Woman Lawful in Marriage for the Holy Prophet

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘O Holy prophet, we have made your wives lawful for you’ (33:50) and that how many wives has He made lawful for him (the Holy Prophet)? He (the Imam) said, ‘As many as he wanted were lawful for him? I then asked about His words, ‘Thereafter women are not lawful for you and it also is not lawful to exchange with wives? (33:53) He (the Imam) said, ‘The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, had permission to marry as many as he wanted of the daughters of his uncle, daughters of his aunts, daughters of his maternal uncles daughters of his maternal aunts and his wives who migrated with him and it was made lawful for him to marry whoever of believing women presented themselves to him without mahr (dower) as a gift and that such a gift is not lawful for people other than the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause. For people other than the Messenger of Allah marriage without mahr (dower) is not valid and that is the meaning of the words of the most High, “and a believing woman who gifts herself to the Holy Prophet?’ (33:49) I then asked about the meaning of His words, ‘You can defer whoever you like and accommodate whoever you like? (33:51) He (the Imam) said, ‘Whoever came forward he married and those who did not he did not marry? I then asked about the meaning of, ‘Thereafter women are not lawful for you? He (the Imam) said, ‘It refers to the women mentioned in this verse, “Unlawful to you for marriage are your mothers, daughters, sisters . . ?’ (4:23) Had it been as they say it is, it became lawful for you those who are not lawful for him, that one of you could exchange whenever he wanted but it is not as they say. Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, made it lawful for His Holy prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, whatever he wanted of women except those unlawful in this verse? (4:23)”

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘Other than these women are not lawful or to exchange wives even though their beauty may attract you except what your right hands possess?(33:52) He (the Imam) said, ‘I see that you think it is lawful for you what is unlawful for the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, when Allah, most High has made lawful for His Messenger, to marry as many as he wanted. He has said, “other than these ‘woman’” are not lawful for you after that he has made unlawful to you meaning the “women” mentioned in the following verse, “Unlawful to you for marriage are your mothers, daughters . . .” (4:23)’”

“We once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘How many women were lawful for the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause. He (the Imam) said, ‘As many as he (the Messenger of Allah) wanted’ - making a hand gesture by keeping it closed he (the Imam) said - ‘it was lawful for him.’”

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, to His the Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, ‘O prophet, we have made your wives lawful for you.’ (33:50) and that how many wives has He made lawful for him (the Holy Prophet)? He (the Imam) said, ‘As many as he wanted were lawful for him.’ I then asked about His words, ‘. . . and the believing woman who gifts herself for the Holy Prophet,’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Such a gift is not lawful for people, except the Messenger of Allah; people other than the Messenger of Allah cannot marry without mahr (dower); it is not valid.’ I then asked about the meaning of ‘. . . thereafter women are not lawful for you.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It refers to the women mentioned in this verse, “Unlawful to you for marriage are your mothers, daughters, sisters . . .” (4:23) Had it been as they say it is, those who are not lawful for him became lawful for you, that one of you could exchange whenever he wanted. It is not as they say. Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, made it lawful for His Holy prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, as many as he wanted of women except those unlawful in this verse (4:23). The Messenger of Allah had permission to marry as many as he wanted of women except those unlawful in this verse (4:23).’”

“The names of the wives of the Holy Prophet, were: ‘A’ishah, Hafsah, ‘Umm Habib daughter of abu Sufyan ibn Harb, Zaynab daughter of Jahash, Sawdah daughter of Zam‘ah, Maymunah daughter of al- Harith, Safiyah daughter of Hay ibn Akhtab, ‘Umm Salamah daughter of abu ‘Umayyah and Juwayriyah daughter of al-Harith. ‘A’ishah was from the tribe of Tamim, Hafsah from the tribe of ‘Adiy, ‘Umm Salamah was from the tribe of Banu Makhzum. Sawdah was from the tribe of Banu Asad ibn ‘Abd al-‘Uzza’, Zaynab daughter of Jahash was from the tribe of Banu Asad, certain ones were from Banu ‘Umayyah, ‘Umm Habib daughter of Abu Sufyan was from the tribe of banu ‘Umayyah, Maymunah daughter of al-Harith was from the tribe of banu Hilal and Safiyah daughter Hay Akhtab was from banu Israel. He (the Messenger of Allah), O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, died and he had nine wives. Besides these, there were those who had given themselves as a gift to the Holy Prophet. Khadijah daughter of Khuwaylid was (his first wife and) the mother of his children. Also of his wives were Zaynab daughter of Abu al-Jawn who was deceived and al-Kindiyah.”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘The Messenger of Allah (saww) did not marry a second wife in Khadijah’s lifetime.’”

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘The Messenger of Allah married ‘Umm Salamah and she was given in marriage to him (the Messenger of Allah) by ‘Umar ibn abu Salmah who was small and was not mature yet.’”

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the meaning of the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘Thereafter women are not lawful for you. . . (33:53) He (the Imam) said, ‘Unlawful for him were the women mentioned in the verse, "Unlawful for you to marry are your mothers, daughters. . .” (4:23) Had it been as they say it is, those who are not lawful for him became lawful for you, that one of you could exchange whenever he wanted. It is not as they say. Ahadith of Ale Muhammad (SAW), are different from the Ahadith of people. Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, made it lawful for His Holy prophet to marry as many as he wanted of women except those unlawful in this verse (4:23).’”