Who Wants to Live in Tension? A Loving God Desires Harmony
Who wants to live in tension? The loving God desires His creation to live in harmony. To achieve this, He encourages men and women to marry those with whom they are compatible, allowing them to experience daily peace and unity.
Verse 60:11 of the Quran is often misinterpreted—shared by many without a true understanding of its full context and deeper meaning.
The Quran Is Often Misrepresented
Day in and day out, the Quran is misrepresented, giving some a false feeling that their traditions are superior by denigrating the Quran. But if one is truly a seeker of truth, they would find solace in knowing that all religions—including Islam—seek to build societies where individuals can live securely and peacefully.
The Quran Encourages Reflection
The Quran encourages every reader to reflect on any given verse. I have found that the wisdom contained within it is deeply pluralistic, aiming to promote cohesive societies. It respects the individuality of each person and embraces our unique differences.
In verse 109:6, it instructs believers to acknowledge and respect those with different beliefs:
لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِ
“To you is your faith, and to me is mine.”
This verse promotes equality, mutual respect, and coexistence—core values within Islamic teachings.
My Commitment to Clarifying Quranic Misunderstandings
I would like to share my thoughts on verse 60:11 because of my commitment to clarifying misunderstandings about the Quran.
I once organized a conference focused on dispelling misconceptions and presenting the true meanings of Quranic verses directly from the text. Learn more here:
👉 Quran Conference
I also presented a program on mistranslated verses at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Melbourne, Australia. These efforts and many reflections are shared on:
👉 Quran Today
Changing Perspectives – Even at Fox News
Interestingly, even Sean Hannity from Fox News changed his tone about the Quran after I shared a translation by Muhammad Asad, a highly respected translator. I presented the book to him on his show, after which we had an hour of going thru the difficult verses for him
🎥 Watch it here:
👉 YouTube – Sean Hannity Quran Response
How to Understand Difficult Verses
Through my studies, I developed a useful approach: when encountering a difficult verse, read the three verses before and after the given verse. This method often brings clarity.
Dr. Karen Armstrong advised similarly:
“Read the verse several times, and in the end, you’ll find the meaning that gives you freedom.”
The Common Translation of Quran 60:11 and Its Deeper Meaning
The translation is often presented as:
“Do not maintain your marriage with unbelieving women.”
But this is only a part of the story. I encourage readers to explore the surrounding verses and examine the context to find a more nuanced and just understanding.
Arabic Text and Translations: Quran 60:10–60:12
Quran 60:10 – Arabic and Translation
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا جَآءَكُمُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتُ مُهَـٰجِرَٰتٍ فَٱمْتَحِنُوهُنَّ ۖ ٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِإِيمَـٰنِهِنَّ ۖ فَإِنْ عَلِمْتُمُوهُنَّ مُؤْمِنَـٰتٍ فَلَا تَرْجِعُوهُنَّ إِلَى ٱلْكُفَّارِ ۖ لَا هُنَّ حِلّٞ لَّهُمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحِلُّونَ لَهُنَّ ۖ وَءَاتُوهُم مَّآ أَنفَقُوا۟ ۚ وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ أَن تَنكِحُوهُنَّ إِذَآ ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ ۚ وَلَا تُمْسِكُوا۟ بِعِصَمِ ٱلْكَوَافِرِ وَسْـَٔلُوا۟ مَآ أَنفَقْتُمْ وَلْيَسْـَٔلُوا۟ مَآ أَنفَقُوا۟ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ حُكْمُ ٱللَّهِ ۖ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَكُمْ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ
O YOU who have attained to faith! Whenever believing women come unto you, forsaking the domain of evil, examine them, [although only] God is fully aware of their faith… Such is God’s judgment: He judges between you [in equity]—for God is all-knowing, wise.
(Muhammad Asad)
The term “domain of evil” refers to an immoral society that accepts practices such as female infanticide, allowing individuals to kill whoever they want without consequence or remorse. In India and China, such practices still occur today. Similarly, in 18th-century America, if someone gave you a sly look in a saloon, it was common to pull out a gun and shoot. The unwritten rule was that a sly glance was justification enough for violence.
Female feticide in India – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1vASMbEEQc
Quran 60:11 – Arabic and Translation
وَإِن فَاتَكُمْ شَىْءٞ مِّنْ أَزْوَٰجِكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْكُفَّارِ فَعَاقَبْتُمْ فَـَٔاتُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ ذَهَبَتْ أَزْوَٰجُهُم مِّثْلَ مَآ أَنفَقُوا۟ ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَنتُم بِهِۦ مُؤْمِنُونَ
And if any of your wives should go over to the deniers of the truth, and you are thus afflicted in turn, then give unto those whose wives have gone away the equivalent of what they had spent [on their wives by way of dower], and remain conscious of God, in whom you believe!
(Muhammad Asad)
🔹 Note: This is the verse misinterpreted. These were rare cases in early Islam, with only six recorded instances. In each case, the Prophet instructed that the husband be reimbursed from the community treasury (as noted by Baghawi and Zamakhshari) to compensate his wife, who had left him for unbelieving men. This reimbursement represented the amount promised to the wife in the event of divorce or death.
Quran 60:12 – Arabic and Translation
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِيُّ إِذَا جَآءَكَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتُ يُبَايِعْنَكَ عَلَىٰٓ أَن لَّا يُشْرِكْنَ بِٱللَّهِ شَيْـٔٗا وَلَا يَسْرِقْنَ وَلَا يَزْنِينَ وَلَا يَقْتُلْنَ أَوْلَـٰدَهُنَّ وَلَا يَأْتِينَ بِبُهْتَـٰنٖ يَفْتَرِينَهُۥ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِنَّ وَأَرْجُلِهِنَّ وَلَا يَعْصِينَكَ فِي مَعْرُوفٖ فَبَايِعْهُنَّ وَٱسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُنَّ ٱللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٞ رَّحِيمٞ
O Prophet! Whenever believing women come unto thee to pledge their allegiance to thee… then accept their pledge of allegiance, and pray to God to forgive them their [past] sins: for, behold, God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.
Additional Resources for Deeper Study
To explore further and develop a well-rounded understanding, I recommend:
- 🔍 Muhammad Asad’s Translation – IslamiCity
- 📖 Dr. Safi Kaskas’s Contemporary Translation – IslamAwakened
Final Reflection
“If you did not understand this, please read and reflect at least three times. And if you still don’t see the clarity, call me. But I won’t explain unless you’ve read it thrice.”
— Mike Mohamed Ghouse
About the Author: Mike Mohamed Ghouse
Mike Ghouse is a thinker, speaker, pluralist, activist, author, and wedding officiant. His life’s work focuses on bridging gaps between communities and promoting pluralism through education and engagement.
🌐 Learn more at www.TheGhouseDiary.com or just Google Mike Ghouse.
Frequently Asked Questions About Quran 60:11
1. What does Quran 60:11 actually mean?
It instructs Muslims to compensate those whose wives left the faith, and they paid their promised Mehr (dower) to the woman, ensuring fairness and financial justice—not religious animosity.
2. Is the verse applicable today?
Its ethical principle of justice remains relevant, even though its historical context was specific.
3. Why is it often misunderstood?
Because it is frequently quoted out of context without the preceding and succeeding verses.
4. How can we avoid misinterpretation?
Read three verses before and after, as recommended by scholars like Mike Ghouse and Karen Armstrong.
5. What is special about Muhammad Asad’s translation?
It’s respected globally for combining linguistic depth with contextual accuracy.
6. How does this verse reflect Islam’s values?
It showcases justice, equity, and respect for human dignity, foundational Islamic values.
