Surah Al-'Aĥzāb (The Combined Forces) in English

1. ترجي من تشاء منهن وتؤوي إليك من تشاء ومن ابتغيت ممن عزلت فلا جناح عليك ذلك أدنى أن تقر أعينهن ولا يحزن ويرضين بما آتيتهن كلهن والله يعلم ما في قلوبكم وكان الله عليما حليما

   51

   You may put off whichever of them you wish and consort with whichever of them you wish, and there is no sin upon you [in receiving again] any [of them] whom you may seek [to consort with] from among those you have set aside [earlier]. That makes it likelier that they will be comforted and not feel unhappy, and all of them will be pleased with what you give them. Allah knows what is in your hearts, and Allah is all-knowing, all-forbearing.

   turjī man tashāʾu minhunna wa-tuʾwī ʾilayka man tashāʾu wa-mani btaghayta mimman ʿazalta fa-lā junāḥa ʿalayka dhālika ʾadnā ʾan taqarra ʾaʿyunuhunna wa-lā yaḥzanna wa-yarḍayna bi-mā ʾātaytahunna kulluhunna wa-llāhu yaʿlamu mā fī qulūbikum wa-kāna llāhu ʿalīman ḥalīman

2. لا يحل لك النساء من بعد ولا أن تبدل بهن من أزواج ولو أعجبك حسنهن إلا ما ملكت يمينك وكان الله على كل شيء رقيبا

   52

   Beyond that, women are not lawful for you, nor that you should change them for other wives even though their beauty should impress you, except those whom your right hand owns. Allah is watchful over all things.

   lā yaḥillu laka n-nisāʾu min baʿdu wa-lā ʾan tabaddala bihinna min ʾazwājin wa-law ʾaʿjabaka ḥusnuhunna ʾillā mā malakat yamīnuka wa-kāna llāhu ʿalā kulli shayʾin raqīban

3. يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تدخلوا بيوت النبي إلا أن يؤذن لكم إلى طعام غير ناظرين إناه ولكن إذا دعيتم فادخلوا فإذا طعمتم فانتشروا ولا مستأنسين لحديث إن ذلكم كان يؤذي النبي فيستحيي منكم والله لا يستحيي من الحق وإذا سألتموهن متاعا فاسألوهن من وراء حجاب ذلكم أطهر لقلوبكم وقلوبهن وما كان لكم أن تؤذوا رسول الله ولا أن تنكحوا أزواجه من بعده أبدا إن ذلكم كان عند الله عظيما

   53

   O you who have faith! Do not enter the Prophet’s houses for a meal until you are granted permission, without hanging around for it to be readied. But enter when you are invited, and disperse when you have taken your meal, without cozying up for chats. Such conduct on your part offends the Prophet, and he is ashamed of [asking] you [to leave]; but Allah is not ashamed of [expressing] the truth. When you ask [his] womenfolk for something, do so from behind a curtain. That is more chaste for your hearts and theirs. You should not offend the Apostle of Allah, nor may you ever marry his wives after him. Indeed that would be a grave [sin] with Allah.

   yā-ʾayyuhā lladhīna ʾāmanū lā tadkhulū buyūta n-nabiyyi ʾillā ʾan yuʾdhana lakum ʾilā ṭaʿāmin ghayra nāẓirīna ʾināhu wa-lākin ʾidhā duʿītum fa-dkhulū fa-ʾidhā ṭaʿimtum fa-ntashirū wa-lā mustaʾnisīna li-ḥadīthin ʾinna dhālikum kāna yuʾdhī n-nabiyya fa-yastaḥyī minkum wa-llāhu lā yastaḥyī mina l-ḥaqqi wa-ʾidhā saʾaltumūhunna matāʿan fa-sʾalūhunna min warāʾi ḥijābin dhālikum ʾaṭharu li-qulūbikum wa-qulūbihinna wa-mā kāna lakum ʾan tuʾdhū rasūla llāhi wa-lā ʾan tankiḥū ʾazwājahū min baʿdihī ʾabadan ʾinna dhālikum kāna ʿinda llāhi ʿaẓīman

4. إن تبدوا شيئا أو تخفوه فإن الله كان بكل شيء عليما

   54

   Whether you disclose anything or hide it, Allah indeed knows all things.

   ʾin tubdū shayʾan ʾaw tukhfūhu fa-ʾinna llāha kāna bi-kulli shayʾin ʿalīman