560 Page Notes

66 Surah At-Tahrim

Page 560 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 560 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 560 of the Quran marks the beginning of Surah At-Tahrim (Chapter 66), verses 1 through 7.

Known as the Chapter of Prohibition, this page addresses a highly personal, domestic incident inside the household of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that carried immense legislative weight for the entire Muslim community. It transitions from gently correcting the Prophet for restricting his own lawful comforts to issuing a dramatic ultimatum to his wives, before expanding into a severe warning about the literal fire of Hell and the unyielding nature of the angels who guard it.

The Sunnah and canonical Hadith collections provide explicit historical details regarding the events that prompted these verses (Asbab al-Nuzul) and clarify their deep spiritual instructions.

1. Verses 1–3: The Incident of the Secret and the Honey

"O Prophet, why do you prohibit [yourself from] what Allah has made lawful for you, seeking the approval of your wives? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. Allah has already ordained for you the dissolution of your oaths..." (Quran 66:1-2)

The primary, most rigorously authenticated context in the Sunnah for these verses describes a domestic dynamic involving a simple honey drink and a small conspiracy born of marital jealousy.

The Plot of Aisha and Hafsa

The direct witness to this event, Aisha (ra), explicitly documented what happened behind closed doors:

Aisha (ra) narrated: The Prophet ﷺ used to spend time in the house of Zainab bint Jahsh (another wife of the Prophet) and drink honey there. Hafsa and I decided that when the Prophet entered upon either of us, she would say to him: "I smell the bad odor of Maghafir (a pungent, wild flower resin) on you. Have you eaten Maghafir?"

When he entered upon one of us, she said that to him. He replied: "No, but I have taken a honey drink at the house of Zainab bint Jahsh, and I swear an oath that I will never drink it again." He then confided this as a secret to her, saying, "Do not inform anyone of this." But she told Aisha anyway, and Allah exposed the secret to the Prophet ﷺ, revealing the opening of Surah At-Tahrim.

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 6691) and Sahih Muslim (Hadith 1474).

A Major Legal Precedent Established:

By revealing verse 2 ("Allah has already ordained for you the dissolution of your oaths"), God established a timeless law in Islamic jurisprudence: No human being—not even the Prophet ﷺ—has the right to make a lawful thing forbidden (Haram) upon themselves. If someone swears an oath to stay away from something clean, they must break the oath and offer expiation (Kaffarah).

2. Verses 4–5: The Identity of the Two Wives and the Ultimatum

"If you two turn in repentance to Allah, [it is better], for your hearts have deviated. But if you cooperate against him - then indeed Allah is his protector, and Gabriel and the righteous of the believers..." (Quran 66:4)

Ibn Abbas Seeking the Truth from Umar

The language of verse 4 specifically addresses two women in the dual form ("If you two turn in repentance"). The companions were deeply invested in understanding exactly who these two individuals were.

Ibn Abbas (ra) narrated: For an entire year, I wanted to ask Umar ibn al-Khattab about the explanation of this verse, but I held back out of immense respect for him. Finally, while travelling for Hajj, Umar went aside to relieve himself. When he returned, I approached him and asked: "O Chief of the Believers! Who were the two wives of the Prophet ﷺ who cooperated against him as mentioned in Surah At-Tahrim?"

Umar replied instantly: "How astonishing of you, O Ibn Abbas! They were Aisha and Hafsa."

Umar then went on to describe the intense grief and worry the companions felt during that month, as rumor had spread through Medina that the Prophet ﷺ had divorced all his wives due to domestic pressure, leading him to isolate himself in a small upper room for 29 days before verse 5 offered an ultimatum to either rectify their behavior or face divine replacement.

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 4913) and Sahih Muslim.

3. Verse 6: Protecting the Family Unit from the Fire

"O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones, over which are [appointed] angels, harsh and severe..." (Quran 66:6)

How to Protect a Household Practically

When this frightening verse dropped, detailing a fire fueled by human bodies and stones, the companions were shaken. They turned directly to the Sunnah to learn how to fulfill the command of "protecting their families."

When this verse was revealed, the companions asked: "O Messenger of Allah! We can protect ourselves, but how do we protect our families?"

The Prophet ﷺ explained: "You protect them by commanding them to do what Allah has commanded, and forbidding them from doing what Allah has forbidden, and by educating them."

Source: Tafsir al-Tabari and Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah; matching the famous declaration in Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith 7138): "Each of you is a shepherd, and each of you is responsible for his flock."

Surah At-Tahrim (Chapter 66), verse 7, sits prominently on page 560 of the Quran, delivering a startling, sudden shifts in perspective:

"O you who have disbelieved, make no excuses this Day! You are being requited only for what you used to do." (Quran 66:7)

While the beginning of the page addresses the private domestic world of the Prophet's home, verse 7 abruptly pierces that environment to present a terrifying public scene from the Day of Judgment. It is a direct address to those who rejected faith, delivered at the very gates of the Hellfire mentioned in the verse right before it.

The Sunnah and classical commentaries connect this specific verse to several foundational realities regarding the nature of accountability, the ultimate futility of deathbed or afterlife excuses, and a prophetic warning about real actions versus cheap speech.

1. The Context: A Continuation of the "Fuel of Men and Stones"

Verse 7 must be read in tandem with verse 6 ("Protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones...").

The Sunnah clarifies that when the disbelievers are thrown into this intense flame, they will instinctively try to formulate political, social, or personal excuses to deflect blame. Verse 7 is the literal response of the angels of punishment (the Zabaniyah) silencing them.

The Prophet ﷺ described the absolute psychological shock of this moment, explaining that people will try to argue their way out of judgment until their own physical bodies betray them. He ﷺ said:

"The servant will say on the Day of Resurrection: 'O my Lord! Did You not protect me from injustice?' Allah will say: 'Yes.' The servant will say: 'I do not accept any witness against myself except a witness from my own self.' Allah will say: 'Today, you are sufficient as a reckoner against yourself, along with the noble scribes.' Then a seal will be placed over his mouth, and it will be said to his limbs: 'Speak!' And his deeds will be exposed by his own body. Then he will be left to speak to his limbs, saying to them: 'Destruction be to you! It was on your behalf that I was trying to argue!'"

Source: Sahih Muslim (Hadith 2969).

This directly aligns with the conclusion of verse 7: "You are being requited only for what you used to do." On that day, verbal excuses are completely invalidated because the physical data of reality cannot be argued away.

2. Prophetic Sunnah Application: Empty Words vs. Tangible Actions

In the classical Tafsir of Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, verse 7 serves as a stern warning to mankind that the next world runs on the hard currency of completed deeds, not good intentions that were constantly delayed or rationalized with excuses.

The Prophet ﷺ actively trained his companions to avoid the psychological habit of making excuses for spiritual laziness, a behavior that ultimately calcifies into the total disqualification described in verse 7.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "The clever and wise person is the one who brings his soul to account and works for what comes after death. And the helpless, incompetent person is the one who allows his soul to follow its whims and desires, and then entertains vain, wishful thinking and excuses regarding Allah."

Source: Jami` at-Tirmidhi (Hadith 2459) and Sunan Ibn Majah.

3. The Mirror Dynamic: Why Believers Turn to Tawbah

Directly after the disbelievers are told to "make no excuses" in verse 7, page 560 transitions immediately to verse 8: "O you who have believed, turn to Allah with sincere repentance (Tawbatan Nasuha)..."

Scholars of the Sunnah point out that this juxtaposition is a deliberate mercy. God is showing the believers the exact fate of those who make excuses too late, inviting the faithful to make their corrections right now while the window of life is still open.

The Prophet ﷺ highlighted this distinction by showing that making an excuse or seeking a delay after death is completely rejected, but seeking forgiveness today is beloved to God:

"Allah accepts the repentance of His servant as long as the death rattle has not reached his throat."

Source: Jami` at-Tirmidhi (Hadith 3537).