18.

The Book of Divorce

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كتاب الطلاق

Ibn Abbas (رضي الله تعالى عنه) narrated, I had always been anxious to ask 'Umar (رضي الله تعالى عنه) about the two ladies amongst the wives of Allah's Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) about whom Allah, the Exalted, said – [If you both (wives) turn in repentance to Allah (it will be better) as your hearts have indeed so inclined (to oppose what the prophet ﷺ likes); but if you help one another against him (the Prophet ﷺ), then surely (know that) Allah is his Protector, Jibreel ( عليهالسالم), and the righteous believers, and furthermore, the angels too are his helpers.] (At-Tahrim - 4), until 'Umar (رضي الله تعالى عنه) set out for Hajj and I also went along with him. And as we were going along a path, 'Umar (رضي الله تعالى عنه) went aside and I also went aside with him with a jug (of water). He answered the call of nature, and then came to me and I poured water over his hands and he performed ablution. Then I said, Commander of the Faithful, who are the two ladies amongst the wives of Allah's Prophet (ﷺ) about whom Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, said - [If you both (wives) turn in repentance to Allah (it will be better) as your hearts have indeed so inclined (to oppose what the prophet ﷺ likes); but if you help one another against him (the Prophet ﷺ), then surely (know that) Allah is his Protector, Jibreel (عليه السالم), and the righteous believers, and furthermore, the angels too are his helpers.] (At-Tahrim - 4). Umar (رضي الله تعالى عنه) said, how strange is it for you, Ibn Abbas (رضي الله تعالى عنه) (Zuhri said, by Allah, he disliked what he asked about, but did not keep it a secret). Umar (رضي الله تعالى عنه) said, they are Ummul Momineen Hafsa (رضي الله تعالى عنها) and Ummul Momineen A'isha ( رضي الله تعالى عنها); and he then began to narrate the Hadith and said, we were such people among the Quraish who dominated women, and as we reached Madina we found there people who were dominated by their women, and our women began to learn (the habits) of their women. He further said, and my house was situated in the suburb of Madina in the tribe of Banu Umayya bin Zaid. One day I became angry with my wife and she retorted upon me. I did not like that she should retort upon me. She said, you disapprove of my retorting upon you. By Allah, the wives of Allah's Apostle (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) retort upon him, and one of them detaches herself from him for the day until the night. So, I went out and visited Ummul Momineen Hafsa ( رضي الله تعالى عنها) and said, do you retort upon Allah's Apostle (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)? She said, yes. I said, does any one of you detach herself from him from the day to the night? She said, yes. He said, who did like it amongst you in fact failed and incurred loss. Does everyone amongst you not fear the wrath of Allah upon her due to the wrath of His Apostle (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), and (as a result thereof) she may perish? So do not retort upon Allah's Apostle (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and do not ask him for anything, but ask me that which you desire, (and the frank behavior) of your companion may not mislead you, if she is more graceful and is dearer to Allah's Apostle ( صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) than you. He further said, I had a companion from the Ansar and, we used to remain in the company of the Apostle (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) turn by turn. He remained there for a day while I remained there on the other day, and he brought me the news about the revelation and other (matter), and I brought him (the news) like this. And we discussed that the Ghassanids were shoeing the horses in order to attack us. My companion once attended (the Apostle ﷺ) and then came to me at night and knocked at my door and called me, and I came out to him, and he said, a matter of great importance has happened. I said, what is that? Have the Ghassanids come? He said, no, but even more serious and more significant than that, the Prophet ( صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) has divorced his wives. I said, Ummul Momineen Hafsa (رضي الله تعالى عنها) has failed and has incurred loss. and I feared that it would happen. When it was dawn, I observed the dawn prayer and dressed myself, and then came there (in the house of the Prophet ﷺ) and visited Ummul Momineen Hafsa (رضي الله تعالى عنها), and she was weeping. I said, has Allah's Apostle (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) divorced you (all)? She said, I do not know. He has, however, separated himself in his attic. I came to a black servant and said to him, seek permission for 'Umar ( رضي الله تعالى عنه). He went in and then came to me and said, I made mention of you to him, but he kept quiet. I then went to the pulpit and sat there, and there was a group of people sitting by it and some of then were weeping. I sat there for some time, until I was overpowered (by that very idea) which was in my mind. I then came back to the boy and said to him, seek permission for Umar (رضي الله تعالى عنه). He went in and came to me and said, I made mention of you to him, but he kept quiet. I was about to turn back when the boy called me and said, go in; permission has been granted to you. I went in and greeted Allah's Apostle (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and he was reclining against the couch of mat and it had left its marks upon his side. I said, Apostle of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), have you divorced your wives? He raised his head towards me and said, no. I said, Allah is the Greatest. Apostle of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), I wish if you had seen how, we the people of Quraish had domination over women but when we came to Madina we found people whom their women dominated. So, our women began to learn from their women. One day I became angry with my wife and she began to retort upon me. I did not approve that she should retort upon me. She said, you do not like that I should retort upon you, but, by Allah. the wives of Allah's Apostle (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) retort upon him and any one of them separates herself from him for a day until night. I said, she who did that amongst them in fact failed and incurred loss. Does any of them feel safe from the wrath of Allah upon her due to the wrath of Allah's Apostle (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), and she has certainly perished. Allah's Apostle ( صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) smiled, I said, Apostle of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), I visited Ummul Momineen Hafsa (رضي الله تعالى عنها) and said, (the behavior) of your companion may not mislead you. She is more graceful than you and is dearer to Allah's Apostle (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) than you. Allah's Apostle (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) smiled for the second time. I said, Allah's Apostle ( صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), may I talk to you about agreeable things? He said, yes. I sat down and lifted my head (to see things) in the house, and, by Allah, I did not see anything significant besides three hides. I said, Apostle of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), supplicate the Lord that He should make (life) prosperous for your Ummah as He has made plentiful for the people of Persia and Rome (in spite of the fact) that they do not worship Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, whereupon he (Allah's Apostle) sat up an I then said, Ibn Khattab (رضي الله تعالى عنه), do you doubt that they are a nation whom their nice things have been given immediately in the life of this world. I said, Allah's Apostle (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) seek pardon for me. And he had taken an oath that he would not visit them for a month due to annoyance with them until Allah showed His displeasure for them. Zuhri said, 'Urwa informed me that Ummul Momineen Aisha (رضي الله تعالى عنها) said, when twenty-nine nights were over, Allah's Apostle (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) visited me, and he began (his visit) with me. I said, Apostle of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), you had taken an oath that you would not visit us for a month, while you have visited after I have counted only twenty-nine (nights). Thereupon he said, the month may also be of twenty-nine (days). He then said, (Ummul Momineen) A'isha (رضي الله تعالى عنها), I am going to talk to you about a matter, and you should not be hasty in it (and do not give your final decision) until you have consulted your parents. He then recited this verse to me [ O' Noble Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), say to your wives : 'If you desire the life of this world and its glitter, then come, I shall give you of these and let you go in an honorable way.' ] (Al-Ahzaab - 28). Ummul Momineen A'isha (رضي الله تعالى عنها) said, by Allah, he knew that my parents would not allow me to separate from him. I said, is there any need to consult my parents in this matter? I in fact choose Allah and His Apostle ( صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and the abode in the Hereafter. Ma'mar said, Ayyub reported to me that Ummul Momineen A'isha (رضئ هللا تعالی عنہا) said, do not inform your wives that I have chosen you, whereupon Allah's Apostle (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said, verily Allah has sent me as a conveyer of message, and He has not sent me as a source of hardship (to others). Qatada said (ْ قُلُوبُكُمَاصَغَت) means, ‘your hearts have inclined.’