Mu'jam Kabir Tabarani 11639 — In the time of ignorance, zihar used

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: In the time of ignorance, zihar used to make women unlawful (to their husbands). The first to pronounce zihar in Islam was Aws bin al-Salt, and his wife was Khuwaylah bint Khuwaylid (may Allah be pleased with her). The man was weak and the woman was strong-willed (and courageous). When he uttered the words of zihar, (Aws) said: I think that you have now become unlawful to me. Go to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him); perhaps you will find something by which you may return to me. So she set off, and he (Aws) sat by the edge of the well waiting for her. Khuwaylah came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) while a woman who combed hair was combing his (peace and blessings be upon him) head. She said: O Messenger of Allah, Aws bin al-Samit, whose weak judgement and helplessness you know, has pronounced zihar on me, O Messenger of Allah. And the one most deserving of repaying whoever has done her a kindness is I, if it is I; or, if he has it, let him do me a kindness. O Messenger of Allah, he has pronounced zihar on me, so find some way by which he may return to me; may my father and mother be sacrificed for you. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Khuwaylah, we have not yet been given any command concerning your matter; if we are given a command, I will tell you." His (peace and blessings be upon him) hair-comber had just finished one side of his head and begun the other side when Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, sent down revelation. Whenever revelation came down upon him (peace and blessings be upon him), his blessed face would change and turn ashen until its coolness was felt; then, when the state lifted, his face would become white again like a (silver) bracelet, and then he would speak what he had been commanded. His (peace and blessings be upon him) hair-comber said to Khuwaylah: O Khuwaylah, I think that this revelation is now about your matter. Khuwaylah was seized with trembling, then she said: O Allah, I seek refuge in You from Your revealing anything about me except good, for I have sought nothing but good from Your Messenger. When the state of revelation lifted, he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Khuwaylah, Allah has revealed this verse about you and your companion: 'Indeed, Allah has heard the words of the woman who disputes with you concerning her husband'" [Surah al-Mujadilah: 1] up to "'then they go back on what they said, then (the expiation is) the freeing of a slave before they touch one another'" [Surah al-Mujadilah: 3]. Khuwaylah said: O Messenger of Allah, by Allah, he has no servant other than me, and I have no servant other than him. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Then it is fasting for two consecutive months" [Surah al-Nisa': 92]. She said: By Allah, if he does not eat twice a day, his sight grows dim. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Then it is feeding sixty poor people" [Surah al-Mujadilah: 4]. She said: By Allah, we have only one uqiyah for the whole day. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Then tell him to go to so-and-so and take from him half a wasq of dates, then give it in charity to sixty poor people, and take you back." Khuwaylah said: I went to my husband, and when he saw me he asked: What news do you bring? I said: Good, and you are blameworthy. You have been ordered to go to so-and-so, take half a wasq of dates from him, give it in charity to sixty poor people, and take me back. So he went running until he brought the dates. Khuwaylah said: Before that, I knew that he was unable, because of weakness, to carry even five sa' on his back.