Surah At-Tahrim

التحريم

Surah At-Tahrim is a Medinan surah of 12 verses that addresses an episode in the Prophet's household, calls believers to sincere repentance, and ends with four women as examples of faith and its absence.

Meaning
The Prohibition
Surah
66 of 114
Verses
12
Revealed in
Medina
Found in
Juz 28

What Surah At-Tahrim is about

At-Tahrim is the 66th surah of the Quran, revealed in Medina, with 12 verses. It closes the 28th juz. Its name means The Prohibition, from its first verse, in which the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is asked why he forbade himself something Allah had made lawful for him in order to please his wives.

Verses 1 to 5 deal with a private matter in the Prophet's household. Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim report that it concerned honey he used to drink at the home of his wife Zaynab bint Jahsh, which he then swore off after two of his other wives, Aisha and Hafsah, made remarks about it. Other reports give a different occasion, and the surah itself does not name anyone. Verse 3 describes a confidence he shared with one wife that she passed on, and verse 4 calls on the two to repent.

From verse 6 the surah speaks to all believers. It asks them to protect themselves and their families from a Fire guarded by stern angels who never disobey Allah. Verse 8 calls for sincere repentance and describes believers on the Day of Judgment with light before them, praying for their light to be completed and for forgiveness. Verse 9 tells the Prophet ﷺ to strive against the disbelievers and hypocrites.

The surah ends with four women. Verse 10 gives the wives of Noah (Nuh) and Lot (Lut), who were married to righteous prophets but betrayed them, and that closeness did not save them. Verse 11 gives the wife of Pharaoh, who prayed for a house near Allah in Paradise and to be saved from Pharaoh and his deeds, and verse 12 gives Mary (Maryam), daughter of Imran, who guarded her chastity and believed in her Lord's words.

Main themes

  1. An episode in the Prophet's home

    The opening verses show the Prophet ﷺ being corrected for forbidding himself something lawful, and verse 2 explains that oaths can be released. The passage treats a family disagreement openly and calls those involved to repent.

    Verses 1–5
  2. Protecting oneself and one's family

    Verse 6 asks believers to guard themselves and their families from the Fire. It places responsibility for faith within the household, not only on the individual.

    Verses 6–7
  3. Sincere repentance and completed light

    Verse 8 calls for sincere repentance and gives believers a prayer for the Day of Judgment: that their light be completed and they be forgiven.

    Verse 8
  4. Four women as examples

    The final verses show that being married to a prophet did not save the wives of Noah and Lot, while the wife of Pharaoh kept her faith in the house of a tyrant. Mary is held up as one who believed in her Lord's words and was devout.

    Verses 10–12

Verses to know

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ قُوٓاْ أَنفُسَكُمۡ وَأَهۡلِيكُمۡ نَارٗا وَقُودُهَا ٱلنَّاسُ وَٱلۡحِجَارَةُ عَلَيۡهَا مَلَـٰٓئِكَةٌ غِلَاظࣱ شِدَادࣱ لَّا يَعۡصُونَ ٱللَّهَ مَآ أَمَرَهُمۡ وَيَفۡعَلُونَ مَا يُؤۡمَرُونَ ﴿٦﴾

O you who believe! Protect yourselves and your families from a Fire, whose fuel is people and stones. Over it are angels, fierce and powerful. They never disobey Allah in anything He commands them, and they carry out whatever they are commanded.
At-Tahrim 66:6

A widely quoted verse about responsibility within the family, asking believers to protect not only themselves but their households from the Fire.

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ تُوبُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ تَوۡبَةٗ نَّصُوحًا عَسَىٰ رَبُّكُمۡ أَن يُكَفِّرَ عَنكُمۡ سَيِّـَٔاتِكُمۡ وَيُدۡخِلَكُمۡ جَنَّـٰتٖ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُ يَوۡمَ لَا يُخۡزِي ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّبِيَّ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَعَهُۥۖ نُورُهُمۡ يَسۡعَىٰ بَيۡنَ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَبِأَيۡمَٰنِهِمۡ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ أَتۡمِمۡ لَنَا نُورَنَا وَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَآۖ إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدِيرࣱ ﴿٨﴾

O you who believe! Repent to Allah with sincere repentance. Perhaps your Lord will remit your sins, and admit you into gardens beneath which rivers flow, on the Day when Allah will not disappoint the Prophet and those who believed with him. Their light streaming before them, and to their right, they will say, “Our Lord, complete our light for us, and forgive us; You are Capable of all things.”
At-Tahrim 66:8

The verse that calls for sincere repentance and records the believers' prayer, “Our Lord, complete our light for us, and forgive us”.

وَضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلٗا لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱمۡرَأَتَ فِرۡعَوۡنَ إِذۡ قَالَتۡ رَبِّ ٱبۡنِ لِي عِندَكَ بَيۡتٗا فِي ٱلۡجَنَّةِ وَنَجِّنِي مِن فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَعَمَلِهِۦ وَنَجِّنِي مِنَ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ﴿١١﴾

And Allah illustrates an example of those who believe: the wife of Pharaoh, when she said, “My Lord, build for me, with You, a house in Paradise, and save me from Pharaoh and his works, and save me from the wrongdoing people.”
At-Tahrim 66:11

The prayer of Pharaoh's wife, asking for a house near Allah in Paradise. Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim report the Prophet ﷺ naming her, Asiyah, and Mary among the women who reached perfection.

Surah At-Tahrim in Arabic and English

All 12 verses, with the Arabic, a transliteration to help you read it aloud, and the English translation by Talal Itani.

بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

  1. 1

    يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِيُّ لِمَ تُحَرِّمُ مَآ أَحَلَّ ٱللَّهُ لَكَۖ تَبۡتَغِي مَرۡضَاتَ أَزۡوَٰجِكَۚ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورࣱ رَّحِيمࣱ

    Ya ayyuha alnnabiyyu lima tuharrimu ma ahalla Allahu laka tabtaghee mardata azwajika waAllahu ghafoorun raheemun

    O Prophet! Why do you prohibit what Allah has permitted for you, seeking to please your wives? Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

  2. 2

    قَدۡ فَرَضَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡ تَحِلَّةَ أَيۡمَٰنِكُمۡۚ وَٱللَّهُ مَوۡلَىٰكُمۡۖ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ

    Qad farada Allahu lakum tahillata aymanikum waAllahu mawlakum wahuwa alAAaleemu alhakeemu

    Allah has decreed for you the dissolution of your oaths. Allah is your Master. He is the All-Knowing, the Most Wise.

  3. 3

    وَإِذۡ أَسَرَّ ٱلنَّبِيُّ إِلَىٰ بَعۡضِ أَزۡوَٰجِهِۦ حَدِيثٗا فَلَمَّا نَبَّأَتۡ بِهِۦ وَأَظۡهَرَهُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِ عَرَّفَ بَعۡضَهُۥ وَأَعۡرَضَ عَنۢ بَعۡضٖۖ فَلَمَّا نَبَّأَهَا بِهِۦ قَالَتۡ مَنۡ أَنۢبَأَكَ هَٰذَاۖ قَالَ نَبَّأَنِيَ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ ٱلۡخَبِيرُ

    Waith asarra alnnabiyyu ila baAAdi azwajihi hadeethan falamma nabbaat bihi waathharahu Allahu AAalayhi AAarrafa baAAdahu waaAArada AAan baAAdin falamma nabbaaha bihi qalat man anbaaka hatha qala nabbaaniya alAAaleemu alkhabeeru

    The Prophet told something in confidence to one of his wives. But when she disclosed it, and Allah made it known to him; he communicated part of it, and he avoided another part. Then, when he informed her of it, she said, “Who informed you of this?” He said, “The All-Knowing, the All-Informed, informed me.”

  4. 4

    إِن تَتُوبَآ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ فَقَدۡ صَغَتۡ قُلُوبُكُمَاۖ وَإِن تَظَٰهَرَا عَلَيۡهِ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ مَوۡلَىٰهُ وَجِبۡرِيلُ وَصَٰلِحُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَۖ وَٱلۡمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ بَعۡدَ ذَٰلِكَ ظَهِيرٌ

    In tatooba ila Allahi faqad saghat quloobukuma wain tathahara AAalayhi fainna Allaha huwa mawlahu wajibreelu wasalihu almumineena waalmalaikatu baAAda thalika thaheerun

    If you repent to Allah, then your hearts have listened. But if you band together against him, then Allah is his Ally, as is Gabriel, and the righteous believers. In addition, the angels will assist him.

  5. 5

    عَسَىٰ رَبُّهُۥٓ إِن طَلَّقَكُنَّ أَن يُبۡدِلَهُۥٓ أَزۡوَٰجًا خَيۡرٗا مِّنكُنَّ مُسۡلِمَٰتٖ مُّؤۡمِنَٰتٖ قَٰنِتَٰتٖ تَـٰٓئِبَٰتٍ عَٰبِدَٰتٖ سَـٰٓئِحَٰتٖ ثَيِّبَٰتٖ وَأَبۡكَارٗا

    AAasa rabbuhu in tallaqakunna an yubdilahu azwajan khayran minkunna muslimatin muminatin qanitatin taibatin AAabidatin saihatin thayyibatin waabkaran

    Perhaps, if he divorces you, his Lord will give him in exchange wives better than you: submissive, believing, obedient, penitent, devout, fasting—previously married, or virgins.

  6. 6

    يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ قُوٓاْ أَنفُسَكُمۡ وَأَهۡلِيكُمۡ نَارٗا وَقُودُهَا ٱلنَّاسُ وَٱلۡحِجَارَةُ عَلَيۡهَا مَلَـٰٓئِكَةٌ غِلَاظࣱ شِدَادࣱ لَّا يَعۡصُونَ ٱللَّهَ مَآ أَمَرَهُمۡ وَيَفۡعَلُونَ مَا يُؤۡمَرُونَ

    Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo qoo anfusakum waahleekum naran waqooduha alnnasu waalhijaratu AAalayha malaikatun ghilathun shidadun la yaAAsoona Allaha ma amarahum wayafAAaloona ma yumaroona

    O you who believe! Protect yourselves and your families from a Fire, whose fuel is people and stones. Over it are angels, fierce and powerful. They never disobey Allah in anything He commands them, and they carry out whatever they are commanded.

  7. 7

    يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَا تَعۡتَذِرُواْ ٱلۡيَوۡمَۖ إِنَّمَا تُجۡزَوۡنَ مَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ

    Ya ayyuha allatheena kafaroo la taAAtathiroo alyawma innama tujzawna ma kuntum taAAmaloona

    O you who disbelieved! Make no excuses today. You are being repaid for what you used to do.

  8. 8

    يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ تُوبُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ تَوۡبَةٗ نَّصُوحًا عَسَىٰ رَبُّكُمۡ أَن يُكَفِّرَ عَنكُمۡ سَيِّـَٔاتِكُمۡ وَيُدۡخِلَكُمۡ جَنَّـٰتٖ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُ يَوۡمَ لَا يُخۡزِي ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّبِيَّ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَعَهُۥۖ نُورُهُمۡ يَسۡعَىٰ بَيۡنَ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَبِأَيۡمَٰنِهِمۡ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ أَتۡمِمۡ لَنَا نُورَنَا وَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَآۖ إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدِيرࣱ

    Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo tooboo ila Allahi tawbatan nasoohan AAasa rabbukum an yukaffira AAankum sayyiatikum wayudkhilakum jannatin tajree min tahtiha alanharu yawma la yukhzee Allahu alnnabiyya waallatheena amanoo maAAahu nooruhum yasAAa bayna aydeehim wabiaymanihim yaqooloona rabbana atmim lana noorana waighfir lana innaka AAala kulli shayin qadeerun

    O you who believe! Repent to Allah with sincere repentance. Perhaps your Lord will remit your sins, and admit you into gardens beneath which rivers flow, on the Day when Allah will not disappoint the Prophet and those who believed with him. Their light streaming before them, and to their right, they will say, “Our Lord, complete our light for us, and forgive us; You are Capable of all things.”

  9. 9

    يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِيُّ جَٰهِدِ ٱلۡكُفَّارَ وَٱلۡمُنَٰفِقِينَ وَٱغۡلُظۡ عَلَيۡهِمۡۚ وَمَأۡوَىٰهُمۡ جَهَنَّمُۖ وَبِئۡسَ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ

    Ya ayyuha alnnabiyyu jahidi alkuffara waalmunafiqeena waoghluth AAalayhim wamawahum jahannamu wabisa almaseeru

    O Prophet! Strive hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be stern with them. Their abode is Hell. What a miserable destination!

  10. 10

    ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلٗا لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ ٱمۡرَأَتَ نُوحٖ وَٱمۡرَأَتَ لُوطٖۖ كَانَتَا تَحۡتَ عَبۡدَيۡنِ مِنۡ عِبَادِنَا صَٰلِحَيۡنِ فَخَانَتَاهُمَا فَلَمۡ يُغۡنِيَا عَنۡهُمَا مِنَ ٱللَّهِ شَيۡـٔٗا وَقِيلَ ٱدۡخُلَا ٱلنَّارَ مَعَ ٱلدَّـٰخِلِينَ

    Daraba Allahu mathalan lillatheena kafaroo imraata noohin waimraata lootin kanata tahta AAabdayni min AAibadina salihayni fakhanatahuma falam yughniya AAanhuma mina Allahi shayan waqeela odkhula alnnara maAAa alddakhileena

    Allah illustrates an example of those who disbelieve: the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot. They were under two of Our righteous servants, but they betrayed them. They availed them nothing against Allah, and it was said, “Enter the Fire with those who are entering.”

  11. 11

    وَضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلٗا لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱمۡرَأَتَ فِرۡعَوۡنَ إِذۡ قَالَتۡ رَبِّ ٱبۡنِ لِي عِندَكَ بَيۡتٗا فِي ٱلۡجَنَّةِ وَنَجِّنِي مِن فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَعَمَلِهِۦ وَنَجِّنِي مِنَ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ

    Wadaraba Allahu mathalan lillatheena amanoo imraata firAAawna ith qalat rabbi ibni lee AAindaka baytan fee aljannati wanajjinee min firAAawna waAAamalihi wanajjinee mina alqawmi alththalimeena

    And Allah illustrates an example of those who believe: the wife of Pharaoh, when she said, “My Lord, build for me, with You, a house in Paradise, and save me from Pharaoh and his works, and save me from the wrongdoing people.”

  12. 12

    وَمَرۡيَمَ ٱبۡنَتَ عِمۡرَٰنَ ٱلَّتِيٓ أَحۡصَنَتۡ فَرۡجَهَا فَنَفَخۡنَا فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِنَا وَصَدَّقَتۡ بِكَلِمَٰتِ رَبِّهَا وَكُتُبِهِۦ وَكَانَتۡ مِنَ ٱلۡقَٰنِتِينَ

    Wamaryama ibnata AAimrana allatee ahsanat farjaha fanafakhna feehi min roohina wasaddaqat bikalimati rabbiha wakutubihi wakanat mina alqaniteena

    And Mary, the daughter of Imran, who guarded her womb, and so We breathed into her of Our spirit; and she believed in the truth of her Lord’s words and His Books, and was one of the devout.

Surah At-Tahrim PDF

The whole surah on printable pages: Arabic, transliteration and English side by side. Free to download, print and share.

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Questions about Surah At-Tahrim

Why was Surah At-Tahrim revealed?

Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim report that it was revealed after the Prophet ﷺ swore off honey he drank at the home of his wife Zaynab bint Jahsh. Other reports mention a different occasion, and the surah itself names no one.

How many verses are in Surah Tahrim?

Surah At-Tahrim has 12 verses. It is a Medinan surah and the last surah of the 28th juz.

Which women are mentioned in Surah At-Tahrim?

Verses 10 to 12 mention the wives of Noah and Lot as examples of disbelief, and the wife of Pharaoh and Mary, daughter of Imran, as examples of faith.

What is tawbah nasuha?

Tawbah nasuha means sincere repentance. The phrase comes from verse 8 of Surah At-Tahrim, which calls believers to repent to Allah sincerely.