Explanation of the Quranic Verse: {And [forbidden to you are] married women} ({وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ النِّسَائِ}

Hazrat Abu Saeed Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent an army to suppress an Arab tribe during the Battle of Hunain. They fought with that tribe and defeated them. Then, some of them had intercourse with certain women of that tribe who had husbands. Some of the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) considered this act to be sinful because those women had husbands. Upon this, Allah the Exalted revealed this verse of the Holy Qur'an { وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ النِّسَائِ إلاَّ مَا مَلَکَتْ أَیْمَانُکُمْ } meaning your slave women are also lawful for you.

Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), in the explanation of the verse { وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ النِّسَائِ } of the Holy Qur'an, says that by these women are meant those polytheist women who have husbands.

Hazrat Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), in the explanation of the verse of the Holy Qur'an { وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ النِّسَائِ }, states that it refers to those women who are captives and had husbands before being taken captive.

Hazrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), in the explanation of the verse of the Holy Qur'an { وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ النِّسَائِ }, says that it refers to those women who have husbands.

17738 - Abu Dawud narrated to us from (Zam‘ah) (1) from al-Zuhri from Ibn al-Musayyib who said: Women with husbands, this goes back to the fact that Allah (the Exalted) (2) forbade adultery.

17739 - Ibn Idris narrated to us from Ash'ath and Hisham from Muhammad from Ubaydah: “And the married women among women,” he gestured with his hand like this and pointed with four fingers: “except those whom your right hands possess.”

Ibrahim says that every married woman is forbidden for you except those women who are brought as captives; they are lawful.

Hazrat Sha'bi, in the commentary of the verse { وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ النِّسَائِ } of the Holy Qur'an, states that this verse was revealed on the day of Awtas.

Hasan says that every married woman is forbidden for you except slave women, that is, women who are brought as captives.

It is narrated similarly through another chain.

Hazrat Ata says that it is adultery. Hazrat Mujahid says that it is adultery. Hazrat Ikrimah says that it is adultery except for those women whom you own. Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) says that except for those women whom you own. Other scholars say that it is permissible to have intercourse with captive women of the enemy in the case when their husbands have also been captured.

17745 - Mujahid said: It is adultery.

17746 - Ikrimah said: It is adultery, "except what your right hands possess."

17747 - Ibn Abbas said: “Except what your right hands possess (1)” (2) — a man takes away (his slave girl) (3): (the woman) (4) (of his slave) (5) (6).

17748 - And another said: The female captives of the enemy may be slept with if (when) (1) (their) (2) husbands have been captured.

Hazrat Saeed bin Jubair says that one can keep such four women.

Hazrat Mak'hool says that one can keep four such women.

Ibrahim, in the commentary of the verse { وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ النِّسَائِ } of the Holy Quran, states that it refers to those women who have husbands.

Hazrat Abdullah, in the explanation of the verse { وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ النِّسَائِ } of the Holy Quran, says that every married woman is forbidden to you except the one who is your slave or whom you have purchased.

Hasan, in the explanation of the verse of the Holy Qur'an { وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ النِّسَائِ }, says that every married woman is forbidden for you except your captive slave woman.

Hazrat Mak'hool, in the commentary of the verse of the Holy Qur'an { وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ النِّسَائِ }, states that it refers to those women who have husbands.

Hazrat Abu Sawda says that I asked Hazrat Ikrimah about this verse, but he expressed ignorance, and when I asked Hazrat Sha'bi, he said that it refers to every married woman.

17756 - And I asked al-Sha‘bi (and he said): She is every woman who has a husband.

Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) says in the explanation of the verse of the Holy Qur'an { وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ النِّسَائِ } that it refers to all women except those married women who have been taken captive.

Hazrat Ata, in the commentary of the verse of the Holy Qur'an { وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ النِّسَائِ }, states that intercourse with such women is adultery. Hazrat Mujahid also considers it adultery. Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) says that intercourse with anyone other than slave women is adultery. Other scholars say that what is meant here are the captive women of the enemy.

17759 - Mujahid said: It is adultery.

17760 - Ibn Abbas said: It is adultery: "except what your right hands possess," a man takes the slave girl of his servant's wife and has intercourse with her if he wishes (1).

17761 - And (another) said (1): The female captives of the enemy.

Hazrat Saeed bin Jubair, in the commentary of the verse { وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ النِّسَآئِ } of the Holy Qur'an, states that this verse was revealed regarding the women of Hunain. When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) conquered Hunain, many captives fell into the hands of the Muslims. When a Muslim would approach a captive woman, she would say that she had a husband. So this matter was mentioned to the Prophet (peace be upon him), and Allah Almighty revealed this verse: { وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ النِّسَائِ إلاَّ مَا مَلَکَتْ أَیْمَانُکُمْ }. By this are meant those captive women who have husbands.

Hazrat Mujahid, in the commentary of the verse { وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ النِّسَائِ } of the Holy Quran, states that it prohibits adultery.

Hazrat Saeed bin Musayyib, in the commentary of the verse of the Holy Qur'an { وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ النِّسَائِ }, says that do not be deceived by this verse. By this are meant bondwomen, not slaves.