Introduction
Khawlah bint Tha'labah was a woman of the Ansar in Madinah, wife of Aws ibn as-Samit. In a moment of anger Aws pronounced zihar on her, a pre-Islamic custom of declaring a wife unlawful like his mother, which left a woman neither married nor free.
Khawlah went to the Prophet, laid out her situation with her years of service, her many children and her fear for the household, and kept appealing to Allah in prayer. Aisha, in the next room, heard part of the exchange, and described it with the words 'Blessed is the One Whose hearing encompasses all things'. The opening verses of Surat al-Mujadilah, 'Allah has indeed heard the plea of the woman who disputes with you', were revealed in response.
The verses abolished the practice and prescribed an expiation, which the Prophet explained to her, and she helped her husband carry it out. The Quran names its 58th chapter 'the Pleading Woman' after this incident.
The story
Madinah period (c. 2-5 AH)
Aws ibn as-Samit declares zihar on his wife Khawlah; she goes to the Prophet to ask for a ruling.
Read the wording
Sunan Abi Dawud 2214Hasan Arabic text
قَالَتْ ظَاهَرَ مِنِّي زَوْجِي أَوْسُ بْنُ الصَّامِتِ فَجِئْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَشْكُو إِلَيْهِ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُجَادِلُنِي فِيهِ وَيَقُولُ" اتَّقِي اللَّهَ فَإِنَّهُ ابْنُ عَمِّكِ". فَمَا بَرِحْتُ حَتَّى نَزَلَ الْقُرْآنُ{ قَدْ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ قَوْلَ الَّتِي تُجَادِلُكَ فِي زَوْجِهَا} إِلَى الْفَرْضِ فَقَالَ" يُعْتِقُ رَقَبَةً". قَالَتْ لاَ يَجِدُ قَالَ" …
“My husband, Aws ibn as-Samit, pronounced the words”
Madinah period
Revelation of the opening verses of Surat al-Mujadilah settling the matter.
Read the wording
Sunan Ibn Majah 2063Sahih Arabic text
… وَهِيَ تَشْتَكِي زَوْجَهَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ وَهِيَ تَقُولُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَكَلَ شَبَابِي وَنَثَرْتُ لَهُ بَطْنِي حَتَّى إِذَا كَبِرَتْ سِنِّي وَانْقَطَعَ وَلَدِي ظَاهَرَ مِنِّي اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَشْكُو إِلَيْكَ. فَمَا بَرِحَتْ حَتَّى نَزَلَ جِبْرَائِيلُ بِهَؤُلاَءِ الآيَاتِ{قَدْ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ قَوْلَ الَّتِي تُجَادِلُكَ فِي زَوْجِهَا وَتَشْتَكِي إِلَى …
“She continued to complain until Jibra'il brought down these Verses”
Quran 58:1Quran Arabic text
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ قَدْ سَمِعَ ٱللَّهُ قَوْلَ ٱلَّتِى تُجَٰدِلُكَ فِى زَوْجِهَا وَتَشْتَكِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَٱللَّهُ يَسْمَعُ تَحَاوُرَكُمَآ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌۢ بَصِيرٌ
“Certainly has Allah heard the speech of the one who argues with you”
Madinah period
The Prophet gives the expiation rulings; Khawlah assists her husband in giving it.
Read the wording
Sunan Abi Dawud 2214Hasan Arabic text
… فَلْيُطْعِمْ سِتِّينَ مِسْكِينًا". قَالَتْ مَا عِنْدَهُ مِنْ شَىْءٍ يَتَصَدَّقُ بِهِ قَالَتْ فَأُتِيَ سَاعَتَئِذٍ بِعَرَقٍ مِنْ تَمْرٍ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَإِنِّي أُعِينُهُ بِعَرَقٍ آخَرَ. قَالَ" قَدْ أَحْسَنْتِ اذْهَبِي فَأَطْعِمِي بِهَا عَنْهُ سِتِّينَ مِسْكِينًا وَارْجِعِي إِلَى ابْنِ عَمِّكِ". قَالَ وَالْعَرَقُ سِتُّونَ صَاعًا قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ فِي هَذَا إِنَّهَا كَفَّرَتْ …
“He should feed sixty poor people”
Quran 58:4Quran Arabic text
فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يَتَمَآسَّا فَمَن لَّمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَإِطْعَامُ سِتِّينَ مِسْكِينًا ذَٰلِكَ لِتُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ وَتِلْكَ حُدُودُ ٱللَّهِ وَلِلْكَٰفِرِينَ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
“feeding of sixty poor persons”
A day in their footsteps
4 small, repeatable practices from Khawlah bint Tha'labah's life. Each comes with the Arabic text and English wording of its source, and links to read the full report.
Bringing a grievance to Allah and to the Prophet
Khawlah went to the Prophet to explain her husband's zihar, and then she kept complaining to Allah. She did not stay silent or accept injustice nor take matters into her own hands.
Try this today
Turn to Allah first with a complaint, and seek just rulings from those who know.
Sit with this
What grievance have you told people about but not yet told Allah?
Sources
Sunan Ibn Majah 2063Sahih … وَهِيَ تَشْتَكِي زَوْجَهَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ وَهِيَ تَقُولُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَكَلَ شَبَابِي وَنَثَرْتُ لَهُ بَطْنِي حَتَّى إِذَا كَبِرَتْ سِنِّي وَانْقَطَعَ وَلَدِي ظَاهَرَ مِنِّي اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَشْكُو إِلَيْكَ. فَمَا بَرِحَتْ حَتَّى نَزَلَ جِبْرَائِيلُ بِهَؤُلاَءِ الآيَاتِ{قَدْ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ قَوْلَ الَّتِي تُجَادِلُكَ فِي زَوْجِهَا وَتَشْتَكِي إِلَى …
“O Allah, I complain to You”
Quran 58:1Quran بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ قَدْ سَمِعَ ٱللَّهُ قَوْلَ ٱلَّتِى تُجَٰدِلُكَ فِى زَوْجِهَا وَتَشْتَكِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَٱللَّهُ يَسْمَعُ تَحَاوُرَكُمَآ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌۢ بَصِيرٌ
“directs her complaint to Allah”
Persistent, honest supplication
Aisha could hear part of what she said; she went on pleading until revelation came. Her description of her own situation was frank and detailed.
Try this today
Be specific and persistent in du'a, and do not rush to leave it.
Sit with this
Can you keep asking Allah, plainly and specifically, without rushing away?
Source
Sunan Ibn Majah 2063Sahih … وَهِيَ تَشْتَكِي زَوْجَهَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ وَهِيَ تَقُولُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَكَلَ شَبَابِي وَنَثَرْتُ لَهُ بَطْنِي حَتَّى إِذَا كَبِرَتْ سِنِّي وَانْقَطَعَ وَلَدِي ظَاهَرَ مِنِّي اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَشْكُو إِلَيْكَ. فَمَا بَرِحَتْ حَتَّى نَزَلَ جِبْرَائِيلُ بِهَؤُلاَءِ الآيَاتِ{قَدْ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ قَوْلَ الَّتِي تُجَادِلُكَ فِي زَوْجِهَا وَتَشْتَكِي إِلَى …
“She continued to complain until Jibra'il brought down these Verses”
Standing by her husband in setting it right
When the Prophet explained expiation, freeing a slave, fasting two months, or feeding sixty poor people, Khawlah noted he could not afford a slave and was too old to fast, then offered to help him with a basket of dates herself.
Try this today
Support the person you love in making amends.
Sit with this
How could you help someone you love make amends?
Sources
Sunan Abi Dawud 2214Hasan … فَأُتِيَ سَاعَتَئِذٍ بِعَرَقٍ مِنْ تَمْرٍ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَإِنِّي أُعِينُهُ بِعَرَقٍ آخَرَ. قَالَ" قَدْ أَحْسَنْتِ اذْهَبِي فَأَطْعِمِي بِهَا عَنْهُ سِتِّينَ مِسْكِينًا وَارْجِعِي إِلَى ابْنِ عَمِّكِ". قَالَ وَالْعَرَقُ سِتُّونَ صَاعًا قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ فِي هَذَا إِنَّهَا كَفَّرَتْ عَنْهُ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ تَسْتَأْمِرَهُ. وَقَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَهَذَا أَخُو عُبَادَةَ بْنِ …
“I shall help him with another date-basked ('araq)”
Quran 58:3Quran وَٱلَّذِينَ يُظَٰهِرُونَ مِن نِّسَآئِهِمْ ثُمَّ يَعُودُونَ لِمَا قَالُوا۟ فَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَتَمَآسَّا ذَٰلِكُمْ تُوعَظُونَ بِهِۦ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ
“the freeing of a slave”
Asking and following the ruling of Allah and His Messenger
She accepted the answer revealed in the Quran and carried out its expiation, rather than going back to the old pagan custom.
Try this today
Accept the ruling, even when it differs from custom or your first expectation.
Sit with this
Which ruling do you resist because it differs from custom?
Sources
Quran 58:2Quran ٱلَّذِينَ يُظَٰهِرُونَ مِنكُم مِّن نِّسَآئِهِم مَّا هُنَّ أُمَّهَٰتِهِمْ إِنْ أُمَّهَٰتُهُمْ إِلَّا ٱلَّٰٓـِٔى وَلَدْنَهُمْ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَيَقُولُونَ مُنكَرًا مِّنَ ٱلْقَوْلِ وَزُورًا وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَعَفُوٌّ غَفُورٌ
“they are not [consequently] their mothers”
Sunan Abi Dawud 2219Sahih أَنَّ جَمِيلَةَ، كَانَتْ تَحْتَ أَوْسِ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ وَكَانَ رَجُلاً بِهِ لَمَمٌ فَكَانَ إِذَا اشْتَدَّ لَمَمُهُ ظَاهَرَ مِنَ امْرَأَتِهِ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فِيهِ كَفَّارَةَ الظِّهَارِ.
“Allah, the Exalted, sent down Qur'anic verses relating to expiation for zihar”
Virtues
Allah heard her plea and revealed verses of the Quran about her case.
“Allah hears your dialogue; indeed, Allah is Hearing and Seeing”
Arabic text
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ قَدْ سَمِعَ ٱللَّهُ قَوْلَ ٱلَّتِى تُجَٰدِلُكَ فِى زَوْجِهَا وَتَشْتَكِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَٱللَّهُ يَسْمَعُ تَحَاوُرَكُمَآ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌۢ بَصِيرٌ
Quran 58:1Quran
Aisha was moved to praise Allah, 'Whose hearing encompasses all things', on hearing her speak with the Prophet.
“Blessed is the One Whose hearing encompasses all things”
Arabic text
قَالَ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي وَسِعَ سَمْعُهُ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ. إِنِّي لأَسْمَعُ كَلاَمَ خَوْلَةَ بِنْتِ ثَعْلَبَةَ وَيَخْفَى عَلَىَّ بَعْضُهُ وَهِيَ تَشْتَكِي زَوْجَهَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ وَهِيَ تَقُولُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَكَلَ شَبَابِي وَنَثَرْتُ لَهُ بَطْنِي حَتَّى إِذَا كَبِرَتْ سِنِّي وَانْقَطَعَ وَلَدِي ظَاهَرَ مِنِّي اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَشْكُو إِلَيْكَ. …
Sunan Ibn Majah 2063Sahih
Sayings and moments
She told the Prophet that her husband had consumed her youth, that she had borne his children, and that when she grew old he declared zihar on her.
“he has consumed my youth and I split my belly for him”
Arabic text
… وَهِيَ تَشْتَكِي زَوْجَهَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ وَهِيَ تَقُولُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَكَلَ شَبَابِي وَنَثَرْتُ لَهُ بَطْنِي حَتَّى إِذَا كَبِرَتْ سِنِّي وَانْقَطَعَ وَلَدِي ظَاهَرَ مِنِّي اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَشْكُو إِلَيْكَ. فَمَا بَرِحَتْ حَتَّى نَزَلَ جِبْرَائِيلُ بِهَؤُلاَءِ الآيَاتِ{قَدْ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ قَوْلَ الَّتِي تُجَادِلُكَ فِي زَوْجِهَا وَتَشْتَكِي إِلَى …
Sunan Ibn Majah 2063Sahih
Words on this page
- Ansarالأنصار
- "The Helpers": the Muslims of Madinah, from the Aws and Khazraj tribes, who welcomed and sheltered the Prophet ﷺ and the emigrants from Makkah.
- Du'aدعاء
- Supplication: calling on Allah and asking Him, in any language and at any time.
- Hadithحديث
- A report of what the Prophet ﷺ said, did or approved, passed down through a chain of narrators.
- Madinahالمدينة
- The city, formerly Yathrib, to which the Prophet ﷺ migrated and where the first Muslim community was built.
- Surahسورة
- A chapter of the Quran. There are 114.
- Ziharظهار
- A pre-Islamic oath in which a man likened his wife to his mother to make her unlawful to him; the Quran abolished it and set an expiation.
Related companions
Sources and review
- Khawla bint Tha'labah - Wikipedia (biographical outline) (opens in a new tab)
- Quran text via alquran.cloud (Saheeh International), verses 58:1-4 (opens in a new tab)
Hadith numbers follow sunnah.com. Each report links to sunnah.com, and, where the numbering matches, to al-Hadees or HadithUnlocked as well. Quran verses link to quran.com, Tafsir Ibn Kathir and Tanzil. The Arabic is taken from the hadith editions and trimmed around the quoted words, so read the full report at the source before relying on it. Grades are the ones those editions give.
This page is pending scholar review. It was compiled from public sources, and its citations were last checked on 7 October 2026. If you notice a mistake or a missing source, please tell us.