Revealed in Madinah, Surah Al-Mujadila (The Pleading Woman) begins with the plea of Khawlah bint Tha'labah, confirming that God hears the arguments of those who are wronged. It sets down legislative rulings regarding the pre-Islamic practice of Zihar (arbitrary estrangement of wives) and details the proper etiquette for private assemblies and gatherings. It emphasizes that God is present in every secret conversation, warning against alliances with the enemies of faith.
Transliteration
Qad samiAAa Allahu qawla allatee tujadiluka fee zawjiha watashtakee ila Allahi waAllahu yasmaAAu tahawurakuma inna Allaha sameeAAun baseerun
Translation
God has heard the statement of she who argued with you concerning her husband, as she complained to God. God heard your conversation. God is Hearing and Seeing
Revealed when Khawlah bint Tha'labah came weeping to the Prophet ﷺ after her husband angrily uttered the pagan divorce curse of 'Zihar' ('You are to me like my mother's back'), leaving her in legal and emotional limbo. Aisha remarked: 'Glory be to Him whose hearing encompasses all sounds; I was in the very same room and could barely hear her whispers, yet God heard her from above seven heavens and revealed her liberation.'
Transliteration
Allatheena yuthahiroona minkum min nisaihim ma hunna ommahatihim in ommahatuhum illa allaee waladnahum wainnahum layaqooloona munkaran mina alqawli wazooran wainna Allaha laAAafuwwun ghafoorun
Translation
Those of you who estrange their wives by equating them with their mothers—they are not their mothers. Their mothers are none else but those who gave birth to them. What they say is evil, and a blatant lie. But God is Pardoning and Forgiving
Decisively abolishes the pagan custom of 'Zihar', branding it a shameful, false falsehood. God clarifies that a man's wife can never become his mother; mothers are exclusively those women who gave birth to them.
Transliteration
Waallatheena yuthahiroona min nisaihim thumma yaAAoodoona lima qaloo fatahreeru raqabatin min qabli an yatamassa thalikum tooAAathoona bihi waAllahu bima taAAmaloona khabeerun
Translation
Those who estrange their wives by equating them with their mothers, then go back on what they said, must set free a slave before they may touch one another. To this you are exhorted, and God is well aware of what you do
Prescribes the mandatory legal expiation ('Kaffarah') for uttering Zihar before marital intimacy can be resumed: freeing a slave, or if financially unable, fasting two consecutive lunar months, or if physically unable, feeding sixty destitute individuals.
Transliteration
Faman lam yajid fasiyamu shahrayni mutatabiAAayni min qabli an yatamassa faman lam yastatiAA faitAAamu sitteena miskeenan thalika lituminoo biAllahi warasoolihi watilka hudoodu Allahi walilkafireena AAathabun aleemun
Translation
But whoever cannot find the means must fast for two consecutive months before they may touch one another. And if he is unable, then the feeding of sixty needy people. This, in order that you affirm your faith in God and His Messenger. These are the ordinances of God. The unbelievers will have a painful punishment
Transliteration
Inna allatheena yuhaddoona Allaha warasoolahu kubitoo kama kubita allatheena min qablihim waqad anzalna ayatin bayyinatin walilkafireena AAathabun muheenun
Translation
Those who oppose God and His Messenger will be subdued, as those before them were subdued. We have revealed clear messages. The unbelievers will have a demeaning punishment
Transliteration
Yawma yabAAathuhumu Allahu jameeAAan fayunabbiohum bima AAamiloo ahsahu Allahu wanasoohu waAllahu AAala kulli shayin shaheedun
Translation
On the Day when God resurrects them all, and informs them of what they did. God has kept count of it, but they have forgotten it. God is Witness over everything
Transliteration
Alam tara anna Allaha yaAAlamu ma fee alssamawati wama fee alardi ma yakoonu min najwa thalathatin illa huwa rabiAAuhum wala khamsatin illa huwa sadisuhum wala adna min thalika wala akthara illa huwa maAAahum ayna ma kanoo thumma yunabbiohum bima AAamiloo yawma alqiyamati inna Allaha bikulli shayin AAaleemun
Translation
Do you not realize that God knows everything in the heavens and everything on earth? There is no secret counsel between three, but He is their fourth; nor between five, but He is their sixth; nor less than that, nor more, but He is with them wherever they may be. Then, on the Day of Resurrection, He will inform them of what they did. God has knowledge of everything
Emphasizes God's omnipresent witness over human conduct: whenever three people whisper in private, God is their fourth; whenever five converse, He is their sixth—nothing in any clandestine meeting escapes divine knowledge.
Transliteration
Alam tara ila allatheena nuhoo AAani alnnajwa thumma yaAAoodoona lima nuhoo AAanhu wayatanajawna bialithmi waalAAudwani wamaAAsiyati alrrasooli waitha jaooka hayyawka bima lam yuhayyika bihi Allahu wayaqooloona fee anfusihim lawla yuAAaththibuna Allahu bima naqoolu hasbuhum jahannamu yaslawnaha fabisa almaseeru
Translation
Have you noted those who were prohibited from conspiring secretly, but then reverted to what they were prohibited from? They conspire to commit sin, and aggression, and defiance of the Messenger. And when they come to you, they greet you with a greeting that God never greeted you with. And they say within themselves, “Why does God not punish us for what we say?” Hell is enough for them. They will roast in it. What a miserable destiny
Exposes the hostility of Medinan hypocrites and hostile groups: when approaching the Prophet ﷺ, they twisted their tongues to mumble 'As-Samu 'alayk' (Death be upon you) while pretending to say the greeting of peace ('As-Salamu 'alayk'), secretly scoffing that God did not punish them immediately.
Transliteration
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo itha tanajaytum fala tatanajaw bialithmi waalAAudwani wamaAAsiyati alrrasooli watanajaw bialbirri waalttaqwa waittaqoo Allaha allathee ilayhi tuhsharoona
Translation
O you who believe! When you converse secretly, do not converse in sin, and aggression, and disobedience of the Messenger; but converse in virtue and piety; And fear God, to Whom you will be gathered
Transliteration
Innama alnnajwa mina alshshaytani liyahzuna allatheena amanoo walaysa bidarrihim shayan illa biithni Allahi waAAala Allahi falyatawakkali almuminoona
Translation
Conspiracies are from Satan, that he may dishearten those who believe; but he will not harm them in the least, except by leave of God. So let the believers put their trust in God
Transliteration
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo itha qeela lakum tafassahoo fee almajalisi faifsahoo yafsahi Allahu lakum waitha qeela onshuzoo faonshuzoo yarfaAAi Allahu allatheena amanoo minkum waallatheena ootoo alAAilma darajatin waAllahu bima taAAmaloona khabeerun
Translation
O you who believe! When you are told to make room in your gatherings, make room; God will make room for you. And when you are told to disperse, disperse. God elevates those among you who believe, and those given knowledge, many steps. God is Aware of what you do
Regulates assembly manners in community gatherings: commands believers to make room hospitably for latecomers in crowded halls and rise politely when requested, promising that God will elevate those blessed with faith and knowledge to high spiritual ranks.
Transliteration
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo itha najaytumu alrrasoola faqaddimoo bayna yaday najwakum sadaqatan thalika khayrun lakum waatharu fain lam tajidoo fainna Allaha ghafoorun raheemun
Translation
O you who believe! When you converse privately with the Messenger, offer something in charity before your conversation. That is better for you, and purer. But if you do not find the means—God is Forgiving and Merciful
A brief pedagogical law: Believers were temporarily instructed to offer a voluntary charitable donation before seeking private consultations with the Prophet ﷺ, designed to instill reverence and prevent frivolous demands on his time.
Transliteration
Aashfaqtum an tuqaddimoo bayna yaday najwakum sadaqatin faith lam tafAAaloo wataba Allahu AAalaykum faaqeemoo alssalata waatoo alzzakata waateeAAoo Allaha warasoolahu waAllahu khabeerun bima taAAmaloona
Translation
Are you reluctant to offer charity before your conversation? If you do not do so, and God pardons you, then perform the prayer, and give alms, and obey God and His Messenger. God is Aware of what you do
Transliteration
Alam tara ila allatheena tawallaw qawman ghadiba Allahu AAalayhim ma hum minkum wala minhum wayahlifoona AAala alkathibi wahum yaAAlamoona
Translation
Have you considered those who befriended a people with whom God has become angry? They are not of you, nor of them. And they swear to a lie while they know
Transliteration
aAAadda Allahu lahum AAathaban shadeedan innahum saa ma kanoo yaAAmaloona
Translation
God has prepared for them a terrible punishment. Evil is what they used to do
Transliteration
Ittakhathoo aymanahum junnatan fasaddoo AAan sabeeli Allahi falahum AAathabun muheenun
Translation
They took their oaths as a screen, and prevented others from God’s path. They will have a shameful punishment
Transliteration
Lan tughniya AAanhum amwaluhum wala awladuhum mina Allahi shayan olaika ashabu alnnari hum feeha khalidoona
Translation
Neither their possessions nor their children will avail them anything against God. These are the inhabitants of the Fire, dwelling therein forever
Transliteration
Yawma yabAAathuhumu Allahu jameeAAan fayahlifoona lahu kama yahlifoona lakum wayahsaboona annahum AAala shayin ala innahum humu alkathiboona
Translation
On the Day when God will resurrect them altogether—they will swear to Him, as they swear to you, thinking that they are upon something. Indeed, they themselves are the liars
Transliteration
Istahwatha AAalayhimu alshshaytanu faansahum thikra Allahi olaika hizbu alshshaytani ala inna hizba alshshaytani humu alkhasiroona
Translation
Satan has taken hold of them, and so has caused them to forget the remembrance of God. These are the partisans of Satan. Indeed, it is Satan’s partisans who are the losers
Transliteration
Inna allatheena yuhaddoona Allaha warasoolahu olaika fee alathalleena
Translation
Those who oppose God and His Messenger are among the lowliest
Transliteration
Kataba Allahu laaghlibanna ana warusulee inna Allaha qawiyyun AAazeezun
Translation
God has written: “I will certainly prevail, I and My messengers.” God is Strong and Mighty
Transliteration
La tajidu qawman yuminoona biAllahi waalyawmi alakhiri yuwaddoona man hadda Allaha warasoolahu walaw kanoo abaahum aw abnaahum aw ikhwanahum aw AAasheeratahum olaika kataba fee quloobihimu aleemana waayyadahum biroohin minhu wayudkhiluhum jannatin tajree min tahtiha alanharu khalideena feeha radiya Allahu AAanhum waradoo AAanhu olaika hizbu Allahi ala inna hizba Allahi humu almuflihoona
Translation
You will not find a people who believe in God and the Last Day, loving those who oppose God and His Messenger, even if they were their parents, or their children, or their siblings, or their close relatives. These—He has inscribed faith in their hearts, and has supported them with a spirit from Him. And He will admit them into Gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will dwell forever. God is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him. These are the partisans of God. Indeed, it is God’s partisans who are the successful
Honors the spiritual integrity of early companions—such as Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah—who prioritized divine justice and truth over hostile family bonds when forced to defend their vulnerable community against aggressive relatives at Badr.