Surah 33. Al-Ahzab

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Verses [Section]: 1-8[1], 9-20 [2], 21-27 [3], 28-34 [4], 35-40 [5], 41-52 [6], 53-58 [7], 59-68 [8], 69-73 [9]

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Quran Text of Verse 35-40اِنَّIndeedالْمُسْلِمِیْنَthe Muslim menوَ الْمُسْلِمٰتِand the Muslim womenوَ الْمُؤْمِنِیْنَand the believing menوَ الْمُؤْمِنٰتِand the believing womenوَ الْقٰنِتِیْنَand the obedient menوَ الْقٰنِتٰتِand the obedient womenوَ الصّٰدِقِیْنَand the truthful menوَ الصّٰدِقٰتِand the truthful womenوَ الصّٰبِرِیْنَand the patient menوَ الصّٰبِرٰتِand the patient womenوَ الْخٰشِعِیْنَand the humble menوَ الْخٰشِعٰتِand the humble womenوَ الْمُتَصَدِّقِیْنَand the men who give charityوَ الْمُتَصَدِّقٰتِand the women who give charityوَ الصَّآىِٕمِیْنَand the men who fastوَ الصّٰٓىِٕمٰتِand the women who fastوَ الْحٰفِظِیْنَand the men who guardفُرُوْجَهُمْtheir chastityوَ الْحٰفِظٰتِand the women who guard (it)وَ الذّٰكِرِیْنَand the men who rememberاللّٰهَAllahكَثِیْرًاmuchوَّ الذّٰكِرٰتِ ۙand the women who rememberاَعَدَّAllah has preparedاللّٰهُAllah has preparedلَهُمْfor themمَّغْفِرَةًforgivenessوَّ اَجْرًاand a rewardعَظِیْمًا great 33. Al-Ahzab Page 423وَ مَاAnd notكَانَ(it) isلِمُؤْمِنٍfor a believing manوَّ لَاand notمُؤْمِنَةٍ(for) a believing womanاِذَاwhenقَضَیAllah has decidedاللّٰهُAllah has decidedوَ رَسُوْلُهٗۤand His Messengerاَمْرًاa matterاَنْthatیَّكُوْنَ(there) should beلَهُمُfor themالْخِیَرَةُ(any) choiceمِنْaboutاَمْرِهِمْ ؕtheir affairوَ مَنْAnd whoeverیَّعْصِdisobeysاللّٰهَAllahوَ رَسُوْلَهٗand His Messengerفَقَدْcertainlyضَلَّhe (has) strayedضَلٰلًا(into) errorمُّبِیْنًاؕclear وَ اِذْAnd whenتَقُوْلُyou saidلِلَّذِیْۤto the oneاَنْعَمَAllah bestowed favorاللّٰهُAllah bestowed favorعَلَیْهِon himوَ اَنْعَمْتَand you bestowed favorعَلَیْهِon himاَمْسِكْKeepعَلَیْكَto yourselfزَوْجَكَyour wifeوَ اتَّقِand fearاللّٰهَAllahوَ تُخْفِیْBut you concealedفِیْwithinنَفْسِكَyourselfمَاwhatاللّٰهُAllahمُبْدِیْهِ(was to) discloseوَ تَخْشَیAnd you fearالنَّاسَ ۚthe peopleوَ اللّٰهُwhile Allahاَحَقُّhas more rightاَنْthatتَخْشٰىهُ ؕyou (should) fear HimفَلَمَّاSo whenقَضٰیendedزَیْدٌZaidمِّنْهَاfrom herوَطَرًاnecessary (formalities)زَوَّجْنٰكَهَاWe married her to youلِكَیْso thatلَاnotیَكُوْنَthere beعَلَیonالْمُؤْمِنِیْنَthe believersحَرَجٌany discomfortفِیْۤconcerningاَزْوَاجِthe wivesاَدْعِیَآىِٕهِمْ(of) their adopted sonsاِذَاwhenقَضَوْاthey have endedمِنْهُنَّfrom themوَطَرًا ؕnecessary (formalities)وَ كَانَAnd isاَمْرُ(the) Commandاللّٰهِ(of) Allahمَفْعُوْلًا accomplished مَاNotكَانَ(there can) beعَلَیuponالنَّبِیِّthe Prophetمِنْanyحَرَجٍdiscomfortفِیْمَاin whatفَرَضَAllah has imposedاللّٰهُAllah has imposedلَهٗ ؕon himسُنَّةَ(That is the) Wayاللّٰهِ(of) Allahفِیconcerningالَّذِیْنَthose whoخَلَوْاpassed awayمِنْbeforeقَبْلُ ؕbeforeوَ كَانَAnd isاَمْرُ(the) Commandاللّٰهِ(of) Allahقَدَرًاa decreeمَّقْدُوْرَاؗۙdestined ِ۟الَّذِیْنَThose whoیُبَلِّغُوْنَconveyرِسٰلٰتِ(the) Messagesاللّٰهِ(of) Allahوَ یَخْشَوْنَهٗand fear Himوَ لَاand (do) notیَخْشَوْنَfearاَحَدًاanyoneاِلَّاexceptاللّٰهَ ؕAllahوَ كَفٰیAnd sufficient is AllahبِاللّٰهِAnd sufficient is Allahحَسِیْبًا (as) a Reckoner مَاNotكَانَisمُحَمَّدٌMuhammadاَبَاۤ(the) fatherاَحَدٍ(of) anyoneمِّنْofرِّجَالِكُمْyour menوَ لٰكِنْbutرَّسُوْلَ(he is the) Messengerاللّٰهِ(of) Allahوَ خَاتَمَand Sealالنَّبِیّٖنَ ؕ(of) the Prophetsوَ كَانَAnd Allah isاللّٰهُAnd Allah isبِكُلِّof everyشَیْءٍthingعَلِیْمًا۠All-Knower

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Translation of Verse 35-40

(33:35) Surely⁵³ the men who submit (to Allah) and the women who submit (to Allah),⁵⁴ the men who have faith and the women who have faith,⁵⁵ the men who are obedient and the women who are obedient,⁵⁶ the men who are truthful and the women who are truthful;⁵⁷ the men who are steadfast and the women who are steadfast,⁵⁸ the men who humble themselves (to Allah) and the women who humble themselves (to Allah),⁵⁹ the men who give alms and the women who give alms,⁶⁰ the men who fast and the women who fast,⁶¹ the men who guard their chastity and the women who guard their chastity,⁶² the men who remember Allah much and the women who remember Allah much:⁶³ for them has Allah prepared forgiveness and a mighty reward.⁶⁴

(33:36) It⁶⁵ does not behove a believer, male or female, that when Allah and His Messenger have decided an affair they should exercise their choice. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has strayed to manifest error.⁶⁶

(33:37) (O Prophet),⁶⁷ call to mind when you said to him⁶⁸whom Allah had favoured and you had favoured: “Cleave to your wife and fear Allah,”⁶⁹ and you concealed within yourself for fear of people what Allah was to reveal, although Allah has greater right that you fear Him.⁷⁰ So when Zayd had accomplished what he would of her,⁷¹ We gave her in marriage to you⁷² so that there should not be any constraint for the believers regarding the wives of their adopted sons after they had accomplished whatever they would of them.⁷³ And Allah's command was bound to be accomplished.

(33:38) There could be no hindrance to the Prophet regarding what Allah ordained for him.⁷⁴ Such has been Allah's Way (with the Prophets) who went before. Allah's command is a decree firmly determined.⁷⁵

(33:39) (This is Allah's Way) regarding those who deliver the Messages of Allah and who fear Him, and fear no one else than Allah. Allah is Sufficient as a Reckoner.⁷⁶

(33:40) Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the seal of the Prophets. Allah has full knowledge of everything.⁷⁷

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Commentary

53. Allah is All-Subtle; hence He has access even to the most hidden things; nothing can remain hidden from Him.

54. In other words, those women who have accepted Islam as the code of conduct for their lives and are committed to live in accordance with this code. The reference is, therefore, to those in whom there remains no vestige of any resistance against the Islamic worldview and way of life, those who have adopted the course of obedience and submission to God.

55. The commitment of these people to Islam is not merely a matter of outward conformity. They sincerely believe in Islam and look upon its teachings as their guide. They are firmly convinced that the way prescribed by the Qur’an and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) represents the Straight Way and that their success lies in following it. They believe that whatever has been declared by God and His Messenger to be false and wrong is indeed false and wrong. By the same token, they strongly believe that whatever God and His Messenger have declared to be right is indeed so. Their minds and hearts do not feel uncomfortable with any injunctions based on the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Nor do they strain their minds to alter these injunctions so as to mold them according to their own predispositions or in conformity with the ways obtaining in the world, and do so with such skill that none might blame them for distorting the command of the God and His Messenger! The Prophet (peace be on him) has stated the following which represents the true state of faith: “He who is satisfied with Allah as his Lord, with Islam as his faith, and with Muhammad (peace be on him) as His Messenger has truly savored the taste of faith”. (Muslim, Kitab al-Imin, Bab al-Dalil ‘ala anna man Radiya ...) Elsewhere, the Prophet (peace be on him) elucidated the same in the following words: “None of you can be a true believer unless his desire is subject to what I have brought”. (Al-Baghawi, Sharh al-Sunnah, Bab Radd al-Bida’ wa al-Ahwa’.)

56. That is, they do not just pay mere lip service to Islam, but put it into actual practice. They are not such who would, on the one hand, believe in what God and His Messenger have commanded and on the other, act contrary to those commands.

57. That is they are true and straightforward in their words and deeds.

Their conduct is free from lies, deception, cheating, treachery and fraud.

They say only what is true and they do only what they regard as right.

In essence, they display utter honesty and integrity in their dealings.

58. They are honest in their utterances and straightforward in their relationship with others. Furthermore, they willingly endure the hardships, threats, risks and difficulties that come their way as a result of their observance of Islam. They are not deterred by any loss they might suffer for the cause of Islam. Nor can fear, greed or temptation distract them from the Straight Way.

59. They are absolutely free from pride and arrogance. They recognize well that they are God’s servants and that they do not enjoy any position above that of servitude to God. Accordingly, they fully submit themselves to Him. Their hearts and bodies are in a state of submission to God and "God's fear permeates their lives. They never betray an attitude that stems from pride or arrogance, which is the wont of those bereft of any God-fearing-ness.

In the context of this verse, the characterization of believers.

as those “who humble themselves before God” alludes to observance of Prayers. This is borne out by the fact that mention of charity and fasting immediately follows Prayer.

60. Apart from paying obligatory Zakah, true believers also voluntarily spend on charity, the emphasis being that they spend generously in God’s cause. They try their level best to help their fellow numan beings.

They do not shrink from supporting any orphan, sick, needy, disabled or poor person who happens to be in the range of their access. Nor do they flinch from spending whatever they have to exalt the religious faith ordained by God.

61. The reference here is to both obligatory and supererogatory fasts.

62. This means that they shun illicit sex and also that they restrain themselves from nudity and obscenity. Nudity and obscenity does not merely consist in appearing before people stripped of all dress. Nudity and obscenity also embraces wearing tight-fitting, revealing or transparent clothes that bring to sharp relief the contours of one’s body.

63. That they remember God means that on all occasions and in different matters they mention His Name. Obviously, this emanates from God-consciousness, which is the essence of the Islamic way of life. As the thought of God permeates one’s conscious, subconscious and even unconscious states, one becomes fully cognizant of Him. Such a person’s actions and utterances are then also marked by God-consciousness. He pronounces God’s Name no matter what-he does: when he starts eating or goes to bed or wakes up. In the course of his conversation too he repeatedly mentions God’s Name, referring to His will, His gracious favors and His glory. He invokes God’s help in all matters, thanks Him for every bounty he receives, and seeks His succor whenever he encounters any calamity. He fears God whenever he is tempted by sin.

Whenever he commits a lapse, he seeks God’s pardon. Whenever he needs something, he turns to God and asks for it.

While other acts of worship are performed at their prescribed time, God’s remembrance envelopes his life all the time, connecting him to God in servitude in so far as his attention is constantly focused on God and his tongue never tires of mentioning His Name. If man has reached this state, he is like the plant that grows in its ideal environment. His life, his acts of worship, and his religious activities all represent sound growth. In contrast, if one’s life is devoid of this constant remembrance of God or if one performs acts of worship only at the appointed hours, one resembles a plant that grows in a hot house, which owes its survival only to the gardener’s special care. The Prophet (peace be on him) pressed home this truth in a hadith. Mu‘adh ibn Anas al-Juhani reports that someone asked the Prophet (peace be on him): who will receive the highest reward among those who take part in jihad? He replied: “He who remembers God most”.

He was then asked who will receive the highest reward among those who fast? The Prophet (peace be on him) gave the same reply. He was also asked the same question as regards those devoted to Prayer, Zakah, Hajj and charity. On each occasion the Prophet's reply was identical: he who remembers God will receive the highest reward. (Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad, narrated by Mu‘adh ibn Anas al-Juhani.)

64. The verse indicates the acts that carry weight in God’s sight. In fact, they represent the core values of Islam. As far as these values are concerned, no distinction is made between men and women. Each of them, of course, performs different functions in their respective spheres of activity: men work in certain fields and women in others. However, if their acts are permeated with the same values, they will carry the same weight in God's sight and fetch identical reward. Women may devote themselves to domestic chores while men may put into effect the commands of the Shari‘ah as God’s vicegerents. Likewise, women may bring up children at home while men may stake their lives on the battlefield in the cause of God and His ordained faith. No gender will be treated differently from the other.

65. This marks the beginning of the passage dealing with the Prophet's marriage with Zaynab.

66. According to ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abbas, this verse was revealed when the Prophet (peace be on him) had sent Zayd’s marriage proposal for Zaynab and it was turned down by her and her family. According to ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abbas, when the Prophet (peace be on him) made the proposal, Zaynab’s reaction was: “As regards lineage, I am better than him”. According to Ibn Sa‘d, she had also said: “I do not feel happy about him for myself for I am of noble Quraysh descent”. The same kind of disapproval about the marriage proposal was expressed by her brother, ‘Abd Allah ibn Jahsh, the reason being that Zayd was the Prophet’s freed slave whereas Zaynab bint Jahsh was the daughter of the Prophet's paternal aunt, and his relatives felt grieved that the Prophet (peace be on him) was proposing that a girl of such a prestigious family be married to his freed slave.

It was in this context that the following verse was revealed: “It does not behove a believer, male or female, that when Allah and His Messenger have decided an affair they should exercise their choice”. No sooner had this verse been revealed than Zaynab and her family accepted the proposal and the Prophet (peace be on him) personally solemnized the marriage.

He also paid the bridal due, amounting to ten dinars and sixty dirhams, and gave some clothes and household provisions by way of a gift.

Although this verse was revealed in the context of a particular incident, it lays down the principle that serves as the core of the Islamic way of life embracing every aspect of living. The standing principle is that no Muslim — individual, group, institution, court, legislature or state — is possessed of the authority to decide any matter in contravention of the commands of God and His Messenger. For to be a Muslim means to fully submit oneself to God and His Messenger. No Muslim, whether an individual or a group, can claim the authority to act in violation of God’s command and still claim to be obedient of Him and His Messenger. For this would be a contradiction in terms. No sensible person can reconcile these two divergent positions. A Muslim by definition is he who submits unquestioningly to the commands of God and His Messenger. Anyone who refuses to do so must acknowledge that he is not a Muslim. If anyone refuses to submit to God’s commands, notwithstanding his tall claims to be a believer, he will be reckoned as a hypocrite both by God and human beings.

67. Verses 36-48 were revealed after the Prophet’s marriage with Zaynab. His marriage triggered a fierce and hostile propaganda campaign by the Jews and polytheists. While studying these verses it should be borne in mind that these statements were not meant to clarify and explain things to the Prophet's enemies who were hell bent on maligning him.

Instead, these verses were revealed so as to protect Muslims from the pernicious effects of that campaign. Obviously, what these verses said on the issue would not satisfy the unbelievers. It could convince only those who accepted the Qur’an to be the Word of God. The statements made here are addressed to the believers to ensure they are not swayed by false propaganda. God thus sets the believers’ minds at rest and instructs ordinary Muslims as well as the Prophet (peace be on him) as to how they should respond to the situation.

68. This refers to Zayd whose identity is revealed more clearly in the verses that follow. To appreciate what God’s favors were to Zayd that are alluded to in this verse and what were His Messenger’s favours upon him, one should cast a glance at Zayd’s life. Zayd was the son of Harithah ibn Sharahil, a member of the Kalb tribe. His mother, Su‘da bint Tha‘labah, belonged to Bani Ma‘an, a branch of the Tayy tribe. When Zayd was a child of eight years his mother took him to her parents’ place. People belonging to Bana Qayn ibn Habr raided his camp and carried him away along with others whom they had captured. Zayd was later sold at the ‘Ukaz Fair in Ta’if to Hakim ibn Hizam, Khadijah’s nephew, who handed him over to his aunt. When the Prophet (peace be on him) married Khadijah, he found Zayd there and was pleased with his character and conduct.

Zayd was then 15 years old. After some time, Zayd’s father and uncle came to know that Zayd was living as a slave in Makkah. So they approached the Prophet (peace be on him) and expressed their willingness to pay any amount by way of ransom to secure his freedom. The Prophet (peace be on him) told them that he would like to hear from Zayd himself as to what his own choice was. If Zayd preferred to return to his family, he would not ask for any ransom to set him free. However, if Zayd himself chose to stay where he was, he would not compel him to rejoin his family. Zayd’s family members agreed on this solution which met all the requirements of fairness and justice. The Prophet (peace be on him), therefore, summoned Zayd and asked him if he recognized the visitors.

He duly identified them as his father and uncle. The Prophet (peace be on him) then said to Zayd: “You know them and also know me. You are free to go with them or continue to live with me”. To this Zayd replied: “I do not want to go anywhere, leaving you”. His father and uncle probed him further: “Do you prefer slavery to freedom? Do you like to live with strangers rather than with your own family?” Zayd replied: “Having observed (the Prophet's) virtues I do not want to go elsewhere”.

On receiving this definite reply, his father and uncle reconciled themselves to the situation, for it was Zayd who had refused to leave the Prophet (peace be on him). It was then that the Prophet (peace be on him) freed him and proclaimed in the assembly of the Quraysh: “I call all of you to be my witnesses. From now on Zayd is my son. He will inherit me and I will inherit him”. Accordingly, Zayd came to be known as the son of the Prophet (peace be on him).

This incident took place before Muhammad's designation as Prophet.

Later, Zayd would be one of the first four people to embrace Islam, which he did as soon as the Prophet (peace be on him) proclaimed its message.

The other three were Khadijah, ‘Ali and Abu Bakr. By then, Zayd was 30 years old and had been in the Prophet’s company for 15 years. In 4. AH/625 CE, the Prophet (peace be on him) married Zayd to his cousin, Zaynab, paying the bridal due on his behalf and providing him with essential household items. These are the circumstances to which the Qur’an alludes by saying: “... whom Allah had favored and you had favored”.

69. This refers to the period when marital relations between Zayd and Zaynab had soured. After repeatedly complaining to the Prophet (peace be on him) about Zaynab, Zayd eventually informed him of his decision to divorce her. Although Zaynab had married Zayd in obeisance to the command of God and His Messenger, she could not reconcile herself to the fact that Zayd was a slave who had been freed and brought up by her family. She strongly felt that as a member of the noblest Arab family, she should not have been married to a person of such humble social standing. Accordingly, she never looked upon her husband as her equal, and this inevitably led to marital discord. After only a year of marriage, their marital bond culminated in divorce.

70. Some people misconstrue this to mean that the Prophet (peace be on him) was desirous of marrying Zaynab and wanted Zayd to divorce her.

When Zayd informed him of his divorce decision, they argue, the Prophet (peace be on him) made only a pretense, God forbid, of dissuading Zayd from pronouncing divorce. They contend that it was in this context that God said to him: “And you concealed within yourself for fear of people what Allah was to reveal, although Allah has greater right that you fear Him’. If one reads this in conjunction with verses 1-3 and 7 of this surah, it becomes clear that during the period of marital discord between Zayd and Zaynab, God had hinted to the Prophet (peace be on him) that he should marry Zaynab after she was divorced. The Prophet (peace be on him), however, was apprehensive of the scandalous repercussions of marrying his adopted son’s wife a situation which would flagrantly violate the hallowed norms of the Arabian society of the time. When Zayd informed the Prophet (peace be on him) of his decision to divorce Zaynab, he asked Zayd to fear God and not to proceed with divorce. The Prophet (peace be on him) did so because it Zayd refrained from divorcing her, he would be spared from marrying Zaynab. However, if Zayd divorced her, the Prophet (peace be on him) would have to marry her in keeping with God’s directive. The Prophet (peace be on him) was acutely aware of how shocking this act would be considered in the Arabian society of the time. He was, therefore, reluctant to invite a new ordeal upon himself.

According to his estimate, this would lead to much mudslinging at him.

This needed to be taken into account.

God, however, found the Prophet's stance not quite consistent with his exalted status. God wanted the Prophet (peace be on him) to marry Zaynab for an important reason. Hence, the Prophet (peace be on him) was not in a position to deter Zayd from divorcing his wife just so that he could avoid something that would evoke opposition. It was, therefore, said: “You feared people whereas Allah deserves more to be feared”. The text here clearly indicates this. Zayn al-Abidin ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn says the same in explanation of this verse: “God had informed the Prophet (peace be on him) of his marriage with Zaynab. When Zayd complained to him against his wife, the Prophet (peace be on him) asked him to fear God and not to divorce her. Thereupon God said that He had already apprised the Prophet (peace be on him) of his marriage with Zaynab.

Therefore, by dissuading Zayd, he was trying to conceal what God was to reveal”. (Ibn Kathir, Tafsir, comments on verse 37 and Tabari, Tafsir, comments on verse 37.) Alusi offers the same interpretation in his exegesis, Ruh al-Ma‘ani. For him, the Prophet (peace be on him) is censured here for not doing what was ideally expected of him. He should either have maintained silence over the whole matter or he should have directed Zayd to do whatever he willed. He should not have tried to deter Zayd from divorcing Zaynab when God had already informed him of his forthcoming marriage to her.

(Alusi, Ruh al-Ma‘ani, comments on verse 37.)

71. Zayd went ahead with his intention to divorce Zaynab and, thus, the marital tie between them ended. Zaynab subsequently completed the waiting period and “Zayd had accomplished what he would of her”.

Divorce alone, however, does not bring about a total end to the marital tie. For the husband can take his wife back: during the waiting period.

Another consideration in this respect is related to any possible conception prior to the divorce. Once the waiting period has expired, however, this concern too becomes redundant.

72. It is evident from the Qur’anic statement that the Prophet’s marriage with Zaynab was not impelled by any personal desire. Rather, he married her in compliance with God’s command.

73. It is evident from the verse that God made the Prophet (peace be on him) marry Zaynab for there was no other way of ending jahili notions about adopted sons and daughters. The Messenger of God (peace be on him) was expected to take the initiative to bring about this social reform.

God so directed the Prophet (peace be on him) not because He wanted to make it possible for him to add to the number of his wives. Rather, this directive was in response to an important social need.

74. The text indicates that while it is permissible for other Muslims to contract marriage in this circumstance, the Prophet (peace be on him) was required to do so by God.

75. God has always had a special rule for Prophets. Whenever any receive a command from Him they simply have to carry it out even whole world is arrayed in opposition.

76. This phrase liable to the following two meanings for every danger and risk. (ii) God will call everyone to account. One need not fear anyone else than Him.

77. This refutes the baseless objections raised by the Prophet's opponents regarding his marriage with Zaynab.

Pete fist ejection raised by the Prophet's detractors was that he had married his own daughter-in-law. The Qur’an makes it clear that the Prophet (peace be on him) was not Zayd’s father. Therefore, this marriage with Zayd’s divorced wife should not give rise to such a charge.

The second objection they made was that the Prophet (peace be on him) was not obliged to marry the divorced wife of his adopted son. To this, the Qur’an responds by asserting that since he is obliged in this capacity to put an end to all false notions concerning what is lawful and unlawful. This is then followed by the following emphatic statement: "He is the Messenger of Allah and the seal of the Prophets". Since no Messenger will come after him, any gap left in social reform and legislation would never subsequently be filled. Hence, it was necessary for him to eradicate this jāhilī practice. This is also followed by yet another forceful statement: "Allah knows everything". In other words, God knows well why it is essential for the Prophet (peace be on him) to put an end to this practice of jāhilīyah and what harm could ensue if he did not do so. God knows that no Prophet would be raised after him.

Hence, it would not be possible at a later date to extirpate this social evil.

If such a radical step were taken by any social reformer in the future, he would not have commanded the same unquestioning acceptance for all times that is attached to the practices of the Prophet (peace be on him). For no one besides him would command the kind of obedience that inspires people to do a thing or deter them from it.