Ibn Hibban

Sayyida Khawla bint Tha'laba (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates: By Allah! Allah Almighty revealed the opening verses of Surah Al-Mujadila regarding me and (my husband) Aws bin Samit. She says: I was his wife; he was an elderly man whose character was not good, and he used to scold and rebuke. She says: One day he came to me, and during an argument, I replied to something; so he became angry and said: "You are to me like the back of my mother (i.e., unlawful for me)." Then he left the house and sat for a while in the gathering place of his people, then came back to me. He wanted to be intimate with me. She says: I said, "Never! By the One in Whose hand is Khawla's soul, because of what you have said, you cannot come near me until Allah and His Messenger decide about this matter." She says: He attacked me, and I tried to protect myself from him. She says: I overpowered him as much as a woman can overpower an old man; I got him under me, then I went to my neighbor's house, borrowed a sheet for temporary use, and then left from there until I reached the service of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). I sat before you and mentioned the whole situation to you, and I also complained to you about the bad character I had to face from him. She says: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Khawla, he is your elderly cousin; fear Allah regarding him." She said: By Allah, I was still there when the command of the Qur'an was revealed. The special state (that would come upon him at the time of revelation) came over the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and when that state ended, he said: "O Khawla! Allah Almighty has revealed a command regarding you and your husband." She says: Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) recited this verse before me: "Allah has indeed heard the statement of the woman who disputes with you concerning her husband and complains to Allah..." up to "for the disbelievers is a painful punishment." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Tell him (i.e., your husband) to free a slave." She says: I said, "O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! He does not possess anything to free." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Then let him fast for two consecutive months." She says: I said, "By Allah, O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! He is an old man; he does not have the strength to fast." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Then let him feed sixty poor people with a wasq of dates." I said: "By Allah, O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! He does not have that either." She says: So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "We will help him with a large basket of dates." She says: I said, "O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! I will help him with another basket." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You have done right and you have done well. Go and give charity on his behalf, and accept the advice of kindness regarding your cousin." So she says: I did just that.