Surah al-Ahzab (The Confederates) 33 : 32

Explanatory Note

The sūrah then explains what distinguishes the Prophet’s wives from all other women, outlining their duties in dealing with other people, worshipping God, their conduct at home, and the special care God takes of the Prophet’s noble household.

Initially, the sūrah makes them aware of their high positions and the advantages they have over all other women, making it clear that this is unique to them and cannot be shared by any other women in history. Hence, it is their duty to ensure that they can meet the obligations attendant with their status: “Wives of the Prophet! You are unlike any other women, if you truly fear God.” They are told that their unique position is dependent on their being God-fearing. It is not their mere relation to the Prophet that gives them their status. Hence, they have to be up to the task, doing what this entails.

This is the plain truth that forms the basis of this religion of Islam. It is stated in absolute clarity by the Prophet as he addresses his own family, telling them that their close relation to him should not make them oblivious of their duties; he cannot benefit them anything unless they redeem themselves through their own actions.

Having outlined their status which they earn through being God- fearing, the sūrah outlines the means by which God removes what is loathsome from the members of the Prophet’s household: “do not speak too soft, lest any who is sick at heart should be moved with desire.” When they speak to strangers, they must not use the sort of softness in their speech which arouses men’s desires and make those who are sick at heart feel their urge.

“But speak in an appropriate manner.” They were first ordered not o speak in a soft way; now they are ordered to confine their talk to what is appropriate. Indeed the subject matter of a conversation may encourage certain thoughts. Therefore, there must not be in the conversation between men and women anything that leads to what is improper. This applies to the tone of voice, jokes and ordinary chatting. We should remember that it is God, the Creator who knows His creation and what affects and influences them, who gives these instructions to the Prophet’s wives who were already exemplary in their purity. They were required to observe these instructions with the people of their own society, which was the best human society ever.