If you two [wives] repent to Allah , [it is best], for your hearts have deviated. But if you cooperate against him - then indeed Allah is his protector, and Gabriel and the righteous of the believers and the angels, moreover, are [his] assistants.
Tafseer
{ إن تتوبا } أي حفصة وعائشة { إلى الله فقد صغت قلوبكما } مالت إلى تحريم مارية، أي سركما ذلك مع كراهة النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم له وذلك ذنب، وجواب الشرط محذوف أي تقبلا، وأطلق قلوب على قلبين ولم يعبر به لاستثقال الجمع بين تثنيتين فيما هو كالكلمة الواحدة { وإن تظَّاهرا } بإدغام التاء الثانية في الأصل في الظاء، وفي قراءة بدونها تتعاونا { عليه } أي النبي فيما يكرهه { فإن الله هو } فصل { مولاه } ناصره { وجبريل وصالح المؤمنين } أبو بكر وعمر رضي الله عنهما معطوف على محل اسم إن فيكونون ناصريه { والملائكة بعد ذلك } بعد نصر الله والمذكورين { ظهير } ظهراء أعوان له في نصره عليكما .
{If you both repent} meaning Hafsah and Aishah {to Allah, your hearts have already inclined} to forbid Mariyah, meaning that you both were pleased with that despite the Prophet’s (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) disliking it, and that is a sin. The answer to the condition is omitted, meaning accept it. The word “hearts” is used to refer to two hearts, but it is not used to express this because of the difficulty of combining two duals in what is like a single word. {And if you both declare your support} by assimilating the second ta’ in the original into the dhaal, and in a reading without it, you cooperate {against him} meaning the Prophet in what he dislikes. {Then Allah is} separated {his Protector} his Supporter. {And Gabriel and the righteous believers} Abu Bakr and Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, are conjoined with the place of the name of “if,” so they will be his supporters. {And the angels after that} after Allah’s support, and the two mentioned {will be his supporters} supporters, helpers in his support against you.
