Addressing Non-Muslim Criticisms and Clarifying the Purpose of the Prophet’s ﷺ Marriages
Non-Muslims often object to the number of marriages conducted by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, arguing that while ordinary Muslims are allowed only up to four wives, the Prophet ﷺ married more than that. Some even go to the extent of falsely accusing the Prophet ﷺ — God forbid — of indulging in sensual desires. Such claims, however, are entirely baseless and far removed from historical and factual reality.
To understand the matter fairly, the following key aspects must be considered:
It is important to remember that certain laws in Islam were specifically reserved for the Prophet ﷺ, and not applicable to the general Muslim community. For instance:
✔ Tahajjud Prayer:
This night prayer was obligatory upon the Prophet ﷺ, while it remains voluntary for other Muslims.
(Refer to: Sūrah al-Isrāʾ 17:79, Sūrah al-Muzzammil 73:2–4)
Similarly, the Prophet’s ﷺ marriages were governed by unique divine wisdom and specific purposes, not by personal desire.
The first 54 years of the Prophet’s ﷺ life are clear proof that his marriages were not driven by sensual motives:
Most of the Prophet’s ﷺ other wives were either widows or divorcees, with the exception of ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها. This alone refutes the idea of pleasure-seeking; rather, the marriages served social, political, and religious purposes.
✔ John Bagot Glubb:
"Among all the Prophet's wives, only ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها was a virgin. The Prophet ﷺ spent 25 years of absolute loyalty with Khadījah رضي الله عنها."
(The Life and Times of Muhammad, p.237, Stein and Day, New York, 1971)
✔ Stanley Lane-Poole:
"The Prophet's ascetic lifestyle—sleeping on a coarse mat, eating simple food—demonstrates his pious nature, not indulgence."
(Studies in a Mosque, p.77, W. H. Allen & Co., London, 1883)
✔ Thomas Carlyle:
"To think that Muhammad ﷺ was a sensualist is a gross mistake."
(On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History, p.65, Lecture II, Chapman and Hall, London, 1840)
Here are some of the key marriages and their purposes:
✔ Khadījah رضي الله عنها:
A widow, older than the Prophet ﷺ; a model of a noble union between a poor orphan and a wealthy businesswoman.
✔ Sawda bint Zamʿah رضي الله عنها:
An elderly widow; the marriage provided companionship and care for the Prophet’s household after Khadījah’s death.
✔ ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها:
Married for the preservation and transmission of religious knowledge. She became one of the greatest scholars of Islam.
✔ Ḥafṣah bint ʿUmar رضي الله عنها:
Daughter of ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه; her marriage served to strengthen community bonds and console a grieving father.
✔ Zaynab bint Khuzaymah رضي الله عنها:
A widow of a martyr; her marriage was a practical example of caring for the families of those who sacrificed for Islam.
✔ Umm Ḥabībah رضي الله عنها:
Daughter of Abū Sufyān; her marriage helped build diplomatic bridges and softened relations ahead of the conquest of Makkah.
✔ Juwairiyah bint al-Ḥārith رضي الله عنها:
Her marriage brought her entire tribe closer to Islam, showing the power of peace over warfare.
✔ Ṣafiyyah bint Ḥuyayy رضي الله عنها:
A Jewish noblewoman from a defeated tribe; the marriage mitigated hostility and gave her a dignified status in Muslim society.
✔ Maymūnah bint al-Ḥārith رضي الله عنها:
Her marriage led to increased tribal alliances and wider support for Islam.
✔ D.S. Margoliouth:
"Most of the Prophet’s marriages were politically motivated."
(Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, Vol. 8, p.879, T. & T. Clark, Edinburgh, 1915)
✔ William Muir:
"The Prophet ﷺ married Umm Ḥabībah to improve relations with her father, Abū Sufyān."
(The Life of Mahomet, Vol. 4, p.59, Smith, Elder & Co., London, 1861)
✔ Montgomery Watt:
"The marriage to Zaynab bint Jaḥsh was meant to break a rigid social custom."
(Muhammad at Medina, p.288, Oxford, 1956)
Through the Mothers of the Believers, the Ummah was taught how to conduct domestic life, spousal relations, and ethical household behavior. Since none of the Prophet’s sons lived beyond childhood, and only Fāṭimah رضي الله عنها survived briefly after him, his wives played a central role in transmitting his private Sunnah to the Ummah.
The marriages of the Prophet ﷺ were not driven by desire or personal indulgence, but were rooted in divine wisdom and societal benefit.
His family life became a practical model for the Ummah, serving religious, educational, political, and social purposes.
❀ The Nature of the Objection
Non-Muslims often object to the number of marriages conducted by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, arguing that while ordinary Muslims are allowed only up to four wives, the Prophet ﷺ married more than that. Some even go to the extent of falsely accusing the Prophet ﷺ — God forbid — of indulging in sensual desires. Such claims, however, are entirely baseless and far removed from historical and factual reality.
To understand the matter fairly, the following key aspects must be considered:
❀ Special Rulings for the Prophet ﷺ
It is important to remember that certain laws in Islam were specifically reserved for the Prophet ﷺ, and not applicable to the general Muslim community. For instance:
✔ Tahajjud Prayer:
This night prayer was obligatory upon the Prophet ﷺ, while it remains voluntary for other Muslims.
(Refer to: Sūrah al-Isrāʾ 17:79, Sūrah al-Muzzammil 73:2–4)
Similarly, the Prophet’s ﷺ marriages were governed by unique divine wisdom and specific purposes, not by personal desire.
❀ Purpose of the Prophet’s ﷺ Marriages
The first 54 years of the Prophet’s ﷺ life are clear proof that his marriages were not driven by sensual motives:
- At the age of 25, the Prophet ﷺ married Khadījah bint Khuwaylid رضي الله عنها, who was 15 years older than him and had previously been widowed twice.
- He remained faithfully married to her alone for 25 years, without taking another wife during her lifetime.
Most of the Prophet’s ﷺ other wives were either widows or divorcees, with the exception of ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها. This alone refutes the idea of pleasure-seeking; rather, the marriages served social, political, and religious purposes.
❀ Acknowledgement by Non-Muslim Historians
✔ John Bagot Glubb:
"Among all the Prophet's wives, only ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها was a virgin. The Prophet ﷺ spent 25 years of absolute loyalty with Khadījah رضي الله عنها."
(The Life and Times of Muhammad, p.237, Stein and Day, New York, 1971)
✔ Stanley Lane-Poole:
"The Prophet's ascetic lifestyle—sleeping on a coarse mat, eating simple food—demonstrates his pious nature, not indulgence."
(Studies in a Mosque, p.77, W. H. Allen & Co., London, 1883)
✔ Thomas Carlyle:
"To think that Muhammad ﷺ was a sensualist is a gross mistake."
(On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History, p.65, Lecture II, Chapman and Hall, London, 1840)
❀ Marriages Based on Wisdom and Public Benefit
Here are some of the key marriages and their purposes:
✔ Khadījah رضي الله عنها:
A widow, older than the Prophet ﷺ; a model of a noble union between a poor orphan and a wealthy businesswoman.
✔ Sawda bint Zamʿah رضي الله عنها:
An elderly widow; the marriage provided companionship and care for the Prophet’s household after Khadījah’s death.
✔ ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها:
Married for the preservation and transmission of religious knowledge. She became one of the greatest scholars of Islam.
✔ Ḥafṣah bint ʿUmar رضي الله عنها:
Daughter of ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه; her marriage served to strengthen community bonds and console a grieving father.
✔ Zaynab bint Khuzaymah رضي الله عنها:
A widow of a martyr; her marriage was a practical example of caring for the families of those who sacrificed for Islam.
✔ Umm Ḥabībah رضي الله عنها:
Daughter of Abū Sufyān; her marriage helped build diplomatic bridges and softened relations ahead of the conquest of Makkah.
✔ Juwairiyah bint al-Ḥārith رضي الله عنها:
Her marriage brought her entire tribe closer to Islam, showing the power of peace over warfare.
✔ Ṣafiyyah bint Ḥuyayy رضي الله عنها:
A Jewish noblewoman from a defeated tribe; the marriage mitigated hostility and gave her a dignified status in Muslim society.
✔ Maymūnah bint al-Ḥārith رضي الله عنها:
Her marriage led to increased tribal alliances and wider support for Islam.
❀ Views of Western Scholars
✔ D.S. Margoliouth:
"Most of the Prophet’s marriages were politically motivated."
(Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, Vol. 8, p.879, T. & T. Clark, Edinburgh, 1915)
✔ William Muir:
"The Prophet ﷺ married Umm Ḥabībah to improve relations with her father, Abū Sufyān."
(The Life of Mahomet, Vol. 4, p.59, Smith, Elder & Co., London, 1861)
✔ Montgomery Watt:
"The marriage to Zaynab bint Jaḥsh was meant to break a rigid social custom."
(Muhammad at Medina, p.288, Oxford, 1956)
❀ A Model for Marital Life
Through the Mothers of the Believers, the Ummah was taught how to conduct domestic life, spousal relations, and ethical household behavior. Since none of the Prophet’s sons lived beyond childhood, and only Fāṭimah رضي الله عنها survived briefly after him, his wives played a central role in transmitting his private Sunnah to the Ummah.
✿ Conclusion
The marriages of the Prophet ﷺ were not driven by desire or personal indulgence, but were rooted in divine wisdom and societal benefit.
His family life became a practical model for the Ummah, serving religious, educational, political, and social purposes.
