Quran 24:26 – Vile Women Are For Vile Men And Vile Men For Vile Women
For a different perspective, it seems like most other scholars do not seem to associate this ayah with hereafter. Vile women are for vile men, and vile men are for vile women; and good women are for good men, and good men are for good women. Those are free from what they (the accusers) say. For them there is forgiveness, and a graceful provision. Mufti Taqi Usmani Wicked women (are) for wicked men, and wicked men (are) for wicked women; and good women (are) for good men, and good men (are) for good women. Those are (declared) quit of whatever they (i.e., of what the wicked ones say) say; they will have forgiveness and an honorable provision. Dr. Ghali Bad statements are for bad people (or bad women for bad men) and bad people for bad statements (or bad men for bad women). Good statements are for good people (or good women for good men) and good people for good statements (or good men for good women), such (good people) are innocent of (each and every) bad statement which they say, for them is Forgiveness, and Rizqun Karim (generous provision i.e. Paradise). Muhsin Khan Corrupt women are for corrupt men, and corrupt men for corrupt women. Good women are for good men, and good men for good women. They are innocent of the calumnies people utter.2 There shall be forgiveness for them and a generous provision. Tafheem-ul-Quran – Abul Ala Maududi Corrupt women are for corrupt men, and corrupt men are for corrupt women; good women are for good men and good men are for good women. The good are innocent of what has been said against them; they will have forgiveness and a generous provision. Abdul Haleem Vile women are for vile men, and vile men for vile women. Good women are for good men, and good men for good women; such are innocent of that which people say: For them is pardon and a bountiful provision. Pickthall Women impure are for men impure, and men impure for women impure and women of purity are for men of purity, and men of purity are for women of purity: these are not affected by what people say: for them there is forgiveness, and a provision honourable. Yusuf Ali
Here is another perspective. I am not a scholar, but my opinion is different. In my opinion this Ayah is for this World and it does not talk about “Takdeer”. I believe it gives the message that good couple should be married together and bad couple should be married together. —- Context of the Verse In earlier verses of Surah an-Nur, Allah revealed when the incident of false accusations against Hz Aisha (RA) happened. Such slander was made by the hypocrites on the honor of Hz Aisha (RA), the wife of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), in connection with an incident which occurred while he was returning from a campaign. Allah Himself revealed her innocence and forbade Muslims against accusing innocent and chaste women without proof. Now on to the Tafsir of the verse. …… The first part of the verse does not state an actual fact; rather it states and reminds a moral and a social principle. Impure men are a fit match for impure women and pious men are a fit match for pious women. The verse is simply saying that good and righteous men and women only deserve each other just as immoral men and women deserve each other.
Nadeem sahab when we understand the Quran only with the literal meaning of the words, we miss out on a big part, and many times even the intent of God in a given verse or a passage. This is true for most books, however more so for the Quran. As we get more and more familiar with an author and his style, we start to profoundly understand even his ambiguous writings. Same applies to the Quran even though there’s nothing ambiguous in it. It’s not Quran’s style to make standalone statements in the middle of things, especially when such statements are that of general knowledge. When Quran makes statements consisting of general knowledge, they’re always for the purpose of using them as evidence for a point that it’s trying to make. Such point is always evident in the context. Verse 24:26 can either be understood in the context of the previous verses where the hereafter of evil people is under discussion, or it can be considered a standalone statement which has no relation to the previous or the next verses. It’s completely against Quran’s style if considered a standalone statement, but it fits perfectly well with the context of the previous verses. Also Quran generally doesn’t make statements that can sometimes be true and other times not. As I stated earlier, in this world many good men get married to many bad women and vice versa. It’s quite against Quran’s style to make such a statement, especially when it has no context. With these things in mind, the correct interpretation in Ghamidi sahab’s view, which I wholeheartedly agree with, is that verse 24:26 is in reference to the hereafter. If it still doesn’t make sense to you, of course you’re free to understand it differently. You will still earn the reward for trying. Since this is not even a matter of creed, worship, or law, there’s no harm in understanding it differently anyway.
Brother Faisal. I always appreciate your sharing of knowledge. Sometimes we agree and sometimes I get a chance to hear an alternative point of view from you. Unfortunately texting is not an optimal medium to discuss complicated topics in detail. Anyhow we agree to diagree. I have found Quran to be very easy to understsnd and with very streight forward meaning reqiring no twisting of meaning. Still to be sure that I am not on a completely wrong track, I look at the work of many scholars. I am content that the meaning I infered myself is the same meaning infered by most scholars. I find more weight in their interpretation in this case than Ghamidi Sahib. At the end only Allah knows the true meaning. I appreciate your guidance and I will continue to seek your guidance in other matters.