َ ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا امْرَأَتَ نُوحٍ وَامْرَأَتَ لُوطٍ كَانَتَا تَحْتَ عَبْدَيْنِ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا صَالِحَيْنِ فَخَانَتَاهُمَا فَلَمْ يُغْنِيَا عَنْهُمَا مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا وَقِيلَ ادْخُلَا النَّارَ مَعَ الدَّاخِلِينَ ﴿۱۰﴾ وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا امْرَأَتَ فِرْعَوْنَ إِذْ قَالَتْ رَبِّ ابْنِ لِي عِنْدَكَ بَيْتًا فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَنَجِّنِي مِنْ فِرْعَوْنَ وَعَمَلِهِ وَنَجِّنِي مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ ﴿۱۱﴾ وَمَرْيَمَ ابْنَتَ عِمْرَانَ الَّتِي أَحْصَنَتْ فَرْجَهَا فَنَفَخْنَا فِيهِ مِنْ رُوحِنَا وَصَدَّقَتْ بِكَلِمَاتِ رَبِّهَا وَكُتُبِهِ وَكَانَتْ مِنَ الْقَانِتِينَ ﴿۱۲﴾

﴾10﴿ Darabal laahu masalal lillazeena kafarum ra ata Noohinw wamra ata Loot, kaanataa tahta 'abdaini min 'ibaadinaa saalihaini fakhaanataahumaa falam yughniyaa 'anhumaa minal laahi shai anw-wa qeelad khulan naara ma'ad Daakhileen
﴾11﴿ Wa darabal laahu masalal lil lezeena aamanumra ata Fir'awn; iz qaalat rab bibni lee 'indaka baitan fil jannati wa najjinee min Fir'awna wa 'amalihee wa najjinee minal qawmiz zaalimeen
﴾12﴿ Wa Maryamab nata 'Imraanal lateee ahsanat farjahaa fanafakhnaa feehee mir roohinaa wa saddaqat bi kalimaati Rabbihaa wa Kutubihee wakaanat minal qaaniteen

﴾10﴿ Allah sets forth an example for the disbelievers: the wife of Noah (peace be upon him) and the wife of Lot (peace be upon him). They were under two of Our righteous servants but betrayed them, so they availed them nothing against Allah, and it was said [to them], 'Enter the Fire with those who enter
﴾11﴿ And Allah sets forth an example for the believers: the wife of Pharaoh, when she said, 'My Lord, build for me a house near You in Paradise, and save me from Pharaoh and his deeds, and save me from the wrongdoing people
﴾12﴿ And [Allah also sets forth] the example of Mary, the daughter of Imran, who guarded her chastity, so We breathed into her of Our Spirit, and she confirmed the words of her Lord and His scriptures, and she was of the devoutly obedient

[10] This warning to the women is similar to the beginning of the surah—it emphasizes faith, monotheism, and obedience to the Messenger. The meaning is: O women, if you yourselves do not have faith and righteous deeds, then the deeds of your husbands will not benefit you.
It also addresses the misconception: Does kinship with monotheists benefit the polytheist men or women? The answer is: Kinship with the righteous brings no benefit when there is opposition to their faith and actions. Just as the wives of Prophet Nūḥ (peace be upon him) and Prophet Lūṭ (peace be upon him) were not helped by their marriage to prophets.
(فَخَانَتَاهُمَا)—Ibn Kathīr said this does not refer to immoral betrayal or indecency, because the wives of prophets are free from adultery, even if they possessed disbelief, shirk, or hypocrisy.
Qurṭubī said there is consensus among the scholars of tafsīr that their betrayal was that they hid their disbelief and shirk from their husbands and would pass on their secrets to their enemies.
(فَلَمْ يُغْنِيَا عَنْهُمَا)—Qurṭubī said this is a warning that the punishment of Allah is averted through obedience, not through means and connections. This is a refutation of the idolaters who claim that the Prophet (May Allah bless him and give him peace) will intercede for them.
[11] This verse addresses the second misconception: Can the kinship of disbelievers harm righteous men or women? The answer is that when a person’s deeds are righteous, then kinship, marriage, or other relations with disbelievers do not harm the believer at all.
This is presented as an example for the believers, which is why the verse says (لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا)—“for those who believe.” It also serves as an encouragement for the believers, showing how the wife of Pharaoh displayed remarkable courage for the true religion and in support of Musa (peace be upon him), ultimately attaining martyrdom. So, O believers, you too must show such courage for the sake of tawḥid (monotheism).
(امْرَأَتَ فِرْعَوْنَ)—This refers to the wife of Pharaoh, and in both this example and the previous one, there is an indirect reference to ʿĀ’ishah and Ḥafṣah (may Allah be pleased with them). The first example was a warning to avoid disobeying the Prophet (May Allah bless him and give him peace), and this second one is encouragement to obey, like the wife of Pharaoh.
Her name was Āsiyah bint Muzāḥim. She believed in Musa (peace be upon him), and Pharaoh subjected her to severe punishments. In the end, he tied her hands and feet, placed hot stones on her body in extreme heat, and nailed her hands and feet. In this intense suffering, she made this supplication:
(رَبِّ ابْنِ لِي عِندَكَ بَيْتًا)—“My Lord, build for me a house near You”—this shows the great benefit of turning to Allah in times of hardship.
(وَنَجِّنِي مِنْ فِرْعَوْنَ)—“Deliver me from Pharaoh”—meaning from his company and marriage.
(وَعَمَلِهِ)—this refers to his disbelief and shirk, or his punishment and oppression.
(مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ)—“from the wrongdoing people”—refers to Pharaoh’s people, who were all wrongdoers due to their disbelief, shirk, and oppression of the monotheist Banu Isra’il.
[12] This is the second example presented for the people of faith. Its primary purpose is to show that although enemies (specifically the Jews) slandered Maryam (peace be upon her), because she was chaste and firm in her faith in the words of Allah, the accusations of the enemies had no effect on her status with Allah and did not diminish her rank in the slightest.
Likewise, if enemies of religion slander or accuse a righteous caller to Allah, but their character is pure and they remain firmly grounded in the Book of Allah, then such accusations cannot cause any harm or deficiency.
This also serves as encouragement for believers: if a single, unmarried woman endured hardships for the sake of Allah’s religion and upheld the truth, then it is even more incumbent upon you—being men—to put forth greater effort and sacrifice.
(وَصَدَّقَتْ بِكَلِمَاتِ رَبِّهَا)—“And she believed in the words of her Lord”—Imām Farrā’ said this refers to the divine legal rulings (aḥkām shar‘iyyah) that were revealed through the words of the Torah and the Gospel. It also includes the words spoken by Jibrīl, as mentioned in Surah Maryam (verses 19, 21, 24). Because of this trait, Maryam was called Ṣiddīqah (truthful), which is the highest level of faith.
(وَكَانَتْ مِنَ الْقَانِتِينَ)—“And she was among the devoutly obedient”—this points to her level of complete knowledge, meaning her intellectual, spiritual, and practical strength of faith and obedience were all perfect.
Question: Why is القانتين mentioned in the masculine form?
Answer: Because the word qawm (people) is implied here—i.e., “from the devout people”—or it may suggest that her obedience, sincerity, courage, and eloquence were like those of the most righteous men.