ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا لِلَّذينَ كَفَرُوا امرَأَتَ نوحٍ وَامرَأَتَ لوطٍ ۖ كانَتا تَحتَ عَبدَينِ مِن عِبادِنا صالِحَينِ فَخانَتاهُما فَلَم يُغنِيا عَنهُما مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيئًا وَقيلَ ادخُلَا النّارَ مَعَ الدّاخِلينَ
Allah draws an example for the faithless: the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot. They were under two of our righteous servants, yet they betrayed them. So they did not avail them in any way against Allah, and it was said [to them]: ‘Enter the fire, along with those who enter [it].’
EXEGESIS
Khānatāhumā (they two betrayed the two of them) refers to the two wives of the prophets betraying their husbands. The word khānatā comes from khiyānah, meaning to oppose what is just by secretly acting contrary to what one promised. In this way, khiyānah means to betray someone’s trust. Thus, God says: O you who have faith! Do not betray Allah and the Apostle, and do not betray your trusts knowingly (8:27). The use of this word ties in closely to the main theme of the surah, as we read in verse 3 how the wives betrayed Prophet Muhammad’s (s) trust by covertly betraying his secrets.
Lam yughniyā (they did not avail) comes from ghinā, literally meaning to have no needs, or to have very little needs. The form aghnā has the meaning of meeting one’s needs, being sufficient, or availing, as is mentioned in the verse, My wealth did not avail (aghnā) me (69:28), and, As for the faithless, neither their wealth nor their children shall avail (tughniya) them anything against Allah (3:10). It means that which they thought they could rely on for support – which usually made them needless of pleading from others – is at that moment of no use or help. This is the case with the wives of those two honourable prophets since their husbands will not be able to avail them or save them.
There is an eloquent juxtaposition between the two words ghinā and khiyānah. These wives betrayed their husbands, who should have been able to rely on their wives for support, as is expected from a spouse. Since they have betrayed that trust, they too shall be recompensed with the like of it. On the Day of Judgement, when they have most need of their husbands and their intercession, they shall be left without anyone to rely on, and will be separated from them. This ties in closely to the theme explicitly stated in verse 7: You are only being requited for what you used to do.
Finally, we should note that the Arabic of they did not avail them in any way against Allah literally means: they did not avail them from God in any way, meaning they did not save them from the punishment of God. Availing ‘against’ God should then be understood to mean to avail in keeping away the punishment of God.
EXPOSITION
The previous verse commanded the Prophet to Wage jihad against the faithless by warning them, reminding them, and being harsh with them. Here, God sets forth an example to them and in effect warns them. The example is given of two wives of two prophets who lived with them in the same house and had their children, yet were spiritually far removed from them. The choice of two women as examples in both this verse and the next is not a coincidence; it is creating a link with verse 4 that warned the two wives of Prophet Muhammad (s) to repent or face the inevitable outcome of their actions.
An example is struck for the faithless, meaning that they should know the outcome of belying the commands and communications of God and look to the final outcome of those who chose that path before them. Even though the example is set for the faithless, it is a stern reminder to the rebellious wives of the Prophet. They should take heed from the past and realise that simply being married to a prophet does not guarantee one’s faith and status in the hereafter. The usage of the term faithless also highlights the severity of the actions of Ḥafṣah and ʿĀʾishah, and is meant to scare them. We discussed their error in earlier verses, and the verse under discussion reinforces our earlier conclusions that it was not simply a matter to be taken lightly. This understanding is further aided by the usage of the example being set for those who have faith in the next verse.
It is also possible that by the faithless it means those who deny what God has said in this surah, and do not take heed of its warnings.
We are told that these two wives were under Prophet Noah (a) and Prophet Lot (a). Under here means ‘under the tutelage’. In other words, they were in the presence of the greatest teachers and spiritual masters, yet failed to learn anything of value or at least failed to practice that. As such, these years in the presence of these great personalities did not avail them in any way. Indeed, a wife should be amongst the first to believe in a prophet, as she spends her nights and days with him, knowing his honesty, perseverance, and good character in a way that others do not. Therefore, she really has no excuse to not believe and to deviate from the correct path.
God describes His two great prophets as two of our righteous servants, which highlights that everyone is a servant of God and it is only their righteousness that elevates their status, not anything else (such as being married to a righteous person).
He then tells us how, despite being in the presence of these great men, the wives then betrayed their husbands. How exactly they did so is a matter of debate (see the Review of Tafsīr Literature), but it was most likely by revealing their secrets. Prophet Noah’s (a) wife would inform others about anyone who came in secret to Prophet Noah (a) and confessed faith, and Prophet Lot’s (a) wife revealed to her people that he had guests at his house when the angels visited him. These examples are especially poignant; as we concluded earlier, the wives of Prophet Muhammad (s) betrayed him by revealing his secrets.
The expression it was said [to them]: ‘Enter the fire’, should be referring to what is said to the two wives on the Day of Judgement. This short expression is a great example of the beautiful layers of depth in the Quran. In a few words it paints in the mind of the reader a dramatic scene of a wife of a prophet looking to her husband on the Day of Judgement, wishing to enter with him into paradise, assuming she should accompany him and that her status as his wife should benefit her and avail her on that day, and that he should intercede on her behalf, only to be told that she is not allowed to enter with him; and she is then dragged away into hell with the others who have condemned themselves to it. Her pleas to her husband and any exchanges are omitted in this verse, which only makes the impact more powerful. Her statements are empty, effectless, and hollow, and thus are only indirectly alluded to. This is the manifestation of the statement, So they did not avail them in any way against Allah.
It is also possible the statement was said to the wives at the moment of death by the angels that come to collect the souls of the dying, Were you to see when the wrongdoers are in the throes of death, and the angels extend their hands [saying]: ‘Give up your souls! Today you shall be requited with a humiliating punishment’ (6:93).
Because the earlier verses have described on several occasions the categories of people who enter hell, this verse simply refers to them as those who enter without explicating it any further. These evil wives do not belong in the category of the believers, even though in this world they seem to be in their midst.
INSIGHTS FROM HADITH
- It is reported from Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) that he was asked how the people of Prophet Lot (a) came to know that he had guests, to which he replied: ‘The wife of Lot (a) used to go out and whistle. When they heard the whistling, they would come. That is why whistling is reprehensible.’
Note: This hadith is from ʿIlal al-Sharāyiʿ of Ṣadūq, so the narrations are aimed at explaining why certain rulings exist in Islamic law. The hadith is quite a strange one though, as it makes little sense why whistling should be reprehensible because of that.
- It is attributed in many books that the Prophet said: ‘No wife of a prophet has ever committed adultery.’
Note: This is to highlight the fact that the betrayal of the wives of Prophet Noah (a) and Prophet Lot (a) should not be understood in this sense.
REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE
Many opinions have been mentioned about what exactly was the betrayal of the wives of Prophet Noah (a) and Prophet Lot (a):
- From Suddī, al-Ḍaḥḥāk, and others, that they were faithless. Others have said it was hypocrisy.
- From al-Ḍaḥḥāk, that they wear guilty of slandering (namīmah) their husbands and relaying their secrets to the polytheists.
- From Ibn Abbas and others, that the wife of Prophet Noah (a) would tell people that Prophet Noah (a) is insane.
- From Ibn Abbas and others, that the wife of Prophet Noah (a) would reveal to the ruler anyone who believed in Prophet Noah (a).
- From Ibn Abbas, that the wife of Prophet Lot (a) informed people about his divinely sent guests.
Looking at these opinions, we realise that none of these are contradictory and are in fact all probably true and referring to different instances of crimes committed by these women.
Ṭūsī argues that betrayal here does not mean adultery, as an adulterous wife would make people abhor a prophet and it would be considered a shame for him. He says anyone who thinks that a wife of a prophet commits adultery has committed a huge mistake. Ṭabrisī agrees with this and adds that their betrayal was only in matters related to religion.
Tabatabai points out that use of the passive it was said emphasises the lack of merit and honour that these women suffer from.
Finally, Ṭabrisī mentions that the name of Prophet Noah’s (a) wife was either Wāghilah or Wālighah, and Prophet Lot’s (a) wife was either Wāhilah or Wālihah, but the authenticity of such reports is not established.
INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS
- The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven; And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
- Remember Lot’s wife. Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.
- And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
[1] Raghib, p. 305. [2] Raghib, p. 305. [3] Lisan, 15/135. [4] Raghib, p. 615. [5] Raghib, p. 616. [6] Tibyan, 10/52; Tabari, 28/109. Of course in addition to the punishment of hell, we know that they were also not availed against the punishment of God that befell the people of Prophet Noah (a) and Prophet Lot (a) in this world; see verses 11:40 and 11:81. [7] Tibyan, 10/52-53; Razi, 30/574. [8] Razi, 30/574; Thalabi, 9/351; Alusi, 14/357; Shawkani, 5/304. [9] Ṭabatabai asserts that under actually means ‘under spousal contract (zawjiyyah)’, meaning that they were married to them; see Mizan, 19/344; see also Alusi, 14/357; Tantawi, 14/481. Although this is not in contradiction to what we said. [10] Fadlallah, 22/328-329. [11] In Arabic, the word servant is repeated twice, although this repetition has been omitted in the translation. It is therefore emphasising their role as servants even more. [12] Razi, 30/575. [13] Tabrisi, 10/478-479; Tabari, 28/109; Thalabi, 9/351; Tantawi, 14/482. [14] Tibyan, 10/52; Suyuti, 6/245; Tabari, 28/109; Thalabi, 9/351; Tantawi, 14/482. A story about this is mentioned in many Jewish scriptural commentaries, namely that when Prophet Lot (a) had guests his wife went to ask the neighbours for salt, thus alerting them to the presence of Prophet Lot’s (a) guests; see Howard Schwartz, Tree of Souls: The Mythology of Judaism, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004), p. 467. See also verses 15:57-74 and 11:77-83 on Prophet Lot’s (a) guests. According to the Bible, she was then turned into a pillar of salt as a punishment when destruction was visited upon Prophet Lot’s (a) people (Genesis 19:26). Interestingly, according to archaeological discoveries, a cosmic airburst caused by a meteor levelled a major Middle Bronze Age city and its surrounding settlements in the southern Jordan valley around 3600 years ago, which not only destroyed all its inhabitants but also the airburst-related influx of salt caused hypersalinity that caused the area to be abandoned for around three to six centuries. The timing and the manner of the destruction fit in well with the description in the Quran and the Bible (see T E Bunch, M A LeCompte, A V Adedeji et al., ‘A Tunguska sized airburst destroyed Tall el-Hammam a Middle Bronze Age city in the Jordan Valley near the Dead Sea’, in Sci Rep, no. 11, 18632 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-97778-3). [15] See the Introduction and the commentary on the third verse of this surah. [16] Tibyan, 10/52. [17] See also verses 57:13-14. [18] Meaning that the two husbands did not avail the two wives. [19] See also 40:45. [20] Ilal, 2/508-509; Wasail, 11/507. [21] Suyuti, 6/245; Nemuneh, 24/301. [22] Tabrisi, 10/479; Suyuti, 6/245; Tabari, 28/109. [23] Baydawi, 5/226. [24] Tabrisi, 10/479; Suyuti, 6/245. [25] Tibyan, 10/52; Suyuti, 6/245; Tabari, 28/109; Thalabi, 9/351. [26] Tabrisi, 10/478-479; Tabari, 28/109; Thalabi, 9/351. [27] Tibyan, 10/52; Suyuti, 6/245; Tabari, 28/109; Thalabi, 9/351. [28] Tibyan, 10/52. This opinion is also attributed to Ibn Abbas (Suyuti, 6/245), and al-Ḍaḥḥāk (Tabari, 28/109), and adopted by Razi, 30/575, Thalabi, 9/351; Ibn Kathir, 5/192; Baghawi, 5/123. Shawkani, 5/304, says there is consensus (ijmāʿ) on this matter, as does Qurtubi, 18/202. [29] Tabrisi, 10/479. This opinion is also attributed to ʿIkramah (Suyuti, 6/245), and al-Ḍaḥḥāk (Tabari, 28/109). [30] Mizan, 19/344. [31] Tabrisi, 10/479; see also Thalabi, 9/351. Baghawi, 5/123, mentions Prophet Lot’s (a) wife being named Wāʿilah, or Wāliʿah. See also Qurtubi, 18/201; Alusi, 15/356. In rabbinical sources, Noah’s wife is often named as Naʿāmah (Naamah/Noamah), although many other names have been mentioned in other sources as well. See Francis Lee Utley, ‘The One Hundred and Three Names of Noah’s Wife’, in Speculum, vol. 16, no. 4 (Oct., 1941), 426-452. See also Genesis 4:22. Prophet Lot’s (a) wife in Midrash sources is usually identified as Idit (Edith); see Katherine Low, ‘Lot’s Wife is Still Standing: In Search of the Pillar of Salt’, in Journal of the Bible and its Reception, vol. 8, no. 1, (2021), 79-105. [32] Genesis 19:23-26. [33] Luke 17:32-33. [34] Genesis 19:15.