Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … The complete verse is: {وَاِذْ تَقُوْلُ لِلَّذِیْٓ اَنْعَمَ اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَاَنْعَمْتَ عَلَیْہِ اَمْسِکْ عَلَیْکَ زَوْجَکَ وَاتَّقِ اللّٰہَ وَتُخْفِیْ فِیْ نَفْسِکَ مَا اللّٰہُ مُبْدِیْہِ وَتَخْشَی النَّاسَ وَاللّٰہُ اَحَقُّ اَنْ تَخْشٰـیہُ فَلَمَّا قَضٰی زَیْدٌ مِّنْہَا وَطَرًا زَوَّجْنٰکَہَا لِکَیْ لَا یَکُوْنَ عَلَی الْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ حَرَجٌ فِیْٓ اَزْوَاجِ اَدْعِیَایِہِمْ اِذَا قَضَوْا مِنْہُنَّ وَطَرًا وَکَانَ اَمْرُ اللّٰہِ مَفْعُوْلًا۔} (Surah Al-Ahzab: 37) “And [remember, O Muhammad], when you said to the one upon whom Allah bestowed favor and you [also] bestowed favor, ‘Keep your wife to yourself and fear Allah,’ while you concealed within yourself that which Allah is to disclose. And you feared the people, while Allah has more right that you fear Him. So when Zayd had no longer any need for her, We married her to you in order that there not be upon the believers any discomfort concerning the wives of their adopted sons when they no longer have need of them. And ever is the command of Allah accomplished.”

The meaning of this chapter is as follows: Sayyiduna Zayd ibn Harithah radi Allahu anhu, who, although originally an Arab, was forcibly captured as a child and sold as a slave. When Khadijah radi Allahu anha married the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, she gifted this slave to him. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam freed him and adopted him as his son. Later, he married his paternal cousin, Sayyidah Zaynab radi Allahu anha, to Sayyiduna Zayd radi Allahu anhu. Nevertheless, a difference in temperament remained; the wife’s temperament was imbued with family lineage and nobility, while Sayyiduna Zayd radi Allahu anhu bore the stigma of slavery. Thus, discord persisted between them, which Zayd radi Allahu anhu would mention to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and would indicate his intention to divorce. However, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would prevent him from divorcing and would advise him to maintain the marriage. Meanwhile, Allah Ta’ala had already informed the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam through revelation of the prophecy that divorce from Zayd would inevitably occur, and after that, Zaynab would be married to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. This was so that a decisive blow could be dealt to the pre-Islamic custom of adopting sons, making it clear that an adopted son is not like a real son in the rulings of the Shari’ah, and that marriage to the divorced wife of an adopted son is permissible. These verses allude to these matters. The matter concealed in the heart was precisely this, which had been revealed to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam by way of revelation regarding his marriage to Zaynab radi Allahu anha. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam feared that people would say he had married his daughter-in-law, even though, since Allah Ta’ala intended to abolish this custom through the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, there was no need to fear the people. It should be noted that this fear of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was natural, but even so, he was admonished. Since Allah Ta’ala mentioned even this natural fear of the Prophet, Sayyidah A’ishah radi Allahu anha said that if the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam were to have concealed any revelation, he would have concealed these verses. The marriage of Sayyidah Zaynab radi Allahu anha, contrary to the usual method, was established solely by Allah’s command—that is, without a marriage ceremony, guardianship, dowry, or witnesses. Therefore, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam went to Sayyidah Zaynab radi Allahu anha without permission, because according to the heavenly decree, she had already become his wife. Subhan Allah! What a great honor this is for the Lady.