58: The pLeading Woman

This chapter of 22 verses arranged in three sections dates from Madina, like the
previous one. It was revealed after the one on Hypocrites 63 and before The
[inner] Apartments 49. This thus makes it the second of the two Madinese
chapters which are placed here. as one can see with its longer verses and more
involved paragraphs. Its theme condemning arrogant conduct likewise gives it an
affinity to the beginning of Chapter 24 Light (sections I-III).
The woman referred to was Khawla bint-Tha'laba, and the incident refers
to her domestic problems. The mock divorce of the pagan Arabs which bound
the rejected wife to her household chores is condemned at the very beginning
of the chapter (I). The chapter also contains some lyrical passages concerning
God's awareness of everything. especially of intrigue. Manners at meetings and
parliamentary procedure are discussed in section 11.