At-Tahrim (The Prohibition)

10. Allah has set forth an example for those who disbelieve: the wife of Noah and that of Lot. They were under two of our righteous servants, but they both betrayed them. So their relationships with the two Prophets availed them not against Allah’s torment and it was said unto them: “Enter the Fire along with those who enter!”

Women may serve as role models of righteousness or corruption in history. Thus, the blessed Verse once more addresses the story of the Noble Prophet’s (S) wives and in order to provide them with practical lessons, mention is made of the dire fates of the two women who lived with the two eminent Messengers of Allah (as). Reference is also herein made of the fate of two believing and sacrificing women one of whom lived with one of the most tyrannical figures in history.

The blessed Verse opens with saying that God Almighty has set forth an example for the disbelieving, namely the wives of Prophets Noah (as) and Lot (as) who lived with two righteous servants of God Almighty, but they betrayed them. The point is that their relationships with the two eminent Prophets (as) were of no avail against Divine torments.

It was said unto them:

“Enter Hell along with those who enter it.”

Thus, the two wives of the Noble Prophet of the Islamic faith (S) who had conspired against him disclosing his secrets and hurting the Noble Prophet (S) are warned against their evil acts so that they may not imagine that their relationship with the Noble Prophet (S) may be of any avail against their chastisement, the same manner that the relationships of the wives of Prophets Noah (as) and Lot (as) were not of any avail against Divine torments inflicted upon them owing to their betrayal and their severance of ties with the household of Prophethood and Revelation.

The blessed Verse also serves as a warning to all the believers from different walk of life against the severance of their ties with the Friends of Allah owing to committing sins and disobedience to Allah since such ties may not impede befalling of Divine torments.

It is worthy of note, however, that some Qur’an exegetes have mentioned the names of Prophet Noah’s (as) wife¹ and that of Prophet Lot (as)² as Walihata and Wali‘ata respectively.

At any rate, the two women betrayed the two eminent Prophets (as), though their betrayal did not imply deviation from the path of chastity, since none of the wives of the Prophets (as) were ever unchaste. In the same vein, it is narrated from the Noble Prophet of the Islamic faith (S) that none of the wives of the Prophets (as) were unchaste.³

The betrayal of Prophet Lot’s (as) wife was that she conspired with the enemies of her husband and disclosed his domestic secrets unto them. Prophet Noah’s (as) wife acted likewise. In his Mufradat, Raghib says that betrayal (khiyana) and hypocrisy (nifaq) constitute one reality except for the fact that the former is employed against covenant and trust whereas the latter is used in religious affairs.

The conformity of the story to the disclosure of the Noble Prophet’s (S) domestic secrets reflects that betrayal is connotes the same sense. At any rate, the blessed Verse ruins the unfounded expectations of those who imagine that their relationship with an eminent figure like the Noble Prophet (S) may lead to their salvation, despite their impurities and vices.

Thus, no one may imagine that he is immune from Divine Retribution.

The blessed Verse closes with saying unto them:

“Enter Hell along with the people of the Hell”;

namely, their relationship with the Noble Prophet (S) may not be counted as a privilege for them.