Surah Al-Mujadila (The Pleading Woman)

Al-Mujadila means "The Pleading Woman" (or "She Who Disputes"), referring to the woman who brought her complaint to the Prophet and appealed to God over her situation.

Surah Al-Mujadila is the fifty-eighth chapter of the Quran, a Medinan surah of twenty-two ayahs. It takes its name from the opening account of a woman who came to the Prophet Muhammad to plead about her marriage, appealing to God concerning a grievance, and the surah affirms that God heard her and responded. From this incident it addresses a pre-Islamic form of estrangement in which a husband would liken his wife to a forbidden relative (zihar), setting out a corrective response and expiation to restore justice within the family. The surah reminds readers that God is present in every private conversation, knowing what people conceal and disclose. It addresses the etiquette of gatherings and confidential counsel, warning against whispered talk aimed at wrongdoing, and it closes by contrasting the party of God with those who oppose Him and His messenger. Throughout, it stresses that nothing escapes God's knowledge and that ultimate loyalty belongs to God alone.

Surah number: 58
Revelation: Medinan
Ayahs: 22
Arabic: المجادلة

Read Surah Al-Mujadila online — full Arabic text with the Pickthall English translation.

Main themes

God's hearing of the pleading woman and His response to grievance
Correcting an unjust pre-Islamic practice within marriage (zihar)
God's all-encompassing knowledge of every private conversation
Etiquette of gatherings, counsel, and confidential speech
Warning against secret talk that serves wrongdoing
Loyalty to God over allegiance to those who oppose Him

Why this surah matters

Al-Mujadila is noted for opening with a real grievance brought by a woman and for affirming that God heard and answered her, a point many commentators highlight as underscoring the dignity of the individual and the accessibility of divine justice. It is one of several Medinan surahs that shape the social and legal life of the early community, here addressing family justice and the ethics of speech. The surah is also remembered for its powerful reminder that God is a witness to every private exchange. It stands as a chapter frequently referenced when discussing the reform of unjust customs and the accountability of what people say in private.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the "pleading woman" the surah is named after?

Tradition identifies her as a woman who came to the Prophet Muhammad to appeal about her marriage and laid her complaint before God. The surah affirms that God heard her plea, and this incident gives the chapter its name.

Is Al-Mujadila Meccan or Medinan?

It is a Medinan surah, connected to the period after the migration to Medina. Its subject matter deals with family justice and communal conduct within the established Muslim society there.

What is the surah's central lesson about speech?

It emphasizes that God is present in every private conversation and knows what people conceal, and it cautions against confidential talk directed toward wrongdoing while encouraging counsel oriented to righteousness.

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