Surah Al-Ahzab 33:32 — translation and meaning

الأحزاب · Verse 32 / 73 · Page 422

ۚ يَا نِسَاءَ النَّبِيِّ لَسْتُنَّ كَأَحَدٍ مِّنَ النِّسَاءِ إِنِ اتَّقَيْتُنَّ فَلَا تَخْضَعْنَ بِالْقَوْلِ فَيَطْمَعَ الَّذِي فِي قَلْبِهِ مَرَضٌ وَقُلْنَ قَوْلًا مَّعْرُوفًا

Word by Word

ۚ
يَا نِسَاءَ
yanisaa
O wives
النَّبِيِّ
al-nabiyi
(of) the Prophet!
لَسْتُنَّ
lastunna
You are not
كَأَحَدٍ
ka-ahadin
like anyone
مِّنَ
mina
among
النِّسَاءِ
al-nisai
the women
إِنِ
ini
If
اتَّقَيْتُنَّ
ittaqaytunna
you fear (Allah)
فَلَا
fala
then (do) not
تَخْضَعْنَ
takhda'na
be soft
بِالْقَوْلِ
bil-qawli
in speech
فَيَطْمَعَ
fayatma'a
lest should be moved with desire
الَّذِي
alladhi
he who
فِي
fi
in
قَلْبِهِ
qalbihi
his heart
مَرَضٌ
maradun
(is) a disease
وَقُلْنَ
waqul'na
but say
قَوْلًا
qawlan
a word
مَّعْرُوفًا
ma'rufan
appropriate

Transliteration

Yaa nisaaa'an Nabiyyi lastunna ka ahadim minan nisaaa'i init taqaitunna falaa takhda'na bilqawli fa yatma'al lazee fee qalbihee maradunw wa qulna qawlam ma'roofaa

Translation

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.

Verse interpretation (Tafsir)

O the wives of the Prophet (peace be upon him), You are not like other women in terms of privilege and nobility; you are on a level of privilege and nobility other women can never reach even if they were to fulfil the commands of Allah and refrain from things He has not allowed. Therefore, do not soften your tone when you speak to unrelated men, in case those with the disease of hypocrisy or impermissible desires begin to lust. Rather, speak in a manner well clear of any doubt, by speaking in a serious and not trivial tone as necessary.

Source: Al-Mukhtasar Tafsir — Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies.

100% Free App

Join 50,000+ Muslims

Download for free and never miss a prayer again