Tafseer of The Prohibition · At-Tahrim · 66:10
Allah presents an example of those who disbelieved: the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot. They were under two of Our righteous servants but betrayed them, so those prophets did not avail them from Allah at all, and it was said, "Enter the Fire with those who enter."
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 Exalted, whose praise is exalted, says: Allah has set forth as an example for the people who disbelieve, and for the rest of created beings, the wife of Nūḥ and the wife of Lūṭ; they were married to two of Our servants, namely Nūḥ and Lūṭ, and they betrayed them both.
It has been related that the betrayal by the wife of Nūḥ against her husband consisted in this: that she was a disbeliever and said to the people: he is possessed. And that the betrayal by the wife of Lūṭ consisted in this: that Lūṭ kept the guest hidden while she betrayed him.
* Mention of who said that:
Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Mūsā ibn Abī ʿĀʾisha, on the authority of Salmān ibn Qays, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His word: فَخَانَتَاهُمَا ("dus verraadden zij hen beiden" — "so they both betrayed them"), he said: the wife of Nūḥ said to the people: he is possessed; and the wife of Lūṭ pointed to the guest.
Muḥammad ibn Manṣūr al-Ṭūsī related to us, saying: Ismāʿīl ibn ʿUmar related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Mūsā ibn Abī ʿĀʾisha, on the authority of Sulaymān ibn Qays, he said: I heard Ibn ʿAbbās say concerning this verse: as for the wife of Nūḥ, she made known that he was possessed; and as for the betrayal of the wife of Lūṭ, she pointed to Lūṭ.
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Abū ʿĀmir al-Hamdānī, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk: كَانَتَا تَحْتَ عَبْدَيْنِ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا صَالِحَيْنِ ("Zij waren gehuwd met twee van Onze rechtschapen dienaren" — "They were married to two of Our righteous servants"), he said: never has the wife of a prophet committed adultery. فَخَانَتَاهُمَا ("dus verraadden zij hen beiden" — "so they both betrayed them"), he said: in religion they betrayed them.
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 word: ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلا لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا اِمْرَأَةَ نُوحٍ وَامْرَأَةَ لُوطٍ كَانَتَا تَحْتَ عَبْدَيْنِ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا صَالِحَيْنِ فَخَانَتَاهُمَا ("Allah heeft als voorbeeld voor degenen die ongelovig zijn de vrouw van Nūḥ en de vrouw van Lūṭ gesteld; zij waren gehuwd met twee van Onze rechtschapen dienaren, dus verraadden zij hen beiden" — "Allah has set forth as an example for those who disbelieve the wife of Nūḥ and the wife of Lūṭ; they were married to two of Our righteous servants, so they both betrayed them"), he said: their betrayal consisted in this: that they both did not adhere to their religion. The wife of Nūḥ came to know the secret of Nūḥ, and as soon as anyone believed together with Nūḥ, she would inform the tyrants among the people of Nūḥ of it; that was her practice. And as for the wife of Lūṭ, whenever anyone was a guest with Lūṭ, she would inform the inhabitants of the city who committed evil of it. فَلَمْ يُغْنِيَا عَنْهُمَا مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا ("dus baatten zij beiden hun in niets tegen Allah" — "so they availed them nothing against Allah").
Ibn al-Muthannā related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar related to us, saying: Shuʿba related to us, on the authority of ʿAmr ibn Abī Saʿīd, that he heard ʿIkrima say concerning this verse: فَخَانَتَاهُمَا ("dus verraadden zij hen beiden" — "so they both betrayed them"), he said: in religion.
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Yaḥyā ibn Wāḍiḥ related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, on the authority of Yazīd, on the authority of ʿIkrima, concerning His word: كَانَتَا تَحْتَ عَبْدَيْنِ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا صَالِحَيْنِ فَخَانَتَاهُمَا ("Zij waren gehuwd met twee van Onze rechtschapen dienaren, dus verraadden zij hen beiden" — "They were married to two of Our righteous servants, so they both betrayed them"), he said: and their betrayal consisted in this: that they were both polytheistic (mushrika).
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Yaḥyā ibn Wāḍiḥ related to us, saying: ʿUbayd ibn Sulaymān, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk: فَخَانَتَاهُمَا ("dus verraadden zij hen beiden" — "so they both betrayed them"), he said: they both deviated from the religion of the Prophet ﷺ and were disbelievers in Allah.
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Abū Ṣakhr informed me, on the authority of Abū Muʿāwiya al-Bajalī, he said: I asked Saʿīd ibn Jubayr: what was the betrayal of the wife of Lūṭ and the wife of Nūḥ? He said: as for the wife of Lūṭ, she pointed to the guests; and as for the wife of Nūḥ, concerning that I have no knowledge.
And His word: فَلَمْ يُغْنِيَا عَنْهُمَا مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا ("dus baatten zij beiden hun in niets tegen Allah" — "so they availed them nothing against Allah") says: Nūḥ and Lūṭ availed their two wives nothing against Allah, when He punished them for their betrayal of their husbands; and it did not help the two of them that their husbands were prophets.
In agreement with what we have said concerning this, the scholars of interpretation (ahl al-taʾwīl) also spoke.
* Mention of who said that:
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His word: ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلا لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا اِمْرَأَةَ نُوحٍ وَامْرَأَةَ لُوطٍ ("Allah heeft als voorbeeld voor degenen die ongelovig zijn de vrouw van Nūḥ en de vrouw van Lūṭ gesteld" — "Allah has set forth as an example for those who disbelieve the wife of Nūḥ and the wife of Lūṭ") ... — the verse — these were the wives of two prophets of Allah; when they disobeyed their Lord, their husbands availed them nothing against Allah.
Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda: ضرب الله مثلا للذين كفروا امرأة نوح وامرأة لوط ("Allah heeft als voorbeeld voor degenen die ongelovig zijn de vrouw van Nūḥ en de vrouw van Lūṭ gesteld" — "Allah has set forth as an example for those who disbelieve the wife of Nūḥ and the wife of Lūṭ") ... — the verse — he said: Allah says: the righteousness of these two availed those two nothing; and the wife of Firʿawn was not harmed by the disbelief of Firʿawn.
And His word: وَقِيلَ ادْخُلا النَّارَ مَعَ الدَّاخِلِينَ ("en er werd gezegd: gaat het Vuur binnen tezamen met de binnentredenden" — "and it was said: enter the Fire together with those who enter") — Allah said to them both on the Day of Resurrection: enter, O you two women, the fire of Hell (jahannam) together with those who enter it.
