mina l-mu'minīna rijālun ṣadaqū mā ʿāhadū l-laha ʿalayhi famin'hum man qaḍā naḥbahu wamin'hum man yantaẓiru wamā baddalū tabdīlan
Translation
Among the believers are men true to what they promised Allāh. Among them is he who has fulfilled his vow [to the death], and among them is he who awaits [his chance]. And they did not alter [the terms of their commitment] by any alteration -
Verse 23 of Surah Al-Ahzab (33:23), a Medinan surah, is in juz 21, on page 421 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 73 reciters.
Listen to verse 23 of Surah Al-Ahzab
79 recitations by 73 reciters: pick one and it plays in the player.
All voices (79)
Tafsir of verse 23
Al-Mukhtasar
Amongst the believers are men who were true to Allah, so they fulfilled what they promised Him, namely firmness and patience on striving in Allah’s way. Amongst them are those who died or were killed in Allah’s way and amongst them are those who await martyrdom in His way. And these believers did not change what they promised Allah like the hypocrites did with their promises.
Among the believers there are men who have been true to their pledge to Allah. Some of them have fulfilled their pledge22, and others are still waiting23, and they have not changed in the least24.
Notes
[22] i.e., have been martyred or died in the way of Allah.
[23] i.e., waiting to be martyred for the sake of Allah.
[24] Unlike the hypocrites who have betrayed their pledges.
Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allâh [i.e. they have gone out for Jihâd (holy fighting), and showed not their backs to the disbelievers]; of them some have fulfilled their obligations (i.e. have been martyred); and some of them are still waiting, but they have never changed [i.e. they never proved treacherous to their covenant which they concluded with Allâh] in the least.5
Notes
[5] (V.33:23) Narrated Anas رضي الله عنه: My uncle Anas bin An-Nadr was absent from the battle of Badr. He said, "O Allâh’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم)! I was absent from the first battle you fought against the pagans. (By Allah) if Allah gives me a chance to fight the pagans, no doubt, Allah will see how (bravely) I will fight." On the day of Uhud when the Muslims turned their backs and fled, he said, "O Allah! I apologise to You for what these (i.e. his companions) have done, and I denounce what these (i.e. the pagans) have done." Then he advanced and Sa‘d bin Mu‘âdh met him. He said, "O Sa‘d bin Mu‘âdh! By the Lord of An-Nadr, Paradise! I am smelling its aroma coming from before (the mountain of) Uhud," Later on, Sa‘d said, "O Allah’s Messenger! I cannot achieve or do what he (i.e. Anas bin An-Nadr) did. We found more than eighty wounds by swords and arrows on his body. We found him dead and his body mutilated so badly that none except his sister could recognise him by his fingers." We used to think that the following Verse was revealed concerning him and other men of his sort: "Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah."(V.33:23).
His sister Ar-Rubaiyi‘ broke a front tooth of a woman and Allâh’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم ordered for retaliation. On that Anas bin An-Nadr, said, "O Allâh’s Messenger! By Him Who has sent you with the truth, my sister’s tooth shall not be broken, then the opponents of Anas’s sister accepted the compensation and gave up the claim of retaliation. So Allâh’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said, "There are some people amongst Allâh’s slaves whose oaths are fulfilled by Allah when they take them." (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Vol.4, Hadîth No.61).
Of the believers are men who are true to that which they covenanted with Allah. Some of them have paid their vow by death (in battle), and some of them still are waiting; and they have not altered in the least;
Among the Believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah: of them some have completed their vow (to the extreme), and some (still) wait: but they have never changed (their determination) in the least:
Of the believers are men who are true to the covenant which they made with Allah: so of them is he who accomplished his vow, and of them is he who yet waits, and they have not changed in the least
Among the believers are men who are sincere to what they covenanted with Allah. So, of them are (they) who have accomplished their life-time. (i.e., fuilled their vows by ) And of them are (they) who are still waiting, and in no way have they exchanged the least exchanges.
Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: My uncle Anas ibn An-Nadr (may Allah be pleased with him) did not take part in the battle of Badr; so he said: "O Messenger of Allah, I was absent from the first battle you fought against the polytheists. If Allah give me a chance to fight…
