33 . Sura Al-Ahzab

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

يَا نِسَاء النَّبِيِّ لَسْتُنَّ كَأَحَدٍ مِّنَ النِّسَاء...

33:32. O Consorts of the Prophet!

ye are not like any of the (other) women:

C3712. This is the core of the whole passage.

The Prophet's Consorts were not like ordinary women, nor was their marriage an ordinary marriage, in which only personal or social considerations enter.

They had a special position and special responsibilities, in the matter of guiding and instructing women who came into the fold of Islam. Islam is a Way of Life, and the Muslims are a family: women have as much place in Islam as men, and their intimate instruction must obviously be through women.

...إِنِ اتَّقَيْتُنَّ فَلَا تَخْضَعْنَ بِالْقَوْلِ فَيَطْمَعَ الَّذِي فِي قَلْبِهِ مَرَضٌ...

if ye do fear (Allah), be not too complaisant of speech, lest one in whose heart is a disease should be moved with desire:

...وَقُلْنَ قَوْلًا مَّعْرُوفًا ﴿٣٢﴾

but speak ye a speech (that is) just.

C3713. While they were to be kind and gentle to all, they were to be guarded on account of their special position lest people might misunderstand or take advantage of their kindness.

They were to make no vulgar worldly displays as in the times of Paganism.

وَقَرْنَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ وَلَا تَبَرَّجْنَ تَبَرُّجَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ الْأُولَى...

33: 33. - And stay quietly in your houses,

- and make not a dazzling display, like that of the former Times of Ignorance;

...وَأَقِمْنَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتِينَ الزَّكَاةَ وَأَطِعْنَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ...

- and establish regular Prayer and give regular Charity;

and obey Allah and His Messenger.

C3714. Obedience to Allah's Law sums up all duties. Regular Prayer (seeking nearness to Allah) and Regular Charity (doing good to fellow-creatures) are mentioned as special features of our Religion.

...إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ ...

And Allah only wishes to remove all abomination from you, ye Members of the Family,

C3715. Notice the transition in the clause to the masculine gender, while before this the verbs and pronouns were in the feminine gender as referring to the Consorts. The statement in the clause is now more general including (besides the consort) the whole family, namely Fatimah the daughter, Ali the son-in-law, and their sons Hasan and Husayn, the beloved grandsons of the Prophet. The masculine gender is used generally, in speaking of a mixed assembly of men and women.

...وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًا ﴿٣٣﴾

and to make you pure and spotless.

Asad’s Version:

33:32 O wives of the Prophet! You are not like any of the [other] women, provided that you remain [truly] conscious of God." Hence, be not over-soft in your speech, lest any whose heart is diseased should be moved to desire [you]: but, withal, speak in a kindly way.

(33:33) And abide quietly in your homes, and do not flaunt your charms as they used to flaunt them in the old days of pagan ignorance; 36 and be constant in prayer, and render the purifying dues, and pay heed unto God and His Apostle: for God only wants to remove from you all that might be loathsome, O you members of the (Prophet's] household, and to purify you to utmost purity.