A man whose wife says: give me my share of time

Sa'id bin al-Musayyib said: The daughter of Sayyiduna Muhammad bin Maslamah (may Allah be pleased with him) was married to Sayyiduna Rafi' bin Khadij (may Allah be pleased with him). Rafi' bin Khadij disliked her advancing age, or something else, so he intended to divorce her. But the lady said: Do not divorce me; rather, allot me whatever share of my right you wish. From then on this became the established practice, and the verse of the Qur'an was revealed: "And if a woman fears ill-conduct or indifference from her husband" [al-Nisa: 128].

Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: This verse of the Qur'an, "And if a woman fears ill-conduct or indifference from her husband", was revealed about a woman who had been a man's wife for a long time. The man wanted to divorce her, but the woman said: Do not divorce me; keep me with you, and I will not demand any right from you. This verse was revealed on that occasion.

Abu al-Najashi said: Sayyiduna Rafi' bin Khadij (may Allah be pleased with him) married a woman and said to his first wife: If you wish, I will not divorce you, but you will not receive your share of turns; and if you wish, I will divorce you. That woman chose that he keep her in his marriage and not divorce her.

Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin al-Harith said: The daughter of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Ja'far (may Allah be pleased with him) was married to a man of Quraysh. That man gave her a choice: if she wished to remain in his marriage she could remain, but she would not receive her share of turns; the other option was that she take a divorce. She chose to keep the marriage and refused to take a divorce.

Muhammad said: I asked Ubaydah about this verse of the Qur'an: "And if a woman fears ill-conduct or indifference from her husband". He said: It refers to a man who has a wife whose youth has passed, and he makes a settlement with her over something of her right; that is valid for him as long as she is content. When she becomes unwilling, she has the right that he treat her justly, or satisfy her by giving her right, or divorce her.

Khalid bin Ar'arah said: A man asked Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) about the verse "And if a woman fears ill-conduct or indifference from her husband". He said: It refers to a woman who is married to a man whose eyes turn away from her because of her ugliness, her poverty or her bad character, and he wants to leave her, but the wife dislikes separating from him. If the woman gives up something of her right for him, it is lawful for the man; and if she gives up some of her days (her turns), there is no harm in that either.

Urwah said: When Sayyidah Sawdah (may Allah be pleased with her) became very old, she gifted her share of days permanently to Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her).

The same is reported through another chain.

Abu Razin, in the explanation of the verse of the Qur'an "You may put aside whom you will of them and take to yourself whom you will" (al-Ahzab: 51), said: After this verse the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) wished to keep Sayyidah Aishah, Sayyidah Umm Salamah, Sayyidah Zaynab and Sayyidah Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with them). Their share of his person and of his wealth was equal. Those whom he wished to put aside were Sayyidah Sawdah, Sayyidah Juwayriyah, Sayyidah Umm Habibah, Sayyidah Maymunah and Sayyidah Safiyyah (may Allah be pleased with them). He allotted to them whatever he wished. When he intended to part with them, they said to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Fix for us whatever share you wish, and leave us as we are.