The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 4) — Page 653
PT. 21 AL-AḤZĀB CH. 33 وَاِنْ كُنْتُنَّ تُرِدْنَ اللهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَالدَّارَ But if you desire Allah and. 30 His Messenger and the Home of jangagasgatiós الْآخِرَةَ فَإِنَّ اللهَ اَعَدَّ لِلْمُحْسِنَتِ مِنْكُنَّ the Hereafter, then truly Allah أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا has prepared for those of you who do good, a great reward. ' يُنِسَاءَ النَّبِيِّ مَنْ يَأْتِ مِنْكُنَّ بِفَاحِشَةٍ O wives of the Prophet! if. 31 مُبَيِّنَةٍ يُضْعَفُ لَهَا الْعَذَابُ ضِعْفَيْنِ of وَكَانَ ذُلِكَ عَلَى اللهِ يَسِيرًا any of you be guilty of anything bounds exceeding the rectitude, the punishment will be doubled for her. And that is easy for Allah. 3097 Reformer has especially to guard against. As love of ease and comfort, generally makes its appearance first in the domestic circle, and as the members of the Holy Prophet's household were to serve as a model in social behaviour, it was in the fitness of things that they should have been required to set an example in self- denial. Not that the use of money was altogether taboo or that amenities of life were completely forbidden to them, but they were, no doubt, expected to set a very high standard of self-abnegation. It is to this high standard of the sacrifice of material benefits and of an affluent and easy living, to which the present and the following few verses refer. The companionship of the Holy Prophet demanded this sacrifice, and his wives were told to make a choice between comfortable life and his companionship, and it should be said to their credit that they chose the latter alternative and that even when, afterwards, in the time of the Caliphate of 'Umar and ‘Uthmān, very high stipends were paid to them, 2567 they lived extremely simple lives and spent most of the money in charity. The words, "I will provide for you and send you away in a handsome manner" imply that the Holy Prophet's wives were allowed a free choice and if anyone of them had elected to part company with him, it would have entailed no displeasure of God, on the contrary she would have been handsomely provided. It may also be noted that just as the Holy Prophet was a perfect exemplar for all sections of humanity, his wives were expected to serve as model for women in their special sphere. This is why they have been called "the Mothers of the Faithful. " Naturally, a very strict and high standard of self- discipline and self-denial is demanded of them in this and the next few verses. 3097. Important Words: anything exceeding) فاحشة the bounds of rectitude) being derived from means, an excess or anything exceeding the bounds of