سورة المجادلة
Surah Al-Mujadila
The Pleading Woman
Surah Al-Mujadila (The Pleading Woman) is the 58th surah of the Quran. It has 22 verses and is a Medinan surah. Below is the complete Arabic text with an English translation and transliteration, verse by verse.
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
قَدۡ سَمِعَ ٱللَّهُ قَوۡلَ ٱلَّتِي تُجَٰدِلُكَ فِي زَوۡجِهَا وَ تَشۡتَكِيٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَ ٱللَّهُ يَسۡمَعُ تَحَاوُرَكُمَآ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعُۢ بَصِيرٌ﴿١﴾
Qad samiʿa Allahu qawla allatee tujadiluka fee zawjiha watashtakee ila Allahi waAllahu yasmaʿu tahawurakuma inna Allaha sameeʿun baseerun
Certainly has Allāh heard the speech of the one who argues [i.e., pleads] with you, [O Muḥammad], concerning her husband and directs her complaint to Allāh. And Allāh hears your dialogue; indeed, Allāh is Hearing and Seeing.
ٱلَّذِينَ يُظَٰهِرُونَ مِنكُم مِّن نِّسَآئِهِم مَّا هُنَّ أُمَّهَٰتِهِمۡ ۖ إِنۡ أُمَّهَٰتُهُمۡ إِلَّا ٱلَّٰٓـِٔي وَلَدۡنَهُمۡ ۚ وَ إِنَّهُمۡ لَيَقُولُونَ مُنكَرࣰا مِّنَ ٱلۡقَوۡلِ وَ زُورࣰا ۚ وَ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَعَفُوٌّ غَفُورࣱ﴿٢﴾
Allatheena yuthahiroona minkum min nisaihim ma hunna ommahatihim in ommahatuhum illa allaee waladnahum wainnahum layaqooloona munkaran mina alqawli wazooran wainna Allaha laʿafuwwun ghafoorun
Those who pronounce ẓihār among you [to separate] from their wives - they are not [consequently] their mothers. Their mothers are none but those who gave birth to them. And indeed, they are saying an objectionable statement and a falsehood. But indeed, Allāh is Pardoning and Forgiving.
وَ ٱلَّذِينَ يُظَٰهِرُونَ مِن نِّسَآئِهِمۡ ثُمَّ يَعُودُونَ لِمَا قَالُواْ فَتَحۡرِيرُ رَقَبَةࣲ مِّن قَبۡلِ أَن يَتَمَآسَّا ۚ ذَٰلِكُمۡ تُوعَظُونَ بِهِۦ ۚ وَ ٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرࣱ﴿٣﴾
Waallatheena yuthahiroona min nisaihim thumma yaʿoodoona lima qaloo fatahreeru raqabatin min qabli an yatamassa thalikum tooʿathoona bihi waAllahu bima taʿmaloona khabeerun
And those who pronounce ẓihār from their wives and then [wish to] go back on what they said - then [there must be] the freeing of a slave before they touch one another. That is what you are admonished thereby; and Allāh is Aware of what you do.
فَمَن لَّمۡ يَجِدۡ فَصِيَامُ شَهۡرَيۡنِ مُتَتَابِعَيۡنِ مِن قَبۡلِ أَن يَتَمَآسَّا ۖ فَمَن لَّمۡ يَسۡتَطِعۡ فَإِطۡعَامُ سِتِّينَ مِسۡكِينࣰا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ لِتُؤۡمِنُواْ بِٱللَّهِ وَ رَسُولِهِۦ ۚ وَ تِلۡكَ حُدُودُ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَ لِلۡكَٰفِرِينَ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ﴿٤﴾
Faman lam yajid fasiyamu shahrayni mutatabiʿayni min qabli an yatamassa faman lam yastatiʿ faitʿamu sitteena miskeenan thalika lituminoo biAllahi warasoolihi watilka hudoodu Allahi walilkafireena ʿathabun aleemun
And he who does not find [a slave] - then a fast for two months consecutively before they touch one another; and he who is unable - then the feeding of sixty poor persons. That is for you to believe [completely] in Allāh and His Messenger; and those are the limits [set by] Allāh. And for the disbelievers is a painful punishment.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُحَآدُّونَ ٱللَّهَ وَ رَسُولَهُۥ كُبِتُواْ كَمَا كُبِتَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡ ۚ وَ قَدۡ أَنزَلۡنَآ ءَايَٰتِۭ بَيِّنَٰتࣲ ۚ وَ لِلۡكَٰفِرِينَ عَذَابࣱ مُّهِينࣱ﴿٥﴾
Inna allatheena yuhaddoona Allaha warasoolahu kubitoo kama kubita allatheena min qablihim waqad anzalna ayatin bayyinatin walilkafireena ʿathabun muheenun
Indeed, those who oppose Allāh and His Messenger are abased as those before them were abased. And We have certainly sent down verses of clear evidence. And for the disbelievers is a humiliating punishment
يَوۡمَ يَبۡعَثُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ جَمِيعࣰا فَيُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا عَمِلُوٓاْ ۚ أَحۡصَىٰهُ ٱللَّهُ وَ نَسُوهُ ۚ وَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءࣲ شَهِيدٌ﴿٦﴾
Yawma yabʿathuhumu Allahu jameeʿan fayunabbiohum bima ʿamiloo ahsahu Allahu wanasoohu waAllahu ʿala kulli shayin shaheedun
On the Day when Allāh will resurrect them all and inform them of what they did. Allāh had enumerated it, while they forgot it; and Allāh is, over all things, Witness.
أَلَمۡ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعۡلَمُ مَا فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَ مَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ ۖ مَا يَكُونُ مِن نَّجۡوَىٰ ثَلَٰثَةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ رَابِعُهُمۡ وَ لَا خَمۡسَةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ سَادِسُهُمۡ وَ لَآ أَدۡنَىٰ مِن ذَٰلِكَ وَ لَآ أَكۡثَرَ إِلَّا هُوَ مَعَهُمۡ أَيۡنَ مَا كَانُواْ ۖ ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا عَمِلُواْ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ عَلِيمٌ﴿٧﴾
Alam tara anna Allaha yaʿlamu ma fee alssamawati wama fee alardi ma yakoonu min najwa thalathatin illa huwa rabiʿuhum wala khamsatin illa huwa sadisuhum wala adna min thalika wala akthara illa huwa maʿahum ayna ma kanoo thumma yunabbiohum bima ʿamiloo yawma alqiyamati inna Allaha bikulli shayin ʿaleemun
Have you not considered that Allāh knows what is in the heavens and what is on the earth? There are not three in a private conversation but that He is the fourth of them, nor are there five but that He is the sixth of them - and no less than that and no more except that He is with them [in knowledge] wherever they are. Then He will inform them of what they did on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed Allāh is, of all things, Knowing.
أَلَمۡ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ نُهُواْ عَنِ ٱلنَّجۡوَىٰ ثُمَّ يَعُودُونَ لِمَا نُهُواْ عَنۡهُ وَ يَتَنَٰجَوۡنَ بِٱلۡإِثۡمِ وَ ٱلۡعُدۡوَٰنِ وَ مَعۡصِيَتِ ٱلرَّسُولِ ۖ وَ إِذَا جَآءُوكَ حَيَّوۡكَ بِمَا لَمۡ يُحَيِّكَ بِهِ ٱللَّهُ وَ يَقُولُونَ فِيٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡ لَوۡلَا يُعَذِّبُنَا ٱللَّهُ بِمَا نَقُولُ ۚ حَسۡبُهُمۡ جَهَنَّمُ يَصۡلَوۡنَهَا ۖ فَبِئۡسَ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ﴿٨﴾
Alam tara ila allatheena nuhoo ʿani alnnajwa thumma yaʿoodoona lima nuhoo ʿanhu wayatanajawna bialithmi waalʿudwani wamaʿsiyati alrrasooli waitha jaooka hayyawka bima lam yuhayyika bihi Allahu wayaqooloona fee anfusihim lawla yuʿaththibuna Allahu bima naqoolu hasbuhum jahannamu yaslawnaha fabisa almaseeru
Have you not considered those who were forbidden from private conversation [i.e., ridicule and conspiracy] and then return to that which they were forbidden and converse among themselves about sin and aggression and disobedience to the Messenger? And when they come to you, they greet you with that [word] by which Allāh does not greet you and say among themselves, "Why does Allāh not punish us for what we say?" Sufficient for them is Hell, which they will [enter to] burn, and wretched is the destination.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا تَنَٰجَيۡتُمۡ فَلَا تَتَنَٰجَوۡاْ بِٱلۡإِثۡمِ وَ ٱلۡعُدۡوَٰنِ وَ مَعۡصِيَتِ ٱلرَّسُولِ وَ تَنَٰجَوۡاْ بِٱلۡبِرِّ وَ ٱلتَّقۡوَىٰ ۖ وَ ٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِيٓ إِلَيۡهِ تُحۡشَرُونَ﴿٩﴾
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo itha tanajaytum fala tatanajaw bialithmi waalʿudwani wamaʿsiyati alrrasooli watanajaw bialbirri waalttaqwa waittaqoo Allaha allathee ilayhi tuhsharoona
O you who have believed, when you converse privately, do not converse about sin and aggression and disobedience to the Messenger but converse about righteousness and piety. And fear Allāh, to whom you will be gathered.
إِنَّمَا ٱلنَّجۡوَىٰ مِنَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِ لِيَحۡزُنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَ لَيۡسَ بِضَآرِّهِمۡ شَيۡـًٔا إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَلۡيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ﴿١٠﴾
Innama alnnajwa mina alshshaytani liyahzuna allatheena amanoo walaysa bidarrihim shayan illa biithni Allahi waʿala Allahi falyatawakkali almuminoona
Private conversation is only from Satan that he may grieve those who have believed, but he will not harm them at all except by permission of Allāh. And upon Allāh let the believers rely.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمۡ تَفَسَّحُواْ فِي ٱلۡمَجَٰلِسِ فَٱفۡسَحُواْ يَفۡسَحِ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡ ۖ وَ إِذَا قِيلَ ٱنشُزُواْ فَٱنشُزُواْ يَرۡفَعِ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مِنكُمۡ وَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡعِلۡمَ دَرَجَٰتࣲ ۚ وَ ٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرࣱ﴿١١﴾
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo itha qeela lakum tafassahoo fee almajalisi faifsahoo yafsahi Allahu lakum waitha qeela onshuzoo faonshuzoo yarfaʿi Allahu allatheena amanoo minkum waallatheena ootoo alʿilma darajatin waAllahu bima taʿmaloona khabeerun
O you who have believed, when you are told, "Space yourselves" in assemblies, then make space; Allāh will make space for you. And when you are told, "Arise," then arise; Allāh will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees. And Allāh is Aware of what you do.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا نَٰجَيۡتُمُ ٱلرَّسُولَ فَقَدِّمُواْ بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡ نَجۡوَىٰكُمۡ صَدَقَةࣰ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيۡرࣱ لَّكُمۡ وَ أَطۡهَرُ ۚ فَإِن لَّمۡ تَجِدُواْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورࣱ رَّحِيمٌ﴿١٢﴾
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo itha najaytumu alrrasoola faqaddimoo bayna yaday najwakum sadaqatan thalika khayrun lakum waatharu fain lam tajidoo fainna Allaha ghafoorun raheemun
O you who have believed, when you [wish to] privately consult the Messenger, present before your consultation a charity. That is better for you and purer. But if you find not [the means] - then indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
ءَأَشۡفَقۡتُمۡ أَن تُقَدِّمُواْ بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡ نَجۡوَىٰكُمۡ صَدَقَٰتࣲ ۚ فَإِذۡ لَمۡ تَفۡعَلُواْ وَ تَابَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ فَأَقِيمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَ ءَاتُواْ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَ أَطِيعُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَ رَسُولَهُۥ ۚ وَ ٱللَّهُ خَبِيرُۢ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ﴿١٣﴾
Aashfaqtum an tuqaddimoo bayna yaday najwakum sadaqatin faith lam tafʿaloo wataba Allahu ʿalaykum faaqeemoo alssalata waatoo alzzakata waateeʿoo Allaha warasoolahu waAllahu khabeerun bima taʿmaloona
Have you feared to present before your consultation charities? Then when you do not and Allāh has forgiven you, then [at least] establish prayer and give zakāh and obey Allāh and His Messenger. And Allāh is Aware of what you do.
أَلَمۡ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ تَوَلَّوۡاْ قَوۡمًا غَضِبَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِم مَّا هُم مِّنكُمۡ وَ لَا مِنۡهُمۡ وَ يَحۡلِفُونَ عَلَى ٱلۡكَذِبِ وَ هُمۡ يَعۡلَمُونَ﴿١٤﴾
Alam tara ila allatheena tawallaw qawman ghadiba Allahu ʿalayhim ma hum minkum wala minhum wayahlifoona ʿala alkathibi wahum yaʿlamoona
Have you not considered those who make allies of a people with whom Allāh has become angry? They are neither of you nor of them, and they swear to untruth while they know [they are lying].
أَعَدَّ ٱللَّهُ لَهُمۡ عَذَابࣰا شَدِيدًا ۖ إِنَّهُمۡ سَآءَ مَا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ﴿١٥﴾
aʿadda Allahu lahum ʿathaban shadeedan innahum saa ma kanoo yaʿmaloona
Allāh has prepared for them a severe punishment. Indeed, it was evil that they were doing.
ٱتَّخَذُوٓاْ أَيۡمَٰنَهُمۡ جُنَّةࣰ فَصَدُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَلَهُمۡ عَذَابࣱ مُّهِينࣱ﴿١٦﴾
Ittakhathoo aymanahum junnatan fasaddoo ʿan sabeeli Allahi falahum ʿathabun muheenun
They took their [false] oaths as a cover, so they averted [people] from the way of Allāh, and for them is a humiliating punishment.
لَّن تُغۡنِيَ عَنۡهُمۡ أَمۡوَٰلُهُمۡ وَ لَآ أَوۡلَٰدُهُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ شَيۡـًٔا ۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ هُمۡ فِيهَا خَٰلِدُونَ﴿١٧﴾
Lan tughniya ʿanhum amwaluhum wala awladuhum mina Allahi shayan olaika ashabu alnnari hum feeha khalidoona
Never will their wealth or their children avail them against Allāh at all. Those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally
يَوۡمَ يَبۡعَثُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ جَمِيعࣰا فَيَحۡلِفُونَ لَهُۥ كَمَا يَحۡلِفُونَ لَكُمۡ وَ يَحۡسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمۡ عَلَىٰ شَيۡءٍ ۚ أَلَآ إِنَّهُمۡ هُمُ ٱلۡكَٰذِبُونَ﴿١٨﴾
Yawma yabʿathuhumu Allahu jameeʿan fayahlifoona lahu kama yahlifoona lakum wayahsaboona annahum ʿala shayin ala innahum humu alkathiboona
On the Day Allāh will resurrect them all, and they will swear to Him as they swear to you and think that they are [standing] on something. Unquestionably, it is they who are the liars.
ٱسۡتَحۡوَذَ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ فَأَنسَىٰهُمۡ ذِكۡرَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ حِزۡبُ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِ ۚ أَلَآ إِنَّ حِزۡبَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِ هُمُ ٱلۡخَٰسِرُونَ﴿١٩﴾
Istahwatha ʿalayhimu alshshaytanu faansahum thikra Allahi olaika hizbu alshshaytani ala inna hizba alshshaytani humu alkhasiroona
Satan has overcome them and made them forget the remembrance of Allāh. Those are the party of Satan. Unquestionably, the party of Satan - they will be the losers.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُحَآدُّونَ ٱللَّهَ وَ رَسُولَهُۥٓ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ فِي ٱلۡأَذَلِّينَ﴿٢٠﴾
Inna allatheena yuhaddoona Allaha warasoolahu olaika fee alathalleena
Indeed, the ones who oppose Allāh and His Messenger - those will be among the most humbled.
كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَأَغۡلِبَنَّ أَنَا۠ وَ رُسُلِيٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَوِيٌّ عَزِيزࣱ﴿٢١﴾
Kataba Allahu laaghlibanna ana warusulee inna Allaha qawiyyun ʿazeezun
Allāh has written [i.e., decreed], "I will surely overcome, I and My messengers." Indeed, Allāh is Powerful and Exalted in Might.
لَّا تَجِدُ قَوۡمࣰا يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَ ٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأٓخِرِ يُوَآدُّونَ مَنۡ حَآدَّ ٱللَّهَ وَ رَسُولَهُۥ وَ لَوۡ كَانُوٓاْ ءَابَآءَهُمۡ أَوۡ أَبۡنَآءَهُمۡ أَوۡ إِخۡوَٰنَهُمۡ أَوۡ عَشِيرَتَهُمۡ ۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ كَتَبَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ ٱلۡإِيمَٰنَ وَ أَيَّدَهُم بِرُوحࣲ مِّنۡهُ ۖ وَ يُدۡخِلُهُمۡ جَنَّٰتࣲ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ رَضِيَ ٱللَّهُ عَنۡهُمۡ وَ رَضُواْ عَنۡهُ ۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ حِزۡبُ ٱللَّهِ ۚ أَلَآ إِنَّ حِزۡبَ ٱللَّهِ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ﴿٢٢﴾
La tajidu qawman yuminoona biAllahi waalyawmi alakhiri yuwaddoona man hadda Allaha warasoolahu walaw kanoo abaahum aw abnaahum aw ikhwanahum aw ʿasheeratahum olaika kataba fee quloobihimu aleemana waayyadahum biroohin minhu wayudkhiluhum jannatin tajree min tahtiha alanharu khalideena feeha radiya Allahu ʿanhum waradoo ʿanhu olaika hizbu Allahi ala inna hizba Allahi humu almuflihoona
You will not find a people who believe in Allāh and the Last Day having affection for those who oppose Allāh and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred. Those - He has decreed within their hearts faith and supported them with spirit from Him. And We will admit them to gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally. Allāh is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him - those are the party of Allāh. Unquestionably, the party of Allāh - they are the successful.
Translation: Saheeh International · Transliteration
About this surah
Name
This Surah is entitled Al Mujadalah as well as Al Mujadilah, the title being derived from the word tujadiluka of the very first verse. As at the outset mention has been made of the woman who pleaded with the Holy Prophet (upon whom be Allah's peace) the case of zihar pronounced by her husband and urged him to suggest a way out of the difficult situation in order to save her and, her children's life from ruin, and Allah has described her pleading by the word "mujadalah ", the Surah came to be known by this very title. If it is read as "mujadalah ",it would mean "pleading and arguing", and if it is read as "mujadilah ", it would mean "the woman who pleaded and argued."
Period of Revelation
There is no tradition to tell as to when this incident of pleading and arguing took place, but there is a hint in the subject matter of the Surah on the basis of which it can be said with certainty that it happened some time after the battle of the Trench (Shawwal, 5 A. H.). In Surah Al-Ahzab, Allah while negating that an adopted son could be one's real son, had just said this and no more; "And Allah has not made those of your wives whom you divorce by zihar your mothers." But in that Surah there was nothing to the effect that to divorce a wife by zihar was a sin or a crime, nor anything about the legal injunction concerning it. Contrary to it, in this Surah the whole law relating to zihar has been laid down, which shows that these detailed injunctions were sent down some time after the brief reference to it in Surah Al- Ahzab.
Subject Matter and Topics
In this Surah instructions have been given to the Muslims about the different problems that confronted them at that time.
From the beginning of the Surah to verse 6 legal injunctions about zihar have been given, along with which the Muslims have been strictly warned that it is contrary to their profession of the Faith that they should still persist in the practices of ignorance after they have accepted Islam, that they should break the bounds set by Allah, or refuse to abide by them, or that they should make their own rules and regulations contradictory to them. For this there is not only the punishment of disgrace and humiliation in the world but in the Hereafter too there will be strict accountability for it.
In vv. 7-10 the hypocrites have been taken to task for their secret whisperings and consultations by which they conspired and intrigued against the "Holy Prophet (upon whom be Allah's peace and blessings), and because of their hidden malice and grudge greeted him, like the Jews, in a manner as to wish him ill instead of well. In this connection, the Muslims have been consoled, as if to say: "These whisperings of the hypocrites can do no harm to you; therefore, you should go on doing your duty with full trust in Allah". Besides, they have also been taught this moral lesson:"The true believers, when they talk secretly together, do not talk of sin and transgression and disobedience to the Messenger if they have to talk secretly together they should talk of goodness and piety."
In vv. 11-13 the Muslims have been taught certain manners of social behavior and given instructions to eradicate certain social evils which were prevalent among the people then as they are today. If some people are sitting in an assembly, and more people arrive, they do not show even the courtesy as to squeeze in so as to make room for others, with the result that the new-comers have to keep standing, or to sit in the door-way, or to go back, or seeing that there is enough room yet start jumping over the people's heads to find room for themselves. This often used to be experienced in the Holy Prophet's assemblies. Therefore, Allah gave the instruction, as if to say:"Do not behave selfishly and narrow mindedly in your assemblies but do accommodate the new-comers also with an open heart."
Likewise, another vice found among the people is that when they go on a visit to somebody (an important person, in particular), they prolong their sitting and do not at all mind that encroaching upon his time unduly would cause him hardship. Then, if he tells them to leave, they mind it; if he himself rises up from their assembly, they complain of his lack of manners; if he tells them indirectly that he has some other business also to attend to, for which he needs time, they turn a deaf ear to his request. The Holy Prophet (upon whom be Allah's peace) himself also had to experience such misconduct of the people, who in their earnestness to benefit by his teaching did not at all see that they were wasting his precious time so badly needed for other important works. At last, Allah in order to eradicate this bad manner, enjoined that when the people are asked to rise up from an assembly, they should rise up and disperse.
Another vice prevalent among the people was that each person wished to have secret counsel individually with the Holy Prophet (upon whom be Allah's peace) without any real need, or would like that he should approach him during an assembly and whisper something to him. This was not only embarrassing for the Holy Prophet but also annoying for the people who sat in the assembly. That is why Allah imposed the restriction that anyone who wanted to consult him in private, should first give away something in charity. The object was that the people should be warned of this bad manner and made to give it up. Thus, the restriction was kept in force for a short while, and when the people had corrected their behavior, it was withdrawn.
From verse 14 to the end of the Surah members of the Muslim society, which was a mixture of the sincere Muslims and the hypocrites and the waverers, have been told plainly as to what is the criterion of sincerity in Islam. One kind of Muslims are those who are friends with the enemies of Islam: they do not hesitate for the sake of their interests to be treacherous to the religion which they profess to believe in; they spread all sorts of doubts and suspicions against Islam and prevent the people from adopting the Way of Allah. But since they are part of the Muslim community their false profession of Faith serves them as a cover and shield. The second kind of Muslims are those who, in the matter of Allah's Religion, do not care even for their own father, brother, children, and family, to say nothing of others. They do not cherish any feeling of love for the person who is an enemy of God and His Messenger and His Religion. Allah in these verses has explicitly stated that the people of the first kind, in fact, belong to Satan's party however hard they may try to convince others of their Islam by swearing oaths. And the honor of belonging to Allah's party is possessed only by the Muslims of the second kind. They alone are the true Muslims: they alone will attain to true success, and with them alone is Allah well pleased.
Source: Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi - Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Quran