Period of Revelation
The Sura 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 Sura 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 Sura 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 Quraishwomen
like their men
were going to enter Islam simultaneously and had to be administered the oath of
allegiance collectively.
Theme and Topics
This Sura 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 Quraishwould 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.
