The Story Behind Surah At-Tahrim

[HeiGou]

Now, look at the motive, the idea is you don't want to have a situation where diviroce occurs over something pety, hence if the husband needs to lie to save the relationship, then so be it. notice the term "for the good of the relationship", no more no less.

>deletions<

And the prophet PBUH was the greatest exampel of honesty, and it is indeed Allah who set these legislations and laws, and he done it for our own benefit.

Muhammad did not Overide Allah's commands... Allah is the one who revealed to Muhammad to say what he said, The pens have been raised and the pages have dried.

I am mildly curious. I was always told that Sura 66 was revealed after Muhammed had had sexual relations with Mariya the Copt, been caught doing it by Hafsa on Aisha's day, and had promised Hafsa he would not do so again. When news of this got out Muhammed had problems with his wives. Now chances are I have only heard a garbled version of this story and there is a different version, so could I ask for people's opinions about what happened and whether Muhammed did, in fact, lie to his wife or wives?

066.001
YUSUFALI: O Prophet! Why holdest thou to be forbidden that which Allah has made lawful to thee? Thou seekest to please thy consorts. But Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
PICKTHAL: O Prophet! Why bannest thou that which Allah hath made lawful for thee, seeking to please thy wives? And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
SHAKIR: O Prophet! why do you forbid (yourself) that which Allah has made lawful for you; you seek to please your wives; and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

066.002
YUSUFALI: Allah has already ordained for you, (O men), the dissolution of your oaths (in some cases): and Allah is your Protector, and He is Full of Knowledge and Wisdom.
PICKTHAL: Allah hath made lawful for you (Muslims) absolution from your oaths (of such a kind), and Allah is your Protector. He is the Knower, the Wise.
SHAKIR: Allah indeed has sanctioned for you the expiation of your oaths and Allah is your Protector, and He is the Knowing the Wise.

066.003
YUSUFALI: When the Prophet disclosed a matter in confidence to one of his consorts, and she then divulged it (to another), and Allah made it known to him, he confirmed part thereof and repudiated a part. Then when he told her thereof, she said, "Who told thee this? "He said, "He told me Who knows and is well-acquainted (with all things)."
PICKTHAL: When the Prophet confided a fact unto one of his wives and when she afterward divulged it and Allah apprised him thereof, he made known (to her) part thereof and passed over part. And when he told it her she said: Who hath told thee? He said: The Knower, the Aware hath told me.
SHAKIR: And when the prophet secretly communicated a piece of information to one of his wives-- but when she informed (others) of it, and Allah made him to know it, he made known part of it and avoided part; so when he informed her of it, she said: Who informed you of this? He said: The Knowing, the one Aware, informed me.

066.004
YUSUFALI: If ye two turn in repentance to Him, your hearts are indeed so inclined; But if ye back up each other against him, truly Allah is his Protector, and Gabriel, and (every) righteous one among those who believe,- and furthermore, the angels - will back (him) up.
PICKTHAL: If ye twain turn unto Allah repentant, (ye have cause to do so) for your hearts desired (the ban); and if ye aid one another against him (Muhammad) then lo! Allah, even He, is his Protecting Friend, and Gabriel and the righteous among the believers; and furthermore the angels are his helpers.
SHAKIR: If you both turn to Allah, then indeed your hearts are already inclined (to this); and if you back up each other against him, then surely Allah it is Who is his Guardian, and Jibreel and -the believers that do good, and the angels after that are the aiders.

066.005
YUSUFALI: It may be, if he divorced you (all), that Allah will give him in exchange consorts better than you,- who submit (their wills), who believe, who are devout, who turn to Allah in repentance, who worship (in humility), who travel (for Faith) and fast,- previously married or virgins.
PICKTHAL: It may happen that his Lord, if he divorce you, will give him in your stead wives better than you, submissive (to Allah), believing, pious, penitent, devout, inclined to fasting, widows and maids.
SHAKIR: Maybe, his Lord, if he divorce you, will give him in your place wives better than you, submissive, faithful, obedient, penitent, adorers, fasters, widows and virgins.

066.006
YUSUFALI: O ye who believe! save yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is Men and Stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who flinch not (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allah, but do (precisely) what they are commanded.
PICKTHAL: O ye who believe! Ward off from yourselves and your families a Fire whereof the fuel is men and stones, over which are set angels strong, severe, who resist not Allah in that which He commandeth them, but do that which they are commanded.
SHAKIR: O you who believe! save yourselves and your families from a fire whose fuel is men and stones; over it are angels stern and strong, they do not disobey Allah in what He commands them, and do as they are commanded.

066.007
YUSUFALI: (They will say), "O ye Unbelievers! Make no excuses this Day! Ye are being but requited for all that ye did!"
PICKTHAL: (Then it will be said): O ye who disbelieve! Make no excuses for yourselves this day. Ye are only being paid for what ye used to do.
SHAKIR: O you who disbelieve! do not urge excuses today; you shall be rewarded only according to what you did.

066.008
YUSUFALI: O ye who believe! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance: In the hope that your Lord will remove from you your ills and admit you to Gardens beneath which Rivers flow,- the Day that Allah will not permit to be humiliated the Prophet and those who believe with him. Their Light will run forward before them and by their right hands, while they say, "Our Lord! Perfect our Light for us, and grant us Forgiveness: for Thou hast power over all things."
PICKTHAL: O ye who believe! Turn unto Allah in sincere repentance! It may be that your Lord will remit from you your evil deeds and bring you into Gardens underneath which rivers flow, on the day when Allah will not abase the Prophet and those who believe with him. Their light will run before them and on their right hands; they will say: Our Lord! Perfect our light for us, and forgive us! Lo! Thou art Able to do all things.
SHAKIR: O you who believe! turn to Allah a sincere turning; maybe your Lord will remove from you your evil and cause you to enter gardens beneath which rivers flow, on the day on which Allah will not abase the Prophet and those who believe with him; their light shall run on before them and on their right hands; they shall say: Our Lord! make perfect for us our light, and grant us protection, surely Thou hast power over all things.

066.009
YUSUFALI: O Prophet! Strive hard against the Unbelievers and the Hypocrites, and be firm against them. Their abode is Hell,- an evil refuge (indeed).
PICKTHAL: O Prophet! Strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be stern with them. Hell will be their home, a hapless journey's end.
SHAKIR: O Prophet! strive hard against the unbelievers and the hypocrites, and be hard against them; and their abode is hell; and evil is the resort.

066.010
YUSUFALI: Allah sets forth, for an example to the Unbelievers, the wife of Noah and the wife of Lut: they were (respectively) under two of our righteous servants, but they were false to their (husbands), and they profited nothing before Allah on their account, but were told: "Enter ye the Fire along with (others) that enter!"
PICKTHAL: Allah citeth an example for those who disbelieve: the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot, who were under two of Our righteous slaves yet betrayed them so that they (the husbands) availed them naught against Allah and it was said (unto them): Enter the Fire along with those who enter.
SHAKIR: Allah sets forth an example to those who disbelieve the wife of Nuh and the wife of Lut: they were both under two of Our righteous servants, but they acted treacherously towards them so they availed them naught against Allah, and it was said: Enter both the fire with those who enter.

[------]

And HeiGou comes out of the blue again with some out of the blue story... LOL ;D

[Sis786]

And HeiGou comes out of the blue again with some out of the blue story... LOL ;D

Hes a number huh :happy: ;D

[HeiGou]

And HeiGou comes out of the blue again with some out of the blue story... LOL ;D

Ahh but at least it is on-topic this time!

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[------]

Ahh but at least it is on-topic this time!

Gud point, most of the time its off topic den :rollseyes

[Noora_z3]

I am mildly curious. I was always told that Sura 66 was revealed after Muhammed had had sexual relations with Mariya the Copt, been caught doing it by Hafsa on Aisha's day, and had promised Hafsa he would not do so again.

To this extent its true, Muhammd PBUH told Hafsa that he wont do it again n ordered her not to tell any one. But she exposed the secret, therefor, he made a promise that he wont sleep with any of his wives for one month.

Now chances are I have only heard a garbled version of this story and there is a different version, so could I ask for people's opinions about what happened

Scholars n Mufassireen in the Tafasir stated 2 storis as reason for revelation, the first one is the one u mentioned above with littel alteration, n the second one is the story of the bad smell n the honey.

Some Mufassireen said that the first story is the most authintic reason of revelation n some of them said that the 2nd story is the correct one.

and whether Muhammed did, in fact, lie to his wife or wives?

Anyways, there is nothing that says in the story that Pophet Muhammad lied to his wives.

[HeiGou]

Scholars n Mufassireen in the Tafasir stated 2 storis as reason for revelation, the first one is the one u mentioned above with littel alteration, n the second one is the story of the bad smell n the honey.

I looked and found the honey story.

Anyways, there is nothing that says in the story that Pophet Muhammad lied to his wives.

Well something is odd about what happened before this verse came down. I don't know what.

066.001
YUSUFALI: O Prophet! Why holdest thou to be forbidden that which Allah has made lawful to thee? Thou seekest to please thy consorts. But Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

066.002
YUSUFALI: Allah has already ordained for you, (O men), the dissolution of your oaths (in some cases): and Allah is your Protector, and He is Full of Knowledge and Wisdom.

066.003
YUSUFALI: When the Prophet disclosed a matter in confidence to one of his consorts, and she then divulged it (to another), and Allah made it known to him, he confirmed part thereof and repudiated a part. Then when he told her thereof, she said, "Who told thee this? "He said, "He told me Who knows and is well-acquainted (with all things)."

So the first bit seems to be saying that Muhammed promised his wife or wives not to do something legal to please them. But the second bit seems to be saying that God allows the breaking of a promise in some circumstances. And the third seems to be related to the first two in some way. But then this is your religion, not mine and I do not understand what is going on.

[Muslim Soldier]

I am mildly curious. I was always told that Sura 66 was revealed after Muhammed had had sexual relations with Mariya the Copt, been caught doing it by Hafsa on Aisha's day, and had promised Hafsa he would not do so again. When news of this got out Muhammed had problems with his wives.

who was Mariya the copt

[Bittersteel]

one of the wives of the Prophet(PBUH).

[Noora_z3]

So the first bit seems to be saying that Muhammed promised his wife or wives not to do something legal to please them. But the second bit seems to be saying that God allows the breaking of a promise in some circumstances. And the third seems to be related to the first two in some way. But then this is your religion, not mine and I do not understand what is going on.

In the first n the second verses, Allah is talking to Muhammad peace be upon him, n in the 3rd verse Allah is stating the story which happened between prophet Muhammad n his wives. So the first 2 verses r the general ones from where we infer the law n the lesson, n the 3rd one is the specific story which was behind revealing the first 2 verses n the whole chapter.

I dont know if I made any sense to u or not.

[Muslim Soldier]

one of the wives of the Prophet(PBUH).

so what was wrong if he has sexual relations with her?

[Noora_z3]

so what was wrong if he has sexual relations with her?

She wasnt a wife, she was a Jariah...can some one transelate that word coz I dont know wat its exactly in english?

[Bittersteel]

She wasnt a wife, she was a Jariah.

as far as I know at first later she married him.

[lolwatever]

salam guys
i think the thing is going way off topic
HeiGou, i don't quite know what you're talking about.
But in Islam, you can have sexual relation with a Jariah if you have one,

Jariah is kinda like a female slave ('3abd is a male slave)... (its the closeset i can think of, but its not the slave that we hear of these days, there's very specific rules about how they ought to be treated etc).

besides that, i think that incident is off topic, might wanna start a new thread. If what you said is true, then Allah has intervened with those verses and made the matter clear.

[Muslim Soldier]

so jariah is a mistress?
or a wife?

[lolwatever]

Muslim soldier
it's definately not a wife, what's a mistress?
I'll give u an example of what a jariah is like.. umm say a woman was captured as prisoner in war, she is assigned to the custody of a man who's responsible to look after her etc etc, and she can have a role of a servant. The man is entitled to having a relationship with her, so atleast it's legal.

Allah however mentions in Surat an-Noor (or ahzab i think) that if the jariah prefers to not be touched then it's not for the man to force her to have a relationship with him. and the verse ends with "But if you do coerce them into that, then Allah, after they have been coerced is forgiving".

I'm sooo sorry this is off topic, but just so that this doesnt explode into more trouble. The idea is (And allah knows best):

In war situations gang rape is unfortunately such a grizzly and often occurring incident, in order for the woman to not be exposed to such a situation, Allah gave permission for only one man to take custody of her. He is the only one that has a right to her and no one else, just so that anything of the sort is prevented.

It would be illogical to say "yeh you can stay with her but don't get involved into anything physical", because Allah knows that's a temptation beyond resistance for most people, so he gave that permission. Hence why Allah doesn't permit for a guy and a girl to be alone together if they're not married, or if there's no one else around.

As with male slaves, the laws regarding female slaves are equally strict, infact even more strict, if the woman is harmed in anyway, that's an automatic ticket to her freedom, also if the man has a child from her, then she is not allowed to be sold and is a free woman when the father dies. The child is free from the beginning, (In islam children are not born into slavery).

here's a good article: Slavery: Islamic and Christian Perspectives

anyway, sorry to be so off topic...

[HeiGou]

i think the thing is going way off topic
HeiGou, i don't quite know what you're talking about.
But in Islam, you can have sexual relation with a Jariah if you have one,

I don't think it is going off=topic, or at least perhaps it is not yet. The story I heard regarding this verse was that Muhammed promised not to have sexual relations with Mariya, but did anyway and got caught. Thus the sex was the thing mentioned in the first part that was legal but which, to please his wives, he promised not to do. Clearly something upset Hafsa and it could not merely have been the fact that Muhammed was having sex with another woman as they all lived in a polygamous society.

Jariah is kinda like a female slave ('3abd is a male slave)... (its the closeset i can think of, but its not the slave that we hear of these days, there's very specific rules about how they ought to be treated etc).

OK. So he got caught have sex with one of his slaves?

besides that, i think that incident is off topic, might wanna start a new thread. If what you said is true, then Allah has intervened with those verses and made the matter clear.

It is still not clear to me what happened - and I always assumed that what I heard was a Christian story which was, shall we say, embellished. But if it is a specific case of lying to a wife, then it is both Sunna and on topic isn't it?

I am hoping Ansar will step in at some point and explain exactly what happened.

[Muslim Soldier]

well thank you for the defintion of jariah.

I was just wondering why the prophet's wife got angry after the prophet had sexual relations with the jariah?

[Muslim Soldier]

OK. So he got caught have sex with one of his slaves?

thats not right!
Firstly I personally dont think this fairy tale to be authentic.
Secondly it was legal .

[lolwatever]

"I don't think it is going off=topic, or at least perhaps it is not yet. The story I heard regarding this verse was that Muhammed promised not to have sexual relations with Mariya, but did anyway and got caught. Thus the sex was the thing mentioned in the first part that was legal but which, to please his wives, he promised not to do. Clearly something upset Hafsa and it could not merely have been the fact that Muhammed was having sex with another woman as they all lived in a polygamous society."

HeiGou could you quote the reference to what you're referring to? As i mentioned i don't know what you're referring to. Does anyone over here have an authentic reference to what HeiGou is talking about? much appreciated if you could plug the text here... i think this is going to endup off topic.

[HeiGou]

thats not right!
Firstly I personally dont think this fairy tale to be authentic.
Secondly it was legal .

I agree it was legal - and the first part of the verse says Muhammed in order to pelase his wives promised not to do something that was legal. For which God reprimanded him. The question is what. Now this may be a fairy tale, but there must be thousands of works on explaining what this verse means and how it was revealed. God talked to Muhammed. Everything He says is important. Do you know the circumstances in which this verse was revealed? Interestingly, and I don't know what the Muslim position is, doesn't this Sura suggest that God told Muhammed things that were not in the Quran?

[HeiGou]

HeiGou could you quote the reference to what you're referring to? As i mentioned i don't know what you're referring to. Does anyone over here have an authentic reference to what HeiGou is talking about? much appreciated if you could plug the text here... i think this is going to endup off topic.

Well I quoted the Sura. The problem is I am not sure that I could tell an Islamic site from a very clever anti-Islamic site. I have been burnt before. And I am quite happy with the level of my demerits as they are. I do not care to add to them. So if this is not widely known and easily answered by Muslims, I am happy to leave it well alone before I get banned.

[Noora_z3]

HeiGou
The story I heard regarding this verse was that Muhammed promised not to have sexual relations with Mariya, but did anyway and got caught. Thus the sex was the thing mentioned in the first part that was legal but which, to please his wives, he promised not to do. Clearly something upset Hafsa and it could not merely have been the fact that Muhammed was having sex with another woman as they all lived in a polygamous society.

First of All bro, u got the story bit wrong, Prophet Muhammad didnt make any promise in the begnning, actually non of his wife knew bout him having sextual relations with Mariyah, wat happend is, as follow:

Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him was at Hafsa's, she asked his permission to visite her parents, so he agreed. Wen she left he called Mariyah n had sextual relaition with her, Hafsa came back n found Maryah in her house (she didnt knew or any one else at that point that Prophet Muhammad has a jariah). So she got very jealous n said to the Prophet that you brought her to my house n used my own bed?! I see that u only did that coz I am not so valued by u. So rpophet Muhammad peace be upon him didnt like to hurt her, so he made an oath that He wont do it again (wont sleep with Maryah again). N he ordered her not to tell any one bout this, asked her to keep it a secret.
But the minute Prophet Muhammad left her, she went to Aysha n told her the whole story.

066.001
YUSUFALI: O Prophet! Why holdest thou to be forbidden that which Allah has made lawful to thee? Thou seekest to please thy consorts. But Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

This verse refers to the fact that Prophet Muhammad prohibite something on himself which is permitted just to please his wives. (u got it right here)

066.002
YUSUFALI: Allah has already ordained for you, (O men), the dissolution of your oaths (in some cases): and Allah is your Protector, and He is Full of Knowledge and Wisdom.

N here Allah says to Muhammad that He already ordained for you, the dissolution of your oaths (promise which wouldnt be pleasing to Allah or promises that cant be fulllfilled)

066.003
YUSUFALI: When the Prophet disclosed a matter in confidence to one of his consorts, and she then divulged it (to another), and Allah made it known to him, he confirmed part thereof and repudiated a part. Then when he told her thereof, she said, "Who told thee this? "He said, "He told me Who knows and is well-acquainted (with all things)."

here Allah is stating but not in so much detail the story which caused the first 2 verses to be revealed n the whole chapter in this matter.
(When the Prophet disclosed a matter in confidence) the matter discolosed is that he is having sextual relaitinoship with Mariayh, which he didnt disclose it to any one before Hafsa found her in her house.

(to one of his consorts) That is to his Wife Hafsa.

(and Allah made it known to him) Allah send his angel Jebrail n infromed Muhammad that his wife disclosed the secret to Aysha.

(he confirmed part thereof and repudiated a part) first of All, this is not an accurate transelation of the verse, I think this is wat made u get all confused. I was referring to the Arabic Tafsir n found that this transelation u used is not right, so I am using another transelation which is more accurate.
(He made known part of it and ignored a part) Which means that wen prophet Muhammad was informed that his secret got out, he went to Hafsa n told her that he knew that she discolosed his secret. He didnt mention to Hafsa all that she said to Aysha, he mentioned a part of the dsiclosed secret n ignored the other part which she also disclosed.

Then when he told her thereof, she said, "Who told thee this? "He said, "He told me Who knows and is well-acquainted (with all things)."

So she was surprised n asked him who told u this?! she wanted to make sure if Aysha is the one who told prophet Muhammad or not. heanswerd that he was infromed by Allah.

So the reason of the revelation was stated by Allah after ordering Muhammad to break his promise.

bro HeiGou, I hope I managed to make u understand this matter, in short Prophet Muhammad didnt lie, after he was cought he promised Hafsa that he wont get close to Maryah again, so Allah revealed that he shouldnt make promises just to please his wives, based on that his promise is invalied in the first place. Now did prophet Muhammad after the revelation of this verse n fter all his wives knew bout this story slept again with Maryah?! thats I dont know, need to do some research.

[Nicola]

How many wives had Mohammed got at the time...when he was caught with his slave?

[Noora_z3]

thats not right!
Firstly I personally dont think this fairy tale to be authentic.
Secondly it was legal .

Bro, wat we personally think or feel got nothing to do with it. This story was authinticated by many Mufassireen.

[lolwatever]

Interesting, never knew about that Noora, so That'sssss what the verse was referring to... i can almost swear i heard something of some sort some looooooong time back about it
thanks for the information :)

[Muslim Soldier]

Interesting, never knew about that Noora, so That'sssss what the verse was referring to... i can almost swear i heard something of some sort some looooooong time back about it
thanks for the information :)

Its a fairy tale

[lolwatever]

Fairy tale? Fairies narrated the story?

[lolwatever]

ok b4 anyone thinks im a nitwit, i was just being cynical there...
Muslim Soldier, you can't just go labelling incidents as fairy tales because they don't appeal to you.

The prophet is a role model for us, he's a practical example that we should follow. There where many incidents similar to this where Allah SWT made a point out of some of the prophets actions and corrected him, so that we can learn from a live scene.

The prophet was a human just like us, he ate, married and done normal thigns that any normal person would do. Allah also corrected the prophet in the case of the Blind man (Ibn Umm Maktoom), as well as in the case of the prisoners of the Battle of Badr as well as a fwe other cases.

We can't just brush them aside as being fairy tales, because they are documented authentic narrations. Muslim's have a pretty strict methodology in authenticating narrations and stories, so much so that even some of the famous "mustash-riqeen" (people who try learn about the religion to find faults in it) said "Let the Muslims boast as much as they want about their techniques of narration validation".

The hadith that Noora posted doesnt at all imply that the prophet was bad or anything, it just describes how Hafsa got jealous of the prophet for engaging in a relation with Maryah during the time that was suppose to be for her, and so the prophet (trying to please Hafsa) promised he won't do such thing any more, And Allah intervened and corrected the situation.

Because if the prophet's statement was not corrected, Muslims might think that having intercourse with their jariyah is a sin or something of that sort, and people who come after might even try to pick on the prophet and accuse him of wrong things, so Allah with his wisdom cleared the situation from the very beginning in order for the case to be clear as daylight.

[HeiGou]

bro HeiGou, I hope I managed to make u understand this matter, in short Prophet Muhammad didnt lie, after he was cought he promised Hafsa that he wont get close to Maryah again, so Allah revealed that he shouldnt make promises just to please his wives, based on that his promise is invalied in the first place. Now did prophet Muhammad after the revelation of this verse n fter all his wives knew bout this story slept again with Maryah?! thats I dont know, need to do some research.

Just in case there is some confusion I am not a Muslim. Just thought I would point that out.

I don't really understand this matter to be honest. The more I think about it, the more questions I have. One that leaps to mind is why was the promise so wrong? Husbands can promise in their wedding contracts not to marry again. Can't they promise not to sleep with any slave girls they may have? Those promises are legally binding aren't they? Was Muhammed obligated to sleep with Mariya - or indeed with every woman he was legally allowed to? I do not understand that at all. But as I said, I think my contribution to this has gone on long enough.

Wasn't Mariya the mother of his son Ibrahim? If so that would suggest something.

[lolwatever]

Heigou

I don't know if Mariya was the mother of Ibrahim (i think she was, cant recall xactly tho).

About your quesiton "Was Muhammed obligated to sleep with Mariya - or indeed with every woman he was legally allowed to?"

The prophet did spend one night at each of his wives places as the hadith's do indicate, that's from a justice point of view (if you're going to marry more than one, you need to treat each wife equally as far as provision you provide them, time allocated to them, gifts you give, etc etc). It definately doesn't mean he had to have a relationship which each of them on each night!

As far as the Prophets oath was concerned, Allah said "lima tuharrimu maa ahallalahu lak" - Why do you forbid what Allah has made permissible for you... So it's not so much that the prophet just refused to sleep with her, but he considered it forbidden.

From another point of view, what prophets do is more than a matter of whether they do it or not, it is the basis for whether something can be considered makrooh (disliked - almost like a sin) or mubah (permissible) or mustahabb (recomended), so when the prophet refused to eat garlic or onion, it was the basis for them two things being makrooh, and when the prophet disagreed with Umar in the battle of badr that too could have lended to the case of war prisoners being given capital punishment as makrooh.

So Allah intervened to make sure that the likewise would not happen in both situations, He sent a verse correcting the prophet about making an oath to be fully removed from the Jariah, as well as a verse correcting the prophet about thinking that capital punishment wasn't the best solution in the battle of badr. And notice the prophet didnt say to Hafsa "I won't sleep with her during your time anymore", he promised to never get near her again. So they're two very different promises, each carrying a different implication.


Yes Muslims can specify things in their contracts as you mentioned.

I told you this was going to endup off topic if we didnt make it a new thread [grin]

[Ansar Al-'Adl]

Hello HeiGou,

Ahh but at least it is on-topic this time!

In my opinion it isn't so I've split the thread and left the discussion on lying where it was; the discussion on this incident has been moved here.

Concerning the incident you mention:

Question: Assalamu Alaykum, I have heard some people circulating a story concerning Surah Tahrim that the Prophet Muhammad pbuh promised Hafsa that he would not have relations with Mariya, but then Hafsa caught him doing so, and then Allah revealed Surah Tahrim concerning this, saying that he was allowed to deceive his wives and break his promises. Is there any basis for this story or is it a fabrication and slander? What is the truth concerning this matter? JazakAllah khayr

Answered by the Fatw&#226; Department Research Committee of IslamToday chaired by Sheikh `Abd al-Wahh&#226;b al-Turayr&#238;

This story is incorrectly described in your question. The Prophet (peace be upon him) was divinely protected from falling into sin. Those who claim the Prophet (peace be upon him) promised Hafsah something and then deceived her behind her back are telling the gravest of lies.

The Qur'&#226;n clearly states: "Why do you forbid that which Allah has allowed to you, seeking to please your wives?" [S&#251;rah al-Tahr&#238;m: 1]

This verse lets us know that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was not involved in anything unlawful. Moreover, these verses tell him to break his oath and openly go back to doing what he had been doing before!

Scholars of tafs&#238;r differ as to what the incident is that the verse is referring to.

Al-Tabar&#238; relates that one view on the matter is that the problem between his wives involved M&#226;riyah the Copt, of whom Hafsah was supposedly jealous. According to them, the Prophet (peace be upon him) swore never to approach M&#226;riyah again in order to please Hafsah. This was narrated from Zayd b. Aslam, Masr&#251;q, al-Dahh&#226;k, and others.

Therefore, the Prophet (peace be upon him) had not promised Hafsah anything and then acted behind her back. He swore he would not approach M&#226;riyah and he did not approach her after that until after Allah had reprimanded him in the verse.

Historians disagree whether M&#226;riyah was married to Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) or whether she was his slave girl, though the strongest view is that he had married her. Either way, she was lawful to him according to the laws of Islam. She was a gift from the governor of Egypt to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and she had most certainly accepted Islam. She was the mother of his son Ibr&#226;h&#238;m.

Other scholars say the issue being referred to is a beverage that the Prophet (peace be upon him) liked to drink. This is narrated from `Abd Allah b. Shid&#226;d and Ibn Ab&#238; Mulaykah.

After mentioning these views, al-Tabar&#238; concludes: 'The correct thing to say is that the Prophet (peace be upon him) had forbidden for himself something that Allah had made permissible - it might be his slave girl, a beverage, or something else - in any event was a situation where he made something unlawful that was lawful for him - so Allah rebuked him for making unlawful upon himself what He had made lawful for him and explained to him how to expiate for his oath that he had made to prohibit that thing upon himself.' [Tafs&#238;r al-Tabar&#238; (12/150)]

We hope this answer has clarified to you the source of the confusion and the nature of the distortion that has been made by those who claim that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was involved in any deception.

And Allah knows best.

I am hoping Ansar will step in at some point and explain exactly what happened.

Well here I am. There is no doubt that the story in the manner that you have conveyed it is distorted and incorrect - most significant is the point that in bold in the above fatwa. The idea that he was 'caught' doing something is incorrect.

Regards

[HeiGou]

[Al-Tabarî relates that one view on the matter is that the problem between his wives involved Mâriyah the Copt, of whom Hafsah was supposedly jealous. According to them, the Prophet (peace be upon him) swore never to approach Mâriyah again in order to please Hafsah. This was narrated from Zayd b. Aslam, Masrûq, al-Dahhâk, and others.

Therefore, the Prophet (peace be upon him) had not promised Hafsah anything and then acted behind her back. He swore he would not approach Mâriyah and he did not approach her after that until after Allah had reprimanded him in the verse.

Well thank you for moving it and providing your usual exhaustive reply. Well not as exhaustive as usual - I am afraid I have one question, the first passage here seems to contradict the second passage. I know Tabari is not much of a source and this Forum in particular really does not like him, but that clearly says that Muhammed did promise Hafsa something - never to approach Mariya again. Now I can understand it if Tabari is just wrong, but putting these two passages together seems odd. May I ask you to clarify whether that first passage is, as obviously must be the case, wrong?

After mentioning these views, al-Tabarî concludes: 'The correct thing to say is that the Prophet (peace be upon him) had forbidden for himself something that Allah had made permissible - it might be his slave girl, a beverage, or something else - in any event was a situation where he made something unlawful that was lawful for him - so Allah rebuked him for making unlawful upon himself what He had made lawful for him and explained to him how to expiate for his oath that he had made to prohibit that thing upon himself.' [Tafsîr al-Tabarî (12/150)]

Although it still makes the general case seem odd. Suppose that Muhammed did make something lawful unlawful through an oath and God rebuked him for it. Does that mean that anything lawful was, essentially, complusory for Muhammed? What could he lawfully promise to do? It is an issue because husbands, I am told, can promise not to take a second wife in the wedding contracts. This seems similar to me in that it makes the lawful (polygamy) unlawful. And yet, obviously, such contracts are lawful. So I am a little confused about the logic of that - why isn't it wrong for any man to make unlawful something that is lawful for him?

There is no doubt that the story in the manner that you have conveyed it is distorted and incorrect - most significant is the point that in bold in the above fatwa. The idea that he was 'caught' doing something is incorrect.

Well it is close to Tabari's first account, but it was distorted. Clearly.

And as I said, thank you for the clarification.

[Ansar Al-'Adl]

Hello HeiGou,

I am afraid I have one question, the first passage here seems to contradict the second passage. I know Tabari is not much of a source and this Forum in particular really does not like him, but that clearly says that Muhammed did promise Hafsa something - never to approach Mariya again. Now I can understand it if Tabari is just wrong, but putting these two passages together seems odd. May I ask you to clarify whether that first passage is, as obviously must be the case, wrong?

Take another look at the fatwa:

Al-Tabar&#238; relates that one view on the matter is that the problem between his wives involved M&#226;riyah the Copt, of whom Hafsah was supposedly jealous. According to them, the Prophet (peace be upon him) swore never to approach M&#226;riyah again in order to please Hafsah. This was narrated from Zayd b. Aslam, Masr&#251;q, al-Dahh&#226;k, and others.

Therefore, the Prophet (peace be upon him) had NOT promised Hafsah anything AND THEN ACTED BEHIND HER BACK. He swore he would not approach M&#226;riyah and he did not approach her after that until after Allah had reprimanded him in the verse.

So according to this story the Prophet swore never to approach M&#226;riyah in order to please Hafsah, and he did not break this oath and deceive her. Instead, the divine revelation came from God dissolving the oath and reprimanding him for making unlawful what God had made lawful. So there is no contradiction between the two paragraphs. Both affirm that the Prophet made a promise to Hafsah for which he was reprimanded by God.

And just to correct another issue in your post,

I know Tabari is not much of a source and this Forum in particular really does not like him

This is not true. Im&#226;m Ibn Jar&#238;r At-Tabar&#238; was one of the greatest Muslim scholars who gave excellent contributions to Tafs&#238;r, jurisprudence and history - the thing is people misunderstand the intent of his works. Imam At-Tabar&#238; says

Let him who examines this book of mine know that I have relied, as regards everything I mention therein which I stipulate to be described by me, solely upon what has been transmitted to me by way of reports which I cite therein and traditions which I ascribe to their narrators, to the exclusion of what may be apprehended by rational argument or deduced by the human mind, except in very few cases. This is because knowledge of the reports of men of the past and of contemporaneous views of men of the present do not reach the one who has not witnessed them nor lived in their times except through the accounts of reporters and the transmission of transmitters, to the exclusion of rational deduction and mental inference. Hence, if I mention in this book a report about some men of the past, which the reader of listener finds objectionable or worthy of censure because he can see no aspect of truth nor any factual substance therein, let him know that this is not to be attributed to us but to those who transmitted it to us and we have merely passed this on as it has been passed on to us. (T&#226;r&#238;kh al-Tabar&#238;, vol.1 pp. 13.)

Although it still makes the general case seem odd. Suppose that Muhammed did make something lawful unlawful through an oath and God rebuked him for it. Does that mean that anything lawful was, essentially, complusory for Muhammed? What could he lawfully promise to do? It is an issue because husbands, I am told, can promise not to take a second wife in the wedding contracts. This seems similar to me in that it makes the lawful (polygamy) unlawful. And yet, obviously, such contracts are lawful. So I am a little confused about the logic of that - why isn't it wrong for any man to make unlawful something that is lawful for him?

First, the Prophet Muhammad pbuh had not made any such contract with Hafsa. Second, he was not compelled to have relations, the issue was that he had made it prohibited for himself to do such through his oath, not that he simply chose not to.

If it is still unclear, let me know and I will go into more depth, inshaa'Allah.

[Mohsin]

:sl:
i think Hei-Gou was asking for us people, how is it that a contract can be made that we cant have more than one wife, isn't that making something lawful from allah unlawful