Surah Al Ahzab Tafseer

Enjoining certain Manners so that the Mothers of the Believers may be an Example; and the Prohibition of Tabarruj

Allah enjoined upon the wives of the Prophet;

يَا نِسَاء النَّبِيِّ لَسْتُنَّ كَأَحَدٍ مِّنَ النِّسَاء إِنِ اتَّقَيْتُنَّ

O wives of the Prophet!

You are not like any other women. If you keep you have Taqwa,

These are the good manners which Allah enjoined upon the wives of the Prophet so that they would be an example for the women of the Ummah to follow. Allah said, addressing the wives of the Prophet that they should fear Allah as He commanded them, and that no other woman is like them or can be their equal in virtue and status.

Then Allah says:

فَلَ تَخْضَعْنَ بِالْقَوْلِ

then be not soft in speech,

As-Suddi and others said, this means, do not be gentle in speech when addressing men.

Allah says:

فَيَطْمَعَ الَّذِي فِي قَلْبِهِ مَرَضٌ

lest he in whose heart is a disease should be moved with desire,

means, something unclean.

وَقُلْنَ قَوْلاً مَّعْرُوفًا

but speak in an honorable manner.

Ibn Zayd said:

"Decent and honorable talk that is known to be good."

This means that she should address non-Mahram men in a manner in which there is no softness, i.e., a woman should not address a non-Mahram man in the same way that she addresses her husband