Prohibition (Al-Tahreem)
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the 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 God has ordained for you the absolution of your oaths. God is your Protector, and He is the All-knowing, the All-wise. 2 The Prophet confided something to one of his wives and then she disclosed it (to another); so after Allah revealed to the Prophet (that she had disclosed that secret), he made a part of it known to her and passed over a part of it. And when he told her about this (i.e., that she had disclosed the secret entrusted to her), she asked: “Who informed you of this?” He said: “I was told of it by He Who is All-Knowing, All-Aware.” 3 If ye twain turn unto Allah repentant, (ye have cause to do so) for your hearts desired (the ban); and if ye aid one another against him (Muhammad) then lo! Allah, even He, is his Protecting Friend, and Gabriel and the righteous among the believers; and furthermore the angels are his helpers. 4 It may be that if he divorces you his Lord will give him in your place better wives than yourselves, women who have surrendered, believing, obedient, penitent worshippers and given to fasting; who were (previously) married, and virgins too. 5 Believers, guard yourselves and your families against a Fire whose fuel is men and stones, and over which are harsh, terrible angels who disobey not God in what He commands them and do what they are commanded. 6 O ye who disbelieve! excuse not yourselves today; ye are only being requited for that which ye have been working. 7