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Chapter 33

The Confederatesal-Aḥzāb ( الأحزاب )

73 verses • revealed at Medinan

»The surah that mentions The Confederates of the unbelievers, who besieged Medina, with an overwhelming force, but whom God routed with winds and a sandstorm in what became known as the Battle of the Ditch (in reference to the digging of a wide trench around the city as a barrier to invasion, an unprecedented practice in Arabia) in AH 5/627 CE (verse 9 ff.). It takes its name from verse 20 which refers to the campaign of the “confederates” (aḥzāb) against the Prophet. The believers dug a ditch, which the disbelievers were unable to cross, and eventually the enemy retreated in disarray. This is mentioned in order to remind the believers of God’s goodness to them, so that they may obey the numerous instructions given in the surah, starting with the regulation of adoption and including proper conduct towards the Prophet, his Ahl al-Bayt and his wives. The hypocrites are warned to stop their bad behaviour.«

The surah is also known as The Allied Troops, The Coalition, The Confederate Tribes, The Confederaters, The Federated Clans, The Joint Forces

بِسمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحمٰنِ الرَّحيمِ

A. J. Arberry: In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate

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يا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَلا تُطِعِ الكافِرينَ وَالمُنافِقينَ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كانَ عَليمًا حَكيمًا

A. J. Arberry

O Prophet, fear God, and obey not the unbelievers and the hypocrites. God is All-knowing, All-wise.