Quran 58:3 — Al-Mujaadila, verse 3
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
Those of you who say such a thing to their wives, then go back on what they have said, must free a slave before the couple may touch one another again––this is what you are commanded to do, and God is fully aware of what you do––
وَالَّذِينَ يُظَاهِرُونَ مِنْ نِسَائِهِمْ ثُمَّ يَعُودُونَ لِمَا قَالُوا فَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يَتَمَاسَّا ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ تُوعَظُونَ بِهِ ۚ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ
wa-alladhīna yuẓāhirūna min nisāihim thumma yaʿūdūna limā qālū fataḥrīru raqabatin min qabli an yatamāssā dhālikum tūʿaẓūna bihi wal-lahu bimā taʿmalūna khabīrun
Other translations
- A. J. Arberry
- And those who say, regarding their wives, 'Be as my mother's back,' and then retract what they have said, they shall set free a slave, before the two of them touch one another. By that you are admonished; and God is aware of the things you do.
- Muhammad Asad
- hence, as for those who would separate themselves from their wives by saying, “Thou art as unlawful to me as my mother”, and thereafter would go back on what they have said, [their atonement] shall be the freeing of a human being from bondage before the couple may touch one another again: this you are [hereby] exhorted to do - for God is fully aware of all that you do.
- Sahih International
- 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.
Words
| # | Word | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | وَٱلَّذِينَwa-alladhīna | And those who | — |
| 2 | يُظَـٰهِرُونَyuẓāhirūna | pronounce zihar | ظهر |
| 3 | مِنmin | [from] | — |
| 4 | نِّسَآئِهِمْnisāihim | (to) their wives | نسو |
| 5 | ثُمَّthumma | then | — |
| 6 | يَعُودُونَyaʿūdūna | go back | عود |
| 7 | لِمَاlimā | on what | — |
| 8 | قَالُوا۟qālū | they said | قول |
| 9 | فَتَحْرِيرُfataḥrīru | then freeing | حرر |
| 10 | رَقَبَةٍۢraqabatin | (of) a slave | رقب |
| 11 | مِّنmin | before | — |
| 12 | قَبْلِqabli | before | قبل |
| 13 | أَنan | [that] | — |
| 14 | يَتَمَآسَّا ۚyatamāssā | they touch each other | مسس |
| 15 | ذَٰلِكُمْdhālikum | That | — |
| 16 | تُوعَظُونَtūʿaẓūna | you are admonished | وعظ |
| 17 | بِهِۦ ۚbihi | to it | — |
| 18 | وَٱللَّهُwal-lahu | And Allah | أله |
| 19 | بِمَاbimā | of what | — |
| 20 | تَعْمَلُونَtaʿmalūna | you do | عمل |
| 21 | خَبِيرٌۭkhabīrun | (is) All-Aware | خبر |