وَٱلْخَـٰمِسَةَ أَنَّ غَضَبَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْهَآ إِن كَانَ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ 9
Translations
And the fifth [oath will be] that the wrath of Allāh be upon her if he was of the truthful.
Transliteration
Wal-khamisatu anna ghadaba Allahi alayha in kana mina as-sadiqin
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah is part of the li'an (mutual curse) procedure mentioned in Surah An-Nur, where it describes the fifth oath a woman takes when accused of adultery by her husband. She swears that the curse of Allah be upon her if her husband is truthful in his accusation. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir explain this as the woman invoking Allah's punishment upon herself if she is indeed guilty, while simultaneously clearing herself through this divine procedure that Allah has established as a merciful alternative to the hudud punishment based solely on testimony.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the li'an legislation (verses 6-9 of Surah An-Nur), revealed in Medina to address disputes between spouses regarding accusations of adultery. The context involves a couple who came to the Prophet ﷺ with conflicting testimonies, prompting the revelation of this divine procedure as a just resolution when witnesses are unavailable. This reflects the Qur'an's wisdom in providing practical legal solutions for sensitive marital disputes.
Related Hadiths
The hadith of Hilal ibn Umayyah (Sahih Muslim) narrates the first historical application of li'an when he accused his wife of adultery before the Prophet ﷺ, and both performed the mutual curses as prescribed in these verses. Additionally, Sunan An-Nasa'i records that the Prophet ﷺ said regarding li'an: 'Whoever practices li'an is from among those whom Allah has forbidden falsehood for.'
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that Allah has provided just mechanisms for resolving seemingly impossible disputes, and it emphasizes the gravity of false accusations and the importance of truthfulness even in personal matters; it reminds us that invoking Allah's curse upon oneself is a serious matter that reflects genuine conviction in one's truthfulness.