Prohibition (Al-Tahreem)
In the name of Allah, most benevolent, ever-merciful
۞ O Prophet, why forbiddest thou what God has made lawful to thee, seeking the good pleasure of thy wives? And God is All-forgiving, All-compassionate. 1 Surely Allah hath ordained for you absolution from your oaths; and Allah is your Patron and He is the Knower, the Wise. 2 The Prophet confided something to one of his wives and then she disclosed it (to another); so after Allah revealed to the Prophet (that she had disclosed that secret), he made a part of it known to her and passed over a part of it. And when he told her about this (i.e., that she had disclosed the secret entrusted to her), she asked: “Who informed you of this?” He said: “I was told of it by He Who is All-Knowing, All-Aware.” 3 If the two of you turn in repentance to Allah (that is better for you), for the hearts of both of you have swerved from the Straight Path. But if you support one another against the Prophet, then surely Allah is his Protector; and after that Gabriel and all righteous believers and the angels are all his supporters. 4 Were he to divorce you, his Lord might well replace you with better wives -- submissive [to God], believing, pious, penitent, devout in worship, given to fasting -- previously married and virgins. 5 O you who believe, save yourselves and your families from the Fire whose fuel is men and rocks, over which are appointed angels stern and severe as wardens who never disobey what God commands them, and do what they are commanded; 6 (And say:) "O you who do not believe, make no excuses today. You will be requited only for what you had done." 7