Passage hii huanza kwa kanuni ya jumla kuhusu wanawake waliotalikiwa kabla ndoa yao haijatimizwa. Kisha kunafuata kanuni kadhaa zinazohusu maisha ya familia ya Mtume ﷺ mwenyewe, ikiwa ni pamoja na uhusiano kati ya wake zake na wanaume kwa ujumla, jinsi Waislamu wanavyopaswa kukaribia nyumba ya Mtume ﷺ, na heshima ambayo Mwenyezi Mungu anaipa nyumba ya Mjumbe Wake ﷺ na jinsi inavyotazamwa na malaika na wale walio juu mbinguni. Inahitimishwa kwa amri ya jumla inayowahusu wake wa Mtume ﷺ, binti zake na Waislamu wanawake wote. Wanaamrishwa kujifunika nguo zao za nje mwilini wanapotoka nje, ili watambulike kuwa ni wanawake wema waliojihifadhi. Hivyo, wanaume wenye tabia mbaya, kama wanafiki na watu wengine waovu waliokuwa wakiwasumbua na kuwakera wanawake, hawatawakaribia. Inahitimishwa kwa onyo kwa wanafiki na wanaoeneza uvumi kwamba watafukuzwa kutoka Madina iwapo hawataacha kuwasumbua na kuwakera wanawake Waislamu.

This passage begins with a general rule concerning women who are divorced before their marriage has been consummated. This is followed by a number of rules relating to the Prophet’s own family life, including the relationship between his wives and men generally, how Muslims should approach the Prophet’s home, and the honour God bestows on His Messenger’s home and how it is viewed by the angels and those on high. It concludes with a general order that applies to the Prophet’s wives, daughters and all Muslim women. They are ordered to draw their outer garments over their bodies when they go out, so that they are recognized as chaste women. Thus, men with bad characters, such as the hypocrites and other wicked people who used to tease and irritate women would not approach them. It concludes with a warning to the hypocrites and circulators of rumours that they would be expelled from Madinah unless they stopped disturbing and irritating the Muslim women.

Kanuni na maagizo haya ni sehemu ya kupanga upya jamii ya Kiislamu juu ya msingi wa dhana ya Kiislamu ya maisha na jamii. Kuhusu mambo yanayohusu maisha binafsi ya Mtume ﷺ, Mwenyezi Mungu ameridhia kwamba maisha ya nyumbani kwa Mtume ﷺ yabaki kuwa kitabu wazi kwa vizazi vyote. Kwa hiyo, Yeye ameyaingiza mambo haya ndani ya Qur'ani, ambayo itabaki bila kubadilishwa na kusomwa yote, mpaka mwisho wa wakati.

These rules and directives form part of the reorganization of the Muslim community on the basis of the Islamic concept of life and society. As for matters that concern the Prophet’s own private life, God has willed that life in the Prophet’s home should remain a book open to all generations. Therefore, He incorporated these aspects into the Qur’ān, which will remain intact, and read in full, for the rest of time.

Wakati huo huo, hizi ni ishara ya heshima ambayo Mungu anampa nyumba ya Mtume, kwani Yeye mwenyewe amejitwika jukumu la kusimamia mambo yake na kuiwasilisha kwa wanadamu katika kitabu chake, Qur'ani.

Enyi mlioamini! Mkiwaoa wanawake walioamini kisha mkawaacha kabla ya kuwagusa, basi hamna haja ya kuwadai idda. Basi wapeni riziki na waacheni kwa wema. (Aya ya 49)

Believers! If you marry believing women and then divorce them before the marriage is consummated, you have no reason to expect them to observe a waiting period. Hence, provide well for them and release them in a becoming manner. (Verse 49)

Hali ya wanawake waliotalikiwa kabla ndoa zao hazijatimizwa inashughulikiwa katika masharti maalum yaliyoainishwa katika Surah 2, Al-Baqarah (Ng'ombe): “Hamtapata dhambi ikiwa mtawatalaki wanawake kabla ya kuwagusa au kabla ya kukadiria mahari kwa ajili yao. Wapeni riziki; tajiri kulingana na uwezo wake, na maskini kulingana na uwezo wake. Huo ni wajibu kwa wenye kutenda mema, ni riziki yenye haki. Ikiwa mtawatalaki kabla ya kuwagusa lakini baada ya kukadiria mahari kwa ajili yao, basi wapeni nusu ya kile mlichokadiria, isipokuwa wao wakiacha, au yule aliye mikononi mwake fungo la ndoa akiacha. Kuacha kwenu (haki yenu) kunakaribiana zaidi na uchamungu. Msisahau kutendeana wema baina yenu. Hakika Mungu anaona yale mnayoyatenda.” (2: 236-237)

The situation of women divorced before their marriages have been consummated is dealt with in specific provisions outlined in Sūrah 2, The Cow: “You will incur no sin if you divorce women before having touched them or settled a dowry for them. Provide for them, the rich according to his means and the straitened according to his means. Such a provision, in an equitable manner, is an obligation binding on the righteous. If you divorce them before having touched them but after having settled a dowry for them, then give them half of that which you have settled, unless they forgo it or he in whose hand is the marriage tie forgoes it. To forgo what is due to you is closer to being righteous. Do not forget to act benevolently to one another. God sees all that you do.” (2: 236-237)

Hii inamaanisha kwamba ikiwa mahari yamekubaliwa na pande mbili katika ndoa iliyovunjwa kabla ya kukamilika kwake, basi mwanamke aliyeachwa ana haki ya nusu ya mahari. Ikiwa mahari halikutajwa, basi ana haki ya kupewa baadhi ya riziki, kulingana na uwezo wa mume anayemwacha. Riziki kama hiyo ni wajibu kwa watu wema. Aya mbili katika Sūrah 2 hazitaji kipindi cha eda kwa mwanamke aliyeachwa kama huyo. Sasa tuna hapa kanuni inayohusu jambo hili, ikibainisha wazi kwamba mwanamke wa namna hii hana kipindi cha eda cha kutekeleza.

This means that if a dowry has been agreed by the two parties in a marriage terminated before consummation, then the divorced woman is entitled to half the dowry. If the dowry has not been stated, then she is entitled to some provisions, in accordance with the means of the divorcing husband. Such a provision is binding on righteous people. The two verses in Sūrah 2 do not mention any waiting period for such a divorced woman. We now have here a rule concerning this aspect, making it clear that such a woman has no waiting period to observe.

Kisha Nabii ﷺ anaambiwa ni wanawake gani wanaohalalishwa kwake kuwaoa, na ruhusa maalum aliyopewa baada ya kikomo cha wake wanne, ambacho kiliwekwa katika sūrah iliyotangulia:

The Prophet is then told which women are lawful for him o marry, and the special dispensation for him after the limit of four wives was imposed in an earlier sūrah:

"Basi oeni wanawake wengine waliowapendeza, wawili au watatu au wanne." (4: 3) Wakati huo Nabii ﷺ alikuwa na wake tisa, ambao kila mmoja alimuoa kwa sababu maalum.

“You may marry of other women as may be agreeable to you, two or three or four.” (4: 3) At the time the Prophet had nine wives, each of whom he married for a specific reason.

ʻĀ’ishah na Ḥafṣah walikuwa binti za Masahaba wawili walio karibu zaidi naye, Abū Bakr na ʻUmar. Umm Ḥabībah binti Abī Sufyān, Umm Salamah, Sawdah binti Zam'ah na Zaynab binti Khuzaymah walikuwa wanawake kutoka kwa Muhājirīn ambao wameshapoteza waume zao, na Nabii ﷺ alitaka kuwaheshimu. Hakuna hata mmoja wao aliyekuwa mdogo wa umri au mzuri sana. Kuwaoa kulikuwa heshima tu aliyowapa Nabii ﷺ. Kuhusu Zaynab binti Jaḥsh, tayari tumeshajadili kwa kina ndoa yake na Nabii ﷺ. Wengine wawili walikuwa Juwayriyyah binti al-Ḥārith na Ṣafiyyah binti Ḥuyay. Wote wawili walichukuliwa mateka vitani, lakini Nabii ﷺ aliwaachia huru kutoka utumwani na kuwaoa ili kuimarisha uhusiano na makabila na jamii zao. Zaidi ya hayo, ndoa yao na Nabii ﷺ ilikuwa heshima. Wote wawili walisilimu baada ya watu wao kupata taabu ya kushindwa vitani.

`Ā’ishah and Ĥafşah were the daughters of his two closest Companions, Abū Bakr and `Umar. Umm Ĥabībah bint Abī Sufyān, Umm Salamah, Sawdah bint Zim`ah and Zaynab bint Khuzaymah5 were women from the Muhājirīn who had lost their husbands and the Prophet wanted to honour them. None of them was young or very pretty. Marrying them was merely an honour the Prophet gave them. As for Zaynab bint Jaĥsh, we have already discussed her marriage to the Prophet in detail. The other two were Juwayriyyah bint al-Ĥārith and Şafiyyah bint Ĥuyay. Both were taken captive in war, but the Prophet freed them from bondage and married them to strengthen relations with their tribes and communities. Moreover, their marriage o the Prophet was an honour. Both accepted Islam after their people suffered the hardship of defeat.

Wote wamekuwa "mama wa waumini" na walikuwa na heshima ya kuwa karibu sana na Mjumbe wa Mungu, wakimchagua Mungu, Mjumbe Wake na maisha ya Akhera badala ya anasa na starehe za dunia hii, pale chaguo hilo lilipowasilishwa kwao. Ingekuwa ngumu sana kwao kuachwa talaka, kwa kuwa idadi ya juu ya wake ambao Muislamu anaruhusiwa kuwa nao ilikuwa imewekwa kuwa wanne. Mungu aliangalia hali yao, akamsamehe Mjumbe Wake kutoka katika kanuni hiyo, akimruhusu kuendelea kuwa na wake zake wote. Kisha, Qur'ani ikaweka sharti kwamba asiongeze wengine kwao wala kubadilisha yeyote kati yao. Hivyo, msamaha wa Mtume kutoka katika kikomo cha wake wanne ulitolewa mahsusi kwa wale ambao alikwishawaoa tayari, ili wasinyimwe heshima hii. Aya zifuatazo zinaonyesha hilo waziwazi:

Sura inaendelea kufafanua nafasi ya Waislamu kuhusiana na nyumba za Mtume na wake zake, wakati wa uhai wake na baada ya kifo chake. Inagusia ukweli kwamba baadhi ya wanafiki na wengine waliokuwa na nyoyo zilizojaa maradhi walikuwa wakimkosea Mtume ﷺ kwa kuelekeza tabia zao za kuudhi kwenye nyumba zake na wake zake. Inatoa onyo kali sana kwao, ikieleza ukubwa wa kitendo chao mbele ya Mwenyezi Mungu na kuwakumbusha kwamba Mwenyezi Mungu anajua kikamilifu uovu wao.

The sūrah moves on to delineate the position of Muslims vis-à-vis the Prophet’s homes and his wives, both during his lifetime and after his death. It addresses the fact that some hypocrites and others with hearts full of sickness used to affront the Prophet by directing their annoying behaviour at his homes and wives. It issues a very strong warning to them, describing the enormity of their action in God’s sight and reminding them that God is fully aware of their wickedness:

Enyi mlioamini! Msiingie nyumbani kwa Nabii isipokuwa mmeruhusiwa, kwa ajili ya chakula bila kungojea wakati wake unaofaa. Lakini mnapoalikwa, ingieni; na mkishakula, tawanyikeni bila kukaa kwa ajili ya mazungumzo matupu. Tabia kama hiyo yaweza kumkera Nabii ﷺ, naye akaona haya kuwaambia mondoke. Lakini Mwenyezi Mungu haoni haya kusema lililo la haki. Mnapowaomba vitu wake wa Nabii ﷺ, waombeni kutoka nyuma ya pazia; hilo ni safi zaidi kwa nyoyo zenu na zao.

Believers! Do not enter the Prophet’s homes, unless you are given leave, for a meal without waiting for its proper time. But when you are invited, enter; and when you have eaten, disperse without lingering for the sake of mere talk. Such behaviour might give offence to the Prophet, and yet he might feel too shy to bid you go. God does not shy of stating what is right. When you ask the Prophet’s wives for something, do so from behind a screen: this makes for greater purity for your hearts and theirs.

Zaidi ya hayo, haifai kwenu kumuudhi Mjumbe wa Mwenyezi Mungu ﷺ, na wala haifai kwenu kuwaoa wake zake baada yake kamwe. Hakika hilo ni jambo kubwa mbele ya Mwenyezi Mungu. Iwe mnafanya chochote waziwazi au kwa siri, [kumbukeni kwamba] Mwenyezi Mungu anajua kila kitu kikamilifu. (Aya 53-54)

Moreover, it does not behove you to give offence to God’s Messenger, just as it would not behove you ever to marry his widows after he has passed away. That is certainly an enormity in God’s sight. Whether you do anything openly or in secret, [remember that] God has full knowledge of everything. (Verses 53-54)

Al-Bukhārī anasimulia kwa mamlaka ya Anas ibn Mālik: "Mtume ﷺ alipomuoa Zaynab bint Jaĥsh, alitoa chakula cha nyama na mkate. Mimi nilitumwa kuwaalika watu waje, nao wakaja kwa makundi. Wakila kisha wakaondoka, kisha kundi jingine likaingia, likala, kisha likaondoka. Niliwaalika kila mtu hadi nisipate mtu wa kumwalika. Nilimwambia Mtume ﷺ jambo hili, naye akawaambia watu wa nyumbani kwake: ‘Ondoeni chakula chenu.’ Watu watatu walibaki nyumbani kwake wakizungumza. Mtume ﷺ alitoka kwenda chumba cha ‘Ā’ishah, akasema: ‘Amani iwe juu yenu, enyi watu wa nyumba hii, pamoja na rehema ya Mungu na baraka zake.’ Naye akamjibu salamu hiyo kwa namna hiyo hiyo, kisha akamuuliza: ‘Umemkuta vipi mke wako, ee Mjumbe wa Mungu? Mungu akubariki, na wewe pia.’ Kisha Mtume ﷺ alienda kwenye vyumba vya kila mmoja wa wake zake, na kila mmoja wao alimwambia kama alivyomwambia ‘Ā’ishah. Kisha alirudi, na akawakuta watu watatu bado wako pale wakizungumza."

Sūrah hii inaendelea kuwaonya wale wanaomkosea Mtume, iwe ana kwa ana au kuhusiana na familia yake, huku ikionyesha kitendo chao kuwa ni uovu mkubwa. Inafanya hivyo kwa njia mbili: kumheshimu Mtume na kueleza hadhi yake mbele ya Mola wake na juu mbinguni, na kusema kwamba kumkosea Mtume ni kumkosea Mungu mwenyewe.

The sūrah continues to warn those who give offence to the Prophet, either in person or with regard to his family, showing their action as an enormity. It does so in two ways: honouring the Prophet and describing his status with his Lord and on high, and stating that to give offence to the Prophet is to give offence to God Himself.

Kwa hiyo, jambo hilo linamstahilisha mtendaji kufukuzwa kutoka kwenye rehema ya Mungu, katika maisha haya na katika maisha ya Akhera. Zaidi ya hayo, watendaji wanakabiliwa na adhabu ya kudhalilisha:

Therefore, it earns the perpetrator expulsion from God’s mercy both in the present life and in the life to come. Furthermore, the perpetrators stand to suffer a humiliating punishment:

Mungu na malaika Wake wanamswalia Mtume. Enyi mlioamini! Mswalieni na mmtakie amani kwa salamu. Wale wanaomuudhi Mungu na Mtume Wake, Mungu atawalaani duniani na Akhera, na amewaandalia adhabu ya kudhalilisha. (Aya 56-57)

God and His angels bless the Prophet. Believers! Bless him and give him greetings of peace. Those who affront God and His Messenger will be rejected by God in this world and in the life to come. He has prepared for them a humiliating suffering. (Verses 56- 57)

Neno la Kiarabu linatumia neno şalāt na mategemeo yake kwa kile kinachotafsiriwa kwa Kiingereza kuwa 'bless'. Şalāt maana yake ni sala, lakini sala ya Mungu kwa Nabii inamaanisha kwamba Mungu anamsifu kwa wale walio juu, ilhali inapohusu malaika inamaanisha kwamba wao humwomba Mungu amrehemu Nabii ﷺ. Hili linampa Nabii ﷺ nafasi tukufu: ulimwengu wote unaitikia sifa ambazo Mungu anamtolea Nabii wake ﷺ. Heshima isiyo kubwa kuliko hii haiwezi kuwepo.

The Arabic text uses the word şalāt and its derivatives for what is rendered in English as ‘bless’. Şalāt means prayer, but prayer by God for the Prophet means that God praises him to those on high, while when it refers to the angels it means that they pray to God for him. This gives the Prophet a sublime position: the whole universe echoes God’s praise of His Prophet. No honour could be greater than this.

Je, sala na baraka za binadamu zinaweza kulinganishwa vipi na baraka na heshima ambazo Mwenyezi Mungu mwenyewe amempa Mtume, au zile za malaika waliomo katika jumuiya ya juu? Hakuna ulinganisho kabisa, lakini Mungu anataka kuwapa heshima waumini kwa kuunganisha baraka yao kwa Mtume pamoja na yake mwenyewe, na hivyo kuwapa uhusiano na wale walio juu.