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The Wives of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.)

Hayat Al-Qulub Vol. 1,
By: Allamah Muhammad Baqir Al-Majlisi

Ibn Babawayh has narrated through authentic chains of narrators from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) that the Holy Prophet (S) married fifteen women and established relations with thirteen of them. He left nine widows and two ladies with whom the Holy Prophet (S) had not established relations. One was Umrah and another was Shanawa.
The remaining thirteen are as follows: Khadija binte Khuwailad, Sauda binte Zamaa, Umm Salma, who was named Hind, she was the daughter of Abi Umayyah, Ayesha binte Abu Bakr, whose agnomen was Umm Abdullah, Hafasa binte Umar bin Khattab, Zainab binte Khuzaimah al-Harith, who was referred to as Ummul Masakeen, Zainab binte Jahash, Ramla binte Abu Sufyan, whose agnomen was Umm Habib, Maimoona binte Harith, Zainab binte Umais, Juwairiya binte Harith, Safiya binte Huyy bin Akhtab, Salma binte Hakim who gifted her self to the Prophet; and there were two special slave girls who also had their turns as the wives had.
One was Mariya and another was Raihana Khadafiya. And the nine wives who survived the Prophet are as follows: Ayesha, Hafasa, Umm Salma, Zainab binte Jahash, Maimoona binte Harith, Umm Habib binte Abu Sufyan, Safiya binte Huyy bin Akhtab, Juwairiya binte Harith. Saudah binte Zamaa. The best of all was Khadija binte Khuwailid, after her was Umm Salma.
It is narrated from through authentic chains of narrators from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) that he said: “May Allah have mercy on the sisters of the folks of Paradise and then he mentioned their names as follow: Asma binte Umais Khathimiya, who was initially married to Ja’far, Salma binte Umais, a sister of Asma who was initially married to Hamza. And five ladies from Bani Hilal tribe; one of them was Maimoona binte Harith, a wife of the Prophet, second Ummul Fazl, wife of Abbas, she was named Hind. Third was Amisa, mother of Khalid bin Walid, fourth was Gharra, wife of Hajaz bin Galaz. Fifth was Hamida who had no issue.
Kulaini has through authentic chains of narrators, narrated about the wives of the Prophet and their number that at the time of the passing away of the Prophet, he was having nine wives: Ayesha, Hafasa, Umm Habib binte Abu Sufyan, Zainab binte Jahash, Saudah binte Zamaa, Maimoona binte Harith, Safiya binte Huyy bin Akhtab, Juwairiya binte Harith. Ayesha was from Bani Tamim tribe, Hafasa was from Adi, Umm Salma from Bani Makhzum, Saudah from Bani Asad bin Abdul Uzza.
Zainab binte Jahash also was from Bani Asad but she was considered to be from Bani Umayyah. Umm Habib binte Abu Sufyan was from Bani Umayyah. Maimoona was from Bani Hilal and Safiya from Bani Israel. In addition the Prophet had married some other women. One of them had gifted her self to the Prophet. Another one was Khadija binte Khuwailid who was the mother of the children of the Prophet and the third was Zainab binte Jahash, whom people instigated and deprived from having relations with the Prophet. The fourth was a lady from Kinda tribe.
Shaykh Tabarsi has narrated that the first lady whom the Prophet married, was lady Khadija. At that time, the Messenger of Allah (S) was aged twenty-five. Before that she was the wife of Atiq bin Ayad Makhzumi and had a daughter from him. After Atiq, Abu Hala Asadi married her. From this husband Hind bin Abu Hala was born. Then the Holy Prophet (S) married her and took her son, Hind under his charge.
Sayyid Murtaza and Shaykh Tusi have narrated that when the Holy Prophet (S) married Lady Khadija, she was a virgin and she did not marry anyone before the Prophet, but the first report is more famous. And the Messenger of Allah (S) did not take another wife as long as she was alive. She spent twenty-four years and one month with the Holy Prophet (S). The amount of her dower was 12.5 Awqiya. Which was according to the value of that time 1500 dinars. Same was the amount of the dower of all the wives of the Prophet and the first son born of her was Abdullah, whose titles were Tayyib and Tahir. Qasim was born after him.
Later it is mentioned that Qasim was elder to Abdullah. And four daughters were also born from her: Zainab, Ruqaiyyah, Umm Kulthum and Fatima Zahra. The next wife of the Prophet was Sauda binte Zama-a; before marrying the Messenger of Allah (S) she was the wife of Sakran bin Umar. Sakran embraced Islam and died in Abyssinia. The third wife was Ayesha binte Abu Bakr. His Eminence had married her in Mecca when she was seven years old. Except for Ayesha the Prophet did not marry any virgin lady. Seven months after migration to Medina, the Prophet consummated his marriage to Ayesha, when she was nine years old.
She lived to a ripe age of seventy, till the time of Muawiyah’s reign. The fourth wife of the Prophet was Umm Shareek, who had gifted her self to the Prophet. Her name was Ariya binte Dauran bin Abir. Before marrying the Prophet, she was the wife of Abul Askar bin Sami al-Azdi, through whom a son named Shareek was born. The fifth wife of the Prophet was Hafasa binte Umar bin Khattab. Her first husband was Khanees bin Abdullah, after whose death the Messenger of Allah (S) married her.
His Eminence had sent Khanees to serve as a barber to the King of Iran. He died in that same journey without leaving any issue. Hafasa stayed in Medina till the reign of Uthman and Ibn Shahr Ashob has said that she survived till the last period of the Caliphate of Amirul Momineen (a.s.). The sixth wife of the Messenger of Allah (S) was Umm Habiba binte Abu Sufyan and her name was Ramla. Before coming into the marriage of the Holy Prophet (S), she was married to Abdullah bin Jahash.
Abdullah had migrated with her to Abyssinia, where he embraced Christianity and died. The Holy Prophet (S) then married her and the attorney was Amr bin Umayyah. The seventh wife of the Prophet was Umm Salma. Her mother, Atika was the sister of Abu Talib, the paternal aunt of the Prophet and some have said that Atika was the daughter of Amir bin Rabia and she was named Binte Abu Umayyah. She was the daughter of Abu Jahl’s uncle.
It is narrated that the Messenger of Allah (S) proposed to Umm Salma through her son to marry her to the Prophet. So Umm Salma appointed her son as the agent, and he married Lady Umm Salma to the Messenger of Allah (S). King Negus of Abyssinia sent 400 gold coins as her dower at the time of her marriage. Some say that King Negus had sent gold coins for the dower of Umm Habiba. Umm Salma survived all the wives of the Prophet.
Before marrying the Prophet, she was the wife of Abi Salma bin Abdul Asad. Abu Salma’s mother was Baraa the daughter of Abdul Muttalib. From Abu Salma a daughter, Zainab and a son Umar was born to Umm Salma. In the Battle of Jamal, Umar was in the service of Amirul Momineen (a.s.). Imam Ali (a.s.) appointed him as the governor of Bahrain. The eighth wife, was Zainab binte Jahash from the Bani Asad tribe.
Her mother was Maimoona, daughter of Abdul Muttalib, the paternal aunt of the Holy Prophet (S). Ibn Shahr Ashob has referred to Amima as the daughter of Abdul Muttalib. She was the first to pass away from the wives of the Prophet during the reign of Umar Ibn Khattab. Before she married the Holy Prophet (S), she was the wife of Zaid bin Haritha. Her story will be quoted after this. The ninth wife of the Holy Prophet (S) was Zainab binte Khuzaimah Hilaliya and before that she was married to Ubaidah bin Harith bin Abdul Muttalib.
Some have said that she was the wife of Tufayl Ibn Harith’s nephew and she was called Ummul Masakeen. She also died during the lifetime of the Prophet. The tenth wife was Maimoon binte Harith. The Messenger of Allah (S) married her in Medina and consummated his marriage with her at Saraf which is at a distance of three Farsakh from the holy city of Mecca. Her death also occurred at that same place in 36 Hijri and she was buried there.
Before marrying the Prophet, she was married to Abu Sira bin Abu Daham Amir. The eleventh wife of the Prophet is Juwairiya binte Harith from Bani Mustaliq tribe; she had come to the Prophet as a captive in that battle. The Holy Prophet (S) emancipated her and then took her as his wife. She died in 56 A.H. The twelfth wife was Safiya binte Huyy bin Akhtab, who was chosen by the Prophet for himself from the booty of Khyber and he fixed her emancipation as her dower. She passed away in 36 A.H. The Holy Prophet (S) had consummated his marriage to all of them. He had performed Nikah with eleven of them and one wife had gifted herself to the Prophet.
Those ladies with whom the Holy Prophet (S) did not consummate his marriage were as follows: The first was Aliya binte Tabiyan. When she was brought to the Holy Prophet (S) he divorced her before consummating marriage. The second lady was Qeela, sister of Ashath bin Qays, who died before her marriage was consummated and some say that the Holy Prophet (S) divorced her before consummating marriage with her. It is said that the passing away of the Messenger of Allah (S) Akrama bin Abu Jahl proposed to her.
Third is Fatima binte Zahak, whom the Holy Prophet (S) married after the death of her sister, Zainab. And when the verse of Takhyyur (choice) was revealed and the Holy Prophet (S) gave choice to his wives to either select him or the world, she chose the world and she separated from the Prophet. After that she became involved in such hard times that she used to dry camel dung into fire wood and lived on the income. She used to say that she was unfortunate to have chosen the world. The fourth was Shaniya binte Sult whom the Holy Prophet (S) married but before she could be brought into the household of the Prophet, she passed away.
The fifth was Asma binte Noman bin Sharjeel. When the Prophet married her, Ayesha and Hafasa felt jealous of her and deceived her that when the Holy Prophet (S) comes to her house she must not let him overpower her immediately. In this way he would be attracted to her and the unfortunate woman was deceived by her. When the Holy Prophet (S) came to her, she said: “I seek the refuge of Allah from you.” The Prophet said: “You have adopted a very strong refuge, I give refuge to you; go back to your house.” The sixth was the princess of Lithia.
It is narrated that when she was brought to the Prophet he told her to gift her soul to him, but she said, can a princess gift herself to a common man? When the Prophet came to her, she said “I seek the refuge of Allah from you.” So the Prophet divorced her and after paying her some money sent her home. The seventh was Umra binte Yazid. When she was brought to the Holy Prophet (S) he noticed white patches on her and did not consummate the marriage, and divorced her.
The eighth was Laila binte Khateem Ansariya. When she was brought to the Holy Prophet (S) she expressed dislike from him and he sent her back. Ibn Shahr Ashob says that her house was attacked by a wolf. The ninth was a woman of Bani Hamza tribe, who proposed to give herself to the Prophet but her father didn’t like the match and made an excuse that she had white spots.
When he went home he saw that by the miracle of the Prophet she really got the white spots. The tenth report is that there was a woman named Umra and her father used to describe her good qualities and one of them was that she had never fallen sick. When the Holy Prophet (S) heard this, he said: “Such a woman has no merit in the sight of Allah.”
And he did not take her in marriage. Some have said that the Holy Prophet (S) had married her, but he divorced her when he came to know this fact. Thus on the basis of this report, the Messenger of Allah (S) had twenty wives. Shaykh Tusi says that the Holy Prophet (S) married eighteen women, and some have mentioned fifteen as mentioned previously.
Shaykh Tusi has narrated that the Holy Prophet (S) had two slave girls, with whom he had established relations and as he had fixed nights for his other wives, he had fixed nights for them also. One of them was Mariya binte Shamoon the Copt and the other was Raihana binte Zaid Qardiya.
The two of them were sent to the Prophet by Maqooqas, King of Alexandria. Some have said that the Holy Prophet (S) had emancipated Raihana and then married her. Mariya died five years after the passing away of the Messenger of Allah (S). Some have narrated that the Holy Prophet (S) selected a slave girl from Bani Quraiza, named Tukana. She was under the charge of the Holy Prophet (S) till he passed away. After the passing away of the Holy Prophet (S), Abbas married her.[525]
Kulaini has narrated through good chains of narrators from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) that a lady from Ansar came to the Prophet in perfect make-up and in a very fine dress. At that time the Prophet was in Hafasa’s room. She said: “It is not appropriate for the woman to offer herself to a man, but a long time has passed, and I have neither a husband nor any issue. If you like, I can gift myself to you.
The Holy Prophet (S) prayed for her and said O Ansari lady, may the Almighty Allah give you a good reward. Indeed your men helped me and your women were inclined to me. But Hafasa began to condemn that lady and said: “How shameless you are and how desirous you are of men that you present yourself with such audacity. The Prophet said: “Be quiet, Hafasa, she is better than you as she is inclined to the Prophet of Allah and you condemn her and pick defects in her.”
Then he addressed her and said: “Go, may Allah have mercy on you, indeed Allah had decreed Paradise to you as a reward of being inclined to me and you preferred my love and happiness. And my intercession will be there for you, Insha Allah.” At that juncture, the following verse was revealed: “And a believing woman if she gave herself to the Prophet, if the Prophet desired to marry her- specially for you, not for the (rest of) believers.”[526]
Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) has said that the Almighty Allah has made lawful for women to gift themselves to the Prophet and not for anyone else. Ali bin Ibrahim has also narrated this report but he has mentioned Ayesha instead of Hafasa.
Kulaini etc. have narrated through authentic chains of narrators that the Almighty Allah has only allowed women to gift themselves to the Holy Prophet (S) and it is not allowed to marry women without paying the dower. There is consensus of Shia and Sunni scholars that marriage with the word of Hiba (gift) is among the specialties of the Holy Prophet (S).
Kulaini has through authentic chains of narrators, narrated that the Holy Prophet (S) married a woman named Sanat from Bani Aamir bin Saa-a tribe. She was the most beautiful woman of her time. When Ayesha and Hafasa saw her, they said that she would overpower them, because she was more beautiful and attractive and that she would take away the Prophet from them.
So they resorted to trickery and deceived her that she must not express her love for the Holy Prophet (S). When the Prophet came to her, the unfortunate deceived woman said: “I seek the refuge of Allah from you.” So His Eminence divorced her and sent her to her relatives. After that the Holy Prophet (S) married a woman of Kinda, binte Abil June when his son, Ibrahim died, that woman said that if he had been a Prophet, his son would not have died.
So the Prophet divorced her before consummating the marriage and sent her home. When the Holy Prophet (S) passed away from the world, both ladies of Bani Aamir and Bani Kinda came to Abu Bakr and asked him that people wanted to marry them, so what was his advice. Abu Bakr and Umar discussed among themselves and said: “You have the choice of remaining unmarried or to marry.” The unfortunate women got married.
At last by the miracle of the Prophet one of their husbands contracted leprosy and the other suffered from insanity. Umar bin Azina, who is the narrator of this report says: “When I mentioned this tradition to Zurarah and Fazl, they narrated it to Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) and the Imam said: “The Almighty Allah has not prohibited anything but that people committed it and disobeyed Him, so much so that they even married the wives of the Prophet after him.”
Then the Imam narrated the incident of the women of Bani Aamir and Bani Kinda. And he said: “If you ask Sunni scholars that if a man marries a woman and divorces her without consummating the marriage, would that woman be lawful for the son of that man? They will reply in the negative. Then the sanctity of the Holy Prophet (S) is more than fathers.[527]
Barqi has through correct chains of narrators and Kulaini has narrated through reliable chains of narrators from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) that when Najjashi married Amina binte Abu Sufyan, who was also known as Umm Habiba, to the Holy Prophet (S), the latter organized a dinner (Walima) and he said: “It is from the practice of the prophets to call people to dinner on the occasion of marriage.”
And the same authors have narrated from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) that when the Messenger of Allah (S) married Maimoona binte Harith, he held a dinner and served half ground cereal, oil etc. to the people.
Kulaini has narrated through reliable chains of narrators that when the Holy Prophet (S) used to propose to any woman, he used to send a lady to see her telling her to smell her neck, if it is fragrant, her whole body will be fragrant; and to pay attention to her shank, if it is meaty, her whole body will be meaty.
Shaykh Tusi has narrated that during the battle of Hunain, Safiya, the wife of the Prophet arrived and said: O Prophet of Allah, I am like other women. I bore the killings of my father, uncle and brothers for the sake of Holy Prophet (S). If something happens to you, who will get your Caliphate and successorship? The Holy Prophet (S) pointed out to Amirul Momineen (a.s.) and said: “Imamate and all matters related to your Ummah will be related to him.”
It is narrated through authentic chains of narrators that Safir bin Shajra Amari, came to the wife of the Prophet, Maimoona daughter of Harith in Medina and after taking permission entered the house. Maimoona asked him from where he was coming? He replied: “From Kufa.” “What tribe are you from?” she asked. “Bani Aamir,” he replied. She said that his arrival was welcome but what was the purpose of his visit.
Safir said: “O Mother of believers, when dispute erupted among the people, I was afraid of getting involved in some trouble. So I have come to you.” She asked, “Have you paid allegiance to Ali?” “Yes,” he replied. She said, “Go back and don’t leave the army of Ali. By Allah, neither he has deviated nor can anyone be deviated because of him.”
Safir said, “O Mother of believers, will you narrate a tradition about Imam Ali (a.s.) that you have heard from the Messenger of Allah (S)?” “Yes,” she said, “Listen, the Messenger of Allah (S) said: Ali is a sign of truth, and the standard of guidance, Ali is the sword of Allah, which Allah removes from the scabbard to slay infidels and hypocrites.
So one who is devoted to Me, will be devoted to him because of My love and one who is inimical to him, has in fact been inimical to Me. Indeed one who is inimical to Me is inimical to Ali. When he meets the Lord on Judgment Day, he will have nothing to justify his stand.
Ali bin Ibrahim has narrated that Ayesha and Hafasa used to harass Safiya, abuse her and call her a daughter of a Jew. Safiya complained to His Eminence, who asked her why she did not reply to them. She asked, “O Prophet of Allah, what reply shall I give?”
He replied: “My father, Harun was the prophet of God and my Uncle, Musa (a.s.) was the Kalimullah (one spoken to by Allah) and my husband, Muhammad, is the messenger of Allah. So what do you deny and what defect can you see in me?” When Lady Safiya replied to them in this manner, they said, “These are not your words, the Holy Prophet (S) has taught you.” At that juncture, the following verses were revealed in their condemnation: “O you who believe! let not (one) people laugh at (another) people perchance they may be better than they, nor let women (laugh) at (other) women, perchance they may be better than they; and do not find fault with your own people nor call one another by nicknames; evil is a bad name after faith, and whoever does not turn, these it is that are the unjust.”[528]
Shaykh Tabarsi has mentioned the following as the context of revelation of this verse: One day Umm Salma had a white cloth around her waist, whose both end were hanging behind. And the garments were trailing on the ground. Seeing this Ayesha said to Hafasa: “See what she is hanging behind her, it seems to be the tongue of a dog.” Some say that Ayesha ridiculed her for her short stature.
Himyari and Kulaini etc. have narrated from correct and very reliable chains of narrators from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) and Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) that the Messenger of Allah (S) did not fix more than five hundred dirhams as the dower of any of his daughters or wives.
Kulaini has narrated through correct chains of narrators from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) that people asked him about the exegesis of the following verses: “O Prophet! surely We have made lawful to you your wives whom you have given their dowries, and those whom your right hand possesses out of those whom Allah has given to you as prisoners of war, and the daughters of your paternal uncles and the daughters of your paternal aunts, and the daughters of your maternal uncles and the daughters of your maternal aunts who fled with you; and a believing woman if she gave herself to the Prophet, if the Prophet desired to marry her- specially for you, not for the (rest of) believers; We know what We have ordained for them concerning their wives and those whom their right hands possess in order that no blame may attach to you; and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.”[529]
The narrator asked Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.): “How many women were lawful for the Holy Prophet (S).” Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) replied: “As many as he liked.” The narrators asked him what is the meaning of the following statement of Allah: “It is not allowed to you to take women afterwards, nor that you should change them for other wives, though their beauty be pleasing to you, except what your right hand possesses…”[530]
Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) replied: “It was allowed for the Messenger of Allah (S) to marry the daughters of his uncle and paternal aunts, paternal uncles and maternal aunts and marry the ladies who had migrated with him to Medina.
And it was lawful for him to marry believing ladies and it is in form of a gift. And no lady is allowed to gift her self to anyone except the Holy Prophet (S) and no one is allowed to do Nikah without paying the dower (maher) as the Almighty Allah has said in the Holy Qur’an.” The narrator then asked: “What is the meaning of the following verse: “…and you may take to you whom you please…”[531]
The Holy Imam (a.s.) replied: “It implies that the Holy Prophet (S) can marry anyone. And the statement of Allah that after that it was not lawful for them implies those who are made unlawful for others in the next verse; that is mothers, daughters and sisters, and all prohibited women.
If the verse had implied that which Ahle Sunnat think it does, that after the revelation of this verse it became unlawful for the Holy Prophet (S) to propose to any woman. And the women he had as his wives cannot be changed. Then indeed the Almighty Allah must have made lawful for you the women that were not allowed for the Prophet. Because you have the choice to change the aged wife and you can send proposal to anyone you like.”[532]
Kulaini has narrated through reliable chains of narrators from Imam Ali Reza (a.s.) that the Holy Prophet (S) had the sexual prowess of forty men. And he had nine wives and he used to meet them every day.
Ali bin Ibrahim has narrated that when the Messenger of Allah (S) returned from the Battle of Khyber and the treasure of the sons of Abil Haqiq fell into his hands, the wives asked him to distribute that treasure among them. The Holy Prophet (S) said that he has distributed it all among the Muslims. The wives were angry and they said: “You think that if you divorce us, we would not find anyone according to our status.”
The Almighty Allah did not like this reply and He commanded the Messenger to become aloof from those wives and stay in the house of the mother of Ibrahim. The Holy Prophet (S) separated from those wives and started to reside in the chamber of Ibrahim’s mother, which was near to the mosque. So much so that those women had their menses. The Almighty Allah revealed the following verse of choice at that juncture: “O Prophet! say to your wives: If you desire this world’s life and its adornment, then come, I will give you a provision and allow you to depart a goodly departing; And if you desire Allah and His Apostle and the latter abode, then surely Allah has prepared for the doers of good among you a mighty reward.”[533]
When the Holy Prophet (S) recited this verse to them, Umm Salma arose first of all and she said: “I chose the Prophet over the world.” After that all the women embraced the Prophet and repeated the same sentence. At that moment the following verse was revealed: “You may put off whom you please of them, and you may take to you whom you please…”[534]
Then the Almighty Allah addresses the wives of the Prophet: “O wives of the prophet! Whoever of you commits an open indecency (like going out to Basra to confront Ali), the punishment shall be increased to her doubly; and this is easy to Allah. And whoever of you is obedient to Allah and His Apostle and does good, We will give to her reward doubly, and We have prepared for her an honorable sustenance.”[535]
It is narrated from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) through correct chains of narrators that “Fahisha Mubaiyyana” (open indecency) and the sins which exposes is to undertake armed uprising which was committed by Ayesha.
Kulaini has narrated through reliable chains of narrators from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) and Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) that Allah was ashamed about His Prophet that some of his wives said that Muhammad thinks that if he divorces them, they would not find any man in the community willing to marry them. According to another tradition Zainab said: “In spite of being the Prophet of Allah, you are not just among us.”
Hafasa said: “If he divorces us we can choose someone else from our community.” According to another traditions this statement was also made by Zainab. When the verse of choice was revealed the Holy Prophet (S) separated from all his wives for 29 nights and resided in the chambers of Maria. And according to another report no revelation descended on the Prophet for twenty days. After that, when the verse of choice was revealed, the Prophet summoned his wives and gave them choice of himself or the world.
If they had chosen the world, they would have become unlawful on the Prophet, which means irrevocable divorce. And according to another report, if they had chosen the world, the Prophet would have divorced them and then it would never have been possible for them to choose the Prophet and he never could have inclined to them. According to another report, when Zainab binte Jahash’s turn arrived, she came running to the Prophet, kissed his hands and said: “I choose Allah and His Prophet.”
It is mentioned in many reliable traditions that this was a command restricted only for the Prophet and not for others to give such choice to their wives.[536]
Notes:
[525] It is possible that the Holy Prophet (S) had not taken that maid slave as his wife and she was only appointed to serve him, or it would not have been possible from Abbas to marry her, as according to the Holy Qur’an she would have been among the mothers of believers and she would have unlawful for every person of the Ummah.
[526] Surah Ahzab 33:50
[527] The author says: Ibn Idris etc. have narrated this tradition from reliable sources and there is no difference of opinion among the Shia and Sunni scholars. There is no doubts in it that the woman with whom the Holy Prophet (S) had consummated the marriage, she would remain in the marriage of the Prophet till her death. No one is allowed to marry her. And the woman whom the Prophet has divorced during his lifetime or has not consummated her marriage with him, there is difference of between Shia and Sunni scholars whether she can marry anyone else or not. Most Sunni scholars believe that she is lawful for others. But in the view of Shia, the most common opinion is that she is unlawful for others; even the tyrant rulers had not opposed the Holy Prophet (S) in this matter. And they married to others the women with whom the Prophet had not consummated the marriage. This does not prove any deficiency of the Prophet and Ayesha’s mounting the camel and in the company of thousands of infidels and hypocrites, and going out to fight Amirul Momineen (a.s.) and to martyr the beloved grandson of the Prophet is much worse. Therefore, it is not lawful to reject all these reports due to improbability. Ali bin Ibrahim has narrated that when the Almighty Allah said: “And his wives are their mothers,” and made it unlawful to marry them, Talha was very angry at this. And he said: “Muhammad has made his women unlawful to us, and he marries our women. If Muhammad dies, I will also do what he does with our women. At that moment this verse was revealed by the Almighty Allah: And it does not behove you that you should give trouble to the Apostle of Allah, nor that you should arry his wives after him ever; surely this is grievous in the sight of Allah. (Surah Ahzab 33:53)
[528] Surah Hujurat 49:11
[529] Surah Ahzab 33:50
[530] Surah Ahzab 33:52
[531] Surah Ahzab 33:51
[532] The author says: There are many traditions on the subject and some commentators have explained this verse in the same way and some say that after that the Holy Prophet (S) gave choice to his wives either to choose him or choose the world. And if they chose the Holy Prophet (S) the Almighty Allah made it lawful for him to take up other women or to replace them with other women. Some have said that it was applicable at the beginning and then abrogated later on. And whatever is mentioned in the tradition is reliable and in agreement with other statements of Ahle Sunnat.
[533] Surah Ahzab 33:28-29
[534] Surah Ahzab 33:51
[535] Surah Ahzab 33:30-31
[536] The author says: It is famous among Imamite jurist that the choice to separate from her husband was only available for the wives of the Prophet. But some have said that this rule is also applicable for others, but there is difference of opinion in its application whether it can be effected through revocable or irrevocable divorce. And more clear is that this order was restricted to the Prophet, therefore it is useless to think upon its derivations or make any comments about it. The Almighty Allah is more cognizant of what is best.

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