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Surah Al-Ahzab, Verse 38

سورة الأحزاب، الآية ٣٨

33:38 Juz 22 Hizb 43 Page 423 of the mushaf Medinan surah

Text of verse 33:38

مَّا كَانَ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِىِّ مِنْ حَرَجٍ فِيمَا فَرَضَ ٱللَّهُ لَهُۥ سُنَّةَ ٱللَّهِ فِى ٱلَّذِينَ خَلَوْا۟ مِن قَبْلُ وَكَانَ أَمْرُ ٱللَّهِ قَدَرًا مَّقْدُورًا ۝٣٨

Transliteration

mā kāna ʿalā l-nabiyi min ḥarajin fīmā faraḍa l-lahu lahu sunnata l-lahi fī alladhīna khalaw min qablu wakāna amru l-lahi qadaran maqdūran

Translation

There is not to be upon the Prophet any discomfort concerning that which Allāh has imposed upon him.1202 [This is] the established way of Allāh with those [prophets] who have passed on before. And ever is the command of Allāh a destiny decreed.

Notes

[1202] Or permitted to him.

Translation in another language
Mahmoud Khalil Al-Hussary Read in the surah

Verse 38 of Surah Al-Ahzab (33:38), a Medinan surah, is in juz 22, on page 423 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 73 reciters.

Listen to verse 38 of Surah Al-Ahzab

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Tafsir of verse 38

Al-Mukhtasar

There is no sin or oppression on the Prophet (peace be upon him) in his marriage to the wife of his adopted son which Allah made permissible for him. In fact, in doing so, he is following in the way of the Prophets before him; he is not any different to the messengers in that regard. The Prophet had no choice in the completion of this marriage and nullifying of adoption that Allah decreed; it was a decree which was to pass, there was no one who could overturn it.

Tafsir of the whole Surah Al-Ahzab

Other translations of verse 38

There is no blame on the Prophet concerning what Allah has made lawful for him36. Such was the way of Allah with those [prophets] who came before. And Allah’s command is a decree firmly determined,

Notes

[36] Concerning the Prophet’s (ﷺ) marriage with Zaynab bint Jahsh.

There is no blame on the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) in that which Allâh has made legal for him. That has been Allâh’s Way with those who have passed away of (the Prophets of) old. And the Command of Allâh is a decree determined.

There is no reproach for the Prophet in that which Allah maketh his due. That was Allah's way with those who passed away of old - and the commandment of Allah is certain destiny -

There can be no difficulty to the Prophet in what Allah has indicated to him as a duty. It was the practice (approved) of Allah amongst those of old that have passed away. And the command of Allah is a decree determined.

There is no harm in the Prophet doing that which Allah has ordained for him; such has been the course of Allah with respect to those who have gone before; and the command of Allah is a decree that is made absolute:

In no way is there any restriction on the Prophet concerning what Allah has ordained for him. (This is) the Enactment of Allah with the ones who passed away earlier- and the Command of Allah has (always) been a perfectly determined determination-

Verse 38 word by word

  1. مَّا mā Not
  2. كَانَ kāna (there can) be ك و ن
  3. عَلَى ʿalā upon
  4. ٱلنَّبِىِّ l-nabiyi the Prophet ن ب أ
  5. مِنْ min any
  6. حَرَجٍ ḥarajin discomfort ح ر ج
  7. فِيمَا fīmā in what
  8. فَرَضَ faraḍa Allah has imposed ف ر ض
  9. ٱللَّهُ l-lahu Allah has imposed
  10. لَهُۥ lahu on him
  11. سُنَّةَ sunnata (That is the) Way س ن ن
  12. ٱللَّهِ l-lahi (of) Allah
  13. فِى fī concerning
  14. ٱلَّذِينَ alladhīna those who
  15. خَلَوْا۟ khalaw passed away خ ل و
  16. مِن min before
  17. قَبْلُ qablu before ق ب ل
  18. وَكَانَ wakāna And is ك و ن
  19. أَمْرُ amru (the) Command أ م ر
  20. ٱللَّهِ l-lahi (of) Allah
  21. قَدَرًا qadaran a decree ق د ر
  22. مَّقْدُورًا maqdūran destined ق د ر

Hadiths that cite this verse

Authentic Sahih al-Bukhari 6601

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "No woman should ask for the divorce of her sister (Muslim) so as to take her place, but she should marry the man (without compelling him to divorce his other wife), for she will have nothing but what Allah has written for her."

لاَ تَسْأَلِ الْمَرْأَةُ طَلاَقَ أُخْتِهَا لِتَسْتَفْرِغَ صَحْفَتَهَا، وَلْتَنْكِحْ، فَإِنَّ لَهَا مَا قُدِّرَ لَهَا ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah + 4 other versions

Authentic Sahih al-Bukhari 6602

Once while I was with the Prophet (ﷺ) and Sa`d, Ubai bin Ka`b and Mu`adh were also sitting with him, there came to him a messenger from one of his daughters, telling him that her child was on the verge of death. The Prophet (ﷺ) told the messenger to tell her, "It is for Allah what He takes, and it…

لِلَّهِ مَا أَخَذَ، وَلِلَّهِ مَا أَعْطَى، كُلٌّ بِأَجَلٍ، فَلْتَصْبِرْ وَلْتَحْتَسِبْ ‏"

Narrated by Usāmah ibn Zayd

Authentic Sahih al-Bukhari 6603

That while he was sitting with the Prophet (ﷺ) a man from the Ansar came and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! We get slave girls from the war captives and we love property; what do you think about coitus interruptus?" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Do you do that? It is better for you not to do it…

أَوَإِنَّكُمْ تَفْعَلُونَ ذَلِكَ، لاَ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ لاَ تَفْعَلُوا، فَإِنَّهُ لَيْسَتْ نَسَمَةٌ كَتَبَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تَخْرُجَ إِلاَّ هِيَ كَائِنَةٌ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri + 2 other versions

Authentic Sahih al-Bukhari 6604

The Prophet (ﷺ) once delivered a speech in front of us wherein he left nothing but mentioned (about) everything that would happen till the Hour. Some of us stored that our minds and some forgot it. (After that speech) I used to see events taking place (which had been referred to in that speech) but…

لَقَدْ خَطَبَنَا النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم خُطْبَةً، مَا تَرَكَ فِيهَا شَيْئًا إِلَى قِيَامِ السَّاعَةِ إِلاَّ ذَكَرَهُ، عَلِمَهُ مَنْ عَلِمَهُ، وَجَهِلَهُ مَنْ جَهِلَهُ، إِنْ كُنْتُ لأَرَى الشَّىْءَ قَدْ نَسِيتُ…

Narrated by Hudhayfah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 6605

While we were sitting with the Prophet (ﷺ) who had a stick with which he was scraping the earth, he lowered his head and said, "There is none of you but has his place assigned either in the Fire or in Paradise." Thereupon a man from the people said, "Shall we not depend upon this, O Allah's…

مَا مِنْكُمْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلاَّ قَدْ كُتِبَ مَقْعَدُهُ مِنَ النَّارِ أَوْ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ أَلاَ نَتَّكِلُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ ‏"‏ لاَ اعْمَلُوا فَكُلٌّ مُيَسَّرٌ ‏"‏ ثُمَّ…

Narrated by Ali + 22 other versions

Other hadiths (1)

Verses related to verse 38

Cited by Ibn Kathir in his explanation of this verse

  • Al-A’raf 7:158

    قُلْ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنِّى رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا ٱلَّذِى لَهُۥ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ يُحْىِۦ وَيُمِيتُ فَـَٔامِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ٱلنَّبِىِّ ٱلْأُمِّىِّ ٱلَّذِى يُؤْمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَكَلِمَٰتِهِۦ وَٱتَّبِعُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ

    Say, [O Muḥammad], "O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allāh to you all, [from Him] to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death." So believe in Allāh and His Messenger, the unlettered prophet, who believes in Allāh and His words, and follow him that you may be guided.

  • Al-An’am 6:124

    وَإِذَا جَآءَتْهُمْ ءَايَةٌ قَالُوا۟ لَن نُّؤْمِنَ حَتَّىٰ نُؤْتَىٰ مِثْلَ مَآ أُوتِىَ رُسُلُ ٱللَّهِ ٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ حَيْثُ يَجْعَلُ رِسَالَتَهُۥ سَيُصِيبُ ٱلَّذِينَ أَجْرَمُوا۟ صَغَارٌ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَعَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌۢ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَمْكُرُونَ

    And when a sign comes to them, they say, "Never will we believe until we are given like that which was given to the messengers of Allāh." Allāh is most knowing of where [i.e., with whom] He places His message. There will afflict those who committed crimes debasement before Allāh and severe punishment for what they used to conspire.

Verses with similar wording

They share a sequence of words with this verse: useful for telling them apart when memorising.

  • Al-Ahzab 33:62

    سُنَّةَ ٱللَّهِ فِى ٱلَّذِينَ خَلَوْا۟ مِن قَبْلُ وَلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّةِ ٱللَّهِ تَبْدِيلًا

    [This is] the established way of Allāh with those who passed on before; and you will not find in the way of Allāh any change.

All similar verses of Surah Al-Ahzab

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