Topic: Widow
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وَٱلَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَٰجًا يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِأَنفُسِهِنَّ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرًا ۖ فَإِذَا بَلَغْنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا فَعَلْنَ فِىٓ أَنفُسِهِنَّ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ
2:241.
2:229.
The ‘Iddat or the period of waiting in the case of widows is four months and ten days, which roughly corresponds to four alternate periods of menstruation and purity combined. Islam has prescribed a longer period in the case of a widow as a mark of respect for her feelings at the death of her husband and has thus added to the dignity and sanctity of the marriage tie.
The words, concerning anything that they do with regard to themselves, obviously refer to re-marriage. Elsewhere the Qur’an says, And arrange marriages for your widows (24:33).
2:241.
2:229.
Important Words:
یتوفون (who die) is derived from توفی which is derived from وفی (wafa). They say وفی بالعھد i.e. he fulfilled his promise; he was faithful in his word. وفی فلانا حقه (waffa) means, he gave him his right in full. اوفی gives both the meanings ascribed to وفی and وفی(waffa) above. توفی means, he took something in full, as they say توفی حقه i.e. he got or obtained his right in full. توفی الله زیداmeans, God took away the soul of Zaid, leaving the body behind; God caused Zaid to die. توفی فلان means, his soul was taken away, i.e. he died. In this case God is متوفی (mutawaffi) and the man who dies is متوفی (mutawaffa). الوفاة means, death (Aqrab). The Quran says: الله یتوفی الانفس حین موتھاوالتی لم تمت فی منامھا i.e. God takes away the souls of men at the time of their death; and He also takes away the souls of men that have not died, during their sleep (39:43). The Arabic idiom, which has the support of the Quranic usage, definitely shows that wherever God is فاعل (i.e. subject) and a being having a soul is مفعول به(i.e. object) the word توفی invariably means, the taking away of the soul.
Commentary:
After having dealt with the question of the remarriage of divorced women, the Quran in this verse proceeds to issue commandments regarding widows. The عدة i.e. the period of waiting in the case of widows, is four months and ten days which roughly corresponds to four alternate periods of menstruation and purity combined. Islam has prescribed a longer period in the case of a widow as a mark of respect for her feelings at the death of her husband and has thus added to the dignity and sanctity of the marriage tie.
This verse also implies a rebuke to those who are opposed to widow remarriage, thinking it to be an insult to the family and a disgrace to the widowed woman. The words, what is fair, show that it is not only lawful, but preferable and desirable, for a widow to remarry. The words, in anything that they do with regard to themselves, obviously refer to remarriage. Elsewhere the Quran says, And marry your widows (24:33).
a
2:241.
b
2:229.
180
عِدَّة (‘Iddat) 即寡妇守候四个月零十天的时期, 约略地相等于行经与洁净四次交替时期的总和。伊斯兰教给寡妇规定了较长的时期, 作为对她死了丈夫后感情上表示的一种尊重。这就增强了婚姻关系的庄严和严肃性。
181
“她们为自己所做的任何合宜的打算” 这几个字明显是指再嫁。«古兰经» 在其它地方说, “为你们的寡妇安排婚事” (24:33)。
a
2:241.
b
2:229.
241
Important Words:
یتوفون (who die) is derived from توفی which is derived from وفی (wafa). They say وفی بالعھد i.e. he fulfilled his promise; he was faithful in his word. وفی فلانا حقه (waffa) means, he gave him his right in full. اوفی gives both the meanings ascribed to وفی and وفی(waffa) above. توفی means, he took something in full, as they say توفی حقه i.e. he got or obtained his right in full. توفی الله زیداmeans, God took away the soul of Zaid, leaving the body behind; God caused Zaid to die. توفی فلان means, his soul was taken away, i.e. he died. In this case God is متوفی (mutawaffi) and the man who dies is متوفی (mutawaffa). الوفاة means, death (Aqrab). The Quran says: الله یتوفی الانفس حین موتھاوالتی لم تمت فی منامھا i.e. God takes away the souls of men at the time of their death; and He also takes away the souls of men that have not died, during their sleep (39:43). The Arabic idiom, which has the support of the Quranic usage, definitely shows that wherever God is فاعل (i.e. subject) and a being having a soul is مفعول به(i.e. object) the word توفی invariably means, the taking away of the soul.
Commentary:
After having dealt with the question of the remarriage of divorced women, the Quran in this verse proceeds to issue commandments regarding widows. The عدة i.e. the period of waiting in the case of widows, is four months and ten days which roughly corresponds to four alternate periods of menstruation and purity combined. Islam has prescribed a longer period in the case of a widow as a mark of respect for her feelings at the death of her husband and has thus added to the dignity and sanctity of the marriage tie.
This verse also implies a rebuke to those who are opposed to widow remarriage, thinking it to be an insult to the family and a disgrace to the widowed woman. The words, what is fair, show that it is not only lawful, but preferable and desirable, for a widow to remarry. The words, in anything that they do with regard to themselves, obviously refer to remarriage. Elsewhere the Quran says, And marry your widows (24:33).
a
2:241.
b
2:229.
289
The ‘Iddat or the period of waiting in the case of widows is four months and ten days, which roughly corresponds to four alternate periods of menstruation and purity combined. Islam has prescribed a longer period in the case of a widow as a mark of respect for her feelings at the death of her husband and has thus added to the dignity and sanctity of the marriage tie.
290
The words, concerning anything that they do with regard to themselves, obviously refer to re-marriage. Elsewhere the Qur’an says, And arrange marriages for your widows (24:33).
وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا عَرَّضْتُم بِهِۦ مِنْ خِطْبَةِ ٱلنِّسَآءِ أَوْ أَكْنَنتُمْ فِىٓ أَنفُسِكُمْ ۚ عَلِمَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّكُمْ سَتَذْكُرُونَهُنَّ وَلَٰكِن لَّا تُوَاعِدُوهُنَّ سِرًّا إِلَّآ أَن تَقُولُوا۟ قَوْلًا مَّعْرُوفًا ۚ وَلَا تَعْزِمُوا۟ عُقْدَةَ ٱلنِّكَاحِ حَتَّىٰ يَبْلُغَ ٱلْكِتَٰبُ أَجَلَهُۥ ۚ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِىٓ أَنفُسِكُمْ فَٱحْذَرُوهُ ۚ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌ
在守寡的规定时期内, 禁止男人向寡妇公开提婚。他可以间接地暗示他的意向。但他绝不能公开建议或正式提出甚或私订婚约。寡妇也禁止在规定时期内同意这种建议。由於尊重她对亡夫的思念以及使可能怀孕的情况变得明显起来, 她必须耐心等待四个月零十天。因为孕妇在孩子出生前是不准结婚的。
یعنی بیوہ عورتوں کے متعلق اگر تمہارے دل میں نکاح کی خواہش ہو تو اُسے عدت گزر جانے تک ظاہر نہ کرو۔ ہاں کسی غیر واضح اشارہ سے اِدھر توجہ دلائی جائے تو حرج نہیں۔
It is forbidden to a man to make an open proposal of marriage to a widow within her prescribed period of waiting. He may drop a hint indirectly suggestive of his intention. But he must on no account make an open suggestion or a formal proposal or even a secret proposal concerning marriage. A widow, too, is prohibited from giving her consent to such a proposal within the prescribed period. She must patiently wait for four months and ten days, out of deference to the memory of her departed spouse and in order also that her possible pregnancy may become apparent, because a pregnant woman is not allowed to marry until she is delivered of the child.
Important Words:
عرضتم (you throw out a hint) is derived from عرض meaning, he offered and presented a thing. عرض (‘arrada) means, he used an expression susceptible of different meanings; or he mentioned a thing not clearly but in a veiled manner; or he used words to convey a sense which the words used did not definitely convey (Lane).
خطبة (proposal of marriage) is derived from خطب meaning, he addressed a meeting; he delivered a sermon. خطب المرأة means, he proposed marriage to her. خطبة (khutbah) means, a sermon. خطبة (khitbah) means, a proposal of marriage (Aqrab).
اکننتم (you keep hidden) is derived fromکن . They say کن الشیء or اکن الشیء meaning, he concealed the thing; he covered it. کنان means, a veil or covering, and مکنون means, covered or hidden (Aqrab).
عقدة (tie) is the infinitive-noun from عقد meaning, he tied; he made a thing firm and fast. عقد الحبل means, he tied the rope; he tied it in knots. عقدة means, a tie; a contract that ties up or binds two parties; a marriage contract (Aqrab).
Commentary:
According to this verse, it is forbidden to a man to make an open proposal of marriage to a widow within her عدة or the prescribed period of waiting. He who intends to marry a widow must keep his intention concealed from her. He may drop a hint indirectly suggestive of his intention. But he must on no account make an open suggestion or a formal proposal or even a secret proposal concerning marriage. A widow, too, is prohibited from giving her consent to such a proposal within the prescribed period. She must patiently wait for four months and ten days out of deference to the memory of her departed spouse and in order that her possible pregnancy may become apparent, because a pregnant woman is not allowed to marry until she is delivered of the child.
The words, beware of it, are meant to caution men to be on their guard against disobeying these commandments which are meant for their own good. If God had not laid them down, all social order would have gone to pieces.
The divine attributes, "Forgiving" and "Forbearing", have been mentioned at the end of this verse not to hint that breach of these injunctions would find God Forgiving and Forbearing but that the exigencies of the circumstances required stricter laws in this matter, but as God knows human weaknesses, He has been lenient in this respect. So whatever commandment has now been given, must be faithfully followed and all lapse be honestly guarded against.
182
在守寡的规定时期内, 禁止男人向寡妇公开提婚。他可以间接地暗示他的意向。但他绝不能公开建议或正式提出甚或私订婚约。寡妇也禁止在规定时期内同意这种建议。由於尊重她对亡夫的思念以及使可能怀孕的情况变得明显起来, 她必须耐心等待四个月零十天。因为孕妇在孩子出生前是不准结婚的。
1
یعنی بیوہ عورتوں کے متعلق اگر تمہارے دل میں نکاح کی خواہش ہو تو اُسے عدت گزر جانے تک ظاہر نہ کرو۔ ہاں کسی غیر واضح اشارہ سے اِدھر توجہ دلائی جائے تو حرج نہیں۔
242
Important Words:
عرضتم (you throw out a hint) is derived from عرض meaning, he offered and presented a thing. عرض (‘arrada) means, he used an expression susceptible of different meanings; or he mentioned a thing not clearly but in a veiled manner; or he used words to convey a sense which the words used did not definitely convey (Lane).
خطبة (proposal of marriage) is derived from خطب meaning, he addressed a meeting; he delivered a sermon. خطب المرأة means, he proposed marriage to her. خطبة (khutbah) means, a sermon. خطبة (khitbah) means, a proposal of marriage (Aqrab).
اکننتم (you keep hidden) is derived fromکن . They say کن الشیء or اکن الشیء meaning, he concealed the thing; he covered it. کنان means, a veil or covering, and مکنون means, covered or hidden (Aqrab).
عقدة (tie) is the infinitive-noun from عقد meaning, he tied; he made a thing firm and fast. عقد الحبل means, he tied the rope; he tied it in knots. عقدة means, a tie; a contract that ties up or binds two parties; a marriage contract (Aqrab).
Commentary:
According to this verse, it is forbidden to a man to make an open proposal of marriage to a widow within her عدة or the prescribed period of waiting. He who intends to marry a widow must keep his intention concealed from her. He may drop a hint indirectly suggestive of his intention. But he must on no account make an open suggestion or a formal proposal or even a secret proposal concerning marriage. A widow, too, is prohibited from giving her consent to such a proposal within the prescribed period. She must patiently wait for four months and ten days out of deference to the memory of her departed spouse and in order that her possible pregnancy may become apparent, because a pregnant woman is not allowed to marry until she is delivered of the child.
The words, beware of it, are meant to caution men to be on their guard against disobeying these commandments which are meant for their own good. If God had not laid them down, all social order would have gone to pieces.
The divine attributes, "Forgiving" and "Forbearing", have been mentioned at the end of this verse not to hint that breach of these injunctions would find God Forgiving and Forbearing but that the exigencies of the circumstances required stricter laws in this matter, but as God knows human weaknesses, He has been lenient in this respect. So whatever commandment has now been given, must be faithfully followed and all lapse be honestly guarded against.
291
It is forbidden to a man to make an open proposal of marriage to a widow within her prescribed period of waiting. He may drop a hint indirectly suggestive of his intention. But he must on no account make an open suggestion or a formal proposal or even a secret proposal concerning marriage. A widow, too, is prohibited from giving her consent to such a proposal within the prescribed period. She must patiently wait for four months and ten days, out of deference to the memory of her departed spouse and in order also that her possible pregnancy may become apparent, because a pregnant woman is not allowed to marry until she is delivered of the child.
وَٱلَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَٰجًا وَصِيَّةً لِّأَزْوَٰجِهِم مَّتَٰعًا إِلَى ٱلْحَوْلِ غَيْرَ إِخْرَاجٍ ۚ فَإِنْ خَرَجْنَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِى مَا فَعَلْنَ فِىٓ أَنفُسِهِنَّ مِن مَّعْرُوفٍ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
وَصِیَّۃً مصدر ہے۔ اس کے پہلے یُوْصُوْنَ محذوف سمجھا جائے گا‘ یعنی وہ وصیت کر جائیں۔ مَتَاعًا دوسرا مصدر ہے۔ اس سے پہلے بھی اَنْ مَتِّعُوْھُنَّ محذوف ہے اور معنے یہ ہیں کہ یہ وصیت کر جائیں کہ بعد میں وہ لوگ جن کے ہاتھ میں وصیت کا اجرا ہے انہیں ایک سال تک فائدہ پہنچائیں۔ اس کے بعد غَیْرَ اِخْرَاجٍ کے الفاظ ہیں جو بدل ہیں متاع کا۔ پس معنے یہ ہوئے کہ فائدہ پہنچانے سے مراد ہماری یہ ہے کہ ان کو گھروں سے نہ نکالیں بلکہ باوجود اس کے کہ مکان کسی اور وارث کے حصہ میں آیا ہو بیویوں کو ایک سال تک اس میں رہنے کا حق حاصل رہے۔ اس کے یہ معنے نہیں کہ عورت خود بھی
مَعْرُوْف کے معنے قانون یا فطرت یا قومی رواج کے مطابق کے ہیں‘ یعنی جسے لوگ جانتے ہیں۔ اس جگہ اس کے معنے پسندیدہ کے اور بہتر کے ہیں۔ مطلب یہ ہے کہ خواہ عدت کے بعد عورتیں نکاح کریں خواہ اپنے والدین یا دوسرے رشتہ داروں کے ہاں چلی جائیں یا کوئی نوکری اختیار کریں تم پر کوئی اعتراض نہیں۔ اور اس حکم کے رو سے تمہیں نہیں چاہییٔ کہ انہیں روکو۔
2:235.
The period of waiting laid down for a widow in 2:235 is four months and ten days in which time she can, as of right, claim residence and maintenance from the heirs of her deceased husband. The period of one year mentioned here is only a concession or a favour for a widow in addition to her right of residence and maintenance mentioned in 2:235. The concession forms no part of her share in the inheritance, nor is it an obligatory injunction.
2:235.
Commentary:
The middle verses, which came in like the middle Prayer, having ended, the Quran reverts to the original subject of conjugal relations. The verse under comment is erroneously believed by some to have been abrogated by 2:235 and 4:13. Apart from the fact that the abrogation theory is based on lack of the knowledge of true teaching of the Quran, there is nothing in the verses referred to above which contradicts the provision contained in the present verse. The period of waiting laid down for a widow in 2:235 is four months and ten days in which time she can, as of right, claim residence and maintenance from the heirs of her deceased husband. The period of one year mentioned in the present verse has nothing to do with the above-mentioned period of waiting, as the words, but if they themselves go out, there shall be no blame upon you; clearly show. The present verse only contains a concession or a favour for a widow in addition to her right of residence and maintenance mentioned in 2:235. One year is about the time conveniently required by a widow for making suitable arrangements about her future. It is also the requisite time for a pregnant widow to be delivered of the child and relieved of the encumbrances attending thereto. Nor has this verse anything to do with the share of a widow in the property left by her husband as stated in 4:13. The concession about residence and maintenance for one year mentioned in the present verse forms no part of her share in the inheritance. The verse contains no obligatory injunction, but only an additional exhortation to the heirs of the deceased person to show special kindness to the widow for a period of one year, just as the following verse embodies an identical exhortation in favour of a divorced woman.
d
2:235.
190
2:235经文中为寡妇所制定的四个月零十天的待婚期中, 她有权要求她亡夫的那些继承人给她住所和生活费。这里谈的一年, 只是在2:235节经文中所提到她的住所和生活费权利以外为期一年的同样权利是特殊的优惠。
3
وَصِیَّۃً مصدر ہے۔ اس کے پہلے یُوْصُوْنَ محذوف سمجھا جائے گا‘ یعنی وہ وصیت کر جائیں۔ مَتَاعًا دوسرا مصدر ہے۔ اس سے پہلے بھی اَنْ مَتِّعُوْھُنَّ محذوف ہے اور معنے یہ ہیں کہ یہ وصیت کر جائیں کہ بعد میں وہ لوگ جن کے ہاتھ میں وصیت کا اجرا ہے انہیں ایک سال تک فائدہ پہنچائیں۔ اس کے بعد غَیْرَ اِخْرَاجٍ کے الفاظ ہیں جو بدل ہیں متاع کا۔ پس معنے یہ ہوئے کہ فائدہ پہنچانے سے مراد ہماری یہ ہے کہ ان کو گھروں سے نہ نکالیں بلکہ باوجود اس کے کہ مکان کسی اور وارث کے حصہ میں آیا ہو بیویوں کو ایک سال تک اس میں رہنے کا حق حاصل رہے۔ اس کے یہ معنے نہیں کہ عورت خود بھی
4
مَعْرُوْف کے معنے قانون یا فطرت یا قومی رواج کے مطابق کے ہیں‘ یعنی جسے لوگ جانتے ہیں۔ اس جگہ اس کے معنے پسندیدہ کے اور بہتر کے ہیں۔ مطلب یہ ہے کہ خواہ عدت کے بعد عورتیں نکاح کریں خواہ اپنے والدین یا دوسرے رشتہ داروں کے ہاں چلی جائیں یا کوئی نوکری اختیار کریں تم پر کوئی اعتراض نہیں۔ اور اس حکم کے رو سے تمہیں نہیں چاہییٔ کہ انہیں روکو۔
a
2:235.
247
Commentary:
The middle verses, which came in like the middle Prayer, having ended, the Quran reverts to the original subject of conjugal relations. The verse under comment is erroneously believed by some to have been abrogated by 2:235 and 4:13. Apart from the fact that the abrogation theory is based on lack of the knowledge of true teaching of the Quran, there is nothing in the verses referred to above which contradicts the provision contained in the present verse. The period of waiting laid down for a widow in 2:235 is four months and ten days in which time she can, as of right, claim residence and maintenance from the heirs of her deceased husband. The period of one year mentioned in the present verse has nothing to do with the above-mentioned period of waiting, as the words, but if they themselves go out, there shall be no blame upon you; clearly show. The present verse only contains a concession or a favour for a widow in addition to her right of residence and maintenance mentioned in 2:235. One year is about the time conveniently required by a widow for making suitable arrangements about her future. It is also the requisite time for a pregnant widow to be delivered of the child and relieved of the encumbrances attending thereto. Nor has this verse anything to do with the share of a widow in the property left by her husband as stated in 4:13. The concession about residence and maintenance for one year mentioned in the present verse forms no part of her share in the inheritance. The verse contains no obligatory injunction, but only an additional exhortation to the heirs of the deceased person to show special kindness to the widow for a period of one year, just as the following verse embodies an identical exhortation in favour of a divorced woman.
a
2:235.
298
The period of waiting laid down for a widow in 2:235 is four months and ten days in which time she can, as of right, claim residence and maintenance from the heirs of her deceased husband. The period of one year mentioned here is only a concession or a favour for a widow in addition to her right of residence and maintenance mentioned in 2:235. The concession forms no part of her share in the inheritance, nor is it an obligatory injunction.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ أَن تَرِثُوا۟ ٱلنِّسَآءَ كَرْهًا ۖ وَلَا تَعْضُلُوهُنَّ لِتَذْهَبُوا۟ بِبَعْضِ مَآ ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ إِلَّآ أَن يَأْتِينَ بِفَٰحِشَةٍ مُّبَيِّنَةٍ ۚ وَعَاشِرُوهُنَّ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۚ فَإِن كَرِهْتُمُوهُنَّ فَعَسَىٰٓ أَن تَكْرَهُوا۟ شَيْـًٔا وَيَجْعَلَ ٱللَّهُ فِيهِ خَيْرًا كَثِيرًا
2:217.
4:16.
死者的亲戚不能阻止他的寡妇再婚以求得到她的财产; 但如果她打算嫁一个品质显然可恶的人, 他们可以阻止她结婚。如果这话是对丈夫说的, 本节经文就意味着, 假如妻子不想与其丈夫生活在一起而要与丈夫分居, 她们可以根据 خُلْع (Khul‘) 这样做, 丈夫不应出于贪图妻子的钱而阻止分居。可是倘若妻子要干出明显的丑事时, 他们可以阻止。
خُلْع (Khul‘): 经由交付赔偿或商量, 妻子所获得的离婚权利。
据传穆圣说过, “你们之中最好的人就是对待妻子最好的人。” (بُخَارِی, Bukhari)。عَاشِرُوْهُنَّ (‘Ashiruhunna) 一词属于阿语词律 مُفَاعَلَة (Mufa‘alah), 表示互惠;夫妻双方都应该和睦相处, 相亲相爱。
یعنی پہلی آیت کے مطابق ان کو باہر نکلنے سے روک سکتے ہو۔ ان کا مال چھیننے کے لئے ایسا نہ کرو۔ اس آیت میں جو اِلَّا (یعنی سوائے) کا لفظ ہے اس سے یہ مرادنہیں کہ اگر وہ فاحشہ کی مرتکب ہوں تو مال چھین سکتے ہو بلکہ استثنا گھروں میں روکنے کے متعلق ہے نہ کہ مال لینے کے متعلق اور مراد یہ ہے کہ پہلی آیت کے مطابق وہ فاحشہ کی مرتکب ہوں تو صرف اس صورت میں ان کو گھروں سے نکلنے سے روک سکتے ہو۔
See 4:16.
2:217.
The deceased person’s relatives cannot prevent his widow from contracting a new marriage so that they may get hold of her property; but they can prevent her from doing so if she intends to marry a person of manifestly objectionable character. If the address is to the husbands, the verse would mean that if the wives do not want to live with their husbands and seek separation from them, which they can do by means of Khula’ the husbands should not prevent them from doing so out of greed for their money. But they can do so, if the wives are going to be guilty of a manifestly foul act.
The Holy Prophet is reported to have said, "The best among you is he who treats his wife best" (Bukhari). The expression ‘Ashiruhunna being of the measure Mufa‘alah denotes reciprocity; husbands and wives are both enjoined to live amicably with each other and reciprocate each other’s love.
See 4:16.
2:217.
Commentary:
Men become heirs of women against their will in various ways: (1) A man does not like his wife and does not treat her well, yet he does not divorce her, hoping to possess her property after her death; (2) He treats his wife harshly and compels her by ill-treatment to obtain separation (khula‘) from him by giving him a part or whole of her property, or by surrendering her dowry; (3) The relations of the deceased husband of a widow prevent her from marrying another husband in order to get possession of her property after her death; (4) They force her to marry someone from among themselves against her will, treating her virtually as a part of the property left by her dead husband; (5) The husband takes by force the property of his wife, as if it were his by legal right; (6) The relatives of the deceased husband take away by force the property of his widow, depriving her of her right of inheritance.
The deceased person’s relatives cannot prevent his widow from contracting a new marriage so that they may get hold of her property; but they can prevent her from doing so, if she intends to marry a person of manifestly objectionable character.
If the address is to the husbands, the verse would mean that if the wives do not want to live with their husbands and seek separation from them, which they can do by means of khula‘, the husbands should not prevent them from doing so out of greed for their money. But they can do so, if the wives are going to be guilty of a manifestly foul act.
The words, consort with them in kindness, embody the pith of the Islamic teachings about the treatment of wives. They are not to be treated in a dry, businesslike way, but with love and kindness. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said: خیر کم خیر کم لاھله i.e. "the best among you is he who is best in his treatment of his wife" (Tirmidhi). But as a one-sided affair can never be truly successful, the Quran uses the expression عاشروھن (consort with them), which, being of the measure مفاعلةdenotes reciprocity. So husbands and wives are both enjoined to live amicably with each other and reciprocate each other’s love and kindness.
A woman cannot adequately appreciate and acknowledge the great debt she owes to the Quran. No other Scripture has given to her the high status that the Quran gives her. It not only lays down her inalienable rights but also exhorts men to overlook the weaknesses and shortcomings of their wives, and treat them with kindness and benevolence even if they do not like them. The memorable words of the Holy Prophet quoted above, i.e. "The best of you is he who is best in his treatment of his wife" (Tirmidhi), are only an echo of the noble teachings of the Quran with regard to women.
a
2:217.
c
4:16.
321
死者的亲戚不能阻止他的寡妇再婚以求得到她的财产; 但如果她打算嫁一个品质显然可恶的人, 他们可以阻止她结婚。如果这话是对丈夫说的, 本节经文就意味着, 假如妻子不想与其丈夫生活在一起而要与丈夫分居, 她们可以根据 خُلْع (Khul‘) 这样做, 丈夫不应出于贪图妻子的钱而阻止分居。可是倘若妻子要干出明显的丑事时, 他们可以阻止。
خُلْع (Khul‘): 经由交付赔偿或商量, 妻子所获得的离婚权利。
322
据传穆圣说过, “你们之中最好的人就是对待妻子最好的人。” (بُخَارِی, Bukhari)。عَاشِرُوْهُنَّ (‘Ashiruhunna) 一词属于阿语词律 مُفَاعَلَة (Mufa‘alah), 表示互惠;夫妻双方都应该和睦相处, 相亲相爱。
1
یعنی پہلی آیت کے مطابق ان کو باہر نکلنے سے روک سکتے ہو۔ ان کا مال چھیننے کے لئے ایسا نہ کرو۔ اس آیت میں جو اِلَّا (یعنی سوائے) کا لفظ ہے اس سے یہ مرادنہیں کہ اگر وہ فاحشہ کی مرتکب ہوں تو مال چھین سکتے ہو بلکہ استثنا گھروں میں روکنے کے متعلق ہے نہ کہ مال لینے کے متعلق اور مراد یہ ہے کہ پہلی آیت کے مطابق وہ فاحشہ کی مرتکب ہوں تو صرف اس صورت میں ان کو گھروں سے نکلنے سے روک سکتے ہو۔
b
See 4:16.
c
2:217.
499
Commentary:
Men become heirs of women against their will in various ways: (1) A man does not like his wife and does not treat her well, yet he does not divorce her, hoping to possess her property after her death; (2) He treats his wife harshly and compels her by ill-treatment to obtain separation (khula‘) from him by giving him a part or whole of her property, or by surrendering her dowry; (3) The relations of the deceased husband of a widow prevent her from marrying another husband in order to get possession of her property after her death; (4) They force her to marry someone from among themselves against her will, treating her virtually as a part of the property left by her dead husband; (5) The husband takes by force the property of his wife, as if it were his by legal right; (6) The relatives of the deceased husband take away by force the property of his widow, depriving her of her right of inheritance.
The deceased person’s relatives cannot prevent his widow from contracting a new marriage so that they may get hold of her property; but they can prevent her from doing so, if she intends to marry a person of manifestly objectionable character.
If the address is to the husbands, the verse would mean that if the wives do not want to live with their husbands and seek separation from them, which they can do by means of khula‘, the husbands should not prevent them from doing so out of greed for their money. But they can do so, if the wives are going to be guilty of a manifestly foul act.
The words, consort with them in kindness, embody the pith of the Islamic teachings about the treatment of wives. They are not to be treated in a dry, businesslike way, but with love and kindness. The Holy Prophet is reported to have said: خیر کم خیر کم لاھله i.e. "the best among you is he who is best in his treatment of his wife" (Tirmidhi). But as a one-sided affair can never be truly successful, the Quran uses the expression عاشروھن (consort with them), which, being of the measure مفاعلةdenotes reciprocity. So husbands and wives are both enjoined to live amicably with each other and reciprocate each other’s love and kindness.
A woman cannot adequately appreciate and acknowledge the great debt she owes to the Quran. No other Scripture has given to her the high status that the Quran gives her. It not only lays down her inalienable rights but also exhorts men to overlook the weaknesses and shortcomings of their wives, and treat them with kindness and benevolence even if they do not like them. The memorable words of the Holy Prophet quoted above, i.e. "The best of you is he who is best in his treatment of his wife" (Tirmidhi), are only an echo of the noble teachings of the Quran with regard to women.
b
See 4:16.
c
2:217.
580
The deceased person’s relatives cannot prevent his widow from contracting a new marriage so that they may get hold of her property; but they can prevent her from doing so if she intends to marry a person of manifestly objectionable character. If the address is to the husbands, the verse would mean that if the wives do not want to live with their husbands and seek separation from them, which they can do by means of Khula’ the husbands should not prevent them from doing so out of greed for their money. But they can do so, if the wives are going to be guilty of a manifestly foul act.
581
The Holy Prophet is reported to have said, "The best among you is he who treats his wife best" (Bukhari). The expression ‘Ashiruhunna being of the measure Mufa‘alah denotes reciprocity; husbands and wives are both enjoined to live amicably with each other and reciprocate each other’s love.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ إِنَّآ أَحْلَلْنَا لَكَ أَزْوَٰجَكَ ٱلَّٰتِىٓ ءَاتَيْتَ أُجُورَهُنَّ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ يَمِينُكَ مِمَّآ أَفَآءَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ وَبَنَاتِ عَمِّكَ وَبَنَاتِ عَمَّٰتِكَ وَبَنَاتِ خَالِكَ وَبَنَاتِ خَٰلَٰتِكَ ٱلَّٰتِى هَاجَرْنَ مَعَكَ وَٱمْرَأَةً مُّؤْمِنَةً إِن وَهَبَتْ نَفْسَهَا لِلنَّبِىِّ إِنْ أَرَادَ ٱلنَّبِىُّ أَن يَسْتَنكِحَهَا خَالِصَةً لَّكَ مِن دُونِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۗ قَدْ عَلِمْنَا مَا فَرَضْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ فِىٓ أَزْوَٰجِهِمْ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُهُمْ لِكَيْلَا يَكُونَ عَلَيْكَ حَرَجٌ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا
بیویاں تو سب کی حلال ہوتی ہیں۔ پھر رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کی بیویوں کا ذکر اس جگہ کیوں کیا؟ اس کا جواب یہ ہے کہ اسی سورت کی آیت۲۹ میں فرمایا تھا کہ اے بیویو! اگر تمہارے دل میں دنیا کی خواہش ہے تو میں دنیا دے کر تم کو آزاد کر دیتا ہوں۔ اس طرح ان کا معاملہ معلق ہو گیا تھا۔ لیکن اس آیت کے اعلان کے بعد کسی ایک بیوی نے بھی نہیں کہا کہ مجھے دنیا دے کر چھوڑ دیں۔ جس سے معلوم ہوتا ہے کہ سب بیویوں کے دل میں دین کی خواہش تھی۔ دنیا کی خواہش نہیں تھی۔ اس آیت میں یہی بتایا گیا ہے کہ انہوں نے اپنے دل میں دنیا چھوڑنے اور رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کے ساتھ رہنے کا فیصلہ کر لیا ہے۔
یہ صرف اجازت ہے عملًا رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم نے اس اجازت سے فائدہ نہیں اٹھایا۔ اگر حضرت ماریہ قبطیہؓ کی مثال پیش کی جائے تو اس کا جواب یہ ہے کہ حضرت ماریہؓ اور گروہ میں سے ہیں۔ اس آیت میں جنگ میں پکڑی جانے والی عورتوں کا ذکر ہے اور حضرت ماریہؓ کو مقوقس مصر نے اپنے ملک کے رواج کے مطابق لونڈی کے طور پر تحفۃً رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کو بھیجا تھا۔ پس وہ اس آیت کے حکم سے باہر ہیں اور ان سے بھی رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کا نکاح ثابت ہے۔
اس آیت سے ظاہر ہے کہ وہ مخالف جو کہتے ہیں کہ رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم نے یہ حکم خاص طور پر اپنے لئے نازل کر لیا ہے درست نہیں کیونکہ اس آیت میں صاف لکھا ہے کہ یہ حکم تمام انبیاء کے لئے ہے۔ صرف محمد رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کے لئے نہیں۔ کیونکہ جہاں یہ فرمایا ہے کہ یہ حکم خاص تیرے لئے ہے وہاں آگے یہ بڑھا دیا ہے کہ مومنوں کے سوا۔ جس کے یہ معنے ہیں کہ مومنوں کے لئے یہ حکم نہیں۔ لیکن مومنوں کے سوا جو انبیاء ہیں ان کے لئے یہ حکم ہے خواہ وہ گذشتہ تھے یا آئندہ ہوں گے۔
ایسی کسی عورت سے رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم نے شادی نہیں کی۔ یہ سب احکام بطور اجازت ہیں۔ دشمن اعترض کرتا ہے کہ اپنے لئے خاص حکم آپ نے اتار لئے۔ لیکن رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم نے جب ان اجازتوں پر عمل ہی نہیں کیا تو دشمن کا منہ کالا ہو گیا اور اس کا یہ اعتراض باطل ہو گیا کہ اپنی خواہشات کے پورا کرنے کے لئے خاص مراعات قرآن کریم نے بیان کر دی ہیں۔ آیت نمبر۳ سے بھی ظاہر ہے کہ یہ حکم صرف بعض بیویوں کے متعلق رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کی نیک رائے ظاہر کرنے کے لئے ہے آپ کے لئے کوئی خاص راستہ کھولنے کے لئے نہیں۔
’’خوب جانتے ہیں‘‘ سے مراد یہ ہے کہ اس کو تجھ پر ظاہر بھی کر دیا ہے۔ چنانچہ فرمایا ’’تاکہ تجھ پر تنگی نہ ہو‘‘ یعنی مسئلہ بتاتے وقت یہ خیال نہ ہو کہ خداتعالیٰ کی مرضی معلوم نہیں۔
This verse should be read along with vv. 29 and 30 above, in which the wives of the Holy Prophet were offered a choice between his companionship and the material benefits and comforts of life, and they preferred the Prophet’s company. The present verse, by implication, refers to that reply of the Prophet’s consorts which is recorded in the books of history but expressly nowhere in the Qur’an. Till they gave their reply, the physical relations between them and the Holy Prophet remained, as it were, in a state of suspension. While the wives of the Holy Prophet preferred his company to material goods and amenities of life, he too had great consideration for their feelings, and though he was given the choice to retain such of them as he liked (v. 52), he did not exercise the choice and retained all of them.
The Holy Prophet’s marriages were motivated by highly noble considerations and not by those imputed to him by his ignorant and ignoble critics. With the solitary exception of his marriage with
Commentary:
This verse should be read along with vv. 29 and 30 above. In those verses the wives of the Holy Prophet were offered a choice between the companionship of the Holy Prophet and the material benefits and comforts of life, but they preferred the Prophet’s company. The present verse by implication refers to that reply of the Prophet’s consorts which is recorded in the books of history but expressly nowhere in the Quran. Till they gave their reply, the marital relations between them and the Holy Prophet remained, as it were, in a state of suspension. The verse shows that while the wives of the Holy Prophet preferred his company to material goods and amenities of life, he too had great consideration for their feelings, and though he was given the choice to retain such of them as he liked (v. 52) he did not exercise the choice and in deference to his wishes God permitted him in the present verse to retain all his wives.
The verse refers to three kinds of women whom the Holy Prophet could marry in addition to his already wedded wives: (1) Women who were taken prisoner in wars against Islam; (2) women who had migrated to Medina with the Holy Prophet, and (3) a woman who should offer herself for marriage to him. This shows that the Holy Prophet’s marriages were motivated by considerations other than sensuous gratification as his ignorant and mischievous critics try to depict. Those who had left their hearths and homes for the sake of Islam and those whose husbands had been killed in wars fighting in defence of Islam had special claim on the Holy Prophet’s consideration. It is in view of these considerations that he married most of his wives. He married Hafsah whose husband was killed in the Battle of Badr; Zainab bint Khuzaimah whose husband was killed in the Battle of Uhud; Ummi Salmah whose husband died in 4 A.H., and Ummi Habibah, daughter of Abu Sufyan, who became a widow in 5 or 6 A.H. (in exile in Abyssinia). He married Juwairiyyah and Safiyyah, both widows, in 5 A.H. and 7 A.H. respectively, seeking a union with and pacification of their tribes. It is worthy of note that a hundred families of the Banu Mustaliq were liberated by Muslims when the Holy Prophet married Juwairiyyah. Maimunah, another widow, it is said, offered herself to be taken in marriage by the Holy Prophet which offer he condescended to accept in the interest of the education and training of Muslim women. He married Zainab, the divorced wife of Zaid in 5 A.H. in order to put a stop to a foolish custom prevailing among the Arabs and in order also to assuage her wounded feelings as the respected lady had felt deeply humiliated at being divorced by Zaid. He married Mariah in 7 A.H., and thus by raising a freed slave girl to the highly eminent spiritual status of the "Mother of the Faithful", he gave a death blow to slavery. Such were the pious and righteous motives of our noble Master in marrying widows and divorced women, by no means noted for their youth or beauty, and yet his cruel and mean traducers vainly try to depict him as a person who was given to gratifying his carnal desires. They deliberately ignore the patent fact that up to the age of 25 he lived the spotless life of a celibate. Then in the prime of his youth he married a lady fifteen years his senior and lived with her a most happy life till he was an old man of fifty and she about sixty-five. After her death he married Saudah, another lady of a very advanced age. He married all his other wives, to which exception has been taken by evil-minded carpers, between 2 A.H. and 7 A.H., a period when he was constantly engaged in active fighting and his life was perpetually in danger and the fate of Islam itself hung in the balance. Could any sane person in such situation of danger and uncertainty conceive of contracting marriage after marriage from motives attributed to the Holy Prophet? After this he lived for about three years as virtual ruler of the whole of Arabia when all the comforts and amenities of life were at his disposal and yet he entered into no further marriage. Does not this fact alone establish the honesty and sincerity of the Holy Prophet’s motives in marrying his wives?
The words "if she entrusts herself to the Prophet" have been taken as specially referring to Maimunah who is reported to have offered herself to be taken into marriage by the Holy Prophet. The clause, "This provision is only for thee as against other believers," means that it was a special privilege of the Holy Prophet and was due to the special nature of his duties as a Divine Prophet. In fact, marriages of the Holy Prophet were dictated by much higher and nobler considerations than merely personal ones. The clause may also refer to the special permission granted to the Holy Prophet, to retain all his wives, after the commandment contained in 4:4 was revealed, limiting to four the number of wives allowed to Muslims at one time.
The words, "We have already made known what We have enjoined on them concerning their wives," refer to the commandment contained in 4:4.
1
بیویاں تو سب کی حلال ہوتی ہیں۔ پھر رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کی بیویوں کا ذکر اس جگہ کیوں کیا؟ اس کا جواب یہ ہے کہ اسی سورت کی آیت۲۹ میں فرمایا تھا کہ اے بیویو! اگر تمہارے دل میں دنیا کی خواہش ہے تو میں دنیا دے کر تم کو آزاد کر دیتا ہوں۔ اس طرح ان کا معاملہ معلق ہو گیا تھا۔ لیکن اس آیت کے اعلان کے بعد کسی ایک بیوی نے بھی نہیں کہا کہ مجھے دنیا دے کر چھوڑ دیں۔ جس سے معلوم ہوتا ہے کہ سب بیویوں کے دل میں دین کی خواہش تھی۔ دنیا کی خواہش نہیں تھی۔ اس آیت میں یہی بتایا گیا ہے کہ انہوں نے اپنے دل میں دنیا چھوڑنے اور رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کے ساتھ رہنے کا فیصلہ کر لیا ہے۔
2
یہ صرف اجازت ہے عملًا رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم نے اس اجازت سے فائدہ نہیں اٹھایا۔ اگر حضرت ماریہ قبطیہؓ کی مثال پیش کی جائے تو اس کا جواب یہ ہے کہ حضرت ماریہؓ اور گروہ میں سے ہیں۔ اس آیت میں جنگ میں پکڑی جانے والی عورتوں کا ذکر ہے اور حضرت ماریہؓ کو مقوقس مصر نے اپنے ملک کے رواج کے مطابق لونڈی کے طور پر تحفۃً رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کو بھیجا تھا۔ پس وہ اس آیت کے حکم سے باہر ہیں اور ان سے بھی رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کا نکاح ثابت ہے۔
3
اس آیت سے ظاہر ہے کہ وہ مخالف جو کہتے ہیں کہ رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم نے یہ حکم خاص طور پر اپنے لئے نازل کر لیا ہے درست نہیں کیونکہ اس آیت میں صاف لکھا ہے کہ یہ حکم تمام انبیاء کے لئے ہے۔ صرف محمد رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کے لئے نہیں۔ کیونکہ جہاں یہ فرمایا ہے کہ یہ حکم خاص تیرے لئے ہے وہاں آگے یہ بڑھا دیا ہے کہ مومنوں کے سوا۔ جس کے یہ معنے ہیں کہ مومنوں کے لئے یہ حکم نہیں۔ لیکن مومنوں کے سوا جو انبیاء ہیں ان کے لئے یہ حکم ہے خواہ وہ گذشتہ تھے یا آئندہ ہوں گے۔
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ایسی کسی عورت سے رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم نے شادی نہیں کی۔ یہ سب احکام بطور اجازت ہیں۔ دشمن اعترض کرتا ہے کہ اپنے لئے خاص حکم آپ نے اتار لئے۔ لیکن رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم نے جب ان اجازتوں پر عمل ہی نہیں کیا تو دشمن کا منہ کالا ہو گیا اور اس کا یہ اعتراض باطل ہو گیا کہ اپنی خواہشات کے پورا کرنے کے لئے خاص مراعات قرآن کریم نے بیان کر دی ہیں۔ آیت نمبر۳ سے بھی ظاہر ہے کہ یہ حکم صرف بعض بیویوں کے متعلق رسول کریم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کی نیک رائے ظاہر کرنے کے لئے ہے آپ کے لئے کوئی خاص راستہ کھولنے کے لئے نہیں۔
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’’خوب جانتے ہیں‘‘ سے مراد یہ ہے کہ اس کو تجھ پر ظاہر بھی کر دیا ہے۔ چنانچہ فرمایا ’’تاکہ تجھ پر تنگی نہ ہو‘‘ یعنی مسئلہ بتاتے وقت یہ خیال نہ ہو کہ خداتعالیٰ کی مرضی معلوم نہیں۔
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Commentary:
This verse should be read along with vv. 29 and 30 above. In those verses the wives of the Holy Prophet were offered a choice between the companionship of the Holy Prophet and the material benefits and comforts of life, but they preferred the Prophet’s company. The present verse by implication refers to that reply of the Prophet’s consorts which is recorded in the books of history but expressly nowhere in the Quran. Till they gave their reply, the marital relations between them and the Holy Prophet remained, as it were, in a state of suspension. The verse shows that while the wives of the Holy Prophet preferred his company to material goods and amenities of life, he too had great consideration for their feelings, and though he was given the choice to retain such of them as he liked (v. 52) he did not exercise the choice and in deference to his wishes God permitted him in the present verse to retain all his wives.
The verse refers to three kinds of women whom the Holy Prophet could marry in addition to his already wedded wives: (1) Women who were taken prisoner in wars against Islam; (2) women who had migrated to Medina with the Holy Prophet, and (3) a woman who should offer herself for marriage to him. This shows that the Holy Prophet’s marriages were motivated by considerations other than sensuous gratification as his ignorant and mischievous critics try to depict. Those who had left their hearths and homes for the sake of Islam and those whose husbands had been killed in wars fighting in defence of Islam had special claim on the Holy Prophet’s consideration. It is in view of these considerations that he married most of his wives. He married Hafsah whose husband was killed in the Battle of Badr; Zainab bint Khuzaimah whose husband was killed in the Battle of Uhud; Ummi Salmah whose husband died in 4 A.H., and Ummi Habibah, daughter of Abu Sufyan, who became a widow in 5 or 6 A.H. (in exile in Abyssinia). He married Juwairiyyah and Safiyyah, both widows, in 5 A.H. and 7 A.H. respectively, seeking a union with and pacification of their tribes. It is worthy of note that a hundred families of the Banu Mustaliq were liberated by Muslims when the Holy Prophet married Juwairiyyah. Maimunah, another widow, it is said, offered herself to be taken in marriage by the Holy Prophet which offer he condescended to accept in the interest of the education and training of Muslim women. He married Zainab, the divorced wife of Zaid in 5 A.H. in order to put a stop to a foolish custom prevailing among the Arabs and in order also to assuage her wounded feelings as the respected lady had felt deeply humiliated at being divorced by Zaid. He married Mariah in 7 A.H., and thus by raising a freed slave girl to the highly eminent spiritual status of the "Mother of the Faithful", he gave a death blow to slavery. Such were the pious and righteous motives of our noble Master in marrying widows and divorced women, by no means noted for their youth or beauty, and yet his cruel and mean traducers vainly try to depict him as a person who was given to gratifying his carnal desires. They deliberately ignore the patent fact that up to the age of 25 he lived the spotless life of a celibate. Then in the prime of his youth he married a lady fifteen years his senior and lived with her a most happy life till he was an old man of fifty and she about sixty-five. After her death he married Saudah, another lady of a very advanced age. He married all his other wives, to which exception has been taken by evil-minded carpers, between 2 A.H. and 7 A.H., a period when he was constantly engaged in active fighting and his life was perpetually in danger and the fate of Islam itself hung in the balance. Could any sane person in such situation of danger and uncertainty conceive of contracting marriage after marriage from motives attributed to the Holy Prophet? After this he lived for about three years as virtual ruler of the whole of Arabia when all the comforts and amenities of life were at his disposal and yet he entered into no further marriage. Does not this fact alone establish the honesty and sincerity of the Holy Prophet’s motives in marrying his wives?
The words "if she entrusts herself to the Prophet" have been taken as specially referring to Maimunah who is reported to have offered herself to be taken into marriage by the Holy Prophet. The clause, "This provision is only for thee as against other believers," means that it was a special privilege of the Holy Prophet and was due to the special nature of his duties as a Divine Prophet. In fact, marriages of the Holy Prophet were dictated by much higher and nobler considerations than merely personal ones. The clause may also refer to the special permission granted to the Holy Prophet, to retain all his wives, after the commandment contained in 4:4 was revealed, limiting to four the number of wives allowed to Muslims at one time.
The words, "We have already made known what We have enjoined on them concerning their wives," refer to the commandment contained in 4:4.
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This verse should be read along with vv. 29 and 30 above, in which the wives of the Holy Prophet were offered a choice between his companionship and the material benefits and comforts of life, and they preferred the Prophet’s company. The present verse, by implication, refers to that reply of the Prophet’s consorts which is recorded in the books of history but expressly nowhere in the Qur’an. Till they gave their reply, the physical relations between them and the Holy Prophet remained, as it were, in a state of suspension. While the wives of the Holy Prophet preferred his company to material goods and amenities of life, he too had great consideration for their feelings, and though he was given the choice to retain such of them as he liked (v. 52), he did not exercise the choice and retained all of them.
The Holy Prophet’s marriages were motivated by highly noble considerations and not by those imputed to him by his ignorant and ignoble critics. With the solitary exception of his marriage with