Quran Universe
33:38

مَّا كَانَ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِيِّ مِنۡ حَرَجٖ فِيمَا فَرَضَ ٱللَّهُ لَهُۥۖ سُنَّةَ ٱللَّهِ فِي ٱلَّذِينَ خَلَوۡاْ مِن قَبۡلُۚ وَكَانَ أَمۡرُ ٱللَّهِ قَدَرٗا مَّقۡدُورًا

Ma kana AAala alnnabiyyi min harajin feema farada Allahu lahu sunnata Allahi fee allatheena khalaw min qablu wakana amru Allahi qadaran maqdooran

There is not to be upon the Prophet any discomfort concerning that which Allah has imposed upon him. [This is] the established way of Allah with those [prophets] who have passed on before. And ever is the command of Allah a destiny decreed.

Word by word
  1. مَّاNot
  2. كَانَ(there can) be
  3. عَلَىupon
  4. ٱلنَّبِيِّthe Prophet
  5. مِنۡany
  6. حَرَجٖdiscomfort
  7. فِيمَاin what
  8. فَرَضَAllah has imposed
  9. ٱللَّهُAllah has imposed
  10. لَهُۥۖon him
  11. سُنَّةَ(That is the) Way
  12. ٱللَّهِ(of) Allah
  13. فِيconcerning
  14. ٱلَّذِينَthose who
  15. خَلَوۡاْpassed away
  16. مِنbefore
  17. قَبۡلُۚbefore
  18. وَكَانَAnd is
  19. أَمۡرُ(the) Command
  20. ٱللَّهِ(of) Allah
  21. قَدَرٗاa decree
  22. مَّقۡدُورًاdestined
Al-Ahzab · 33:38Madinah

No blame in what Allah has made his duty.

The same way Allah treated earlier prophets

The hypocrites' whisper
something wrong heregossip about the marriage
answered by
Allah's waywith prophets before
a decree fulfillednothing can block it
What blame means
people objectedso it must be wrong
Allah permitted itso there is no blame

Ibn Kathir says this answers the hypocrites who imagined something wrong in the Prophet's marriage to Zaynab ﷺ. Allah never commanded earlier prophets to do anything blameworthy. His command, once decreed, comes to pass.

You make a choice that is fully halal, and the comments start. A relative frowns, a colleague asks a pointed question. You start to feel guilty for something that has no sin in it. Their discomfort is not Allah's verdict.

If people around me disapprove, I must be doing something wrong.

When Allah has allowed it, others' disapproval does not make it a fault.

Try this

If you carry guilt over a choice that is not a sin, say so to yourself and let it go.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

There is no blame on the Prophet in that which Allah has made legal for him. That has been Allah's way with those who have passed away of old. And the command of Allah is a decree determined (38)

مَا كَانَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ مِنْ حَرَجٍ فِيمَا فَرَضَ اللَّهُ لَهُ ۖ 

(There is no blame on the Prophet in that which Allah has made legal for him.) means, in that which has been permitted for him and which he has been commanded to do, i.e. his marrying Zaynab, may Allah be pleased with her,, who had been divorced by his adopted son Zayd bin Harithah,

سُنَّةَ اللَّهِ فِي الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِنْ قَبْلُ ۚ 

(That has been Allah's way with those who have passed away of old.) means this is the ruling of Allah for the Prophets who came before him. Allah would not command them to do anything for which they might be blamed. This is a refutation of those hypocrites who imagined that there was anything wrong with his marrying the ex-wife of Zayd, his freed slave and adopted son.

وَكَانَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ قَدَرًا مَقْدُورًا 

(And the command of Allah is a decree determined.) means, His command which He has decreed must inevitably come to pass; nothing can prevent it or avert it, for whatever He wills happens, and whatever He does not decree, does not happen.