Quran 33:33 – Context And Historical Background
Here I am sharing the context and explanation of this verse from Molana Amin Ahsan Islahi’s tafsir Tadabbur-e-Qur’an. In this same context, further instructions were given whose purpose was to protect the wives of the Prophet from the mischief of hypocritical men and women and to engage them in the tasks that were befitting for them and for which Allah had chosen them. To properly understand the nature of these instructions, one should recall the point mentioned earlier: hypocritical women were trying to create similar desires in the hearts of the wives of the Prophet as those present in their own hearts. For example, they would say that if these wives were freed from the “confinement” of Muhammad (peace be upon him), then the great chiefs of the time would send them marriage proposals, and they too would go out adorned and decorated for shopping and outings just as the wives of the elites used to do. The Qur’an, alluding to these hidden whisperings and corrupt suggestions of the hypocritical women, advised the wives of the Prophet to remain settled in their homes and not to display their adornment like the women of the age of ignorance. This instruction is similar to the way a well-intentioned father advises his virtuous child when he learns that some bad people are trying to mislead the child. If he tells his good son to focus on his studies and not roam around shouting slogans in the streets like hooligans, it does not mean that the son was actually behaving like them or that there was real fear that he would do so. Rather, it is a warning meant to criticize the hooligans and to protect the child from their influence. In the same way, this guidance was given to the wives of the Prophet. In reality, it is a criticism and humiliation of the behavior of the women of the elite class of that society. Instead of addressing those women directly, the Qur’an addressed the wives of the Prophet. Otherwise, among the Mothers of the Believers there was no one about whom it could even be suspected that she desired to wander outside the home or display her adornment like the women of ignorance. Because the word “ignorance” is qualified by “former” (al-ūlā), some commentators interpreted it as referring to the period of ignorance during the time of Prophet Noah or Prophet Idris. However, such interpretation is unnecessary. In this tafsir, it is understood as a very eloquent reference to the end of the ignorant civilization which the hypocrites still cherished in their hearts and hoped would survive despite the rise of Islam. The Qur’an called it the “former ignorance” to indicate that it should now be considered a thing of the past. Its era has ended. Those who still dream of its revival are living in a fool’s paradise. Islam and Islamic civilization have already weakened its roots, and even if some traces remain, they will soon disappear. Those who are guarding this collapsing structure are like watchmen of a ruined house; when it finally falls, they will be buried beneath it if they do not change their ways. “Establish prayer, give zakah, and obey Allah and His Messenger.” This means that the real work to be done is not what the women representing the ignorant culture are doing. Rather, it is to establish prayer, give zakah, and remain fully loyal in obedience to Allah and His Messenger. Prayer, zakah, and obedience here represent the comprehensive principles of religion. The meaning is that within their sphere of activity, that is, within their homes, they should spread the same light that the Prophet and his companions were spreading in the outside world. “Indeed, Allah only intends to remove impurity from you, O people of the household, and to purify you completely.” By addressing the people of the household with special emphasis, the verse comforts them in a tone of affection and kindness. It clarifies that these instructions were not meant to imprison their lives but that Allah intended to keep the household of the Prophet free from every kind of impurity and to train them in the highest manner so that they would be worthy of companionship with the Messenger in both this world and the hereafter. The word “rijs” (impurity) here contains an implicit criticism of the luxurious adornments of elite women, implying that these are not true adornments but rather a burden of impurity that they carry. Allah wishes to keep the household of His Prophet free from such impurity. Although the main teaching of the verse has already been explained, a few further points deserve attention. One is that the primary sphere of activity for a woman is her home, and her main engagements should remain within it. If she needs to step outside the limits of her home, she must observe the guidelines that are detailed later in this same surah. Another point is that women going out of their homes adorned and beautified is not a sign of cultural progress but rather a return to the earlier ignorance. A third point is that the honor of being the household of the Prophet primarily belongs to his wives. This verse serves as a decisive textual proof in this matter. The Qur’an contains similar examples elsewhere. Here, the term “people of the household” refers specifically to the wives of the Prophet, and there is no room to include anyone else as the primary meaning. Others may be included only secondarily or by extension. For this reason, the reasoning of certain extremist sects is difficult to understand, as they reject the primary meaning yet raise great disputes about secondary matters.