Prohibition (Al-Tahreem)
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
۞ Prophet, why in your desire to please your wives, do you impose a ban on what God has made lawful to you? God is forgiving and merciful. 1 Allah has prescribed for you a way for the absolution of your oaths. Allah is your Guardian. He is All-Knowing, Most Wise. 2 The Prophet confided a certain matter to one of his wives but thereafter she disclosed it, then Allah revealed what she had done to him. He made part of it known and another part not. And when he acquainted her with it, she said: 'Who has told you this' He replied: 'I was told of it by the Knower, the Aware' 3 [Say, O Prophet:] "Would that you two turn unto God in repentance, for the hearts of both of you have swerved [from what is right]! And if you uphold each other against him [who is God's message-bearer, know that] God Himself is his Protector, and [that,] therefore, Gabriel, and all the righteous among the believers and all the [other] angels will come to his aid." 4 Perhaps his Lord, if he divorced you [all], would substitute for him wives better than you - submitting [to Allah], believing, devoutly obedient, repentant, worshipping, and traveling - [ones] previously married and virgins. 5 Believers, guard yourselves and your families against the Fire the fuel of which is people and stones, over which there are harsh, and stern angels who never disobey Allah in that which He orders and do what they are ordered. 6 You who are bent on denying the truth, make no excuses today: you are only being rewarded according to your deeds. 7