سورة الممتحنة
Surah Al-Mumtahanah
She That Is To Be Examined
Surah Al-Mumtahanah (She That Is To Be Examined) is the 60th surah of the Quran. It has 13 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
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تَتَّخِذُواْ عَدُوِّي وَ عَدُوَّكُمۡ أَوۡلِيَآءَ تُلۡقُونَ إِلَيۡهِم بِٱلۡمَوَدَّةِ وَ قَدۡ كَفَرُواْ بِمَا جَآءَكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡحَقِّ يُخۡرِجُونَ ٱلرَّسُولَ وَ إِيَّاكُمۡ أَن تُؤۡمِنُواْ بِٱللَّهِ رَبِّكُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ خَرَجۡتُمۡ جِهَٰدࣰا فِي سَبِيلِي وَ ٱبۡتِغَآءَ مَرۡضَاتِي ۚ تُسِرُّونَ إِلَيۡهِم بِٱلۡمَوَدَّةِ وَ أَنَا۠ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَآ أَخۡفَيۡتُمۡ وَ مَآ أَعۡلَنتُمۡ ۚ وَ مَن يَفۡعَلۡهُ مِنكُمۡ فَقَدۡ ضَلَّ سَوَآءَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ﴿١﴾
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo la tattakhithoo ʿaduwwee waʿaduwwakum awliyaa tulqoona ilayhim bialmawaddati waqad kafaroo bima jaakum mina alhaqqi yukhrijoona alrrasoola waiyyakum an tuminoo biAllahi rabbikum in kuntum kharajtum jihadan fee sabeelee waibtighaa mardatee tusirroona ilayhim bialmawaddati waana aʿlamu bima akhfaytum wama aʿlantum waman yafʿalhu minkum faqad dalla sawaa alssabeeli
O you who have believed, do not take My enemies and your enemies as allies, extending to them affection while they have disbelieved in what came to you of the truth, having driven out the Prophet and yourselves [only] because you believe in Allāh, your Lord. If you have come out for jihād [i.e., fighting or striving] in My cause and seeking means to My approval, [take them not as friends]. You confide to them affection [i.e., instruction], but I am most knowing of what you have concealed and what you have declared. And whoever does it among you has certainly strayed from the soundness of the way.
إِن يَثۡقَفُوكُمۡ يَكُونُواْ لَكُمۡ أَعۡدَآءࣰ وَ يَبۡسُطُوٓاْ إِلَيۡكُمۡ أَيۡدِيَهُمۡ وَ أَلۡسِنَتَهُم بِٱلسُّوٓءِ وَ وَدُّواْ لَوۡ تَكۡفُرُونَ﴿٢﴾
In yathqafookum yakoonoo lakam aʿdaan wayabsutoo ilaykum aydiyahum waalsinatahum bialssooi wawaddoo law takfuroona
If they gain dominance over you, they would be [i.e., behave] to you as enemies and extend against you their hands and their tongues with evil, and they wish you would disbelieve.
لَن تَنفَعَكُمۡ أَرۡحَامُكُمۡ وَ لَآ أَوۡلَٰدُكُمۡ ۚ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ يَفۡصِلُ بَيۡنَكُمۡ ۚ وَ ٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ بَصِيرࣱ﴿٣﴾
Lan tanfaʿakum arhamukum wala awladukum yawma alqiyamati yafsilu baynakum waAllahu bima taʿmaloona baseerun
Never will your relatives or your children benefit you; the Day of Resurrection He will judge between you. And Allāh, of what you do, is Seeing.
قَدۡ كَانَتۡ لَكُمۡ أُسۡوَةٌ حَسَنَةࣱ فِيٓ إِبۡرَٰهِيمَ وَ ٱلَّذِينَ مَعَهُۥٓ إِذۡ قَالُواْ لِقَوۡمِهِمۡ إِنَّا بُرَءَٰٓؤُاْ مِنكُمۡ وَ مِمَّا تَعۡبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ كَفَرۡنَا بِكُمۡ وَ بَدَا بَيۡنَنَا وَ بَيۡنَكُمُ ٱلۡعَدَٰوَةُ وَ ٱلۡبَغۡضَآءُ أَبَدًا حَتَّىٰ تُؤۡمِنُواْ بِٱللَّهِ وَحۡدَهُۥٓ إِلَّا قَوۡلَ إِبۡرَٰهِيمَ لِأَبِيهِ لَأَسۡتَغۡفِرَنَّ لَكَ وَ مَآ أَمۡلِكُ لَكَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ مِن شَيۡءࣲ ۖ رَّبَّنَا عَلَيۡكَ تَوَكَّلۡنَا وَ إِلَيۡكَ أَنَبۡنَا وَ إِلَيۡكَ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ﴿٤﴾
Qad kanat lakum oswatun hasanatun fee ibraheema waallatheena maʿahu ith qaloo liqawmihim inna buraao minkum wamimma taʿbudoona min dooni Allahi kafarna bikum wabada baynana wabaynakumu alʿadawatu waalbaghdao abadan hatta tuminoo biAllahi wahdahu illa qawla ibraheema liabeehi laastaghfiranna laka wama amliku laka mina Allahi min shayin rabbana ʿalayka tawakkalna wailayka anabna wailayka almaseeru
There has already been for you an excellent pattern in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people, "Indeed, we are disassociated from you and from whatever you worship other than Allāh. We have denied you, and there has appeared between us and you animosity and hatred forever until you believe in Allāh alone" - except for the saying of Abraham to his father, "I will surely ask forgiveness for you, but I have not [power to do] for you anything against Allāh. Our Lord, upon You we have relied, and to You we have returned, and to You is the destination.
رَبَّنَا لَا تَجۡعَلۡنَا فِتۡنَةࣰ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَ ٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا رَبَّنَآ ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ﴿٥﴾
Rabbana la tajʿalna fitnatan lillatheena kafaroo waighfir lana rabbana innaka anta alʿazeezu alhakeemu
Our Lord, make us not [objects of] torment for the disbelievers and forgive us, our Lord. Indeed, it is You who is the Exalted in Might, the Wise."
لَقَدۡ كَانَ لَكُمۡ فِيهِمۡ أُسۡوَةٌ حَسَنَةࣱ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرۡجُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ ٱلۡأٓخِرَ ۚ وَ مَن يَتَوَلَّ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلۡغَنِيُّ ٱلۡحَمِيدُ﴿٦﴾
Laqad kana lakum feehim oswatun hasanatun liman kana yarjoo Allaha waalyawma alakhira waman yatawalla fainna Allaha huwa alghanniyyu alhameedu
There has certainly been for you in them an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allāh and the Last Day. And whoever turns away - then indeed, Allāh is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy.
عَسَى ٱللَّهُ أَن يَجۡعَلَ بَيۡنَكُمۡ وَ بَيۡنَ ٱلَّذِينَ عَادَيۡتُم مِّنۡهُم مَّوَدَّةࣰ ۚ وَ ٱللَّهُ قَدِيرࣱ ۚ وَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورࣱ رَّحِيمࣱ﴿٧﴾
ʿasa Allahu an yajʿala baynakum wabayna allatheena ʿadaytum minhum mawaddatan waAllahu qadeerun waAllahu ghafoorun raheemun
Perhaps Allāh will put, between you and those to whom you have been enemies among them, affection. And Allāh is competent, and Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
لَّا يَنۡهَىٰكُمُ ٱللَّهُ عَنِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمۡ يُقَٰتِلُوكُمۡ فِي ٱلدِّينِ وَ لَمۡ يُخۡرِجُوكُم مِّن دِيَٰرِكُمۡ أَن تَبَرُّوهُمۡ وَ تُقۡسِطُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهِمۡ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُقۡسِطِينَ﴿٨﴾
La yanhakumu Allahu ʿani allatheena lam yuqatilookum fee alddeeni walam yukhrijookum min diyarikum an tabarroohum watuqsitoo ilayhim inna Allaha yuhibbu almuqsiteena
Allāh does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes - from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allāh loves those who act justly.
إِنَّمَا يَنۡهَىٰكُمُ ٱللَّهُ عَنِ ٱلَّذِينَ قَٰتَلُوكُمۡ فِي ٱلدِّينِ وَ أَخۡرَجُوكُم مِّن دِيَٰرِكُمۡ وَ ظَٰهَرُواْ عَلَىٰٓ إِخۡرَاجِكُمۡ أَن تَوَلَّوۡهُمۡ ۚ وَ مَن يَتَوَلَّهُمۡ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ﴿٩﴾
Innama yanhakumu Allahu ʿani allatheena qatalookum fee alddeeni waakhrajookum min diyarikum wathaharoo ʿala ikhrajikum an tawallawhum waman yatawallahum faolaika humu alththalimoona
Allāh only forbids you from those who fight you because of religion and expel you from your homes and aid in your expulsion - [forbids] that you make allies of them. And whoever makes allies of them, then it is those who are the wrongdoers.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا جَآءَكُمُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَٰتُ مُهَٰجِرَٰتࣲ فَٱمۡتَحِنُوهُنَّ ۖ ٱللَّهُ أَعۡلَمُ بِإِيمَٰنِهِنَّ ۖ فَإِنۡ عَلِمۡتُمُوهُنَّ مُؤۡمِنَٰتࣲ فَلَا تَرۡجِعُوهُنَّ إِلَى ٱلۡكُفَّارِ ۖ لَا هُنَّ حِلࣱّ لَّهُمۡ وَ لَا هُمۡ يَحِلُّونَ لَهُنَّ ۖ وَ ءَاتُوهُم مَّآ أَنفَقُواْ ۚ وَ لَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ أَن تَنكِحُوهُنَّ إِذَآ ءَاتَيۡتُمُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ ۚ وَ لَا تُمۡسِكُواْ بِعِصَمِ ٱلۡكَوَافِرِ وَ سۡـَٔلُواْ مَآ أَنفَقۡتُمۡ وَ لۡيَسۡـَٔلُواْ مَآ أَنفَقُواْ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمۡ حُكۡمُ ٱللَّهِ يَحۡكُمُ بَيۡنَكُمۡ ۖ وَ ٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمࣱ﴿١٠﴾
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo itha jaakumu almuminatu muhajiratin faimtahinoohunna Allahu aʿlamu bieemanihinna fain ʿalimtumoohunna muminatin fala tarjiʿoohunna ila alkuffari la hunna hillun lahum wala hum yahilloona lahunna waatoohum ma anfaqoo wala junaha ʿalaykum an tankihoohunna itha ataytumoohunna ojoorahunna wala tumsikoo biʿisami alkawafiri waisaloo ma anfaqtum walyasaloo ma anfaqoo thalikum hukmu Allahi yahkumu baynakum waAllahu ʿaleemun hakeemun
O you who have believed, when the believing women come to you as emigrants, examine [i.e., test] them. Allāh is most knowing as to their faith. And if you know them to be believers, then do not return them to the disbelievers; they are not lawful [wives] for them, nor are they lawful [husbands] for them. But give them [i.e., the disbelievers] what they have spent. And there is no blame upon you if you marry them when you have given them their due compensation [i.e., mahr]. And hold not to marriage bonds with disbelieving women, but ask for what you have spent and let them [i.e., the disbelievers] ask for what they have spent. That is the judgement of Allāh; He judges between you. And Allāh is Knowing and Wise.
وَ إِن فَاتَكُمۡ شَيۡءࣱ مِّنۡ أَزۡوَٰجِكُمۡ إِلَى ٱلۡكُفَّارِ فَعَاقَبۡتُمۡ فَـَٔاتُواْ ٱلَّذِينَ ذَهَبَتۡ أَزۡوَٰجُهُم مِّثۡلَ مَآ أَنفَقُواْ ۚ وَ ٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَنتُم بِهِۦ مُؤۡمِنُونَ﴿١١﴾
Wain fatakum shayon min azwajikum ila alkuffari faʿaqabtum faatoo allatheena thahabat azwajuhum mithla ma anfaqoo waittaqoo Allaha allathee antum bihi muminoona
And if you have lost any of your wives to the disbelievers and you subsequently obtain [something], then give those whose wives have gone the equivalent of what they had spent. And fear Allāh, in whom you are believers.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِيُّ إِذَا جَآءَكَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَٰتُ يُبَايِعۡنَكَ عَلَىٰٓ أَن لَّا يُشۡرِكۡنَ بِٱللَّهِ شَيۡـࣰٔا وَ لَا يَسۡرِقۡنَ وَ لَا يَزۡنِينَ وَ لَا يَقۡتُلۡنَ أَوۡلَٰدَهُنَّ وَ لَا يَأۡتِينَ بِبُهۡتَٰنࣲ يَفۡتَرِينَهُۥ بَيۡنَ أَيۡدِيهِنَّ وَ أَرۡجُلِهِنَّ وَ لَا يَعۡصِينَكَ فِي مَعۡرُوفࣲ فَبَايِعۡهُنَّ وَ ٱسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لَهُنَّ ٱللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورࣱ رَّحِيمࣱ﴿١٢﴾
Ya ayyuha alnnabiyyu itha jaaka almuminatu yubayiʿnaka ʿala an la yushrikna biAllahi shayan wala yasriqna wala yazneena wala yaqtulna awladahunna wala yateena bibuhtanin yaftareenahu bayna aydeehinna waarjulihinna wala yaʿseenaka fee maʿroofin fabayiʿhunna waistaghfir lahunna Allaha inna Allaha ghafoorun raheemun
O Prophet, when the believing women come to you pledging to you that they will not associate anything with Allāh, nor will they steal, nor will they commit unlawful sexual intercourse, nor will they kill their children, nor will they bring forth a slander they have invented between their arms and legs, nor will they disobey you in what is right - then accept their pledge and ask forgiveness for them of Allāh. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تَتَوَلَّوۡاْ قَوۡمًا غَضِبَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِمۡ قَدۡ يَئِسُواْ مِنَ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ كَمَا يَئِسَ ٱلۡكُفَّارُ مِنۡ أَصۡحَٰبِ ٱلۡقُبُورِ﴿١٣﴾
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo la tatawallaw qawman ghadiba Allahu ʿalayhim qad yaisoo mina alakhirati kama yaisa alkuffaru min ashabi alquboori
O you who have believed, do not make allies of a people with whom Allāh has become angry. They have despaired of [reward in] the Hereafter just as the disbelievers have despaired of [meeting] the companions [i.e., inhabitants] of the graves.
Translation: Saheeh International · Transliteration
About this surah
Name
In verse 10 of this Surah it has been enjoined that the women who emigrate to dar al-Islam (the Islamic State) and claim to be Muslims, should be examined hence the title Al-Mumtahinah. The word is pronounced both as mumtahinah and as mumtahanah, the meaning according to the first pronunciation being "the Surah which examines", and according to the second, "the woman who is examined."
Period of Revelation
The Surah deals with two incidents, the time of the occurrence of which is well known historically. The first relates to Hadrat Hatib bin Abz Balta'a, who, a little before the conquest of Makkah, had sent a secret letter to the Quraish chiefs informing them of the Holy Prophet's intention to attack them. The second relates to the Muslim women, who had started emigrating from Makkah to Madinah, after the conclusion of the Truce of Hudaibiyah, and the problem arose whether they also were to be returned to the disbelievers, like the Muslim men, according to the conditions of the Truce. The mention of these two things absolutely determines that this Surah came down during the interval between the Truce of Hudaibiyah and the Conquest of Makkah. Besides, there is a third thing also that has been mentioned at the end of the Surah to the effect; What should the Holy Prophet (upon whom be Allah's peace) make the women to pledge when they come to take the oath of allegiance before him as believers?About this part also the guess is that this too was sent down some time before the conquest of Makkah, for after this conquest a large number of the Quraish women, like their men, were going to enter Islam simultaneously and had to be administered the oath of allegiance collectively.
Theme and Topics
This Surah has three parts;
The first part consists of vv. 1-9, and the concluding verse 13 also relates to it. In this strong exception has been taken to the act of Hadrat Hatib bin Abi Balta'a in that he had tried to inform the enemy of a very important war secret of the Holy Prophet (upon whom be Allah's peace) only for the sake of safe guarding his family. This would have caused great bloodshed at the conquest of Makkah had it not been made ineffective in time. It would have cost the Muslims many precious lives; many of the Quraish would have been killed, who were to render great services to Islam afterward; the gains which were to accrue from conquering Makkah peacefully would have been lost, and all these serious losses would have resulted only because one of the Muslims had wanted to safeguard his family from the dangers of war. Administering a severe warning at this blunder Allah has taught the believers the lesson that no believer should, under any circumstances and for any motive, have relations of love and friendship with the disbelievers, who are actively hostile to Islam, and a believer should refrain from everything which might be helpful to them in the conflict between Islam and disbelief. However, there is no harm in dealing kindly and justly with those disbelievers, who may not be practically engaged in hostile activities against Islam and persecution of the Muslims.
The second part consists of vv. 10-11. In this a social problem has been settled, which was agitating the minds at that time. There were many Muslim women in Makkah, whose husbands were pagans, but they were emigrating and reaching Madinah somehow. Likewise, there were many Muslim men in Madinah, whose wives were pagans and had been left behind in Makkah. The question arose whether the marriage bond between them continued to be valid or not. Allah settled this problem for ever, saying that the pagan husband is not lawful for the Muslim women, nor the pagan wife lawful for the Muslim husband. This decision leads to very important legal consequences, which we shall explain in our notes below.
The third section consists of verse 12, in which the Holy Prophet (upon whom be Allah's peace) has been instructed to ask the women who accept Islam to pledge that they would refrain from the major evils that were prevalent among the womenfolk of the pre-Islamic Arab society, and to promise that they would henceforth follow the ways of goodness which the Messenger of Allah may enjoin.
Source: Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi - Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Quran