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Chapter 60

The Woman Testedal-Mumtaḥanah ( الممتحنة )

13 verses • revealed at Medinan

»The surah that instituted for lone female Émigrés to Islam the swearing of a scared oath as the test of faith, The Women Tested, establishing publicly that their migration was purely for the sake of God, without worldly motive, so as to vouchsafe to them full protection and rights in the Muslim community. It takes its name from verse 10 concerning “the testing” (imtiḥān) of new female converts to Islam. The surah was revealed between the Treaty of Ḥudaybiyyah and the conquest of Mecca: instructions are given on how to deal with women who leave Mecca and join the Muslims, and the procedure for wives who leave Medina for Mecca (verse 10 ff.). The Muslims are instructed on the appropriate allocation of their loyalties (verse 1 ff., verse 7 ff. and verse 13) and Abraham is cited for them as an example to learn from (verse 4).«

The surah is also known as Examining Her, She Who Is Tested, That Which Examines, The Examiner, The Test of Faith, The Woman Tried, The Woman to be Examined, Women Tested

بِسمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحمٰنِ الرَّحيمِ

Ali Unal: IN THE NAME OF GOD, THE ALL-MERCIFUL, THE ALL-COMPASSIONATE

1
يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنوا لا تَتَّخِذوا عَدُوّي وَعَدُوَّكُم أَولِياءَ تُلقونَ إِلَيهِم بِالمَوَدَّةِ وَقَد كَفَروا بِما جاءَكُم مِنَ الحَقِّ يُخرِجونَ الرَّسولَ وَإِيّاكُم ۙ أَن تُؤمِنوا بِاللَّهِ رَبِّكُم إِن كُنتُم خَرَجتُم جِهادًا في سَبيلي وَابتِغاءَ مَرضاتي ۚ تُسِرّونَ إِلَيهِم بِالمَوَدَّةِ وَأَنا أَعلَمُ بِما أَخفَيتُم وَما أَعلَنتُم ۚ وَمَن يَفعَلهُ مِنكُم فَقَد ضَلَّ سَواءَ السَّبيلِ

Ali Unal

Revealed in Madīnah between the Treaty of Hudaybiyah and the conquest of Makkah, this sūrah has 13 verses. It derives its name from the tenth verse, which commands that women who have declared their conversion to Islam and emigrated to Madīnah should be tested as to whether they are true. The sūrah also deals with what the Muslims’ relations with their disbelieving enemies should be.
O you who believe! Do not take My enemies and your enemies for friends, offering them love and affection, while they have disbelieved in the truth that has come to you and driven the Messenger and yourselves away (from your homes) only because you believe in God, your Lord (Who has created you and sustains you). If you (now) have set forth (from your homes) to strive in My way and to seek My approval and good pleasure, (then do not take them for friends). You reveal to them your secret in secrecy out of your love and friendship, but I am better aware (than yourselves) of what you do in secret as well as of what you disclose. Whoever does so among you has surely strayed from the right way.1
  • When the Treaty of Hudaybiyah was violated by the attack of the Banū Bakr, an ally of the Makkan polytheists, on the Banu Khudā’ah, an ally of the Muslims, resulting in some of the latter being killed, God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, began to prepare for war. As always, he kept the affair quite secret and no one, including his wives and closest friends, knew where the campaign would be. However, an Emigrant named Khatīb ibn Abī Balta’ah guessed the intention of God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings. He sent a letter to the Quraysh, informing them of the Messenger’s preparations. The Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, was told of this through a Revelation, and ordered ‘Ali, Zubayr ibn al-’Awwām and Miqdād ibn ‘Amr to take the letter from the woman to whom Khatīb had entrusted it. They did this successfully. When questioned about why he had written this letter, Khatīb excused himself by saying that he had family members in Makkah and desired their protection. Since this was not ill-intended treachery and Khatīb was one who had proved that he was a sincere Muslim by participating in the Battle of Badr, the Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, forgave him (Ibn Hishām, 2: 39–42). The verse is about this incident and intends to warn the Muslims against similar events.