Tafseer of The Clans · Al-Ahzaab · 33:32
O wives of the Prophet, you are not like anyone among women. If you fear Allah, then do not be soft in speech [to men], lest he in whose heart is disease should covet, but speak with appropriate speech.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of the saying of the Exalted: "O wives of the Prophet, you are not like any other of the women, if you are God-fearing. So do not be submissive in your speech, lest he in whose heart there is a disease should desire, and speak in a fitting manner" (33:32).
The Exalted, whose praise is exalted, says to the wives of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: "O wives of the Prophet, you are not like any other of the women," that is, of the women of this community; "if you are God-fearing" toward Allah and thus obey Him in what He has commanded you and forbidden you.
As Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His saying "O wives of the Prophet, you are not like any other of the women": he means: of the women of this community.
And His saying: "So do not be submissive in your speech," by which He says: do not be soft in your speech toward the men in that which the people of indecency seek from you. And in keeping with what we have said concerning this, the exegetes have also spoken.
Mention of those who said that:
Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His saying "O wives of the Prophet, you are not like any other of the women, if you are God-fearing. So do not be submissive in your speech," he says: do not be yielding in your speech, and do not be soft in your words.
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His saying "So do not be submissive in your speech," he said: submissiveness in speech is that which is reprehensible in the speech of women toward men, namely that which penetrates the hearts of the men.
And His saying: "lest he in whose heart there is a disease should desire," by which He says: lest he in whose heart there is a weakness should desire, for because of the weakness of his faith in his heart he is either one who doubts about Islam, a hypocrite (munāfiq), and who therefore makes light of the limits of Allah in his affair; or one who is reckless in committing indecencies.
The exegetes differed over the interpretation of this. Some of them said: He described him only as one in whose heart there is a disease because he is a hypocrite.
Mention of those who said that:
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, "lest he in whose heart there is a disease should desire," he said: hypocrisy (nifāq).
And others said: He described him thus because they long to commit indecencies.
Mention of those who said that:
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, "lest he in whose heart there is a disease should desire," he said: ʿIkrima said: the desire for fornication (zinā).
And His saying: "and speak in a fitting manner," by which He says: and speak in a manner that Allah has permitted you and made lawful for you.
As Yūnus related to us, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His saying "and speak in a fitting manner," he said: pure, good speech that is fitting in goodness.
