Surah Al-Mujadila (58) - Read with Christian Apologetics, Manuscripts & Variants

قَدۡ سَمِعَ ٱللَّهُ قَوۡلَ ٱلَّتِي تُجَٰدِلُكَ فِي زَوۡجِهَا وَتَشۡتَكِيٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَٱللَّهُ يَسۡمَعُ تَحَاوُرَكُمَآۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعُۢ بَصِيرٌ

God has heard the words of the woman who disputes with you about her husband, and (who) complains to God, and God hears the discussion of the two of you. Surely God is hearing, seeing.

ٱلَّذِينَ يُظَٰهِرُونَ مِنكُم مِّن نِّسَآئِهِم مَّا هُنَّ أُمَّهَٰتِهِمۡۖ إِنۡ أُمَّهَٰتُهُمۡ إِلَّا ٱلَّـٰٓـِٔي وَلَدۡنَهُمۡۚ وَإِنَّهُمۡ لَيَقُولُونَ مُنكَرٗا مِّنَ ٱلۡقَوۡلِ وَزُورٗاۚ وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَعَفُوٌّ غَفُورٞ

Those of you who declare their wives to be as their mothers’ backs – they are not their mothers. Their mothers are only those who gave them birth. Surely they indeed say a wrong word and a falsehood. Yet surely God is indeed pardoning (and) forgiving.

وَٱلَّذِينَ يُظَٰهِرُونَ مِن نِّسَآئِهِمۡ ثُمَّ يَعُودُونَ لِمَا قَالُواْ فَتَحۡرِيرُ رَقَبَةٖ مِّن قَبۡلِ أَن يَتَمَآسَّاۚ ذَٰلِكُمۡ تُوعَظُونَ بِهِۦۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرٞ

Those who declare their wives to be as their mothers’ backs, (and) then return to what they have said, (the penalty is) the setting free of a slave before the two of them touch each other. That is what you are admonished. God is aware of what you do.

Sanctions Slavery & Concubinage

By codifying the manumission of a slave as the legal penalty for the sin of Zihar (an offensive pre-Islamic divorce oath), the Quran explicitly integrates and legitimizes the institution of chattel slavery into its divine jurisprudence. Instead of abolishing human bondage, the text treats human beings as currency to pay off religious transgressions.

فَمَن لَّمۡ يَجِدۡ فَصِيَامُ شَهۡرَيۡنِ مُتَتَابِعَيۡنِ مِن قَبۡلِ أَن يَتَمَآسَّاۖ فَمَن لَّمۡ يَسۡتَطِعۡ فَإِطۡعَامُ سِتِّينَ مِسۡكِينٗاۚ ذَٰلِكَ لِتُؤۡمِنُواْ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦۚ وَتِلۡكَ حُدُودُ ٱللَّهِۗ وَلِلۡكَٰفِرِينَ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

Whoever does not find (the means to do that), (the penalty is) a fast for two months consecutively, before the two of them touch each other. And whoever is not able (to do that), (the penalty is) the feeding of sixty poor persons. That is so that you may believe in God and His messenger. Those are the limits (set by) God – and for the disbelievers (there will be) a painful punishment.

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُحَآدُّونَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ كُبِتُواْ كَمَا كُبِتَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡۚ وَقَدۡ أَنزَلۡنَآ ءَايَٰتِۭ بَيِّنَٰتٖۚ وَلِلۡكَٰفِرِينَ عَذَابٞ مُّهِينٞ

Surely those who oppose God and His messenger have been disgraced, as those before them were disgraced. We have already sent down clear signs – and for the disbelievers (there will be) a humiliating punishment,

يَوۡمَ يَبۡعَثُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ جَمِيعٗا فَيُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا عَمِلُوٓاْۚ أَحۡصَىٰهُ ٱللَّهُ وَنَسُوهُۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ شَهِيدٌ

on the Day when God will raise them up – all (of them) – and inform them about what they have done. God has counted it up, though they have forgotten it. God is a witness over everything.

أَلَمۡ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعۡلَمُ مَا فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ مَا يَكُونُ مِن نَّجۡوَىٰ ثَلَٰثَةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ رَابِعُهُمۡ وَلَا خَمۡسَةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ سَادِسُهُمۡ وَلَآ أَدۡنَىٰ مِن ذَٰلِكَ وَلَآ أَكۡثَرَ إِلَّا هُوَ مَعَهُمۡ أَيۡنَ مَا كَانُواْۖ ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا عَمِلُواْ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ عَلِيمٌ

Do you not see that God knows whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth? There is no secret talk of three men but He is the fourth of them, nor of five men but He is the sixth of them, 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 about what they have done. Surely God has knowledge of everything.

أَلَمۡ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ نُهُواْ عَنِ ٱلنَّجۡوَىٰ ثُمَّ يَعُودُونَ لِمَا نُهُواْ عَنۡهُ وَيَتَنَٰجَوۡنَ بِٱلۡإِثۡمِ وَٱلۡعُدۡوَٰنِ وَمَعۡصِيَتِ ٱلرَّسُولِۖ وَإِذَا جَآءُوكَ حَيَّوۡكَ بِمَا لَمۡ يُحَيِّكَ بِهِ ٱللَّهُ وَيَقُولُونَ فِيٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡ لَوۡلَا يُعَذِّبُنَا ٱللَّهُ بِمَا نَقُولُۚ حَسۡبُهُمۡ جَهَنَّمُ يَصۡلَوۡنَهَاۖ فَبِئۡسَ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ

Do you not see those who were forbidden from secret talk, (and) then return to what they were forbidden, and converse secretly in sin and enmity and disobedience to the messenger? And when they come to you, they greet you with what God does not greet you with, and they say within themselves, ‘If only God would punish us for what we say.’ Gehenna will be enough for them, where they will burn – and it is an evil destination!

Graphical/Basic Letter Difference - Change Meaning (general semantic shift)

Graphical/Basic Letter Difference Change Meaning (general semantic shift)

Original (Hafs)

وَيَتَنَٰجَوۡنَ

and converse secretly

Variant Reading

وَيَنتَجُونَ

They converse with one another secretly

Hafs reads the verb in Form VI (wayatanājawna), emphasizing mutual conversation, whereas the variant reads it in Form VIII (wayantajūna), meaning to hold a secret counsel.

Read by:

Khalaf, Khallad, Ruways

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا تَنَٰجَيۡتُمۡ فَلَا تَتَنَٰجَوۡاْ بِٱلۡإِثۡمِ وَٱلۡعُدۡوَٰنِ وَمَعۡصِيَتِ ٱلرَّسُولِ وَتَنَٰجَوۡاْ بِٱلۡبِرِّ وَٱلتَّقۡوَىٰۖ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِيٓ إِلَيۡهِ تُحۡشَرُونَ

You who believe! When you converse secretly, do not converse in sin and enmity and disobedience to the messenger, but converse in piety and the guarding (of yourselves). Guard (yourselves) against God, to whom you will be gathered.

Diacritical Difference (dots) - Change Meaning (general semantic shift)

Diacritical Difference (dots) Change Meaning (general semantic shift)

Original (Hafs)

تَتَنَٰجَوۡاْ

converse

Variant Reading

تَنْتَجُواْ

converse with one another secretly

A shift in diacritical dots changes the verb from Form VI (tatanājaw) to Form VIII (tantajū), slightly altering the nuance of reciprocal secret conversation while maintaining the identical Uthmani rasm.

Read by:

Ruways

إِنَّمَا ٱلنَّجۡوَىٰ مِنَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِ لِيَحۡزُنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَلَيۡسَ بِضَآرِّهِمۡ شَيۡـًٔا إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِۚ وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَلۡيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ

Secret talk is only from Satan, so that he may cause those who believe to grieve. But he will not harm them at all, except by the permission of God. In God let the believers put their trust.

Vowel Difference (harakat) - Change Meaning (general semantic shift)

Vowel Difference (harakat) Change Meaning (general semantic shift)

Original (Hafs)

لِيَحۡزُنَ

cause to grieve

Variant Reading

لِيُحْزِنَ

make sad

Hafs reads the verb in Form I (yaḥzuna, with a fatha on the ya and damma on the zay), while the variant reads it in Form IV (yuḥzina, with a damma on the ya and kasra on the zay), shifting the morphological structure and subtly altering the causative nuance.

Read by:

Qalun, Warsh

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمۡ تَفَسَّحُواْ فِي ٱلۡمَجَٰلِسِ فَٱفۡسَحُواْ يَفۡسَحِ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡۖ وَإِذَا قِيلَ ٱنشُزُواْ فَٱنشُزُواْ يَرۡفَعِ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مِنكُمۡ وَٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡعِلۡمَ دَرَجَٰتٖۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرٞ

You who believe! When it is said to you ‘Make room in the assemblies,’ make room! God will make room for you. And when it is said, ‘Rise up,’ rise up! God will raise in rank those of you who have believed and those who have been given knowledge. God is aware of what you do.

Graphical/Basic Letter Difference - Singular to Plural / Plural to Singular

Graphical/Basic Letter Difference Singular to Plural / Plural to Singular

Original (Hafs)

ٱلۡمَجَٰلِسِ

assemblies

Variant Reading

اِ۬لْمَجْلِسِ

assembly

Hafs reads the word in the plural form ('assemblies'), whereas the variant reads it in the singular form ('assembly').

Read by:

Abu Al-Harith, Bazzi, Duri Abu 'Amr, Duri Al-Kisa'i, Hisham, Ibn Dhakwan, Ibn Jummaz, Ibn Wardan, Idris, Ishaq, Khalaf, Khallad, Qalun, Qunbul, Rawh, Ruways, Susi, Warsh

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا نَٰجَيۡتُمُ ٱلرَّسُولَ فَقَدِّمُواْ بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡ نَجۡوَىٰكُمۡ صَدَقَةٗۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيۡرٞ لَّكُمۡ وَأَطۡهَرُۚ فَإِن لَّمۡ تَجِدُواْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٞ رَّحِيمٌ

You who believe! When you converse privately with the messenger, send forward a freewill offering before your private talk. That is better for you and purer. If you do not find (the means to do so) – God is forgiving, compassionate.

Theological Defect

This verse commands believers to pay a monetary charity fee before privately consulting Muhammad. According to the Tafsir, this was revealed merely to deter people from bothering the Prophet because he was overwhelmed with questions. This portrays God's eternal revelation as a petty, arbitrary tool used to manage Muhammad's personal social calendar.

ءَأَشۡفَقۡتُمۡ أَن تُقَدِّمُواْ بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡ نَجۡوَىٰكُمۡ صَدَقَٰتٖۚ فَإِذۡ لَمۡ تَفۡعَلُواْ وَتَابَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ فَأَقِيمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُواْ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَأَطِيعُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥۚ وَٱللَّهُ خَبِيرُۢ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ

Are you afraid to send forward freewill offerings before your private talk? When you do not (do so), and God has turned to you (in forgiveness), observe the prayer and give the alms, and obey God and His messenger. God is aware of what you do.

Theological Defect

This verse immediately abrogates the monetary fee for consulting the Prophet instituted in the previous verse. The rapid reversal portrays God's law as arbitrary and reactive, using supposedly eternal divine decrees as temporary administrative measures that can be discarded as soon as they become inconvenient for the community.

۞أَلَمۡ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ تَوَلَّوۡاْ قَوۡمًا غَضِبَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِم مَّا هُم مِّنكُمۡ وَلَا مِنۡهُمۡ وَيَحۡلِفُونَ عَلَى ٱلۡكَذِبِ وَهُمۡ يَعۡلَمُونَ

Do you not see those who have taken as allies a people with whom God is angry? They are neither of you nor of them. They swear upon lies – and they know (it).

Promotes Division & Discrimination

This verse condemns Muslims who form alliances or friendships with those 'with whom God is angry' (historically the Jews or unbelievers), establishing a rigid binary between believers and outsiders. By discouraging political or personal alliances across religious lines, it fosters deep sectarian hostility.

أَعَدَّ ٱللَّهُ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٗا شَدِيدًاۖ إِنَّهُمۡ سَآءَ مَا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ

God has prepared a harsh punishment for them. Surely they – evil indeed is what they have done!

ٱتَّخَذُوٓاْ أَيۡمَٰنَهُمۡ جُنَّةٗ فَصَدُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَلَهُمۡ عَذَابٞ مُّهِينٞ

They have taken their oaths as a cover, and kept (people) from the way of God. For them (there will be) a humiliating punishment.

لَّن تُغۡنِيَ عَنۡهُمۡ أَمۡوَٰلُهُمۡ وَلَآ أَوۡلَٰدُهُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ شَيۡـًٔاۚ أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلنَّارِۖ هُمۡ فِيهَا خَٰلِدُونَ

Neither their wealth nor their children will be of any use against God. Those are the companions of the Fire. There they will remain.

يَوۡمَ يَبۡعَثُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ جَمِيعٗا فَيَحۡلِفُونَ لَهُۥ كَمَا يَحۡلِفُونَ لَكُمۡ وَيَحۡسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمۡ عَلَىٰ شَيۡءٍۚ أَلَآ إِنَّهُمۡ هُمُ ٱلۡكَٰذِبُونَ

On the Day when God will raise them up – all (of them) – they will swear to Him as they swear to you, and think they (are standing) on something. Is it not a fact that they – they are the liars?

ٱسۡتَحۡوَذَ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ فَأَنسَىٰهُمۡ ذِكۡرَ ٱللَّهِۚ أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ حِزۡبُ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِۚ أَلَآ إِنَّ حِزۡبَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِ هُمُ ٱلۡخَٰسِرُونَ

Satan has prevailed over them, and made them forget the Reminder of God. Those are the faction of Satan. Is it not a fact that the faction of Satan – they are the losers?

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُحَآدُّونَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥٓ أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ فِي ٱلۡأَذَلِّينَ

Surely those who oppose God and His messenger – they will be among the most humiliated.

كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَأَغۡلِبَنَّ أَنَا۠ وَرُسُلِيٓۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٞ

God has written, ‘I shall indeed conquer – I and My messengers!’ Surely God is strong, mighty.

لَّا تَجِدُ قَوۡمٗا يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأٓخِرِ يُوَآدُّونَ مَنۡ حَآدَّ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ وَلَوۡ كَانُوٓاْ ءَابَآءَهُمۡ أَوۡ أَبۡنَآءَهُمۡ أَوۡ إِخۡوَٰنَهُمۡ أَوۡ عَشِيرَتَهُمۡۚ أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ كَتَبَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ ٱلۡإِيمَٰنَ وَأَيَّدَهُم بِرُوحٖ مِّنۡهُۖ وَيُدۡخِلُهُمۡ جَنَّـٰتٖ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَاۚ رَضِيَ ٱللَّهُ عَنۡهُمۡ وَرَضُواْ عَنۡهُۚ أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ حِزۡبُ ٱللَّهِۚ أَلَآ إِنَّ حِزۡبَ ٱللَّهِ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ

You will not find a people who believe in God and the Last Day loving anyone who opposes God and His messenger, even if they were their fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or their clan. Those – He has written belief on their hearts, and supported them with a spirit from Him, and will cause them to enter Gardens through which rivers flow, there to remain. God is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him. Those are the faction of God. Is it not a fact that the faction of God – they are the ones who prosper?

Promotes Division & Discrimination

This verse explicitly forbids Muslims from loving their own non-Muslim family members—fathers, sons, brothers—who reject Islam. It violently fractures foundational human relationships, mandating a rigid segregation of affection based purely on religious allegiance and dehumanizing familial bonds outside the faith.

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