Surah Al-Ahzab, Ayah 29

Giving the Wives of the Prophet صلى اللصلى الله عليه وسلم the Choice

Here Allah commands His Messenger to give his wives the choice of separating from him so that they may go to someone else with whom they can find what they want of the life of this world and its attractions, or of patiently bearing the straitened circumstances with the Prophet for which they will have a great reward with Allah. They chose Allah and His Messenger and the Home of the Hereafter, may Allah be pleased with them. Then Allah gave them the best both of this world and of the Hereafter. Al-Bukhari narrated from `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, the wife of the Prophet that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to her when Allah commanded him to give his wives the choice. She said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ started with me, and said,

Commentary

Out of the objectives of this Surah, the most important is the stress placed on avoiding everything that may cause pain to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . In addition to that, there is a reiteration of instructions to obey him and seek his pleasure. Mentioned in connection with the event of the battle of al-Ahzab appearing immediately earlier was the pain caused to the Holy Prophet ﷺ at the hands of the disbelievers and hypocrites. Along with it, also mentioned there was their ultimate disgrace and the victory and success that came to the Holy Prophet ﷺ on every occasion. Also praised there were sincere believers who sacrificed what they had at the instance of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and it was said that they would have high ranks in the Hereafter.

At the Battle of Ahzab, or the Trenches, conditions were very severe. But, in this battle the stage of regular fighting was never reached. Almighty God sent stormy winds and an army of angels against the enemies and terrified them to such an extent that they themselves fled the battlefield. The Jews of Madinah (the Banu Qurayzah) had entered into a pact of peace with the Muslims, but on the occasion of the Battle of Ahzab, they betrayed the Muslims. In breach of the pact, they supported the idolaters. Therefore, when the army of the attackers left Madinah, the Prophet Muhammad, as ordained by God, invaded the areas occupied by the Banu Qurayzah and the Islamic forces besieged their forts. The siege lasted for twenty five days. When they surrendered, everything that they possessed was forfeited.