By Juz 28 features many chapters that once again remind the believers of associating themselves with disbelievers and remembering their Creator, and within these chapters, there is also discussion surrounding the rights and laws for divorced women which I thought was quite interesting.
This is because although our societies have placed a taboo on those who are divorced, you see that within the Quran, God has done quite the opposite, highlighting that there is a system put into place for such individuals. The chapters featured within this reflection are Surah Al-Mujadila (The Pleading Women), Surah Al-Mumtahanah (The Woman Who is Examined), Surah As-Saf (The Ranks), Surah Al-Munafiqun (The Hypocrites), Surah At-Taghabun (Mutual Loss and Gain).
Allah (SWT) Is All-Hearing, All-Knowing
The 58th surah of the Quran, or Surah Al-Mujadila, was revealed in the city of Makkah, and is a chapter that once again establishes women’s rights, and also provides a legal framework as it concerns divorce. According to Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (as), “One who recites Surah Al-Hadid and Surah Al-Mujadila in their obligatory prayers will neither be afflicted with any torment in his life, nor will he or his family suffer from evil, nor will he be entangled with poverty and destitute.”
Here are some verses that stood out to me:
- “Those of you who ˹sinfully˺ divorce their wives by comparing them to their mothers ˹should know that˺ their wives are in no way their mothers. None can be their mothers except those who gave birth to them. What they say is certainly detestable and false. Yet Allah is truly Ever-Pardoning, All-Forgiving.” — Quran (58:2)
- “Do you not see that Allah knows whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth? If three converse privately, He is their fourth. If five, He is their sixth. Whether fewer or more, He is with them wherever they may be. Then, on the Day of Judgment, He will inform them of what they have done. Surely Allah has ˹perfect˺ knowledge of all things.” — Quran (58:7)
- “O believers! When you converse privately, let it not be for sin, aggression, or disobedience to the Messenger, but let it be for goodness and righteousness. And fear Allah, to Whom you will ˹all˺ be gathered.” — Quran (58:9)
Right off the bat, I was surprised with the translation of the second verse in this surah where God explicitly says that it’s not fair to compare your wife to your own mother because neither can be compared as our Creator has created different and blessed maqaam (statuses) for both women. No one can be compared to one’s own mother because only one woman gives birth to a man, and to my understanding, divorcing women based on this comparison is a sin in and of itself. No woman should be compared to the status of another woman because God has created every individual in a unique way, and every woman has different life experiences. Some never become wives, some never become mothers, and some never get the opportunity to experience how cherished and adored a daughter should be.
The next verse was a wake-up call for me that no matter the situation, we can never once convince ourselves that God isn’t there, All-Aware of what we’re doing, and I like how the concept of numbers was used in this verse to put things into perspective for us. This idea is that if there are three people in the room, then God is the fourth. If there are five people in the room, then God is the sixth, and so on and so forth. Above all else, let’s say we forget that our Creator is always present with us or we just don’t believe in this fact, then God says Himself that he will be exposing everything he’s heard and witnessed on the Day of Judgment. I don’t know what’s worse — committing sin knowing God is watching or having it exposed in front of all mankind with no chances left to repent.
Finally, the last verse in this chapter I feel is a wake-up call to communities at large. Whether you’re in a large gathering, a private gathering, with close friends, or whomever, make sure you converse in a way that is centered around the praising and glorification of God. How many times have we sat with groups of people where our dialogues are invested in sin, glorifying sin, and justifying sin? How many times have we actually taken the time out to reflect together as brothers and sisters in faith? In my opinion, verses seven and nine of this surah are some of the best examples that prove how whatever God says is always connected with each other.
Standing your ground
The 60th chapter of the Quran was revealed in the city of Makkah, and focuses on reminding people to never associate themselves with the disbelievers, and gives the examples/stories of many major prophets that we can reflect upon and implement within our daily lives.
Here are some verses that have stood out to me:
O believers! Do not take My enemies and yours as trusted allies, showing them affection even though they deny what has come to you of the truth. They drove the Messenger and yourselves out ˹of Mecca˺, simply for your belief in Allah, your Lord. If you ˹truly˺ emigrated to struggle in My cause and seek My pleasure, ˹then do not take them as allies,˺ disclosing secrets ˹of the believers˺ to the pagans out of affection for them, when I know best whatever you conceal and whatever you reveal. And whoever of you does this has truly strayed from the Right Way.
— Quran (60:1)
This verse emphasizes the importance of maintaining loyalty within one’s faith community and cautions against forming close bonds with those who oppose or deny the faith’s teachings. It specifically addresses believers who have shown resilience and dedication by relocating for their beliefs, urging them not to compromise their integrity by sharing sensitive information with adversaries, even if driven by personal affection. The verse emphasizes the belief that true allegiance lies in upholding the values and secrets of the faith community, especially under challenging circumstances. It also implies that divine awareness encompasses all actions and intentions, suggesting that deviation from this path of loyalty and integrity leads to a significant moral and spiritual misstep.
Trials and tribulations are part of life
The 64th chapter of the Quran was revealed in the blessed city of Medina, and within this chapter, you’ll notice that there’s a lot of discussion surrounding the internal and external challenges Islam was facing. Just like the majority of the chapters within this Juz, the major themes discussed are the affirmation of God’s sovereignty, the Day of Judgment, the importance of remaining steadfast in your faith, the punishment for those who disbelieve, and an instructional framework on social and economic issues. According to Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (as), whoever recites this chapter in their obligatory actions or on different occasions, that person will rise amongst the people of Paradise (provided that they did amal (practice) on the Quran’s teachings).
Here are some verses that have stood out to me:
No calamity befalls ˹anyone˺ except by Allah’s Will. And whoever has faith in Allah, He will ˹rightly˺ guide their hearts ˹through adversity˺. And Allah has ˹perfect˺ knowledge of all things.
— Quran 64:11
I’ll be quite vulnerable in the analysis of this specific verse; however, it seems that no matter how much I try to convince myself that everything happens according to the decree of God, I am unable to do so. I try to uphold faith in my Creator, and I try to return back to Him, but I think I can speak for a lot of people when I say that during certain trials and tribulations, it is as if our mind convinces us that God may just potentially dislike us to the extent that we experience calamity after calamity. While we know that that is not true, the question comes up of how we can convince ourselves to come out of that thought process. This is where I feel that we as a community need more workshops, lectures, and discussions on the mercy that God has for us.
What are your favorite takeaways from this Juz? Let us know on social media platforms.