English Translation and Commentary of the Holy Quran (2010)
by Maulana Muhammad Ali
Chapter 58: Al-Mujadilah — The Pleading Woman (Revealed at Madinah: 3 sections, 22 verses)
Introduction:
The title of this chapter is taken from the event narrated at its opening which mentions a woman pleading a complaint about her husband before the Holy Prophet. The husband had, in accordance with an old Arab custom, put her away by calling her as his “mother”, which placed the wife in a state where she neither had marital rights nor was divorced. The chapter begins by aboli-shing this custom. Then it condemns secret counsels, allowing them only for purposes of discussing good works. It ends by cautioning Muslims not to have friendship with those who opposed and conspired against Islam. This chapter was revealed in about 4 A.H.
List of Sections (Rukus):
- Safeguarding Women’s Rights (Verses 58:1–58:6)
- Secret Counsels Condemned (Verses 58:7–58:13)
- Internal Enemy to be Guarded Against (Verses 58:14–58:22)