In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
THE PROPHET’S (PBUH) WIVES
Many orientalists and preachers still claim that Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) married more than one woman because he was after physical pleasure. And they keep propagating their lies. Here we are going to clarify this misconception.
I. A LOOK AT THE PROPHET’S BIOGRAPHY..
A study of the prophet’s biography and character shows clearly that:
Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was quite indifferent to (he didn’t care about) the luxuries of this world. He lived an ascetic life. For example:
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He had simple clothes on, a simple bed and utensils.
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His meals never exceeded one course (1kind of food).
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He didn’t keep for himself any of the money that poured from taxes or gifts
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Nobody can deny that the heavy responsibilities of the Message consumed the efforts of the prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), occupied his time and possessed his heart and brain.
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He received the revelation, memorized it then dictated it.
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He spent the day teaching the Muslims and acting as their leader and their judge and leading them in prayers 5 times a day.
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His night was devoted to Allah, his prostrations were so lengthy that they thought he was dead! and he performed night prayers to the extent that his feet used to swell!
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He prepared for one war after the other to defend Islam.
Could he then have spare time to marry several wives as a lustful man would do? If this was his nature, why didn’t he do that before The Message when he didn’t carry any of its responsibilities?
All his wives –except AlSayeda Aisha- were either widows or divorced and most of them were elderly women. He could have chosen beautiful girls or virgins if he wanted. This proves that he was not after physical pleasure.
II . A DETAILED STUDY OF HIS MARRIAGES
1. Al Sayeda Khadija :
Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) married her at the age of 25 (had he been after pleasure, he would have married before that age or at least have sinned before marriage) when he traded for her and she admired his honesty. She was at least 15 years older than him. Notice the big age difference!)
During his happy marriage, he used to leave his home for several nights spending them in meditation and devotion in the cave of Hira.
For 25 years the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) lived with Al Sayed Khadija without asking for another wife, when polygamy was a common practice, when he was still young, and she was getting older.
He remained loyal to her all his life and even after her death, he always remembered her, loved her and praised her.
In some of His marriages, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), has hoped to provide compensation for the loss of men during Jihad as well as encouraging them. In some other cases he aimed at consolidation and support. Such marriages were
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Help for the widow and her children
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An exapmle to be followed by other Muslims
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Giving the warriors security as to the future of their wives and children, knowing that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and the Muslims would take care of them, in case they were killed in the war, to encourage them in fighting and defending Islam.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) married the following women for this reason:
2. Al Sayeda Sawda Bent Zam’a:
She was among the first women to embrace Islam. Her husband died when they came back to Mecca after the emigration to Abbyssinia. She was an old, heavy, slow woman, and could have never found a suitable man to marry her, especially that she was of an honourable family. Meanwhile she couldn’t return to her people after becoming a Muslim against their wish!
The marriage was to protect her against the persecution of her harsh people, to honour her for her efforts in keeping Islam and a consolidation to her for the loss of her husband.
3. Al Sayeda Umm Salamah :
She was one of the first converts to Islam. She and her husband were among the first immigrants to Abyssinia then Madina. Her husband was killed in Uhud.
When her husband died, she was advanced in age and had many children. Abu Bakr and Omar proposed to her, but she refused because of her age and children. so the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) decided to marry her.
4. Al Sayeda Zainab Bent Khozaima:
She was neither pretty nor young when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) married her, after her husband died in the battle-field. He married her to protect her, be kind to her children and compensate for the loss of her husband.
5. Al Sayeda Omm Habiba Bent Abu Sofian:
She embraced Islam against the wish of her father, and when she emigrated to Abyssinia with her husband, he converted to Christianity there and deserted her after she refused to follow him.
Her father was one of the strongest enemies of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), so how would he reward a woman who becomes a Muslim under such conditions?
He decided to marry her to reward her and protect her.
Some of his marriages were to declare (announce) a new law of Islam.. as in these 2 cases:
6. Maria the Copt:
She was sent to him personally by Al Muqauqas (the governor of Alexandria and Egypt) as a present in response to the Companion the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sent to him to invite him to Islam.
The Prophet could neither send her back nor offer her to somebody else. Marrying her was an advantage to Islam.
And also to be an example of a Muslim marrying a believer in the scriptures (Ahl-Al-Kitab).
7. Al Sayeda Zainab Bint Jahsh
This marriage was an order to Muhammed (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that came through revelation, to stop what was a custom among the Arabs forbidding the father to marry the ex-wife of his adopted son, considering her to be in the same position as the wife of a son.
Prophet Muhammed (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) married her to confirm the Quranic order and as a kind of compensation to her for submitting to the decree of Allah and his Messenger by accepting to marry Zaid against her wish.
Sometimes his marriage was to honour families eager to be related to him and bring them closer to his heart and make them more loyal to Allah and his Messenger. As in the following cases:
8. Al Sayeda Aisha:
The marriage of the Prophet Muhammed (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to Al Sayeda Aisha was for the sake of friendship and to create a comfortable atmosphere in the Messenger’s house (since he was married only to Sawda, who was old and she relieved him from any obligations to her). This marriage was for the benefit of Islam and Muslims because Aisha was one of the best narrators of Hadith due to her cleverness and comprehending abilities.
9. Al Sayeda Hafsa:
He married her to honour Omar Ibn Al Khattab, his second supporter and to keep brotherly relations among the Prophet’s Prophet Muhammed (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) friends, as an act of soothing whatever hard feelings Omar might have had as a result of the refusal of his two friends Abu Bakr and Othman to marry his daughter.
Some of his marriages were to establish relationships that would support and strengthen Islam. As his marriage to :
10. Maymouna Bent Al Harith:
This woman had connections and relationships with so many important people and noble men, so her alliance would be support and benefit to Islam.
Besides that, this woman offered herself to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) through his uncle Al Abbas, and a revelation was sent to him telling him that he could marry her if he wanted. “… and any believing woman who dedicates her soul to the Prophet if the Prophet wishes to wed her;- this only for thee, and not for the Believers (at large) …” (The Qur’an 33:50)
Some marriages were to compensate captives and protect them from going back to the non-Muslims. As for:
11. Safiya Bint Hoyay
Her father was the chief of Bani Al Nodeir. She was a Jewess married twice to Jews. She was among the captives of Khaibar. And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asked her to choose between going back to her folk or to be set free and marry him. She preferred to marry him.
So, as a conclusion, the marriage of Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was for the sake of religion and not for worldly pleasures. It was wisdom and not passion that determined his decision to establish the new religion and help spread it.