Sūrat al-Mujādilah (Part 2)
Part 2 of observations on the structure and coherence of Sūrat al-Mujādilah
This is a continuation of a series on Sūrat al-Mujādilah (The Woman Who Pleaded and Argued). Please see Part 1 before moving ahead.
Taking a more granular approach to the sūrah, it has been observed that each of the sections above can be broken down into smaller symmetrical sections.1 The first section appears to be a simple mirror structure.
CONNECTIONS
[A1]/[A1’] – The opening account clearly distinguishes between the speech of Allah ﷻ and the speech of the Messenger ﷺ. The woman came to the Messenger ﷺ complaining of her case, and the Messenger ﷺ ruled that the status quo would reign. Allah ﷻ intervened and clarified the situation for everyone involved. Through this we learn that the Messenger ﷺ only passes a novel judgment on issues if he has a clear ruling from Allah ﷻ. This increases our faith that, as mentioned elsewhere in the Quran, he does not speak on his own accord, but rather speaks according to clear guidance.2 Thus, the connection to the related section is clear; the beginning confrontation was all so that we could “believe in Allah and His Messenger.”
[A2]/[A2’] – The center of this structure can actually be broken down further into a parallel structure, which showcases the connections more clearly.
[A2.1]/[A2.1’] – Both sections begin similarly. “Those who declare ẓihār, from amongst you all, against their wives (al-ladhīna yuẓāhirūna min-kum min nisā’i-him)…” versus, “And those who declare ẓihār against their wives (wal-ladhīna yuẓāhirūna min nisā’i-him)…”
[A2.2]/[A2.2’] – Allah ﷻ labels ẓihār as “a false and evil word (qawl)” and later describes the believers as those who “want to take back what they said (qālū).”
[A2.3]/[A2.3’] – The second āyah ends with the assurance that Allah ﷻ is “definitely Pardoning and Forgiving.” The third and fourth āyāt then outline the conditions of forgiveness.
The second section is a mirror structure contained within the fifth āyah.
CONNECTIONS
[B1]/[B1’] – Both sections are about the same group of people. Those who oppose Allah ﷻ and His Messenger ﷺ are also those who disbelieved. And anyone opposing Allah ﷻ and His Messenger ﷺ can only be deserving of humiliating punishment.
[B2]/[B2’] – The current disbelievers have been “disgraced (kubitū)” like the disbelieving groups in the based were also “disgraced (kubita).”
The third section is also a single āyah, but forms a ring structure.
CONNECTIONS
[C1]/[C1’] – The āyah begins will Allah resurrecting us “all,” and concludes informing us that Allah is a witness over “all.” Both sections complement each other in that the beginning is about our bodily resurrection, and the ending is about our deeds being brought back and witnessed. Judgment Day is about both, not just one or the other.
[C2]/[C2’] – Allah ﷻ will “tell them what they did,” which seems strange. Why would Allah ﷻ need to inform us of our own actions? It is because, as the corresponding section tells us, “they forgot it.”
[C3] – The center is a summary of all the surrounding text. Allah ﷻ “recorded [our deeds],” because He will raise us for resurrection and inform us of what we did. We forgot, so He recorded it for us. He is a witness of all, so He has no problem recording all the details.
In shā’ Allah, we will continue this series next week.
And Allah ﷻ knows best.
Ali Khan, Nouman. “Surah Al-Mujadila Overview Contd” Bayyinah TV, https://bayyinahtv.com/video/2253
See Sūrah 53:3-4