hafsah is a ruined loser! I expected that would happen some day.'

So I dressed myself and I performed the Subh prayer. I went to Hafsah and found her weeping. I asked her, `Has Allah's Messenger divorced all of you'

She replied, `I don't know. He is there alone in the upper room.'

I went to the upper room and asked a black slave of the Prophet to ask for his permission to see me, and the boy went in and then came out saying, `I mentioned you to him and he remained silent.'

I then went out and came to the Minbar and found a group of people around it and some of them were weeping. I sat with them for some time, but could not endure the situation. So, I requested to the boy, `Will you get the permission for Umar?'

He went in and then came out saying, `I mentioned you to him, but he did not reply.'

So, I went to Minbar and sat with the people who were sitting by the Minbar, but I could not bear the situation, so I went to the boy again and said, `Will you get the permission for Umar?'

He went in and brought the same reply as before.

When I was leaving, behold, he called me saying, `Allah's Messenger has granted you permission.'

So, I entered the Prophet's room, greeted him with the Salam and saw him lying on a mat without bedding on it, and the mat had left its mark on the body of the Prophet.

I said, `Have you divorced your wives, O Allah's Messenger'

He raised his eyes to me and replied no.

I said, `Allahu Akbar. O Allah's Messenger! We, the people of Quraysh used to have the upper hand over our women. But when we came to Al-Madinah, we found a people whose women had the upper hand over them. Our women started learning this behavior from them. Once, I got angry with my wife, and she talked back to me. I disliked that behavior from her and she said, `Why do you dislike that I talk back to you By Allah, the Prophet's wives talk back to him and one of them would ignore him the whole day, until the night.' I said to her, `Whoever does this among them is the ruined loser! Does she feel safe from Allah getting angry with her on account of His Messenger's anger In that case, she would be ruined.'

On that the Prophet smiled.

I then said, `O Allah's Messenger! I went to Hafsah and said to her, `Do not be tempted to imitate your companion (`A'ishah) for she is more beautiful than you and more beloved to the Prophet.'

The Prophet smiled again.

When I saw him smiling, I said, `Does the Messenger feel calm?'

He said, `Yes.' So, I sat down and cast a glance at the room, and by Allah, I couldn't see anything of importance, except three hides. I said,

`Invoke Allah, O Allah's Messenger, to make your followers prosperous, for the Persians and the Byzantines have been made prosperous and given worldly luxuries, even though they do not worship Allah.'

The Prophet sat upright and said,

أَفِي شَكَ أَنْتَ يَا ابْنَ الْخَطَّابِ أُولَيِكَ قَوْمٌ عُجِّلَتْ لَهُمْ طَيِّبَاتُهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا

O Ibn Al-Khattab! Do you have any doubt These people have been given rewards of their good deeds in this world only.

I asked the Prophet, `Please beg Allah's forgiveness for me, O Allah's Messenger.'

The Prophet swore that he would not go to his wives for one month, because of his severe anger towards them, until Allah the Exalted and Most Honored censured him."

Al-Bukhari, Muslim, At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i also collected this Hadith using various chains of narration.

Al-Bukhari and Muslim also collected it from Ibn Abbas, who said,

"For a whole year, I was eager to ask `Umar bin Al-Khattab about an Ayah. However, I hesitated out of respect for him. Once, he went on a Hajj trip and I accompanied him. On our way back, he stopped to relieve himself behind some trees of Arak. I stopped until he finished and then walked along with him and asked him, `O Leader of the believers! Who are the two women who helped each other (or plotted) against the Prophet "'

This is the narration that Al-Bukhari collected, while Muslim recorded that Ibn Abbas asked,

"Who are the two women about whom Allah the Exalted said,
وَإِن تَظَاهَرَا عَلَيْهِ
but if you help one another against him,"

`Umar replied, "A'ishah and Hafsah."

Muslim mentioned the rest of the Hadith.

Muslim also recorded that Ibn `Abbas said that Umar bin Al-Khattab said to him,

"When Allah's Messenger stayed away from his wives, I entered the Masjid and found people striking the ground with pebbles. They said, `Allah's Messenger has divorced his wives.' That occurred before Hijab was commanded. I said to myself, `I must investigate this news today."'

So he mentioned the Hadith in which he went to `A'ishah and Hafsah and admonished them. He then said, `I went in and found Rabah, the servant of Allah's Messenger, sitting on a window sill. I called, `O Rabah, seek permission for me from Allah's Messenger."'

He then mentioned the story as we mentioned above.

Umar continued,

"I said, `O Messenger of Allah, what trouble do you feel from your wives If you have divorced them, verily Allah is with you, His angels, Jibril, Mikal, I, Abu Bakr and the rest of believers are with you.' Often, when I talked, all praise is due to Allah, I hoped that Allah would testify to the words that I uttered. And so the Ayat of option was revealed. Allah said,

عَسَى رَبُّهُ إِن طَلَّقَكُنَّ أَن يُبْدِلَهُ أَزْوَاجًا خَيْرًا مِّنكُنَّ


Maybe his Lord, if he divorces you, will give him in your place wives better than you, and,

وَإِن تَظَاهَرَا عَلَيْهِ

فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ مَوْلَاإهُ وَجِبْرِيلُ وَصَالِحُ الْمُوْمِنِينَ

وَالْمَلَايِكَةُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ ظَهِيرٌ