Short discussion about the chapter Al-Ahzab

Chapter Surah Al-Ahzab [33]  covers several different topics related to the direct lives of the people surrounding the Prophet. It mostly speaks about Prophet's personal feelings that he could not express due to being shy, his relationship with a woman he liked, then the halt to his option to further women "even if he likes them". It speaks about war and different types of God's help for the believers. It also describes how women should prevent being molested.

It jumps from a topic and comes back. It generally skips topics and brings in metaphorical descriptions of God's punishment randomly, or where necessary to quickly turns to different topics from the Prophet's personal life, his wishes, desires, and rules regarding his wives which are obviously good for him in this world, but only good for his wives in the hereafter.

It starts with a metaphorical speech about the universal values of God.

Then it moves to the personal topic important for Muhammad and not the society.

A very important part is that his adopted son became his brother. In this chapter, it is said that bloodline is more important than friendship.

Call them by [the names of] their fathers; it is more just in the sight of Allah. But if you do not know their fathers - then they are [still] your brothers in religion and those entrusted to you. And there is no blame upon you for that in which you have erred but [only for] what your hearts intended. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.

The importance of this decree will be visible after some other topics in this chapter.

Then it confirms polygamy in the background of a decree that a man can’t declare his wives unlawful. As it turns out, Arabs of the time could do it, simply by a man saying that he won’t know his wife biblically, and that would be it. Islam obviously stopped that practice.

It further goes on to say that Muhammad is more important to people than themselves.

Then it is mentioning made up Biblical characters as prophets, and Muhammad as one of them. It confirms the Islamic belief that Jesus is the son of Mary - and not his father Joseph, thus confirming overall known belief in the immaculate conception.

It then goes on to mention Allah’s help in a skirmish the Prophet and his followers have had against disbelievers. The help came in the form of wind, but also the invisible angels. Apparently, the wind wasn’t enough.

It says that the fear during a siege the believers felt was a test. The test also came in the form of betrayal by at least one-third of people; they were the hypocrites.

In this chapter, there is a very important verse which is related to the story of compiling the Qur’an: https://www.patreon.com/posts/revelation-of-of-33606874

https://sunnah.com/bukhari/56/23

Zaid bin Thabit said, "When the Qur'an was compiled from various written manuscripts, one of the Verses of Surat Al-Ahzab was missing which I used to hear Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) reciting. I could not find it except with Khuza`ima bin Thabit Al-Ansari, whose witness Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) regarded as equal to the witness of two men. And the Verse was:-- "Among the believers are men who have been true to what they covenanted with Allah." (33.23)

The chapter then goes back to speak about the relations between the Prophet and his wives. They wanted something of this world, but they were offered something of the other world: a double reward for them was in the hereafter. The prophet's reward – as he was a potent man – was in the form of what basically was a harem.

The chapter also puts blame on women because men are so easy to seduce. It doesn’t warn the men to curb their enthusiasm, but it warns the women to stop being seductive.

Then, in this chapter, there are verses which, unlike the rest of the Qur’an, speak to both genders: believing men and believing women, do this, believing men and believing women, do that… etc. This is very indicative of the fact that the rest of the Qur’an speaks only to men, even when it’s not about women.

The Qur’an generally addresses a reader, and from the context, it is clear a reader is a man. In this chapter, there are some verses that don’t leave room to guess but are directed at women and men. Therefore, it is clear that the rest of the verses which randomly speak to the reader about how to treat his wives and what to do in a fight, how to do things, is intended for a male.

And then the chapter comes back to the point related to the prophet’s son not being his son anymore. The verses say that the Prophet concealed affection towards the wife of his adopted son. In the previous verses, the adoption was abolished, and after speaking about some skirmishes, and about prophet wives who wanted to divorce the prophet, the chapter brought us to the point where God is speaking on behalf of Muhammad to propose to a woman his former adopted son was married to:
“Muhammad is not the father of [any] one of your men, but [he is] the Messenger of Allah and last of the prophets,” it says.

Then it talks about fearing God and gives some other metaphorical descriptions of God.

Then it talks about the rules of divorce.

Then it comforts the prophet’s wives by telling to the Prophet that he can’t marry any more women, “even if their beauty were to please you, except what your right hand possesses,” the Qur’an says to him.

This is important to notice because his marriages obviously weren’t purely for political reasons, as Muslims want you to think - and they themselves piously believe.

Then it goes to ban people from entering the Prophet’s house without asking.
“Indeed, that [behavior] was troubling the Prophet, and he is shy of [dismissing] you,” the Qur’an tells the believers. It is also the case with the wife of his former adopted son, the Prophet was reluctant to speak his heart, so God spoke it for him.
It then says: 

There is no blame upon women concerning their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their brothers' sons or their sisters' sons or their women or those their right hands possess. And fear Allah. Indeed Allah is ever, over all things, Witness.

This can be understood as the idea that a brother can’t get aroused by seeing his sister, but a man who isn’t a brother can, and it’s not his fault if he is aroused.  Also, even if a brother’s son can see his aunt, she is forbidden to him by a decree and not by some sort of obvious expectation. However, nothing could have been said to believing men simply not to rape or molest women they get aroused by.

God asks - through the prophet - women to be modest.

O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.

This is the way to prevent abuse, according to God.

Then it concludes with some advice on how not to anger believers, because Allah won’t only send wind and angels to help the believers, but will send the believers to expel the hypocrites.