33:34 Al-Ahzaab (The Clans)

ولما أمرهن بالعمل، الذي هو فعل وترك، أمرهن بالعلم، وبين لهن طريقه، فقال: { وَاذْكُرْنَ مَا يُتْلَى فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَالْحِكْمَةِ } والمراد بآيات اللّه، القرآن. والحكمة، أسراره. وسنة رسوله. وأمرهن بذكره، يشمل ذكر لفظه، بتلاوته، وذكر معناه، بتدبره والتفكر فيه، واستخراج أحكامه وحكمه، وذكر العمل به وتأويله. { إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ لَطِيفًا خَبِيرًا } يدرك أسرار الأمور، وخفايا الصدور، وخبايا السماوات والأرض، والأعمال التي تبين وتسر. فلطفه وخبرته، يقتضي حثهن على الإخلاص وإسرار الأعمال، ومجازاة اللّه على تلك الأعمال. ومن معاني { اللطيف } الذي يسوق عبده إلى الخير، ويعصمه من الشر، بطرق خفية لا يشعر بها، ويسوق إليه من الرزق، ما لا يدريه، ويريه من الأسباب، التي تكرهها النفوس ما يكون ذلك طريقا [له] إلى أعلى الدرجات، وأرفع المنازل.

فإن سياق الكلام معهن ولهذا قال تعالى بعد هذا كله "واذكرنا ما يتلى في بيوتكن من آيات الله والحكمة "أي واعملن بما ينزل الله تبارك وتعالى على رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم في بيوتكن من الكتاب والسنة قاله قتادة وغير واحد واذكرن هذه النعمة التي خصصتن بها من بين الناس أن الوحي ينزل في بيوتكن دون سائر الناس وعائشة الصديقة بنت الصديق رضي الله عنها أولاهن بهذه النعمة وأحظاهن بهذه الغنيمة وأخصهن من هذه الرحمة العميمة فإنه لم ينزل على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم الوحي في فرائض امرأة سواها كما نعى على ذلك صلوات الله وسلامه عليه قال بعض العلماء رحمه الله لأنه لم يتزوج بكرا سواها ولم ينم معها رجل في فراشها سواه و رضي الله عنها فناسب أن تخصص بهذه المزية وأن تفرد بهذه المرتبة العلية ولكن إذا كان أزواجه من أهل بيته فقرابته أحق بهذه التسمية كما تقدم في الحديث وأهل بيتي أحق وهذا يشبه ما ثبت في صحيح مسلم أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لما سئل عن المسجد الذي أسس على التقوى من أول يوم فقال: هو مسجدي هذا فهذا من هذا القبيل فإن الآية إنما نزلت في مسجد قباء كما ورد في الأحاديث الأخر ولكن إذا كان ذاك أسس على التقوى من أول يوم فمسجـد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أولى بتسميته بذلك والله أعلم وقد قال ابن أبي حاتم حدثنا أبي حدثنا أبو الوليد حدثنا أبو عوانة عن حصين بن عبد الرحمن عن ابن جميلة قال إن الحسن بن علي رضي الله عنها استخلف حين قتل علي رضي الله عنها قال: فبينما هو يصلي إذ وثب عليه رجل فطعنه بخنجره فزعم حصين أنه بلغه أن الذي طعنه رجل من بني أسد وحسن رضي الله عنه ساجد قال فيزعمون أن الطعنة وقعت في وركه فمرض منها أشهرا ثم برأ فقعد على المنبر فقال: يا أهل العراق اتقوا الله فينا فإنا أمراؤكم وضيفانكم ونحن أهل البيت الذي قال الله تعالى "إنما يريد الله ليذهب عنكم الرجس أهل البيت ويطهركم تطهيرا "قال فما زال يقولها حتى ما بقي أحد من أهل المسجد إلا وهو يحن بكاء وقال السدي عن أبي الديلم قال: قال علي بن الحسين رضي الله عنهما لرجل من أهل الشام أما قرأت في الأحزاب "إنما يريد الله ليذهب عنكم الرجس أهل البيت ويطهركم تطهيرا "قال نعم ولأنتم هم؟ قال نعم وقوله تعالى: "إن الله كان لطيفا خبيرا "أي بلطفه بكن بلغتن هذه المنزلة وبخبرته بكن وأنكن أهل لذلك أعطاكن ذلك وخصكن بذلك قال ابن جرير رحمه الله واذكروا نعمة الله عليكن بأن جعلكن في بيوت تتلى فيها آيات الله والحكمة فاشكرن الله على ذلك واحمدنه "إن الله كان لطيفا خبيرا "أي ذا لطف بكن إذ جعلكن في البيوت التي تتلى فيها آيات الله والحكمة وهي السنة خبيرا بكن إذ اختاركن لرسوله أزواجا وقال قتادة "واذكرن ما يتلى في بيوتكن من آيات الله والحكمة "قال يمتن عليهن بذلك رواه ابن جرير وقال عطية العوفي في قوله تعالى "إن الله كان لطيفا خبيرا "يعني لطيفا باستخراجها خبيرا بموضعها ورواه ابن أبي حاتم ثم قال وكذا روى الربيع بن أنس عن قتادة.

Enjoining certain Manners so that the Mothers of the Believers may be an Example; and the Prohibition of Tabarruj

These are the good manners which Allah enjoined upon the wives of the Prophet so that they would be an example for the women of the Ummah to follow. Allah said, addressing the wives of the Prophet that they should fear Allah as He commanded them, and that no other woman is like them or can be their equal in virtue and status. Then Allah says:

فَلاَ تَخْضَعْنَ بِالْقَوْلِ

(then be not soft in speech,) As-Suddi and others said, this means, do not be gentle in speech when addressing men. Allah says:

فَيَطْمَعَ الَّذِى فِى قَلْبِهِ مَرَضٌ

(lest he in whose heart is a disease should be moved with desire,) means, something unclean.

وَقُلْنَ قَوْلاً مَّعْرُوفاً

(but speak in an honorable manner.) Ibn Zayd said: "Decent and honorable talk that is known to be good." This means that she should address non-Mahram men in a manner in which there is no softness, i.e., a woman should not address a non-Mahram man in the same way that she addresses her husband.

وَقَرْنَ فِى بُيُوتِكُنَّ

(And stay in your houses,) means, stay in your houses and do not come out except for a purpose. One of the purposes mentioned in Shari`ah is prayer in the Masjid, so long as the conditions are fulfilled, as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«لَا تَمْنَعُوا إِمَاءَ اللهِ مَسَاجِدَ اللهِ وَلْيَخْرُجْنَ وَهُنَّ تَفِلَات»

(Do not prevent the female servants of Allah from the Masjids of Allah, but have them go out without wearing fragrance.) According to another report:

«وَبُيُوتُهُنَّ خَيْرٌ لَهُن»

(even though their houses are better for them.)

وَلاَ تَبَرَّجْنَ تَبَرُّجَ الْجَـهِلِيَّةِ الاٍّولَى

(and do not Tabarruj yourselves like the Tabarruj of the times of ignorance,) Mujahid said: "Women used to go out walking in front of men, and this was the Tabarruj of Jahiliyyah." Qatadah said:

وَلاَ تَبَرَّجْنَ تَبَرُّجَ الْجَـهِلِيَّةِ الاٍّولَى

(and do not Tabarruj yourselves like the Taburruj of the times of ignorance,) "When they go out of their homes walking in a shameless and flirtatious manner, and Allah, may He be exalted, forbade that." Muqatil bin Hayyan said:

وَلاَ تَبَرَّجْنَ تَبَرُّجَ الْجَـهِلِيَّةِ الاٍّولَى

(and do not Tabarruj yourselves like the Tabarruj of the times of ignorance,) "Tabarruj is when a woman puts a Khimar on her head but does not tie it properly." So her necklaces, earrings and neck, and all of that can be seen. This is Tabarruj, and Allah addresses all the women of the believers with regard to Tabarruj.

وَأَقِمْنَ الصَّلَوةَ وَءَاتِينَ الزَّكَـوةَ وَأَطِعْنَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ

(and perform the Salah, and give Zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger.) Allah first forbids them from evil, then He enjoins them to do good by establishing regular prayer, which means worshipping Allah alone with no partner or associate, and paying Zakah, which means doing good to other people.

وَأَطِعْنَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ

(and obey Allah and His Messenger.) This is an instance of something specific being followed by something general.

The Wives of the Prophet are Members of His Household (Ahl Al-Bayt)

إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُـمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيــراً

(Allah wishes only to remove Ar-Rijs from you, O members of the family, and to purify you with a thorough purification.) This is a clear statement that the wives of the Prophet are included among the members of his family (Ahl Al-Bayt) here, because they are the reason why this Ayah was revealed, and the scholars are unanimously agreed that they were the reason for revelation in this case, whether this was the only reason for revelation or there was also another reason, which is the correct view. Ibn Jarir recorded that `Ikrimah used to call out in the marketplace:

إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُـمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيــراً

(Allah wishes only to remove Ar-Rijs from you, O members of the family, and to purify you with a thorough purification.) "This was revealed solely concerning the wives of the Prophet." Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn `Abbas said concerning the Ayah:

إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُـمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ

(Allah wishes only to remove Ar-Rijs from you, O members of the family,) "It was revealed solely concerning the wives of the Prophet ." `Ikrimah said: "Whoever disagrees with me that it was revealed solely concerning the wives of the Prophet , I am prepared to meet with him and pray and invoke the curse of Allah upon those who are lying." So they alone were the reason for revelation, but others may be included by way of generalization. Ibn Jarir narrated that Safiyyah bint Shaybah said: "`A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, `The Prophet went out one morning wearing a striped cloak of black camel's hair. Al-Hasan, may Allah be pleased with him, came and he wrapped him in the cloak with him. Then Al-Husayn, may Allah be pleased with him, came and he wrapped him in the cloak with him. Then Fatimah, may Allah be pleased with her, came and he wrapped her in the cloak with him. Then `Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, came and he wrapped him in the cloak with him, then he said:

إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُـمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيــراً

(Allah wishes only to remove Ar-Rijs from you, O members of the family, and to purify you with a thorough purification.) This was recorded by Muslim. In his Sahih, Muslim recorded that Yazid bin Hayyan said: "Husayn bin Sabrah, `Umar bin Muslim and I went to Zayd bin Arqam, may Allah be pleased with him, and when we had sat down with him, Husayn said: `You are so fortunate, O Zayd! You saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and heard his speeches, and you went on military campaigns with him, and you prayed behind him. You are so fortunate, O Zayd! Tell us what you heard from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.' He said, `O son of my brother, by Allah, I have grown old and it has been a long time, and I have forgotten some of the things that I used to know from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Whatever I tell you, accept it, and whatever I do not tell you, do not worry about it.' Then he said, `One day, the Messenger of Allah stood up to address us by the well of Khumm, between Makkah and Al-Madinah, and he praised Allah and thanked Him, and he preached and reminded us. Then he said:

«أَمَّا بَعْدُ، أَلَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ فَإِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ يُوشِكُ أَنْ يَأْتِيَنِي رَسُولُ رَبِّي فَأُجِيبَ، وَأَنَا تَارِكٌ فِيكُمْ ثَقَلَيْنِ: أَوَّلُهُمَا كِتَابُ اللهِ تَعَالَى، فِيهِ الْهُدَى وَالنُّورُ فَخُذُوا بِكِتَابِ اللهِ وَاسْتَمْسِكُوا بِه»

(Thereafter! O people, I am merely a human being and soon the messenger of my Lord will come and I will answer him. I am leaving behind two things with you, the first of which is the Book of Allah in which is guidance and light, so seize the Book of Allah and hold fast to it.) He urged them to cling to the Book of Allah, then he said:

«وَأَهْلُ بَيْتِي أُذَكِّرُكُمُ اللهَ فِي أَهْلِ بَيْتِي، أُذَكِّرُكُمُ اللهَ فِي أَهْلِ بَيْتِي»

(And the members of my family (Ahl Al-Bayt): Remember Allah with regard to the members of my family, remember Allah with regard to the members of my family.) saying it three times.' Husayn said to him, `Who are the members of his family (Ahl Al-Bayt), O Zayd Are not his wives members of his family' He said, `His wives are members of his family, but the members of his family are those who are not permitted to receive charity after he died.' He said, `Who are they' He said, `They are the family of `Ali, the family of `Aqil, the family of Ja`far and the family of `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them.' He said, `Were all of these forbidden to receive charity after his death' He said, `Yes."' This Commentary is from Zayd bin Arqam and is not Marfu`

The Command to follow the Qur'an and Sunnah

The one who ponders the meaning of the Qur'an will have no doubt that the wives of the Prophet are included among those who are referred to in the Ayah:

إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُـمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيــراً

(Allah wishes only to remove Ar-Rijs from you, O members of the family, and to purify you with a thorough purification.) The context clearly refers to them. Allah then says:

وَاذْكُـرْنَ مَا يُتْـلَى فِى بُيُوتِكُـنَّ مِنْ ءَايَـتِ اللَّهِ وَالْحِكْــمَةِ

(And remember, that which is recited in your houses of the Ayat of Allah and Al-Hikmah.) meaning, `act in accordance with that of the Qur'an and Sunnah which Allah revealed to His Messenger in your houses.' This was the view of Qatadah and others. `And remember this blessing with which you alone of all the people have been favored, that the revelation comes down in your houses and not those of other people.' `A'ishah As-Siddiqah bint As-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with them, was foremost among them with in this blessing and was the most fortunate, and the most favored with this mercy. For the revelation did not come to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the bed of any of his wives except hers, as he stated. Some of the scholars, may Allah have mercy on them, said: "This was because he did not marry any other virgin besides her, and no man slept with her in her bed before him , may Allah be pleased with her." So it was befitting that she should be singled out for this blessing and high status. But if his wives are members of his household, then this title is even more fitting for his own relatives. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Jamilah said: "Al-Hasan bin `Ali, may Allah be pleased with them both, was appointed as Khalifah when `Ali was killed." He said: "While he was praying, a man leapt on him and stabbed him with a dagger." Husayn claimed that he heard that the one who stabbed him was a man from Banu Asad, and Al-Hasan, may Allah be pleased with him, was prostrating at the time. He said, "They claimed that he received the wound in his hip. He was ill as a result for many months, then he recovered. He ascended the Minbar and said: `O people of `Iraq! Have Taqwa of Allah concerning us, for we are your leaders and your guests, and we are members of the family (Ahl Al-Bayt) concerning whom Allah said:

إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُـمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيــراً

(Allah wishes only to remove Ar-Rijs from you, O members of the family, and to purify you with a thorough purification.)' He kept saying this until there was no one left in the Masjid who was not weeping and sobbing."

إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ لَطِيفاً خَبِيراً

(Verily, Allah is Ever Most Courteous, Well-Acquainted with all things.) means, `by His kindness towards you, you have reached this status, and by His knowledge of you and that you are qualified for that status, He has given this to you and singled you out for it.' Ibn Jarir, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "And remember how Allah blessed you by causing the Ayat of Allah and Al-Hikmah to be recited in your houses, so give thanks to Allah for that and praise Him.

إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ لَطِيفاً خَبِيراً

(Verily, Allah is Ever Most Courteous, Well-Acquainted with all things.) means, `He is kind towards you, for He has caused the Ayat of Allah and Al-Hikmah to be recited in your houses,' and Al-Hikmah means the Sunnah. And He is Well-Acquainted with you means, `He chose you as wives for His Messenger.' Qatadah said:

وَاذْكُـرْنَ مَا يُتْـلَى فِى بُيُوتِكُـنَّ مِنْ ءَايَـتِ اللَّهِ وَالْحِكْــمَةِ

(And remember, that which is recited in your houses of the Ayat of Allah and Al-Hikmah.) "He is reminding them of His favor." This was narrated by Ibn Jarir. `Atiyah Al-`Awfi commented on the Ayah:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ لَطِيفاً خَبِيراً

(Verily, Allah is Ever Most Courteous, Well-Acquainted with all things.) "He knows when and where to reveal Al-Hikmah." This was recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim, then he said: "This was also narrated from Ar-Rabi` bin Anas from Qatadah. "

And remember that which is recited in your houses of the revelations of God of the Qur’ān and wisdom the Sunna. Truly God is Kind to His friends Aware of all His creatures.

What does أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ : Ahl al-Bayt: People of the House" signify in this verse?

In verses appearing earlier in the present sequence, the address was to the blessed wives of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، therefore, the form used was in the feminine gender. Here, the expression: أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ ahl al-bayt) includes, along with the blessed wives, their children and fathers as well, therefore, the form used was in the masculine gender, that is: عَنکُم (from you) and: وَيُطَهِّرَ‌كُمْ (purifies you). And some Tafsir authorities take 'ahl al-bayt' to mean the blessed wives only. ` Ikrimah and Muqatil have said exactly this. And Sayyidna Said Ibn Jubayr ؓ has reported the same narration from Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ saying that he has declared 'ahl al-bayt' in this verse to mean the blessed wives and then cited the next verse: وَاذْكُرْ‌نَ مَا يُتْلَىٰ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ (and remember what is recited in your homes-34) as proof (because the address here is to the blessed wives only, as is evident from the feminine gender used in the verse and from the ' reference to their homes.) [ reported by IbnAbi Hatim and lbn Jarir). And the words of the address: نِسَاءَ النَّبِيِّ. (0 women [ wives ] of the prophet) in the immediately previous verses are also its contextual evidence. Early commentator ` Ikrimah ... used to go about proclaiming in the bazaars that 'ahl al-bayt' in the verse means the blessed wives, because this verse has been revealed to highlight their dignified status and he used to say that he was ready to enter into a mubahalah (imprecation) on it.

A form of resolving religious disputes through bi-partite invocation. For details, please see Ma'ariful-Qur'n, Volume II, pp. 90, 91.

But, several narrations of Hadith reported by Ibn Katar at this place bear witness that Sayyidah Fatimah, Sayyidna ` Ali and Sayyidna Hasan and Husain ؓ are also included in 'ahl al-bayt' - as in a Hadith of Sahih Muslim where Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ narrates: Once the Holy Prophet ﷺ went out of the house with a black sheet from Byzantine wrapped around his blessed body. When Hasan Ibn ` Ali ؓ came out, he took him inside the sheet. Then Sayyidna Husain ؓ came. He took him too inside the sheet in the same manner. After that, came Sayyidah Fatimah ؓ and then Sayyidna ` Ali al-Murtada ؓ . He also made them come inside the sheet. Thereafter, he recited the verse: يُرِ‌يدُ اللَّـهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُمُ الرِّ‌جْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَ‌كُمْ تَطْهِيرً‌ا (Allah only intends to keep (all sorts of) filth away from you, 0 members of the family (of the prophet-33). And it also appears in some narrations that, after having recited the verse, he said: اللَّھُمَّ ھٰٓؤلٓآِء اَھلُ بَیتِی (0 Allah, these are members of my family) (reported by Ibn Jarir)

After having reported several reliable ahadith on this subject, Ibn Kathir has said: In reality, there is no contradiction in the two sayings reported from Tafsir authorities. Those who said that this verse was revealed in relation to the high station of the blessed wives and 'ahl al-bayt' means them does not go contrary to the possible inclusion of other people too under the purview of 'ahl al-bayt.' Therefore, the sound position is that under the words: 'ahl al-bayt', the blessed wives are included in any case, because they themselves are the cause of the revelation of this verse. And the inclusion of the direct addressees of the revelation cannot be subjected to any doubt. And Sayyidah Fatimah and Ali and Hasan and Husain ؓ too - in accordance with the saying of the noble Prophet - are included in 'ahl al-bayt.' And at both places in this verse, before and after it, the address is to the wives of the prophet using the form of feminine gender. In previous verses, beginning from: فَلَا تَخْضَعْنَ بِالْقَوْلِ (So, do not be soft with your address - 32) up to the end all forms employed are feminine. Then, later on in: وَاذْكُرْ‌نَ مَا يُتْلَىٰ (and remember what is recited - 34) the form used in the address is in the feminine gender once again. Now, when the text departs from the context in this verse (33) in between and elects to employ the form of masculine gender as in: عَنکُم (antrum) and: يُطَهِّرَ‌كُمْ (yutahhirakum), it also becomes a strong evidence of the fact that included here are not only the wives, but some men as well.

As for what has been said in the verse under study: لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُمُ الرِّ‌جْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَ‌كُمْ تَطْهِيرً‌ا (Allah only intends to keep (all sorts of) filth away from you, 0 members of the family (of the prophet-33), it obviously means that, through these instructions, Allah Ta’ ala will keep the 'ahl al-bayt' protected against satanic instigations, sins and evils and cleanse them pure. In short, what is meant here is legal تَشرِعِی (tashri'i) purification - not the creational تَکوِنِی (takwini) purification which is the hallmark of prophets. It does not become necessary thereby that they all be مَعصُوم 'ma` sum' (infallible) and the commission of any sin by them should not be possible as is the case with the noble prophets, may peace be upon them all - which is the distinctive feature of creational purification. The people of Shiite persuasion have, by differing from the majority of the Muslim community, first of all claimed that the expression: 'ahl al-bayt' is restricted to the progeny and male relatives of the Messenger and that his blessed wives are excluded from it. Then, they went on to declare the word: تطْهِير (tathir: purification) in the cited-verse (34) as standing for their عِصمَہ ('ismah: the state of being protected, infallible) and thus made the 'ahl al-bayt' أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ (ma` sum: infallible) like prophets. This humble writer has given an answer to this approach and has taken up the subject in full details in his Ahkam ul-Qur'an under Surah Al-Ahzab. This work defines عِصمَہ ` ismah, and proves that it is restricted to prophets and angels and that no one is مَعصُوم (ma` sum) other than them---all this on the basis of Islamic legal arguments and proofs. People of knowledge may see it at their discretion. Others just do not need it.

The word: اللہ آیَات (ayatillah) in verse 34: وَاذْكُرْ‌نَ مَا يُتْلَىٰ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللَّـهِ وَالْحِكْمَةِ (And be mindful of Allah's verses and the wisdom that is recited in your homes) means the Qur'an and: حِکمَہ (hikmah) means the teachings and the sunnah of the noble Messenger of Allah - as the commentators at large have explained -- : hikmah at this place to mean sunnah. And the word: اذْكُرْ‌نَ (udhkurna) could have two meanings: (1) To personally remember and be mindful of these verses and the points of wisdom, which should result in acting according to them. (2) To mention and pass on to other members of the Muslim community whatever of the Qur'an was revealed in their homes before them as well as the teachings of the Holy Prophet ﷺ of which they were the recipients.

Special Note

In his Ahkam ul-Qur'an, Ibn al-Arabi has said: From this verse it stands proved that a person who hears a verse of the Qur'an, or a statement of Hadith, is duty-bound to convey it to the Muslim ummah, so much so that even the blessed wives were bound with the duty of conveying to members of the Muslim community whatever verses of the Qur'an are revealed in their homes or the teachings that they receive from the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Both were a matter of trust placed by Allah in their hands which they had to pass on to others.

The Protection of Qur'an and Hadith

The way the spreading of the message of the verses of the Qur'an and the making of arrangements to teach it have been made necessary for the Muslim community, it is in the same way that, by calling it hikmah, the spreading and teaching of the ahadith of the Holy Prophet ﷺ have also been made necessary (in the degree of incumbency). Therefore, the noble Sahabah, may Allah be pleased with them all, have obeyed and implemented this injunction under all circumstances. There is this incident related to the Sayyidna Mu’ adh in the Sahih of al-Bukhari. He heard a Hadith from the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، but he did not narrate it publicly for the reason that he feared that people may not give it the status it deserved or may succumb to some misunderstanding. However, when came the time of his death, he assembled people around him and narrated the Hadith before them and said, 'Up to this time, I had not mentioned it before anyone because of religious expediency. But, now the time of death is near, therefore, I consider it necessary to deliver this thing held in trust back to the Muslim ummah, its real owner.' The words of the statement in the Sahih al-Bukhari are: فَاَخبَرَ بِہٖ مَعَاذُ عِندَ مَوتہٖ تا ثماً that is, 'Sayyidna Mu` adh ؓ made people hear this Hadith at the time of his death lest he becomes a sinner by not having conveyed the Hadith of the Rasul of Allah to the Muslim ummah.'

This incident too is an apt testimony to the fact that all Sahabah considered the implementation of this injunction of the Qur'an to be obligatory, and necessary. And since the noble Sahabah had demonstrated the highest care and concern in conveying Hadith to people with utmost precaution, the protection of Hadith too came, in a certain degree, fairly close to that of the Qur'an. Picking doubts in this matter really amounts to picking doubts in the Qur'an. Allah knows best.