Ask a Shia

[Karbala]

Salamun Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuh.


These posts are going to get lengthy so bare with me.

Well, first of all, the verse doesn't say that the wives of the Prophet (pbuh) have committed any immoral acts.

I never claimed they did. All I meant was that it is a contradiction to lay down a punishment for a possible "fashiha" and then in the following verse claim that they are Ma3soom (infallible or purified of sins.) in 33:33.


Regarding 24:26 I think you are using the translation of Abdullah Yusufali. Compare the arabic of 33:33 and 24:26


24:26 الْخَبِيثَاتُ لِلْخَبِيثِينَ وَالْخَبِيثُونَ لِلْخَبِيثَاتِ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ لِلطَّيِّبِينَ وَالطَّيِّبُونَ لِلطَّيِّبَاتِ


33:33 إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًا


You can clerly see the expressions used are completely different. 33:33 uses the terms derived from the arabic root "THR" which literally pure. 24:26 uses derivatives of Khayith and Tayyib which actually dont mean pure but are better translated as "Bad" and "Good".


You can compare the translations of Shakir, Pickthall and Yusufali for yourself.


[shakir 24:26] Bad women .are for bad men and bad men are for bad women. Good women are for good men and good men are for good women


[Yusufali 24:26] Women impure are for men impure, and men impure for women impure and women of purity are for men of purity, and men of purity are for women of purity: these are not affected by what people say: for them there is forgiveness, and a provision honourable.


[Pickthal 24:26] Vile women are for vile men, and vile men for vile women. Good women are for good men, and good men for good women; such are innocent of that which people say: For them is pardon and a bountiful provision.


Hence 24:26 has nothing to do with "Purification" or 33:33. Infact Shia scholars have used 24:26 to defend the honour of the Prophets wives and rebuke any accusations of Adultery. The context of this verse is clearly adultery. If we were to accept your interpretation that it means that "impure" wives are for "impure" husbands in terms of generality then we would have a hard time explaining verses 66:10 and 66:11 where "impure wives" are married to Prophets and a "Pure" wife is married to Pharoah.