The central theme of Surah Al-Mujadilah (المجادلة) revolves around the existence of two distinct groups in this life, and every individual must choose which one to align with. These two groups are the “Party of Allah” and the “Party of Satan.” Notably, the term “Party of Satan” appears twice in the Quran, both times within this Surah. Allah says:

 ٱسۡتَحۡوَذَ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنُ فَأَنسَٮٰهُمۡ ذِكۡرَ ٱللَّهِ‌ۚ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ حِزۡبُ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنِ‌ۚ أَلَآ إِنَّ حِزۡبَ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنِ هُمُ ٱلۡخَـٰسِرُونَ (١٩)

Satan has prevailed over them. So, he has made them forget the remembrance of Allah. They are the party of Satan. Verily, it is the party of Satan that will be the losers! (58:19)

On the other hand, the “Party of Allah” is mentioned three times—twice in this Surah and once in Surat Al-Ma’idah. In this Surah, Allah describes them as follows:

لَّا تَجِدُ قَوۡمً۬ا يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأَخِرِ يُوَآدُّونَ مَنۡ حَآدَّ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ ۥ وَلَوۡ ڪَانُوٓاْ ءَابَآءَهُمۡ أَوۡ أَبۡنَآءَهُمۡ أَوۡ إِخۡوَٲنَهُمۡ أَوۡ عَشِيرَتَہُمۡ‌ۚ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ ڪَتَبَ فِى قُلُوبِہِمُ ٱلۡإِيمَـٰنَ وَأَيَّدَهُم بِرُوحٍ۬ مِّنۡهُ‌ۖ وَيُدۡخِلُهُمۡ جَنَّـٰتٍ۬ تَجۡرِى مِن تَحۡتِہَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا‌ۚ رَضِىَ ٱللَّهُ عَنۡہُمۡ وَرَضُواْ عَنۡهُ‌ۚ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ حِزۡبُ ٱللَّهِ‌ۚ أَلَآ إِنَّ حِزۡبَ ٱللَّهِ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ (٢٢)

You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day loving those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they are their fathers, sons, brothers, or clan. Upon the hearts of these believers, He has inscribed true faith and strengthened them with a spirit from Himself. And He will admit them to Gardens under which rivers flow, where they will dwell forever. Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him. They are the Party of Allah. Verily, it is the Party of Allah who will be successful. (58:22)

In Surat Al-Ma’idah, Allah assures that the Party of Allah will always be victorious:

وَمَن يَتَوَلَّ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ ۥ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ فَإِنَّ حِزۡبَ ٱللَّهِ هُمُ ٱلۡغَـٰلِبُونَ (٥٦)

“Whoever allies himself with Allah and His messenger and those who believe, behold, it is the party of Allah who shall be the victorious. (Al-Maeda 5:56)

This Surah also highlights the characteristics of those who claim to be Muslims yet align themselves with the Party of Satan, including hypocrisy and deceit.

أَلَمۡ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ تَوَلَّوۡاْ قَوۡمًا غَضِبَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡہِم مَّا هُم مِّنكُمۡ وَلَا مِنۡہُمۡ وَيَحۡلِفُونَ عَلَى ٱلۡكَذِبِ وَهُمۡ يَعۡلَمُونَ (١٤)

Have you not seen those who have taken as allies a people upon whom Allah has brought His wrath? They are neither of you nor of them, and they swear to falsehood knowingly. (58:14)

 ٱتَّخَذُوٓاْ أَيۡمَـٰنَہُمۡ جُنَّةً۬ فَصَدُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَلَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ۬ مُّهِينٌ۬ (١٦) لَّن تُغۡنِىَ عَنۡہُمۡ أَمۡوَٲلُهُمۡ وَلَآ أَوۡلَـٰدُهُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ شَيۡـًٔا‌ۚ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ أَصۡحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ‌ۖ هُمۡ فِيہَا خَـٰلِدُونَ (١٧) يَوۡمَ يَبۡعَثُہُمُ ٱللَّهُ جَمِيعً۬ا فَيَحۡلِفُونَ لَهُ ۥ كَمَا يَحۡلِفُونَ لَكُمۡ‌ۖ وَيَحۡسَبُونَ أَنَّہُمۡ عَلَىٰ شَىۡءٍ‌ۚ أَلَآ إِنَّہُمۡ هُمُ ٱلۡكَـٰذِبُونَ (١٨)

“They have made their ˹false˺ oaths as a shield, hindering ˹others˺ from the cause of Allah. For them there is a humiliating punishment. (16) Neither their wealth nor children will benefit them against Allah. They are the residents of the Fire. They will be there forever. (17) On the Day Allah resurrects them all, they will swear to Him as they swear to you, thinking they have something to stand on. Indeed, they are sheer liars. (58:15-18)

The Surah affirms that Allah is fully aware of everyone’s actions. The Party of Satan should beware that their deeds and intentions are known to Him, while the Party of Allah can find reassurance that no secret plot against them is hidden from His knowledge.

Allah’s all-encompassing awareness is evident from the very beginning of the Surah when He intervenes in the personal matter of a believing woman:

قَدۡ سَمِعَ ٱللَّهُ قَوۡلَ ٱلَّتِى تُجَـٰدِلُكَ فِى زَوۡجِهَا وَتَشۡتَكِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَٱللَّهُ يَسۡمَعُ تَحَاوُرَكُمَآ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعُۢ بَصِيرٌ (١)

Truly, Allah has heard the statement of the woman who argued with you concerning her husband and who has complained to Allah. And Allah hears your discourse with each other. Verily, Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing. (58:1)

This verse highlights Allah’s closeness, attentiveness, and compassion. Notably, this is the only Surah in the Quran where Allah’s name is mentioned in every verse, emphasizing His constant awareness and presence. It serves as a reminder to both the Party of Allah and the Party of Satan that He knows all their words and actions, even those done in secret. This awareness should inspire accountability and mindfulness in one’s speech and behavior.

The Surah also warns those who conspire in secrecy, mistakenly believing their actions go unnoticed. They must understand that Allah is always listening and will hold them accountable for their schemes.

أَلَمۡ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعۡلَمُ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ‌ۖ مَا يَڪُونُ مِن نَّجۡوَىٰ ثَلَـٰثَةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ رَابِعُهُمۡ وَلَا خَمۡسَةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ سَادِسُہُمۡ وَلَآ أَدۡنَىٰ مِن ذَٲلِكَ وَلَآ أَڪۡثَرَ إِلَّا هُوَ مَعَهُمۡ أَيۡنَ مَا كَانُواْ‌ۖ ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا عَمِلُواْ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَـٰمَةِ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَىۡءٍ عَلِيمٌ (٧)

Have you not seen that Allah knows all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth? There is no private discourse among three but that He is their fourth, nor among five but that He is their sixth, nor of less than that or more, but He is with them wherever they may be. Then, on the Day of Resurrection, He will inform them of what they have done. Verily, Allah is the All-Knowing of everything.  (58:7)

This powerful reminder emphasizes that nothing escapes Allah’s knowledge, reinforcing the call for sincerity, faithfulness, and caution in all actions and speech.

Furthermore, Allah instructs believers that private discussions are only permissible if they serve a righteous purpose:

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا تَنَـٰجَيۡتُمۡ فَلَا تَتَنَـٰجَوۡاْ بِٱلۡإِثۡمِ وَٱلۡعُدۡوَٲنِ وَمَعۡصِيَتِ ٱلرَّسُولِ وَتَنَـٰجَوۡاْ بِٱلۡبِرِّ وَٱلتَّقۡوَىٰ‌ۖ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِىٓ إِلَيۡهِ تُحۡشَرُونَ (٩)

“O you who believe! When you engage in private counsel, do not conspire in sin, transgression, and disobedience to the Messenger. Instead, confer for righteousness and Taqwa. And be mindful of Allah, for to Him you will all be gathered.” (58:9)

Additionally, Allah instructs believers on proper etiquette when gathering in limited spaces, emphasizing the importance of making room for others:

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمۡ تَفَسَّحُواْ فِى ٱلۡمَجَـٰلِسِ فَٱفۡسَحُواْ يَفۡسَحِ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡ‌ۖ وَإِذَا قِيلَ ٱنشُزُواْ فَٱنشُزُواْ يَرۡفَعِ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مِنكُمۡ وَٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡعِلۡمَ دَرَجَـٰتٍ۬‌ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ۬ (١١)

“O you who believe! When you are asked to make space in gatherings, then make room, and Allah will grant you space (from His mercy). And when you are told to rise, then rise. Allah will elevate in rank those among you who believe and those who have been granted knowledge. And Allah is fully aware of all that you do.” (58:11)

In this verse, I want to highlight the term (ٱنشُزُواْ), meaning “rise up” or “stand up.” This root also forms (نشوز), which should carry a similar meaning.

The term (نشوز) appears twice in the Qur’an—once in Surah An-Nisa (4:34) regarding a wife’s behavior and once in (4:128) regarding a husband’s behavior. However, translators have rendered it differently in a way that seems biased against women.

 

Verse 4:34 (Regarding wife) وَٱلَّـٰتِى تَخَافُونَ نُشُوزَهُنَّ	Verse 4:128 (Regarding husband) خَافَتۡ مِنۢ بَعۡلِهَا نُشُوزًا أَ
،استعلاءهن على أزواجهن , وارتفاعهن عن فرشهم بالمعصية منهن , والخلاف عليهم فيما لزمهن طاعتهم فيه , بغضا منهن وإعراضا عنهم -عصيانهن وتعاليهن  ترفُّعهن عن طاعتكم وأصل النشوز الارتفاع , ومنه قيل للمكان المرتفع من الأرض نشز ونشاز “Showing superiority over their husbands. Refusal to share their beds due to disobedience. Defiance in matters where obedience is required – out of resentment and disregard for them. Disobedience, arrogance, and refusal to submit to their husbands.  The root meaning of نشوز is elevation, which is why a high place on the ground is called نشز or نشاز.. (books of Tafseer)	استعلاءً بنفسه عنها إلى غيرها، أثَرةً عليها، وارتفاعًا بها عنها Exalting himself above her in favor of another, prioritizing others over her, and distancing himself from her with a sense of superiority.” (books of Tafseer)
Disloyalty and ill-conduct	Cruelty (Saudi Arabia Fatwa) (Yusuf Ali) (Sayed Vikar Ahmad)
infidelity	Ill treatment (Wahidudin Khan)
High-handedness	High Handedness (Abdel Haleem)
Surliness	Abuse (T. B. Irving)
Refractoriness	Refractoriness (Abdul-Daryabadi)
Arrogance	Contempt (Saheeh International)
Desertion	Ill-usage (M. H. Shakir)
Discord and animosity	Animosity (Sayyed Hossein Nasr)
Rebellion	Ill treatment (Tariq Usmani) (Pickthal)
Ill will	Ill treatment (Asad)
Ill conduct	Cruelty (M.Mohsin Khan and M.Taqi-ud-din)
Ill conduct	Indifference (Mustafa Khattab)

More precise words that capture the meaning of nushuz (نشوز) in the context of treating others with a sense of superiority and asserting their inferiority include:

• Disdainful – treating others with scorn or a sense of superiority.
• Condescending – speaking to others as if they are inferior.
• Supercilious – behaving as though one is superior to others.
• Contemptuous – showing a lack of respect.”

The word “Refractoriness” refers to stubborn resistance or defiance against authority or control.

The word “Surliness” describes a person who is rude, unfriendly, or bad-tempered.