Surah Al-Ahzaab (33) — Ayah 51

You may put off whom you will of them, and take to yourself whom you will, and if you desire any whom you have set aside, there is no blame on you [81]. That is more likely that their eyes may be cooled and they may not grieve [82], and may all be pleased with what you give them. Allah knows what is in your hearts [83], and Allah is All-Knowing, Forbearing.

[81]
Special Instruction for You Regarding the Turn of Wives:

Another concession granted to youﷺ by Allah Almighty is that the obligation of staying with your wives in turn has been lifted from youﷺ. In other words, the right of your wives over you that you must stay with a particular wife on her designated night according to the turn has been abrogated. The purpose of this waiver of the right from Allah Almighty was to remove hardship from both the Prophet and his wives. The removal of hardship for the Prophet is obvious, and for the wives, it is in the sense that when they come to know that on the day of a particular turn, the Prophet’s staying overnight with her is not her right, then their mutual disputes and quarrels will automatically come to an end, because the basis of disputes is related to rights. So when there is no right, how can there be disputes? However, the Prophetﷺ never availed himself of this concession granted by Allah Almighty and always observed the turn of his wives, as is clear from the following hadiths.

Despite the Concession, You Always Observed the Turn:

(1) Sayyidah Aishaؓ says that when the Prophetﷺ wished to go to another wife on the day of one wife’s turn, he would seek permission from the wife whose turn it was. Ma‘adhah (the narrator) says that after the revelation of this verse, I asked Sayyidah Aishaؓ: “If the Prophetﷺ had asked you for permission, what would you have said?” She replied, “I would say that if youﷺ asked me, I would want youﷺ to stay with me.” [حواله ايضاً]
(2) Sayyidah Aishaؓ says that when the Messenger of Allahﷺ wanted to go on a journey, he would draw lots among his wives, and the one whose name was drawn would accompany him, and he would stay one day and night with each wife in turn. Only Sawdah bint Zam‘ahؓ (who had become very old) gave her day and night to Sayyidah Aishaؓ. Her intention was that the Messenger of Allahﷺ would be pleased. [بخاری۔ کتاب الھبة۔ باب ھبۃ المرأۃ لغیر زوجھا]
(3) Sayyidah Aishaؓ says that when the Prophetﷺ became ill and his illness became severe, he sought permission from his other wives to stay at my house during his illness, and they granted permission. [بخاری۔ کتاب الھبۃ۔ باب ھبۃ الرجل لامرأتہ والمرأۃ لزوجھا]

[82] That is, they should be pleased with Allah’s commands and, instead of getting entangled in mutual rivalry and competition, should single-mindedly assist the Prophet in his mission, and just as the Prophet is striving fully in his work, enduring hardships, and remaining indifferent to difficulties and hardships, they too should act with contentment and self-sacrifice. Rather, they should consider the propagation and dissemination of Islam as their purpose in life and perform all tasks cheerfully, understanding that the waiver of the right of turn did not happen by your will but by Allah’s command.

[83] The address “your hearts” can also be directed towards the wives, meaning that if you have acted upon Allah’s commands not with happiness but with a constricted heart or displeasure, Allah knows that too and will hold you accountable for it. And if this address is to the general people, it would mean that if, instead of these facts, any other suspicion regarding the Prophet’s marital life arises in your hearts, that too will not remain hidden from Allah. Allah Almighty has also mentioned His attribute of Forbearance here, which means that if any whisper arises in someone’s heart and he removes it from his heart, Allah will not hold him accountable for it.