يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا جَآءَكُمُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتُ مُهَـٰجِرَٰتٍ فَٱمْتَحِنُوهُنَّ ۖ ٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِإِيمَـٰنِهِنَّ ۖ فَإِنْ عَلِمْتُمُوهُنَّ مُؤْمِنَـٰتٍ فَلَا تَرْجِعُوهُنَّ إِلَى ٱلْكُفَّارِ ۖ لَا هُنَّ حِلٌّ لَّهُمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحِلُّونَ لَهُنَّ ۖ وَءَاتُوهُم مَّآ أَنفَقُوا۟ ۚ وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ أَن تَنكِحُوهُنَّ إِذَآ ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ ۚ وَلَا تُمْسِكُوا۟ بِعِصَمِ ٱلْكَوَافِرِ وَسْـَٔلُوا۟ مَآ أَنفَقْتُمْ وَلْيَسْـَٔلُوا۟ مَآ أَنفَقُوا۟ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ حُكْمُ ٱللَّهِ ۖ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَكُمْ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ 10
Translations
O you who have believed, when the believing women come to you as emigrants, examine [i.e., test] them. Allāh is most knowing as to their faith. And if you know them to be believers, then do not return them to the disbelievers; they are not lawful [wives] for them, nor are they lawful [husbands] for them. But give them [i.e., the disbelievers] what they have spent. And there is no blame upon you if you marry them when you have given them their due compensation [i.e., mahr]. And hold not to marriage bonds with disbelieving women, but ask for what you have spent and let them [i.e., the disbelievers] ask for what they have spent. That is the judgement of Allāh; He judges between you. And Allāh is Knowing and Wise.
Transliteration
Ya ayyuha alladhina amanu idha jaakum al-mu'minat muhajirati faimtahinu hunna. Allahu a'lamu bi-imanihinna. Fa-in alimtumu hunna mu'minat fala tarji'u hunna ila al-kuffar. La hunna hillu lahum wa la hum yahilluna lahunna. Wa atu hum ma anfaqu. Wa la junaha alaikum an tankihu hunna idha ataytumu hunna ujurrahunna. Wa la tumsiku bi-isam al-kawadir wa sal'u ma anfaqtum wa liyasalu ma anfaqu. Dhalikum hukm Allah. Yahkumu bainakum. Wa Allahu alimun hakimun.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses the treatment of believing women who emigrate (make hijrah) to the Muslim community, establishing a three-part framework: first, they should be tested to verify their genuine faith; second, if verified as believers, they must not be returned to disbelieving husbands, as such bonds are dissolved by the difference in religion; third, Muslim men are permitted to marry these emigrant women after providing their bridal gifts (mahr), while the community must return the mahr that believing women's former husbands had spent. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir emphasize this represents Allah's wisdom in protecting believing women and establishing just financial settlements during the tension between the Muslim and Meccan communities.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the context of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah (6 AH), where a clause stipulated that any Meccan who came to Medina would be returned, but any Muslim from Medina who returned to Mecca would not be sent back. This created a particular vulnerability for believing women fleeing polytheist husbands. The surah's title 'Al-Mumtahanah' (She that is to be examined) directly references the testing (imtihan) of women mentioned in this ayah, establishing the specific circumstances under which hijrah by women was validated.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Muslim records that 'Aishah reported women came as muhajira (emigrants), and the Prophet would test them regarding their faith. Additionally, Ibn Majah reports related rulings about the return of mahr in cases of emigrating women, establishing the prophetic application of this principle.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah demonstrates Islam's protective framework for women who sacrifice familial and economic security for their faith, emphasizing that sincere belief takes precedence over worldly bonds and that material justice must accompany spiritual migration. For modern readers, it illustrates the Qur'anic principle that religious conviction transcends cultural and familial pressures, while maintaining human dignity and financial fairness in transitions.