Surah Zukhruf Ayat 18 in Arabic Text
English Translation
Here you can read various translations of verse 18
So is one brought up in ornaments while being during conflict unevident [attributed to Allah]?
Is then one brought up among trinkets, and unable to give a clear account in a dispute (to be associated with Allah)?
Do they assign to Allah one who grows up amidst ornaments and is not well-versed in the art of disputation?
(Do they then like for Allah) a creature who is brought up in adornments (wearing silk and gold ornaments, i.e. women), and in dispute cannot make herself clear?
(Liken they then to Allah) that which is bred up in outward show, and in dispute cannot make itself plain?
Is he who is brought up amid ornaments and in adversariness is without (demonstrable) evidence (to be associated with Allah)?
‘Someone who is brought up amongst trinkets, who cannot put together a clear argument?’
کیا (اللہ کی اوﻻد لڑکیاں ہیں) جو زیورات میں پلیں اور جھگڑے میں (اپنی بات) واضح نہ کرسکیں؟
Quran 43 Verse 18 Explanation
For those looking for commentary to help with the understanding of Surah Zukhruf ayat 18, we’ve provided two Tafseer works below. The first is the tafseer of Abul Ala Maududi, the second is of Ibn Kathir.
Ala-Maududi
(43:18) Do they assign to Allah one who grows up amidst ornaments and is not well-versed in the art of disputation?[17]
17. In other words, You have assigned to Allah the offspring that is by nature delicate, weak and frail, and adopted for yourselves the offspring that is bold, courageous and fearless. This verse shows permissibility of the ornaments for the women, for Allah has mentioned the ornaments as a natural thing for them. The same is also confirmed by the Hadith. Imam Ahmad, Abu Daud and Nasai have related on the authority of Ali that the Prophet (peace be upon him) took silk in one hand and gold in the other and said that both were forbidden to be used in dress by the men of his Ummah. Tirmidhi and Nasai have related from Abu Musa Ashari a tradition, saying that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Silk and gold have been forbidden for the men but made lawful for the women of my Ummah. Allama Abu Bakr al-Jassas has discussed this question in his Ahkam ai-Quran and related the following traditions:
Aishah says: Once Usamah, son of Zaid bin Harithah, was hurt and started bleeding. The Prophet (peace be upon him) loved him like his own children. He sucked his blood and spat it out, and cheered him saying: Had Usamah been a daughter we would have adorned him with ornaments! Had Usamah been a daughter, we would have dressed him in fine clothes!
Abu Musa Ashari has related that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Wearing of silken clothes and ornaments of gold is unlawful for the men of my Unmah but lawful for the women.
Amr bin Aaas has related: Once two women came before the Prophet (peace be upon him), and they were wearing bracelets of gold. He said: Would you like that Allah should make you wear bracelets of the fire instead of these? They replied that they would not. Thereupon he said: Pay their dues, i.e. the zakat due on them.
Aisha has stated that there is no harm in wearing the ornaments if the zakat due on them is paid.
Umar wrote to Abu Musa Ashari: Order the Muslim women who live in the areas under your administrative control that they should pay the zakat dues on their ornaments.
Imam Abu Hanifah has related the following traditions on the authority of Amr bin Dinar: Aishah had arranged ornaments of gold for her sisters and Abdullah bin Umar for his daughters.
After citing all these traditions, Allama Jassas writes: The traditions that have been related from the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the companions about the permissibility and lawfulness of gold and silk for the women are better known and more common than those that are there about their unlawfulness, and the above verse also points to their lawfulness. Then the practice of the Muslims also from the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions till our time (i.e. till the latter part of the 4th century of hijrah) has been the same, and no one ever objected to it. In such matters, no objection can be admitted on the basis of the isolated reports (Akhbar ahab).
Ibn-Kathir
The tafsir of Surah Zukhruf verse 18 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Zukhruf ayat 15 which provides the complete commentary from verse 15 through 20.
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