Basic
Women's Rulings
Surah: Al-Mujadilah (1)
Khawlah and the Argument — Allah Hears the Grievance of the Weak Woman
قَدۡ سَمِعَ ٱللَّهُ قَوۡلَ ٱلَّتِي تُجَٰدِلُكَ فِي زَوۡجِهَا وَتَشۡتَكِيٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَسۡمَعُ تَحَاوُرَكُمَآ
— المجادلة الآية 1
Verse: "Allah has certainly heard the speech of the one who argues with you about her husband and directs her complaint to Allah. Allah hears your dialogue." (Al-Mujadilah 1)
The story: Khawlah bint Tha'labah — her husband Aws ibn Samit practiced zihar against her (saying "You are to me like my mother's back" — a pre-Islamic formula suspending a wife without divorce or marriage). She came to the Prophet (PBUH) while he informed her there was no way out. She spoke while Allah listened from above seven heavens.
What Aisha could not hear:
Aisha said: "Blessed is He whose hearing encompasses all voices — she was complaining while I was on the side of the house and I could not hear some of her words." But Allah heard all of it.
Immediate legislation:
The entire Surah Al-Mujadilah was revealed to legislate for Khawlah's situation: prohibiting zihar and its expiation — emancipation, or fasting, or feeding. One case of one woman opened a legislative door for all women.
Lesson:
Complaining to Allah is not surrender — it is the highest form of claiming one's rights. Khawlah found no human listener, so she complained directly to Allah and was answered with revelation. "And directs her complaint to Allah" — do not say "no one hears" as long as Allah hears.
The story: Khawlah bint Tha'labah — her husband Aws ibn Samit practiced zihar against her (saying "You are to me like my mother's back" — a pre-Islamic formula suspending a wife without divorce or marriage). She came to the Prophet (PBUH) while he informed her there was no way out. She spoke while Allah listened from above seven heavens.
What Aisha could not hear:
Aisha said: "Blessed is He whose hearing encompasses all voices — she was complaining while I was on the side of the house and I could not hear some of her words." But Allah heard all of it.
Immediate legislation:
The entire Surah Al-Mujadilah was revealed to legislate for Khawlah's situation: prohibiting zihar and its expiation — emancipation, or fasting, or feeding. One case of one woman opened a legislative door for all women.
Lesson:
Complaining to Allah is not surrender — it is the highest form of claiming one's rights. Khawlah found no human listener, so she complained directly to Allah and was answered with revelation. "And directs her complaint to Allah" — do not say "no one hears" as long as Allah hears.
Source: Ibn Kathir (8/52); Al-Sadi; Al-Qurtubi (17/271); Abu Dawud (2214) — Hasan
Test Yourself
What is the proof from Aisha's narration that Allah heard what humans could not hear in Khawlah's story?
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