104. Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah have recorded through Abu Darda’ the Prophet as having said,

"أَلاَ أُنَبّئُكُمْ بِخَيْرِ أعمَالِكُمْ وأزْكَاها عِنْدَ مَلِيكِكُمْ وأَرْفَعِهَا في دَرَجَاتِكُمْ وَخَيْرٍ لَكُمْ مِنْ إِنْفَاقِ الذّهَبِ وَالْوَرِقِ وَخَيْرٍ لَكُمْ مِنْ أنْ تَلْقَوْا عَدُوّكُمْ فَتَضْرِبُوا أَعْنَاقَهُمْ وَيَضْرِبُوا أعْنَاقَكُمْ؟ قالُوا بَلَى، قالَ ذِكْرُ الله تَعَالَى"

“Should I not tell you about the best of deeds, purest with Your Lord, highest in your ranks, better than that you be given gold and silver, and better than that you meet your enemy and you sever their necks and they sever your necks?” They asked, “What is it Messenger of Allah?” He replied, “Allah’s remembrance.”

Another report of Ahmad, which Tirmidhi declared Hasan Gharib, has it that,

عن عبد الله بن بسر يقول: -جاء أعرابيان إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال أحدهما يَا رَسُولَ الله أَيّ النّاسِ خَيْرٌ؟ قَالَ مَنْ طَالَ عُمُرهُ وَحَسُنَ عَمَلُهُ. وقال الآخر يا رسول الله إن شرائع الإسلام قد كثرت عليَّ فمرني بأمر أتثبت به فقال لا "يزال لسانك رطبا بذكر الله عز وجل".‏

“Two Bedouins came to the Prophet. One of them said to him, ‘Messenger of Allah? Who is the best of the people?’ He answered, ‘He who lived long and whose deeds were righteous.’ The other said, ‘Messenger of Allah. Islamic laws are many upon us. So, tell me something to which I can hold fast.’ He replied, ‘Let your tongue be wet with the remembrance of Allah.’”

Imam Ahmad recorded the Prophet’s following words,

عن أبي سعيد: -عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه قال أكثروا ذكر الله حتى يقولوا مجنون.‏ (وفيه دراج وقد ضعفه جماعة، وضعغه غير واحد، وبقية رجال أحد إسنادي أحمد ثقات: الهيثمي).‏

“Mention Allah so much in His remembrance that the people begin to say, ‘Crazy.’” (Haythami said that of the two narratives in Ahmad, one has a good chain except for one narrator, declared weak by many: Au.).

Another report is from Tabarani whose status could not be checked. It says:

عن بن عباس قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أذكروا الله ذكرا يقول المنافقون إنكم تراؤون

"Mention Allah so much that the hypocrites begin to say that you are trying to show off.”

Yet another report in Ahmad reports the Prophet as having said,

وعن عبد الله بن عمرو قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "ما من قوم جلسوا مجلساً لم يذكروا الله فيه إلا رأوه حسرة يوم القيامة". (رواه أحمد ورجاله رجال الصحيح: الهيثمي).‏

“No people who got together in an assembly, in which they did not remember Allah, but will see it (as a source of) regret on the Day of Judgment.” (Haythami declared it as with a chain of narration of Sahih works: Au.).

Interpreting this verse, Ibn `Abbas remarked: “Allah did not declare any devotion as obligatory but placed a limit for it. Further, He allowed them excused in difficult situations. But not dhikr. He did not set any limit for it: a point at which it could be terminated, unless someone is overcome by circumstances. He said (4: 103),

فَاذْكُرُواْ اللّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَى جُنُوبِكُمْ (النسآء – 103)

‘Remember Allah, standing, sitting and on your sides.’ It is to be done at night and day, on land and sea, while journeying and at home, in wealth and poverty, during health and illness, in open and in secret – in all situations and every circumstance. If you do this, He will send peace on you and angels will pray for you" (Ibn Kathir).

105. Peace by the angels implies their prayers for men’s forgiveness. Allah said elsewhere (40: 7-9),

الَّذِينَ يَحْمِلُونَ الْعَرْشَ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَيُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنوا رَبَّنَا وَسِعْتَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ رَّحْمَةً وَعِلْمًا فَاغْفِرْ لِلَّذِينَ تَابُوا وَاتَّبَعُوا سَبِيلَكَ وَقِهِمْ عَذَابَ الْجَحِيمِ رَبَّنَا وَأَدْخِلْهُمْ جَنَّاتِ عَدْنٍ الَّتِي وَعَدتَّهُم وَمَن صَلَحَ مِنْ آبَائِهِمْ وَأَزْوَاجِهِمْ وَذُرِّيَّاتِهِمْ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ وَقِهِمُ السَّيِّئَاتِ (غافر: 7-9)

“Those who bear the `Arsh and those that are around it, chant praises of their Lord. They believe in Him and seek forgiveness for those who have believed (saying), ‘Our Lord! You have encompassed everything with mercy and knowledge.’ Therefore, forgive those who repented and followed Your path, and save them from the punishment of the blazing fire. And, Our Lord, admit them into the gardens of `Adn that You have promised those who reformed: of their parents, their spouses, and their offspring. Verily, You are the Mighty, the Wise. And, save them from the evils’” (Qurtubi in parts, Ibn Kathir).

106. (The Companions were not blind followers, in the manner of the Western and Eastern masses following their leaders blindly: Au.). Imam Ahmad reports,

عن أنس قال: مر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ونفر من أصحابه وصبي في الطريق، فلما رأت أمه القوم خشيت على ولدها أن يوطأ، فأقبلت تسعى وتقول: ابني ابني، وسعت فأخذته فقال القوم: يا رسول الله ما كانت هذه لتلقي ابنها في النار، قال: فخفضهم (وهوّن عليهم الأمر) النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وقال: "ولا الله يلقي حبيبه في النار".(رواه أحمد والبزار ورجالهما رجال الصحيح: الهيثمي).‏

Once the Prophet and a few Companions were passing by when a child tried to cross the street. When his mother noticed it, she feared his trampling and rushed forward crying out, ‘My child! My child.’ She hurried down and snatched it away. The Companions asked, ‘Messenger of Allah. This woman is not expected to throw her child into a fire!? The Prophet comforted them by saying, ‘No by Allah, He will not cast His beloved into the Fire.’" The report meets with the requirements of Bukhari and Muslim although none of the six preserved it. (Haythami regarded its transmitters as trustworthy: Au.). Nevertheless, a report in Bukhari says that

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once the Prophet saw a prisoner woman picking up her lost child and squeezing it to her bosom and breast-feeding it. He remarked, “By Allah, Allah is kinder than this woman is upon her child” (Ibn Kathir).

107. Witness:

The Prophet was a witness over this Ummah in this life, and will be over all other nations on the Day of Judgment (Razi and others).

Some misguided people have conjectured that since the Prophet is alive in his grave, he witnesses the deeds of his followers. This is refuted by the hadith in major collections that on the Day of Judgment some people will come to him at the Pond but will be pulled away by the angels. He will protest,

يَا رَبّ أَصْحَابِي. أَصْحَابِي. فَيُقَالُ: إِنّكَ لاَ تَدْرِي مَا أَحْدَثُوا بَعْدَكَ

“My Lord, my companions, my companions.” He will be told, “You do not know what they did after you.”

How then can “shahid” be interpreted as one who watches over the deeds of his followers? Further, there is no contradiction between our position and the reports that tell us that this Ummah’s deeds are presented to the Prophet on weekly basis. Such presentation, it might be noted, is of deeds, as a whole, and not of those who perform them so that he can know who does what (Alusi).

Shahid in fact carries several possible implications. One of them could be in the sense of the Prophet verbally and practically testifying to the truth of the Message he had brought (Mawdudi).

Yusuf Ali has the following commentary: “The Prophet was sent by Allah in five capacities. Three are mentioned in this verse, and the other two in the verse following. (1) He comes as a Witness to all men about the spiritual truths which had been obscured by ignorance or superstition, or by the dust of sectarian controversy. He did not come to establish a new religion or sect. He came to teach Religion. He is also a witness to Allah about men’s doings and how they receive Allah’s Message: see iv. 41 and n. 5##60. (2) He comes as a bearer of the Glad Tidings of the Mercy of Allah. No matter how far men may have transgressed, they have hope if they believe, repent, and live a good life. (3) He also comes as a Warner to those who are heedless. This life will not last. There is a Future Life, and that is all- important.. The two other capacities in which the Prophet was sent are here specified. (4) He comes as one who has a right to invite all men to repentance and the forgiveness of sins: but he does this, not of his own authority, but by the permission and authority given to him by Allah. This is said lest people may deify the Prophet as they did with other Prophets before him. The personal responsibility of each individual remains, but the Prophet can lead him on the Right and help him. (5) The Prophet also comes as a Light or a Lamp (Siraj) to illuminate the whole world. In lxxi. 16 and elsewhere the same word (Siraj) is used for the sun. The comparison is apt. When the sun appears, all the lesser lights pale before its light. And the Message of Islam, i.e., of the Universal Religion, is to diffuse Light everywhere.”

108. Bukhari and Imam Ahmad preserved the following: `Ata ibn Yasar met with `Abdullah `Amr ibn al-`As and asked him to describe the Prophet as described in the Tawrah. `Abdullah said,

عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ قَالَ لَقِيتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قُلْتُ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ صِفَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ قَالَ أَجَلْ وَاللَّهِ إِنَّهُ لَمَوْصُوفٌ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ بِبَعْضِ صِفَتِهِ فِي الْقُرْآنِ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ شَاهِدًا وَمُبَشِّرًا وَنَذِيرًا وَحِرْزًا لِلأُمِّيِّينَ أَنْتَ عَبْدِي وَرَسُولِي سَمَّيْتُكَ المتَوَكِّلَ لَيْسَ بِفَظٍّ وَلا غَلِيظٍ وَلا سَخَّابٍ فِي الأَسْوَاقِ وَلَا يَدْفَعُ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ السَّيِّئَةَ وَلَكِنْ يَعْفُو وَيَغْفِرُ وَلَنْ يَقْبِضَهُ اللَّهُ حَتَّى يُقِيمَ بِهِ الْمِلَّةَ الْعَوْجَاءَ بِأَنْ يَقُولُوا لا إِلَهَ إِلا اللَّهُ وَيَفْتَحُ بِهَا أَعْيُنًا عُمْيًا وَآذَانًا صُمًّا وَقُلُوبًا غُلْفًا (البخاري)

“Such qualities have been described of the Prophet in Tawrah as a few of which are also in the Qur’an. It says, "O Prophet, We have indeed raised you as a witness, a bearer of glad tiding, a warner, and a savior of the unlettered. You are My slave and Messenger. I have named you Mutawakkil: neither harsh nor severe, neither noisy in the markets nor one responding to evil with evil; but rather someone who overlooks and forgives. Allah will not deal him death until a crooked people have been straightened up by saying ‘there is no deity save Allah.’ Thus he will open blind eyes, deaf ears, and closed hearts" (Ibn Kathir).

Bukhari has a similar report at another place but where he names `Abdullah b. Salam as the person who was asked, which sounds more accurate since it was `Abdullah ibn Sallam (a former Jew: Au.), who knew the Torah (Shawkani). It is possible that `Abdullah b. `Amr heard from `Abdullah ibn Salam, since, in either case, this is not a statement of the Prophet (Au.).

109. A Prophet’s call is not like an invitation by an ordinary person. The words “by His leave” imply that he has the authority of Allah with him. His call is the call of Allah and opposition or rebellion to it is opposition and rebellion to Allah (Mawdudi).

110. Another possible rendition of “sirajan-munira” is “an illuminating lamp” (Au.).

The word “muniran” has been added to the lamp because there can be lamps that do not burn (Kashshaf, Qurtubi). The words could connote an “ever burning, radiant lamp” (Au.).

The point to note is, says Razi, that the Prophet (saws) was not likened to a sun although brighter than it. It is because the sun does not lighten up other bodies as does a lamp which allows for other lamps to borrow light from it.

Nuhhas reported through his own chain of narrators that Ibn `Abbas said, “When this verse was revealed, the Prophet asked for `Ali and Mu`adh ibn Jabal (who were being sent to Yemen). He instructed the two, "Go - and give glad tiding, and do not make it difficult. This night it was revealed to me, ‘O Prophet! We have sent you indeed as a witness, a bearer of glad tiding and a warner’" (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

The report has been declared weak by Haythami (S. Ibrahim), but, because of circumstantial evidences, has been treated as trustworthy by jurisconsults (Au.).

111. Figuratively, “muss” of the text is for intercourse (Au.).

Accordingly, (two) of the Imams said that there can be no divorce before marriage. Imam Abu Hanifah however maintained that if a man said, “If I marry such and such a woman, or a group of them, they are divorced” then they would stand divorced as soon as he married them. But if he said, “So and so that I am marrying is divorced” then divorce will not take effect (Alusi). [There is a complicated explanation justifying the two opinions which might be seen in Ruh al-Ma`ani: Au.]. Imam Malik also allowed this, but on certain conditions. (Qurtubi). [`Umar, `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud, Ibrahim Nakha`i, Mujahid, `Umar ibn `Abdul `Aziz, and a few others also held a similar view. Further, the meaning of a man saying, “If I marry you, you will be divorced” is that he intends to divorce her upon marriage.” Such a statement will take its effect: Mawdudi). Ibn `Abbas held an opinion opposed to this opinion. In fact, a hadith is also quoted to the effect. It says,The Prophet said,

عنْ عَمْروِ بنِ شُعَيْبٍ، عنْ أبِيهِ، عنْ جَدّهِ قالَ: قالَ رسولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم "لا نَذْرَ لاِبنِ آدمَ فِيمَا لاَ يَمْلِكُ، ولاَ عِتْقَ لَهُ فِيمَا لاَ يَمْلِكُ، ولاَ طَلاَقَ لَهُ فِيمَا لاَ يَمْلِكُ" (قال أبو عيسى: حدِيثُ عَبْدِ الله بنِ عَمْروٍ حدِيثٌ حسنٌ صحيحٌ)

“There is no vowing for the son of Adam for what he does not own, there is no freeing of (a slave) he does not own, and there is no divorce right for him in what he does not own.” It is in Ahmad, Abu Da’ud, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah (Ibn Kathir).

[Ibn Kathir notes that it is weak, although Tirmidhi himself declared it Hasan Sahih. But it seems some others have also thought that it is weak: Au.]. Albani thought the hadith is trustworthy (S. Ibrahim). Ibn Mas`ud also believed that a woman could be divorced before marriage (Shawkani).

112. As a matter of context, it is reported in Bukhari that the Prophet married Maymunah bint Sharahil. When he entered upon her she brought her hand out, as if disapproving (his approach, or in defense). The Prophet ) left the room immediately, and ordered Abu Usayd to equip her, accompany her back (to her people), and give her two striped cloaks as gift (Ibn Kathir).

Some reports say she sought Allah’s refuge from him and he said, “You have sought the refuge of the Great,” and released her. Yet other reports say (Shabbir) that she did not realize who he was and remained remorseful for the rest of her life (Au.).

There are various reports on this issue in other books of hadith, biography and history. Ibn Hajr deals with them. One version says that Sa`d b. al-Nu`man b. Jawn al-Kindi (an important figure of the northern region) came to the Prophet as a Muslim and (apart from other things) suggested, “Should I not offer you in marriage the most beautiful of widows (or a previously married woman) of the Arab world?” He accepted and Sa`d sent the woman. (She was previously married to a highly placed man of her distinguished tribe). The Prophet sent Abu Usayd to fetch her, who brought her and housed her in one of the forts of Madinah (probably because of her prominent position in her tribe). Neighborhood women began visiting her and speaking of her beauty as they came out. However, as the Prophet entered upon her, the incident, as in Bukhari, took place, and she was sent away with gifts. Details differ from report to report. It is evident, that in keeping with his habit of not saying “no” to anyone, the Prophet married her when requested by a tribal chief, but was too sensitive to keep a woman who sought Allah’s refuge, even if unknowingly (Au.).

Considering the legal aspect involved in the verse, there is no difference in opinion, writes Ibn Kathir, that the “no waiting period” rule is for a situation when a woman is divorced before consummation - she can marry another man immediately – but it does not apply to the situation of death of a husband. If a man dies, before consummation of marriage, his wife has to still observe a waiting period (`iddah) of four months and ten days.

And, according to the Hanafiyyah, the pair being together alone in a closed quarters (dukhul) entails the law of consummation (Shabbir).

113. Sa`id b. al-Musayyib has been reported as saying that this verse abrogates verse 236 of al-Baqarah (which said):

لاَّ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِن طَلَّقْتُمُ النِّسَاء مَا لَمْ تَمَسُّوهُنُّ أَوْ تَفْرِضُواْ لَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةً وَمَتِّعُوهُنَّ عَلَى الْمُوسِعِ قَدَرُهُ وَعَلَى الْمُقْتِرِ قَدْرُهُ مَتَاعًا بِالْمَعْرُوفِ حَقًّا عَلَى الْمُحْسِنِينَ (البقرة – 236)

“There is no sin upon you that you (should) divorce women you have not touched, nor have settled a dower upon them, (in which cases nothing is due from you). However, bestow (gifts) on them: upon the well-to-do according to his resources while upon the straitened according to his resources - a gift (made) in an honorable manner, due from those who (prefer to) do things well)” – Ibn Jarir.

But, it might be noted that the main theme of the above verse (of al-Baqarah) is dower rules, which are not abrogated (Au.).

114. The intrigue in the verse is removed if we consider the fact the Prophet had nine wives at the time of revelation of this verse, while, ordinary believers were allowed only four (Au. with a point from Ma`arif). However, if it can be demonstrated that the Prophet did have nine wives at the time this verse was revealed – a point of contention - then it will have to be considered as a later revelation (Au.).

The dower of the Prophet’s wives used to be around twelve and a half awqiyyah, or, roughly, 500 Dirham (silver coins), except for Umm Habihah the daughter of Abu Sufyan whose dower was paid by Najashi (at Abyssiniah) and which happened to be 400 Dinar (gold coins). Safiyyah bint Huyayy was another exception, for she was taken from the captives of Khayber. The Prophet freed her, and treated her freedom as her dower when he married her; which was also the case with Juwayriyyah, who had entered into a freedom pact with Thabit b. Qays al-Shammas. The Prophet paid the amount the two had agreed to, to him, and married her in return (Ibn Kathir).

115. The words, “whom you have given them their dowers,” states a fact rather than a rule. The Prophet had paid all his wives their dowers, in preference of keeping any debt on himself. The revelation acknowledges this, and says by implication that this is the correct way of doing things (from Shafi`).

Although both partners in marriage are bound to receive equal satisfaction and enjoyment from each other, but in view of women’s natural weakness, and their exploitation by man throughout the ages, Islam has protected women in a variety of ways. One of them is “dower.” It is unique to Islam. In all other systems, either the woman pays out at marriage, or equally shares the costs. By using the word – as here - “ujur” (sing. ajr: wages), instead of the usual “mahr” (dower), the implication seems to be that since males take advantages of women in a variety of ways, the dower turns out to be, in reality, not a gift, but “wages” for the services she offers, and the exploitation she is subjected to (Au.).

116. Although the form “`ammika” and “khalika” is singular, the meaning is plural. This is how the Arab usage is (Mufti Shafi`).

117. This is the middle path. The Christians approve of only those matches where the two are genealogically at least seven lines apart. On the other hand, the Jews allow marriage between a man and his neice (uncle-nephew) – Ibn Kathir.

Ibn Kathir’s observation will surprise many Christians of today who marry almost anyone. There are occasional cases of brother-sister marriages defended in the courts of law.

118. (Although) a report says that the Prophet wished to marry Umm Hani bint Abu Talib, but who declined on grounds that she had not migrated along with him to Madinah, Dahhak used to say that the words, ‘of those who emigrated with you,’ are not a conditional clause to exclude believing women in general and allow daughters of paternal and maternal uncles and aunts alone who migrated (Ibn Jarir). The report however, as in Tirmidhi, concerning Umm Hani, is declared weak by Ibn al-`Arabiyy (the jurist) - Qurtubi.

Also, the opinion of Ibn `Abbas and Ubay b. Ka`b was that this verse actually placed a limit on the number of wives the Prophet could have. He was not to add upon those that he had already married. He could although, if he wished, take captives of wars (Ibn Jarir).

119. It is believed that this was revealed in reference to Maymunah bint al-Harith who had gifted herself to the Prophet. (It is reported [through unchecked chains: Au.], that sometime in the seventh year after hijrah, she came to the Prophet on a camel and said, “This camel and what is upon it is for Allah and His Messenger”: Alusi). Some others have also been named such as Umm Shurayk and Zaynab bint al-Khuzaymah – the well-known Umm al-Masakin (Ibn Jarir). But none of these reports could be checked for their authenticity (Au.).

Imam Ahmad reports the following: Sahl b. Sa`d reported that,

عن سهل بن سعد: أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم جاءته امرأة فقالت: -يا رسول الله إني قد وهبت نفسي لك فقامت قياما طويلا فقام رجل فقال: يا رسول الله زوجنيها إن لم يكن لك بها حاجة فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم هل عندك من شيء تصدقها إياه فقال: ما عندي إلا إزاري هذا فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم إن أعطيتها إزارك جلست ولا إزار لك فالتمس شيئا فقال: ما اجد شيئا فقال: التمس ولو خاتما من حديد فالتمس فلم يجد شيئا فقال له النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم هل معك من القرآن شيء قال: نعم سورة كذا وسورة كذا السور يسميها فقال له النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: قد زوجتكها بما معك من القرآن.‏

A woman came (into one of the Prophet’s assemblies) and said, “Messenger of Allah. I have gifted myself to you.” Thereafter she stood waiting for quite a while (without the Prophet answering her. This is because the Prophet never said no to any request made to him. Perhaps he waited for someone else to respond: Au.). Thereupon a man got up and said, ‘Messenger of Allah, will you give her to me in marriage, if you do not wish to have her?’ He asked him, ‘Do you have something to offer her as a (marriage) gift?’ He said, ‘I have nothing beyond this single cloak that is on me.’ The Prophet said, ‘If you gave away your cloak, you will sit back without a cloak on you. Go and look for something.’ He said, ‘I have nothing else.’ He told him, ‘Search, even if it is an iron ring.’ He (went away and) searched but could not find anything. So the Prophet asked him, ‘Do you have anything of the Qur’an with you?’ (That is, have you memorized any of it?). He said yes and named a couple of chapters. He told him, ‘I give her to you in marriage in return of what is with you of the Qur’an’ (Ibn Kathir).

That is, the man was supposed to teach the woman what he knew of the Qur’an as marriage gift (Au.).

Apparently, she was looking for a husband, and so decided she could begin with the Prophet himself. This is evident from the fact that she did not react negatively to the Prophet’s suggestion that another man, although a pauper, marry her (Au.).

Imam Ahmad also reports hearing Thabit saying, “I was with Anas while one of his daughters was with him. Anas said, ‘A woman came to the Prophet and said, “Messenger of Allah, do you have any need of me?” Anas’ daughter interrupted, ‘How immodest she was?!’ Anas retorted, ‘She was better than you. She liked the Prophet and so presented herself to him.’” Bukhari also has this report in his Sahih (Ibn Kathir).

There is yet another case of a woman who proposed to the Prophet. (It is in Ahmad, and Haythamiyy approved its narrators: Au.):

عن أنس أن امرأة أتت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقالت: يا رسول الله ابنة لي كذا وكذا ذكرت من حسنها وجمالها أتربك بها قال: "قد قبلتها" فلم تزل تمدحها حتى ذكرت أنها لم تصدع ولم تشتك شيئاً قط. قال: "لا حاجة في ابنتك". (رواه أحمد وأبو يعلى ورجاله ثقات: الهيثمي).‏

A woman went to him and described her daughter’s beauty, good manners, and so forth, and informed him that the girl had decided to gift herself to him. The Prophet said, “I accept her.” The woman continued praising her daughter until she said, “She has never been sick. In fact, she never suffered even a headache.” The Prophet said, “I have no need of her” (Ibn Kathir).

Reports suggest that the Prophet thought she was not pious enough to have ‘never fallen sick.’ The pious undergo trials of various kinds, and are, therefore, prone to sicknesses (Au.).

120. Qurtubi notes from Bukhari `A’isha’s opinion that it was Khawlah bint Hakim who had actually gifted herself to the Prophet. Ibn Kathir conjectures that perhaps she can be identified with Umm Hakim. Bukhari has a report which reports `A’isha as saying,

كُنْتُ أَغَارُ عَلَى اللاتِي وَهَبْنَ أَنْفُسَهُنَّ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَأَقُولُ أَتَهَبُ الْمَرْأَةُ نَفْسَهَا فَلَمَّا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى تُرْجِئُ مَنْ تَشَاءُ مِنْهُنَّ وَتُؤْوِي إِلَيْكَ مَنْ تَشَاءُ وَمَنْ ابْتَغَيْتَ مِمَّنْ عَزَلْتَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكَ قُلْتُ مَا أُرَى رَبَّكَ إِلا يُسَارِعُ فِي هَوَاكَ (البخاري)

‘I used to feel jealous of women who had gifted themselves to the Prophet until Allah revealed, “You may defer any of them you wish, or receive to yourself whom you wish.’ When this verse was revealed, I said to him, ‘It appears as though your Lord hastens to follow your desires’” (Qurtubi). However, Ibn Kathir adds that the opinion of Ibn `Abbas, as in Ibn Abi Hatim, and of Yunus b. Bukayr as in Ibn Jarir, was that although women who offered themselves to him were not few, the Prophet did not accept any of them. Though given the license by Allah, he did not use it since Allah had given him the choice by saying, “If the Prophet so wishes.”

At this point Ibn Kathir lists down the number of wives or women the Prophet ever had. They were thirteen in all. Six were from the Quraysh: Khadijah, `A’isha, Hafsah, Umm Habibah, Sawdah, Umm Salamah, Zaynab bint Jahsh, Zaynab bint Khuzaymah (also known as Umm al-Masakin: Mother of the Destitute), Safiyyah bint Huyayy, Juwayriyyah bint al-Harith, Maymuna bint al-Harith (who had gifted herself to him), a woman from Banu Bakr who opted for this world and separated when given the choice, and the woman from Jawn who was sent away by the Prophet because she sought refuge from him. He also possessed two slave girls: Rayhana bint Sham`un al-Nadariyyah, and Mariyah the Copt.

Of the two slaves, one opted to become a Muslim: Rayhana.

Maymuna is a disputed figure, and so is the Banu Bakr woman. The woman of Jawn is also not worth counting. the total works out to eleven, including Rayhana. Out of these, Zaynab bint Khuzaymah died in the Prophet’s own life-time and so he left nine when he died, or ten including Rayhana (Au.).

Two classes from among the Westerners have relentlessly criticized the Prophet, down to this day, for having had plural wives: the priestly class who represent the religious, and the so-called intellectuals who represent the secular. One of the Christian priests referred to the Prophet as a pedophile. It is ironic, and perhaps befitting, that in recent years the clergy has been discovered so deeply embroiled in pedophile scandals that at one time a Dutch in Holland spat in the face of a nun in the street. Around two dozen priests – some holding high positions - have been implicated in USA alone. Pre-modern church history is not very bright either. As for the secular, they have been brought down to such levels by their leaders that today the only way a woman can satisfy her natural desires is by paying to her boy friend, since for millions of them there is no hope of ever getting married. While these lines are being written news is out that in France (which has banned scarves worn by Muslim girl students in schools), a group of 66 men and women have been hauled to the court for pedophilic activities involving 45 children, some as young as two years old. A Christian priest who debated with a renowned scholar of our time, Ahmad Deedat, was caught red-handed with a harlot.

Allah’s punishment comes upon those who bear animosity towards His Revelation, although it takes time (Au.).

121. Accordingly, it is disallowed that any woman should say to a man, “I have gifted myself to you,” for her to become his wife. It has to be considered a marriage proper where dower is stated and the guardian accords his approval (Ibn Jarir).

122. To the effect that they cannot have more than four wives at a time (Mujahid) and that no marriage can take place without dower, approval of the custodian and the presence of two witnesses (Qatadah) – Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir.

123. The textual word “turji” could also be rendered as “set aside.”

124. That is, the Prophet (saws) was given the right to keep himself away from anyone of his wives, not giving her, her due time and attention, without divorcing her, if she agreed to the arrangement (Ibn Jarir). This was the opinion of Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Hasan and a few others, although Sha`bi believed that this was applicable to those women alone who had gifted themselves to the Prophet (Ibn Kathir).

125. The widely accepted meaning is that the Prophet was given the choice to divide his time between his wives as he wished. He could stay away from some, giving greater time to others (Ibn Jarir).

The above is supported by `A’isha’s report in Bukhari which says that if the Prophet wished to stay away a night from one of those women whose turn it was, he would seek her leave. To the question by the narrator regarding what answer she gave when he sought her permission to stay away, `A’isha replied, “Well. I used to say, ‘If the matter rests with me, then I do not approve of anyone given preference over me’” (Ibn Kathir).

An equitable division of time is obligatory on those of his followers who have more than one wife. They must spend the night with them, even if one of them is undergoing her monthly course. He should not also make them share a quarter if they do not agree to such an arrangement. Mu`adh ibn Jabal for example, would not even drink water from the house of one whose turn it was not. When two of his wives died in plague, he drew a lot to determine which of the two was to be let down first into her grave (Qurtubi).

126. That is, come to an agreement with any of his wives that instead of divorcing her, if he wished, she could remain his wife, for the honor, and not marry anyone after him (Ibn Jarir).

It is reported that this was the arrangement with Sawdah. When told that he wished to divorce her, she said she preferred to remain his wife, even if she received no time from him (Au.).

127. That is, having known that the arrangements with them had the approval of Allah, they would remain satisfied, uncomplaining, and not worrisome over what was going to happen next (Au.).

In the words of Shah `Abdul Qadir, with which Shabbir combines his own comments, and to which we add our own words, “As against common believers, who are required to divide their time equitably between their various wives, the Prophet was freed from any such binding. It is another thing that he divided his time meticulously between them. Impunity from any such binding, however, by the command of Allah, helped his wives to understand that primarily and basically, they had no such rights to make. This led to satisfaction with whatever they received and helped rid themselves of daily concerns over what they got or what they lost. Assured, on the other hand, of the relationship of permanence with the Prophet, in this world and the Next, by the previous passage forbidding the Prophet to divorce them, they could cause no anxiety to the Prophet at the home front, which could affect his concentration on affairs pertaining to the progress of his mission, or, conversely, turn their own attention as his mission-companions from the lofty to the mundane. Hence Allah’s words, ‘That is likelier to cool their eyes, they do not grieve, and are all pleased with what you give them.’”

128. That is, Allah knows the preference that you keep in your heart for one wife over another. Accordingly, as reported by `A’isha, in a narrative of Ahmad,

عن عائشة قالت: كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقسم بين نسائه فيعدل قال عفان ويقول هذه قسمتي ثم يقول اللهم هذا فعلي فيما أملك فلا تلمني فيما تملك ولا أملك.‏

“The Prophet used to eqitably divide his time between his wives and then say, ‘This is the best that I can do. Do not blame me for what You have the power (O Allah), but over which I do not have the power.’”

The report, also documented by the other four of the six collectors, has good chain of narrators (Ibn Kathir).

Mawdudi adds that in this passage a warning was hidden for the Prophet’s wives: if they concealed any unhappiness in their hearts Allah would know it, as He would know if any of his Companions harbored any criticism, however slight, for he taking several wives.

129. According to Ibn Abbas, this ayah placed the limit on the number of wives the Prophet could have. After he had given them the choice to separate if they wished, but they had chosen Allah and His Messenger, he was not to marry anyone (over those he had at the time of revelation of this verse), as reward to his wives for their choice. However, others have thought that he could, if he wished, marry other women, such as those specified here in the passage (Ibn Jarir).

This was also the opinion, writes Ibn Kathir, of Ubay b. Ka`b, Mujahid, `Ikrimah and Dahhak, Abu Saleh, Hasan and Qatadah. There have been other opinions too. The preferred opinion, adds Ibn Kathir, which was also roughly the opinion of Ibn Jarir, is that the Prophet was not to replace the nine he had at that time, nor add over them. The rule however, was in general terms, pertaining to the nine as a whole, which did not mean he could not divorce anyone of them. In fact, he had at one time divorced Hafsa, but took her back on `Umar’s appeal, as stated in trustworthy reports. He had also separated himself from Sawdah, giving her no conjugal rights, though retaining her as his wife, on her request.

That said, it is apparent from reports of `A’isha and Umm Salamah, that this rule was subsequently abrogated and the Prophet was allowed to marry any other woman, although, he did not exercise this permission. Ahmad has a report – as also Tirmidhi (who declared it Sahih) and Nasa’i - from `A’isha - which says,

قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ "ما ماتَ رَسُولُ اللَّه صَلَّى اللَّه عليهِ وسَلَّم حتَّى أُحلَّ لهُ النسَاءُ" (قال الترمذي : هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ).‏

“The Prophet did not leave this world but Allah had made other women lawful to him.” A similar report comes from Umm Salamah through Ibn Abi Hatim (Ibn Kathir).

130. Although this is not the reason why this verse was revealed, nor does Ibn Jarir accept that such a practice existed, Qurtubi and others note that wife swapping was practiced in pagan days, and, even though the report, as in Bazzar is treated as da`if, it might still be presented to press the point about perversion of the Jahiliyy times. Zamakhshari, Razi and Qurtubi presented it in their works. It is said that `Uyayna b. Hisn al-Fizari entered into the Prophet’s house without seeking permission. The Prophet remonstrated, “What about permission?” He replied, “Since the time I am conscious of things, I never sought anyone of the Mudar tribe’s permission to enter upon him. Who is this bright woman next to you anyway?” The Prophet told him that it was his wife `A’isha. He suggested, “May I not give you in exchange my own much prettier wife?” The Prophet told him, “Allah has forbidden it.” Ibn Kathir remarks however that the report is not trustworthy.

Nevertheless, it still reflects the culture of the time and the place women occupied in that social set up. It might also be pointed out that reports confirm instances of wife swapping in some cultures of our times, although on temporary basis, as also indirect arrangements that work to everyone’s satisfaction, while everyone pretends to be ignorant of what really is going on (Au.).

Nevertheless, the above ayah does not imply that the Prophet could not divorce any of them if he so wished. Abu Ya`la has a report which Ibn `Umar reports:

دخل عمر على حفصة وهي تبكي فقال لها: ما يبكيك؟ لعل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم طلقك إنه قد كان طلقك مرة ثم راجعك من أجلي والله لإن كان طلقك مرة أخرى لا كلمتك أبداً. رواه أبو يعلى والبزار ورجال أبي يعلى رجال الصحيح كذلك رجال البزار.‏

`Umar entered upon Hafsa and found her weeping. He asked, “What makes you weep? Perhaps the Prophet has divorced you. He had indeed divorced you earlier but took you back because of me. By Allah, if he divorces you again I shall never speak to you” (Ibn Kathir).

The above report draws the commentary from Haythami that its chain is of reliable narrators (Au.).

131. Although the Companions have reported (though it is not a Prophetic statement), that the Prophet enjoyed sexual strength of forty men, as also the Prophet’s own frank statement to the effect that women had been made lovable to him, the purpose of this particular clause seems to be to impress on the minds of the believers the complete humanness of the Prophet. What man, of any age, in fact, what woman, is not moved by women’s beauty? The Prophet could have been thought to be an exception to the rule - simply because of the fact that he was the raised one. This clause works at this correction deep down at the psychological level, for, this thought lingering there, weakens a man’s resolution to imitate (Au.).