Ibn Majah

Commentary:
(1)
The purpose of mentioning this hadith in this chapter is to establish that Allah, the Exalted, is As-Sami‘ (the All-Hearing), and hearing is His attribute. However, Allah’s attributes are not like the attributes of the creation. Not even the faintest sound is outside His knowledge, because, like His other attributes, His attribute of hearing is also unlimited.

(2)
The woman mentioned in this hadith and verse is Khawlah radi Allahu anha, the daughter of Malik ibn Tha‘labah. Her husband, Aws ibn Samit radi Allahu anhu, had performed zihar with her. At that time, the ruling regarding the invalidation of zihar had not yet been revealed, so the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “You have become unlawful for your husband.” She presented her circumstances, explaining that separation would cause many difficulties, and she supplicated to Allah, the Exalted. Then Allah, the Exalted, revealed its solution in Surah Al-Mujadilah. (Sunan Abi Dawud, At-Talaq, Chapter on Zihar, Hadith: 2214)

(3)
Zihar means to make one’s wife unlawful for oneself by likening her to one’s mother, for example: A man says to his wife, “You are to me like my mother.” Before Islam, in such a case, the relationship between the man and woman would be severed forever, and the wife would actually be considered equal to the mother. In Surah Al-Mujadilah, it is made clear that by calling one’s wife a mother, she does not become a mother, but saying so is a sinful act. This sin can be expiated by freeing a slave; if that is not possible, then by fasting for two consecutive months, and if there is a break in between, the count must start anew. If even this is not possible, then by feeding sixty needy people. Until this expiation (kaffarah) is fulfilled, the husband and wife are not permitted to have conjugal relations.

(4)
Some people call a non-mahram woman their mother, sister, or daughter, or a woman calls a man her brother or son, even though there is no real relationship of mahram (unmarriageable kin) between them. Then, on the basis of this so-called relationship, the rules of hijab are neglected between them. All of this is wrong and, according to the Shari‘ah, sinful, from which it is necessary to abstain and to repent.

(5)
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was bound by the command of Allah; he could not declare anything lawful or unlawful by his own will. When revelation was sent down, he conveyed the ruling.