أنزل الله تعالى قوله:

Allah (swt) revealed his saying:

﴿فَانكِحُوا مَا طَابَ لَكُم مِّنَ النِّسَاءِ مَثْنَىٰ وَثُلَاثَ وَرُبَاعَ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا فَوَاحِدَةً أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَدْنَىٰ أَلَّا تَعُولُوا﴾ [النساء: 3] في نهاية السنة الثامنة من الهجرة، وبعد أن أتمّ دخوله بجميع زوجاته، كان رسول الله ﷺ عند نزول الآية متزوجًا بأكثر من أربع نسوة، ومع ذلك لم يُفارق منهن أحدًا، بل استمر على زواجه بجميع نسائه. وذلك لأن الزواج بأكثر من أربع نسوة من خصائصه ﷺ. ومن الواضح أن الزواج بأكثر من أربع نسوة مختصٌّ برسول الله ﷺ، ولذلك أبقى نساءه بعد نزول الآية التي حصرت الزواج في أربع. وذلك لأن فعل النبي ﷺ لا يُناقض قوله؛ فإن حصل تناقضٌ فإن الفعل يكون خاصًّا به ﷺ، بينما القول عامٌّ لأمته، فقد تقرّر في أصول الفقه أن فعل النبي ﷺ لا يُناقض خطابه المتعلق بالأمة، لكنه قد يكون خاصًّا به ﷺ. وذلك لأن أمره للأمة متعلقٌ بهم، وهو أخصّ من الأدلة الداعية إلى الاقتداء به ﷺ باتباع أقواله وأفعاله. فالأمر العام مبنيٌّ على الأمر الخاص، ولذلك لا يجوز الاقتداء بالنبي ﷺ في فعلٍ يوجد فيه للأمة حكمٌ مختلف. أما زواجه ﷺ بأكثر من أربع نسوة، وإباحة أن تهب له النساء أنفسهن للزواج ونحو ذلك، فقد دلّت عليه آياتُ القرآن الكريم:

“Marry women of your choice, two or three, or four but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one or your concubines. That is more fitting so that you do not deviate from the right course” [An- Nisa: 3] At the end of the eighth year of the Hijra, after He had consummated all of his marriages with his wives, the Messenger (pbuh) was, at the time of the revelation of the verse, married to more than four wives, however He did not leave a single one of them but continued to be married to all his wives. This is because marriage to more than four wives, is specific to Him (pbuh) It is clear that being married to more than four wives is unique to the Messenger and so He kept them after the revelation of the verse which limited marriage to four wives. This is because the Prophet's (pbuh) action does not contradict a statement that He makes. If there is a contradiction then the action is specific to Him while the saying is general to the Ummah, for it has been established in the foundations of jurisprudence that the action of the Prophet (pbuh) does not contradict his speech relevant to the Ummah but it can be specific to the Prophet (pbuh). This is because his order to the Ummah is relevant to them, which is more specific than the evidences calling for us to emulate Him, by following his sayings and actions. Thus, the general order is built on the specific order, and therefore it is not allowed to emulate the Prophet (pbuh) in an action in which there is a different order to the Ummah. However the Prophet's marriage to more than four wives, and allowing them to offer themselves to Him in marriage etc. have been demonstrated by the verses of the Qur'an:

يا أيها النبي إنا أحللنا لك أزواجك اللاتي آتيت أجورهن وما ملكت يمينك مما أفاء الله عليك وبنات عمك وبنات عماتك وبنات خالك وبنات خالاتك اللاتي هاجرن معك وامرأة مؤمنة إن وهبت نفسها للنبي إن أراد النبي أن يستنكحها خالصة لك من دون المؤمنين قد علمنا ما فرضنا عليهم في أزواجهم وما ملكت أيمانهم لكيلا يكون عليك حرج قال الله تعالى: ﴿خالصة لك من دون المؤمنين﴾. كلمة "خالصة" في الآية مصدر يؤكد ما سبقه، أي: أُعطيتَ رخصة بإباحة ما أحللناه لك خاصة. والدليل على أنها تشمل كل ما سبقها، وأنها خاصة برسول الله ﷺ، أنها جاءت بعد الأمور الأربعة المباحة، وهي: عدم جواز الزواج بالزوجات، والسبايا مباشرة من الفيء، وبنات أقاربه المذكورات في المهاجرات معه، والمرأة التي تعرض نفسها للزواج مباشرة، فضلا عن أن ذلك ورد بأسلوب مؤكد. ويؤيد ذلك أنه ﷺ لما قال: ﴿من دون المؤمنين﴾ جاء قوله: ﴿قد علمنا ما فرضنا عليهم في أزواجهم وما ملكت أيمانهم﴾، فالمعنى أن هذا ليس مما فرضناه عليهم، ولذلك قال بعد ذلك كله: ﴿لكيلا يكون عليك حرج﴾، أي: حتى لا يكون عليك ضيق ومشقة.

“Oh Prophet! Verily, We have made lawful to you your wives, to whom you have paid your Mahr, (their dower) and your concubines - whom Allah has given you, and the daughters of your paternal uncles and the daughters of your paternal aunts and the daughters of your maternal uncles and the daughters of your maternal aunts who migrated (from Makkah) with you, and a believing woman if she offers herself to the Prophet, and the Prophet wishes to marry her; - a dispensation for you only, not for the rest of the believers. Indeed We know what We have enjoined upon them about their wives and their concubines - in order that there should be no difficulty on you” [Al- Ahzab: 50] This verse says: 'a dispensation for you only, not for the rest of the believers.' The word 'Khalisa' (dispensation) in the verse is a verbal noun which confirms whatever preceded it i.e. a dispensation has been made for you by permitting what We have made lawful for you specifically. The evidence to say that it includes all that precedes it and that it is specific to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) is that it came after the four permissible matters which are the non permissibility of marrying wives, captives directly from the Fey', daughters of his relations who have been mentioned amongst those that migrated with Him, and a woman that directly offers herself for marriage, beside the fact that this was stated in an emphatic manner. This is supported by the fact that at the completion of his (pbuh) saying: 'not for the rest of the believers', his (pbuh) saying came: 'Indeed We know what We have enjoined upon them about their wives and their concubines'. So it means this is not what We have enjoined on them, that is why after all of this He (pbuh) said: 'in order that there should be no difficulty on you'. i.e. so that there is no hardship for you.

لذلك، لا ينبغي أن يُتخذ زواجُ النبيِّ ﷺ قدوةً يُحتذى بها، ولا موضوعًا لنقاشٍ تشريعيّ، لأنه خاصٌّ به ﷺ. هذا فضلًا عن أن واقع زيجاته يدلّ على أنها زيجاتُ نبيٍّ، لا زيجاتُ رجلٍ يتزوّج لأجل الشهوة وإشباع غريزة النسل، من جهة الجانب المتعلّق بالرجل والمرأة. وبالرجوع إلى الواقع التاريخي نجد أنه ﷺ تزوّج خديجةَ رضي الله عنها وهو ابنُ ثلاثٍ وعشرين سنة، وبقيت خديجةُ رضي الله عنها زوجةً له ثمانيةً وعشرين عامًا. وتوفيت في السنة الحادية عشرة من البعثة، أي قبل الهجرة بسنتين، بعد أشهرٍ قليلةٍ من نقض صحيفة المقاطعة وقبيل رحلته إلى الطائف سنة 620م، وكان عمرها خمسين سنة. ولم يفكّر ﷺ، منذ زواجه بخديجة رضي الله عنها حتى وفاتها، في الزواج بأكثر من زوجةٍ، وذلك في وقتٍ كان فيه تعدّد الزوجات منتشرًا شائعًا عند العرب. وقد عاش ﷺ قبل بعثته سبعَ عشرةَ سنةً مع خديجة، في حياةٍ هادئةٍ مطمئنّة، ثم عاش معها نحو إحدى عشرة سنةً بعد البعثة، في حياةٍ من الدعوة والجهاد ضدّ أفكار الكفر، ومع ذلك لم يفكّر في الزواج مرةً أخرى. ولم يُعرف عنه في حياته مع خديجة رضي الله عنها، ولا قبل زواجه بها، أنه كان ممّن يفتنهم سحرُ النساء وجاذبيّتُهنّ، في عصرٍ كان تبرّجُ الجاهليّة يُغري الناس فيه. ولا يُعقل أن نقول إنه بعد بلوغه الخمسين طرأ عليه تغيّرٌ مفاجئ لم يجعله يقنع بزوجةٍ واحدة، بل استمرّ يتزوّج حتى بلغ عشرَ زوجات. فقد جمع في غضون خمس سنواتٍ من العقد السادس من عمر النبيّ ﷺ أكثر من سبع زوجات، وفي السنوات السبع المتبقّية من العقد السادس وبداية السابع جمع النبيّ ﷺ تسع زوجات. في مثل هذا السنّ، هل يمكن أن تُعزى هذه الزيجات إلى الرغبة في النساء، أو إلى دوافع متعلقة بإشباع غريزة النسل من حيث الجماع؟ أم كانت هناك دوافع أخرى، فرضتها طبيعة الحياة التي كان يعيشها النبي ﷺ، أي حياة الرسالة التي أُمر بتبليغها إلى الناس؟ ولفهم هذه المسألة، فلنتأمل في الوقائع المحيطة بزيجات النبي ﷺ.

Therefore, the marriages of the Prophet (pbuh) should not be taken as an example to emulate, nor as a subject of legislative discussion, because it is unique to Him (pbuh). Not to mention that the reality of his marriages indicates that they were marriages of a Prophet (pbuh) and not the marriages of a man marrying for sex and satisfaction of the procreation instinct, in terms of the male-female aspect. By returning to the historical reality we find that He married Khadija (ra) while He was twenty-three years of age, and Khadija (ra) herself remained as a spouse for twenty-eight years. She died in the eleventh year of the Prophethood i.e. two years before the Hijra, a few months after the rescission of the boycott document and shortly before his visit to Taif in the year 620 A.D, at the age of fifty. He did not contemplate, since the time He married Khadija (ra) until her death, the prospect of marrying more than one wife, and this was at a time when polygyny was a widespread practise amongst the Arabs. Before He was sent with the Message, He spent seventeen years with Khadija sharing a quiet and tranquil life. And He lived with her approximately eleven years after the Prophethood (Bi'tha), in a life of da'wa and struggle against the kufr thoughts; in spite of this He did not consider marrying again. It was not known of Him during his life with Khadija (ra) or before his marriage to her that He was one of those tempted by the alluring charms of women in an age where the Tabarruj of the Jahiliyya used to tempt the people. It is not natural for us to take the view that after passing the age of fifty a sudden change took place in Him which did not allow Him to be content with one wife but rather to continue to marry until He had taken ten wives. Within five years in the sixth decade of the Prophet's life He gathered more than seven wives, and in the remaining seven years of the sixth decade and beginning of the seventh the Prophet gathered nine wives. At such an age can these marriages be attributable to a desire for women or to motives linked to satisfying the procreation instinct in terms of sexual intercourse? Or were there other motives, which were required by the reality of the type of life which the Prophet (pbuh) was engaged in, i.e. the life of the Message, which He had been ordered to convey to the people? In order to understand this issue, let us examine the incidents surrounding the Prophet's (pbuh) marriages.

في السنة العاشرة من النبوة، أي السنة التي توفيت فيها خديجة (رضي الله عنها)، فكّر النبي ﷺ في الزواج. وكان عمره خمسين سنة، فخطب عائشة بنت أبي بكر، صديقه، وأول من آمن برسالته من الرجال. وعندما كانت طفلة في السادسة من عمرها عقد عليها، لكنه لم يدخل بها إلا بعد ثلاث سنين، حين بلغت التاسعة، وكان ذلك بعد الهجرة. غير أنه تزوج سودة بنت زمعة في الوقت نفسه الذي عقد فيه على عائشة. وكانت سودة أرملة السكران بن عمرو بن عبد شمس، وهو من المسلمين الذين هاجروا إلى الحبشة ثم توفي في طريق عودته إلى مكة. وكانت سودة قد أسلمت مع زوجها وهاجرت معه، وقد لقيت من الشدائد والمحن ما لقيه، وأصابها من الأذى ما أصابه. وبعد وفاة زوجها تزوجها النبي ﷺ. ولم يُنقل أن سودة كانت جميلة، ولا أنها كانت ذات مال أو جاه يجعل شيئاً من أمور الدنيا يؤثر في زواج النبي ﷺ بها. وبما أن النبي ﷺ تزوجها بعد وفاة زوجها، فلا يُستنتج من ذلك إلا أنه تزوجها ليواسيها ويرفع منزلتها إلى مقام أم المؤمنين. ولما هاجر ﷺ جعل بيت سودة قريباً من المسجد، وكان هذا أول بيت بناه النبي ﷺ لإحدى زوجاته.

In the eleventh year of the Prophethood, i.e. the year Khadija (may Allah be pleased with her) died, the Prophet (pbuh) considered getting married. He was fifty, so He proposed to 'A'isha, the daughter of Abu Bakr, his friend and the first one who believed in his Prophethood from the men. When she was just a child of six He contracted a marriage with her but did not consummate it for a period of three years until she was nine, which was after the Hijra. However, at the time in which He contracted the marriage with 'A'isha He married Sawda bint Zam'a. Sawda was a widow of al-Sukran b. 'Amr b. 'Abd Shams, who was one of the Muslims who had migrated to Abbysinia but died on his return to Makkah. Sawda had embraced Islam with her husband and she had migrated with Him. She had suffered the same difficulties and hardships He suffered and faced the same harm He had faced. After the death of her husband He married her. It has not been reported that Sawda was beautiful, or that she possessed wealth or standing, that would make any of the worldly aspects influence the Prophet's marriage to her. Since the Prophet (pbuh) had married her after the death of her husband, the only thing we can deduce from this is that He married her to support her and raise her to the position of the mother of the believers. When He migrated He made the house of Sawda close to the Mosque. This was the first house the Prophet (pbuh) built for any of his wives.

ثم، في السنة الأولى من الهجرة، بعد أن أُقيمت الأخوة بين الأنصار والمهاجرين، أتمّ الرسول ﷺ زواجه بعائشة، فأسكنها بجوار بيت سودة، قريبًا من المسجد. وأذن لوزيره الأول وصاحبه أبي بكر الصديق رضي الله عنه أن يأتيه في بيته، في بيت ابنته.

Then, in the first year of the Hijra, after the brotherhood between the Ansar and Muhajirin had been instituted, the Messenger (pbuh) consummated his marriage with 'A'isha and He housed her next to the house of Sawda, close to the Mosque. He allowed his first Wazir (assistant) and friend Abu Bakr assiddiq (ra) to come to see Him in his house at his daughter's home.

في السنة الثانية من الهجرة، بعد غزوة بدر وقبل أحد، تزوج بحفصة بنت عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنهما. كانت حفصة قبل زواجها بالنبي ﷺ زوجةً لخنيس، وكان من السابقين الأولين إلى الإسلام، وقد توفي عنها فبقيت أرملة سبعة أشهر قبل أن يتزوجها الرسول ﷺ. وبزواجه من حفصة ﷺ مكّن وزيره الثاني، صاحبه عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه، من أن يزوره في بيته في منزل حفصة. فكان زواجه من عائشة رضي الله عنها وحفصة رضي الله عنها زواجًا من ابنتي وزيريه (مساعديه)، ابنتي صاحبين لازماه في الدعوة والحكم والجهاد وغير ذلك. فلم تكن مثل هذه الزيجات لمجرد الزواج. وقد كانت عائشة رضي الله عنها جميلة وأعجب بها النبي ﷺ، وليس الأمر كذلك مع حفصة رضي الله عنها، مما يدل على أن زواجه بهما كان لغرض غير قضاء الشهوة.

In the second year of the Hijra, after the battle of Badr and before Uhud, He married Hafsa the daughter of 'Umar b. al-Khattab.(ra) Hafsa, before being married to the Prophet, was the wife of Hanish who was one of the early converts to Islam. He died leaving her for seven months before the Messenger married her. By marrying Hafsa He (pbuh) enabled his second Wazir, his companion 'Umar b. al-Khattab (ra) to come to see Him in his house at Hafsa's home. So the marriages to A'isha (ra) and Hafsa were marriages to the daughters of his two Wazirs (assistants), the daughters of two companions who persevered with Him in Da'wah, ruling and fighting etc. So such marriages were not only for the purpose of marriage. Although 'A'isha (ra)was beautiful and the Prophet found her attractive this was not the case with Hafsa (ra), which indicates that his marriage to both of them was for a purpose other than sexual gratification.

خلال غزوة بني المصطلق، في السنة الخامسة من الهجرة، تزوّج ﷺ جويرية بنت الحارث بن أبي ضرار. وكان الباعث على زواجه بها أن يتقرّب أبوها إلى النبي ﷺ، وأن يرفع من منزلتها. وكانت جويرية من سبايا بني المصطلق، وقد وقعت في يد رجل من الأنصار. وكانت بنت سيد بني المصطلق، فأرادت أن تتحرّر من سيّدها الذي صارت مملوكةً له. فزاد سيّدها في مال الفداء، عالماً أنها بنت سيد بني المصطلق. فأتى أبوها النبي ﷺ بالفداء المطلوب لتحريرها، فقبله ﷺ. ثم آمن برسالة النبي ﷺ وأسلم، فأخذ ابنته جويرية إلى النبي ﷺ، فأسلمت هي كذلك. فخطبها النبي ﷺ من أبيها، فزوّجها إياه بنفسه ﷺ. فكان زواج النبي ﷺ بها في حقيقته زواجاً من بنت سيد قبيلة كان قد أخضعها. وكان ﷺ يهدف من ذلك إلى كسب مودّة سيّد القبيلة بمصاهرته.

During the battle of Banu Mustaliq, in the fifth year of the Hijra, He married Juwayriyya bint al-Harith ibn Abi Dirar. The reason behind his marriage to her was for the purpose of drawing her father closer to the Prophet and raising her position. Juwayriyya was from the captives of Banu Mustaliq, and had fallen in the hands of one of the Ansar. She was the daughter of the leader of Banu Mustaliq, so she wanted to free herself from her master to whom she had become a slave-girl. Her master increased the ransom money knowing that she was the daughter of the leader of Banu Mustaliq. So her father approached the Prophet (pbuh) with the ransom required to free her, which He did. Then after believing in the Message of the Prophet He became a Muslim, and He took his daughter Juwayriyya to the Prophet (pbuh) and she too embraced Islam, so the Prophet (pbuh) asked her father for her hand. He married her to the Prophet (pbuh) Himself so the Prophet's marriage to her was in fact a marriage to the daughter of a leader of a tribe which He had subjugated. His (pbuh) objective was to win the friendship of its leader through marrying his daughter.

في السنة السابعة للهجرة، بعد فتح خيبر، تزوّج ﷺ صفيّة بنت حيي بن أخطب، وكان أبوها من زعماء اليهود. وكانت قصة زواجه بها أنها وقعت في الأسرى الذين أخذهم المسلمون من حصن خيبر. فأشار بعض المسلمين على النبي ﷺ قائلين: «صفيّة سيدة نبيلة من بني قريظة والنضير، ولا تصلح لغيرك». فأعتقها ﷺ وتزوّجها. وكان ذلك لحمايتها، وتخليصها من رقّ العبودية، ورفعًا لمكانتها. وقد رُوي أن أبا أيوب خالد الأنصاري خشي أن تكون صفيّة تضمر الكراهية لرسول الله ﷺ، وهو الذي قتل أباها وزوجها وقومها. ولهذا بات ليلته متقلدًا سيفه حول الخيمة التي دخل فيها النبي ﷺ بصفيّة في طريق العودة من خيبر. فلما أصبح ﷺ ورآه خارج الخيمة سأله: «ما شأنك؟» فقال: «خشيت عليك من هذه المرأة، قتلتَ أباها وزوجها وقومها، وهي حديثة عهد بالكفر». فطمأن رسول الله ﷺ أبا أيوب، وبقيت صفيّة وفيّة لرسول الله ﷺ حتى توفاها الله تعالى.

In the seventh year of the Hijra after the victory of Khaybar He (pbuh) married Safiyya daughter of Huyai ibn al-Akhtab who was one of the leaders of the Jews. The story of his marriage to her began when she was taken along with other captives which the Muslims seized from the fortress of Khaybar. Some of the Muslims advised the Prophet (pbuh): “Safiyya is a noble lady of Banu Qurayza and Banu Nadhir. She is not suitable for anyone other than you”, hence the Prophet (pbuh) freed and married her. This was therefore done for her protection and to free her from the bondage of slavery, and as well to raise her status. It has been narrated that Abu Ayyub Khalid al-Ansari feared that Safiyya harboured hatred against the Messenger (pbuh) who had killed her father, husband and people. For this reason He spent the night, girded with his sword, around the tent in which the Messenger (pbuh) consummated the marriage with Safiyya on the way back from Khaybar. When the Messenger (pbuh) woke up in the morning He noticed Him outside the tent and asked Him: “What is the matter?” He replied: “I feared for you from this woman. You have killed her father, husband and her people and she has just recently come out of kufr.” So the Messenger (pbuh) set Abu Ayyub's mind at rest, and Safiyya remained loyal to the Messenger (pbuh) until Allah (swt) took his soul.

ثم تزوّج النبي ﷺ في السنة الثامنة من الهجرة ميمونةَ أختَ أم الفضل زوجةِ العباس بن عبد المطلب. وقد تزوّجها في آخر العمرة (عمرة القضاء). وكانت قصة زواجه منها أن ميمونة كانت قد بلغت السادسة والعشرين من عمرها، وأنها فوّضت أختها أم الفضل في البحث لها عن خاطب، ولكنها لما رأت ما يعانيه المسلمون في العمرة اشتاقت هي نفسها إلى الإسلام. فتقدّم العباس إلى ابن أخيه سيدنا محمد ﷺ خاطبًا لها نيابةً عنها. فتقدّم العباس إلى النبي ﷺ بناءً على طلبها، ووافق رسول الله ﷺ على الزواج بها. وكانت الأيام الثلاثة التي نصّت عليها معاهدة الحديبية قد انقضت، ولكن رسول الله ﷺ أراد أن يجعل زواجه من ميمونة وسيلةً لزيادة التفاهم بينه وبين قريش. ولما جاء إليه سهيل بن عمرو وحويطب بن عبد العُزّى ممثلَين لقريش، قالا لمحمد ﷺ: «قد انقضى أجلك فاخرج عنا». فقال لهما ﷺ: «ما لكما لا تدعوني وأُعرس بين أظهركم، وأصنع لكم طعامًا فتحضروه؟». فكان جوابهما له: «لا حاجة لنا بطعامك فاخرج عنا»، ولم يتردد رسول الله ﷺ، فخرج ومعه المسلمون.

Later, in the eighth year of Hijra He (pbuh) married Maymuna the sister of Umm al-Fadhl, the wife of al-'Abbas b. 'Abd ul-Muttalib. He married her at the end of the pilgrimage [Umra al-qada]. The account of his marriage to her began when Maymuna was twenty six years of age and that she had delegated her sister Umm al-Fadhl to find a suitor for her, but when she saw the predicament of the Muslims at the pilgrimage she herself yearned for Islam. Therefore al-'Abbas proposed to his nephew, our Master Muhammad on her behalf. He proposed to the Prophet at her behest and the Messenger agreed to marry her. The three days which the treaty of Hudaybiyah had stipulated had expired, but the Messenger (pbuh) wished to use his marriage to Maymuna as a means to increase the understanding between Himself and the Quraish. When Suhayl b. 'Amr and Huwayteb b. 'Abd ul-'Uzza came to Him representing Quraish they said to Muhammad (pbuh): “Your time in Makkah has expired, so leave us.” He (pbuh) said to them: “What is the matter with you? Why do you not leave me? I will hold a wedding feast amongst you.We will prepare food for you so why not attend it?” Their response to Him was “we have no need of your food so depart from us”; the Messenger (pbuh) did not hesitate; He left along with the Muslims behind Him.

أما زواجه ﷺ من زينب بنت خزيمة وأم سلمة، فكانا زواجين من زوجتين لصحابيين من أصحابه استُشهدا في ميدان القتال. فزينب كانت زوجة عبيدة بن الحارث بن المطلب الذي استُشهد يوم بدر، ولم تكن ذات جمال بارز، لكنها اشتهرت بحسن الخلق والرحمة بالمساكين، حتى لُقّبت بـ"أم المساكين". وقد تجاوزت مرحلة شبابها، فتزوجها رسول الله ﷺ في السنة الثانية من الهجرة، بعد غزوة بدر وبعد استشهاد زوجها. ولم تمكث معه إلا سنتين حتى توفاها الله تعالى، فكانت بعد خديجة أول من توفي من أزواجه في حياته ﷺ. وأما أم سلمة، فكانت زوجة أبي سلمة، وقد رزقت منه عددًا من الأبناء. وأصيب أبو سلمة في أحد ثم تعافى من جراحه، فأذن له النبي ﷺ بقتال بني أسد، فهزمهم وعاد إلى المدينة منتصرًا ومعه الغنائم، لكن الجرح الذي أصابه في أحد ازداد سوءًا، فظل مريضًا حتى توفي بعد ذلك بقليل. وقد حضر النبي ﷺ عند موته، فلازمه يدعو له بالعافية حتى مات، ثم أغمض عينيه ﷺ. وبعد أربعة أشهر من وفاته، عرض رسول الله ﷺ الزواج على أم سلمة بنفسه، فاعتذرت بأن لها أسرة كبيرة وأنها تجاوزت مرحلة شبابها، فلم يتركها النبي ﷺ حتى تزوجها، وتولى بنفسه تربية أبنائها. فيتضح من ذلك أن رسول الله ﷺ تزوج هاتين الزوجتين لرعاية أسرتي صحابيين من أصحابه بعد وفاتهما.

As for his (pbuh) marriage to Zaynab bint Khuzayma and Umm Salama, they were marriages to the two wives of his companions who had been martyred on the battlefield. Zaynab was the wife of 'Ubayda b. al-Harith b. al-Muttalib who was martyred on the day of Badr, she was not of marked beauty, but she was known for her good nature and kindness to the extent that she became nicknamed as the 'mother of the needy.' She had passed her youth, but the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) married her in the second year of the Hijra, after the battle of Badr and after the martyrdom of her husband. She stayed with Him for only two years until Allah (swt) took her soul. Which meant after Khadija, she was the only one who died before the Prophet. As for Umm Salama, she was the wife of Abu Salama, who had a number of sons with her. Abu Salama was injured in Uhud then recovered from it, so the Prophet agreed to let Him fight Banu Asad. He defeated them and returned to Madinah victorious with the booty that had been captured but the injury He sustained at Uhud worsened and He remained ill until his death shortly thereafter. The Prophet (pbuh) was present while He was on his deathbed, and He remained by his side, praying for his well being until He died. The Prophet (pbuh) then closed Abu Salama's eyes. Four months after his death, the Messenger (pbuh) proposed to Umm Salama herself, but she made excuses that she had a big family and that she had passed her youth. The Prophet however persisted until He married her and He Himself saw to her children's upbringing. So it is clear that the Messenger married those two wives to care for the family of two of his companions after their death.

أما زواجه من أم حبيبة بنت أبي سفيان (رضي الله عنها)، فكان زواجًا من امرأة مؤمنة هاجرت إلى الحبشة فارّةً بدينها، وصبرت على الثبات في طريق الإسلام بعدما ارتدّ زوجها. وذلك أن هذه الأم حبيبة هي رملة بنت أبي سفيان، زعيم أهل مكة ورأس المشركين، وكانت زوجةً لابن عمة رسول الله ﷺ، عبيد الله بن جحش الأسدي. فقد أسلم عبيد الله مع زوجته رملة بينما كان أبوها ما يزال على الكفر، فخشيت أن تؤذي أباها، فهاجرت مع زوجها، وهي حامل، إلى الحبشة. وهناك في أرض الهجرة وضعت رملة ابنتها حبيبة بنت عبيد الله، فعُرفت بها وسُمّيت أم حبيبة. غير أن عبيد الله بن جحش لم يلبث طويلًا حتى خرج من الإسلام وأعلن اعتناقه النصرانية، دين أهل الحبشة، وحاول أن يصرف زوجته رملة عن الإسلام، فصبرت وثبتت على دينها. ثم أرسل رسول الله ﷺ إلى النجاشي، فوكّله أن يزوّجه أم حبيبة. فأخبر النجاشي أم حبيبة بذلك، فوكّلت خالد بن سعيد بن العاص ليزوّجها، فتم عقد نكاحها على رسول الله ﷺ، فتولّى خالد العقد عنها، وتولّاه النجاشي عن رسول الله ﷺ. ولما عاد مهاجرو الحبشة إلى المدينة بعد غزوة خيبر، عادت أم حبيبة معهم ودخلت بيت رسول الله ﷺ، واحتفلت المدينة بزفاف رسول الله ﷺ إلى أم حبيبة، فأقامت في بيته.

As for his marriage to Umm Habiba bint Abu Sufyan (ra), this was a marriage to a believing woman who had migrated to Abbysinia fleeing with her deen intact. She had remained patient in the path of Islam after her husband had apostatised. That is because this Umm Habiba was Ramla the daughter of Abu Sufyan, the leader of Makkah and head of the Mushrikin. She was the wife of a cousin (son of a paternal aunt) of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), 'Ubayd Allah b. Jahsh al-Asadi. 'Ubayd Allah embraced Islam with his wife Ramla whilst her father was still upon kufr. She was afraid of hurting her father so she migrated, encumbered by her pregnancy, with her husband to Abbysinia. There in the place of refuge, Ramla gave birth to her daughter Habiba bint 'Ubayd Allah by whom she was named. So she came to be called Umm Habiba although her husband 'Ubayd Allah b. Jahsh did not take long before He left the fold of Islam and professed his belief in Christianity, the religion of the Abbysinians and tried to take his wife Ramla away from Islam, but she patiently persevered in her deen. Then the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) sent for the Negus delegating Him to perform the marriage of Umm Habiba to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). The Negus informed Umm Habiba of this, so she delegated Khalid b. Sa'id b. al-'As to give her in marriage, and her marriage contract with the Messenger (pbuh) took place. Khalid undertook the marriage contract on her behalf and the Negus for the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). When the Muhajirin of Abbysinia returned to Madinah after the battle of Khaybar, Umm Habiba returned with them and entered the house of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). Madinah celebrated the wedding of the Messenger to Umm Habiba and she remained in his house.

فأما زواجه ﷺ بزينب بنت جحش، فقد دلّ على تشريع في عدة مسائل: فكان تشريعًا لهدم ما يُسمّى الكفاءة (التكافؤ) بين الرجل والمرأة، في زواج ابن العم (بنت عمته)، وهي من سادات قريش، من مولى كان عبدًا فأُعتق. ودلّ على تشريع هدم ما استقرّ عليه أمرهم في الجاهلية، من أن الابن المتبنّى كالابن الصلبي، فلا يجوز نكاح زوجته. فتزوّج محمد ﷺ امرأة مولاه زيد الذي أعتقه، بعد طلاقها منه، ليهدم بذلك تلك العادات. وخبر زواج الرسول ﷺ بزينب بنت جحش أن زينب بنت جحش كانت بنتَ أميمة بنت عبد المطلب عمةِ الرسول ﷺ. ونشأت في رعايته وعنايته، ولذلك كانت عنده بمنزلة البنت أو الأخت الصغيرة. كان يعرفها ويعلم جمالها أو عدمه قبل أن تتزوج زيدًا، وقد رآها منذ كانت رضيعة تحبو، ثم في طفولتها وصولًا إلى سنوات مراهقتها. لم تكن غريبة عن الرسول ﷺ، بل كانت في منزلة ابنته. خطبها ﷺ لمولاه زيد، لكن أخاها عبد الله بن جحش رفض أن تكون زوجةً لعبدٍ اشترته خديجة ثم أعتقه محمد ﷺ، وهي من قريش ومن بني هاشم، فضلًا عن كونها بنتَ عمة رسول الله ﷺ. وقد رأى في ذلك عارًا عظيمًا على زينب، إذ كان ذلك مَذلّةً كبيرة عند العرب، فلا تتزوج بنات الأشراف من العبيد وإن أُعتقوا. لكن محمدًا ﷺ... أراد أن تُمحى تلك الاعتبارات التي كانت قائمة بين الناس على أساس العصبية القبلية وحدها، وأن يدركوا أنه لا فضل لعربيٍّ على أعجمي إلا بالتقوى، وأن يفهموا قولَ الله تعالى:

As for his (pbuh) marriage to Zaynab bint Jahsh this showed legislation for a number of issues. It was legislation to demolish what was called equivalence (matching) between the man and the woman, in marrying a cousin (daughter of his paternal aunt), and who was from the leaders of the Quraish that was married to a former slave that had been freed. It showed the legislation for the destruction of what had become established amongst them in Jahiliyah, in that adopting a son is like one's own son, so one cannot marry his wife. Muhammad (pbuh) married the wife of his freedman (Zayd) whom He had freed, after her divorce from Him (Zayd) in order to destroy those customs. The account of the Messenger's marriage to Zaynab bint Jahsh was that Zaynab bint Jahsh was a daughter of Umayma bint 'Abd al-Muttalib the paternal aunt of the Messenger (pbuh). She was raised under his care and attention and because of this, she was to Him like a daughter or a younger sister. He used to know her and knew whether she was attractive or not before she had married Zayd, and He had seen her from the time she was an infant crawling, until her childhood and through to her adolescent years. She was not a stranger to the Messenger (pbuh), but rather she was similar in position to his daughter. He (peace and blessings be upon Him) proposed to her on behalf of his freed slave Zayd but her brother 'Abd Allah b. Jahsh refused for his sister, being that she was from Quraish and a Hashimite in addition to being a daughter of the aunt of the Messenger of Allah, to be the bride of a slave bought by Khadija and later freed by Muhammad. He felt that this was a great shame for Zaynab as it used to be a great dishonour for the Arabs, as daughters of the nobility did not marry slaves even if they were given their freedom. But Muhammad (pbuh). wanted these considerations which existed within people solely on the basis of tribalism to be erased and for them to comprehend that there is no superiority of an Arab over a non-Arab except in Taqwa and to understand Allah (swt)'s saying:

"إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ". [الحجرات: 13] ولم يَرَ ﷺ أنه من الصواب أن تُدفع امرأةٌ من غير أهله إلى هذا الأمر. فكانت زينب بنت جحش، بنت عمته، هي التي تخرج عن تقاليد العرب وتهدم عاداتهم، غير مُلقيةٍ بالاً لما قد يقوله الناس عنها، وهو ما كانت تخشى سماعه. فجعل ﷺ زيدًا، مولاه الذي تبناه وحاز، بحكم عادات العرب وتقاليدهم، حقَّ الإرث منه كسائر أبنائه، هو الذي يتزوج زينب، ليكون مستعدًّا للتضحية التي أعدّها الشارعُ الحكيمُ لمن يُتبنَّون ويُتّخذون أبناءً. وألحّ النبيُّ ﷺ على زينب وأخيها عبد الله أن يقبلا زيدًا، مولاه المعتَق، زوجًا لها. غير أن زينب أصرّت على رفضها، وكذلك أخوها عبد الله. فأنزل الله تعالى قولَه:

“Verily, the most honourable of you with Allah is that (believer) who has more taqwa”. [Al- Hujurat: 13] He did not consider it right that a woman from other than his family should be pushed to do this. So, Zaynab bint Jahsh, daughter of his aunt, became the one to depart from the traditions of the Arabs and to destroy their customs, paying no attention to what the people may say about her, which she was afraid to hear. He let Zayd, his slave whom He had adopted and who gained the right, due to the customs and traditions of the Arabs, to inherit from Him like the rest of his sons, to be the one who would marry Zaynab. This was so that He would be ready for the sacrifice that the All-Wise Legislator had prepared for those who were adopted and taken as sons. The Messenger (pbuh) insisted that Zaynab and her brother 'Abdullah accept Zayd, his freed slave, as her husband. However Zaynab persisted in her refusal as did her brother 'Abdullah. As a result Allah (swt) revealed his (swt) saying:

“وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ وَلَا مُؤْمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَمْرًا أَن يَكُونَ لَهُمُ الْخِيَرَةُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ ۗ وَمَن يَعْصِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا مُّبِينًا” [الأحزاب: 36] ولذلك لم يبقَ أمام عبد الله وزينب إلا أن يسلّما لمشيئة الله، فقالا: «رضينا يا رسول الله ﷺ». ودخل زيد بزينب بعد أن أرسل إليها النبي ﷺ مهرها. غير أن الحياة الزوجية بين زيد وزينب لم تكن على ما يرام؛ بل كانت منذ البداية مضطربة ومكدَّرة، واستمرت كذلك. ولم تكن زينب نفسها راضية بهذا الزواج بعد أن تم، مع أنه كان أمرًا من الله ورسوله ﷺ، فلم تطع زوجها، ولم تلِن في معاملته، بل كانت تفاخر زيدًا بأن رق العبودية لم يصبها، وتُعنِّته في الحياة. وقد شكا زيد إلى النبي ﷺ مرارًا، وبيّن له سوء معاملتها له، واستأذن النبي ﷺ عدة مرات في طلاقها. وكان النبي ﷺ يقول: «أمسِك عليك زوجك». وكان الله سبحانه قد أوحى إلى رسوله ﷺ أن زينب ستكون إحدى أزواجه، فكان ذلك مُقلِقًا للنبي ﷺ، إذ خشي أن يقول الناس: تزوّج محمد امرأة ابنه، فيعيبوه بذلك، لأنه ﷺ كان قد تبنّى زيدًا ابنًا. ولذلك لم يُرِد أن يطلّقها زيد، لكن زيدًا ألحّ على النبي ﷺ أن يأذن له بطلاقها. ومع أن النبي ﷺ كان يعلم أنها ستكون إحدى أزواجه، إذ أخبره الله بذلك بالوحي، فإنه قال لزيد: «أمسِك عليك زوجك واتّقِ الله». فعاتبه الله عتابًا رقيقًا لأنه أخبره أنه سيزوّجه إياها، وأنه كان يُخفي في نفسه ما الله مُبديه. هذا هو معنى قوله تعالى:

“It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and his Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allah and his Messenger, He has indeed strayed in a plain error” [Al- Ahzab: 36] Hence, nothing remained for 'Abdullah and Zaynab other than to submit to Allah's will, so they said: 'We consent O Messenger of Allah (pbuh).' Zayd consummated his marriage with Zaynab after the Prophet had sent her the dowry. However, married life between Zayd and Zaynab was not good; on the contrary, from the start it was unsettled and embittered and continued to be unsettled and embittered. Zaynab, herself was not happy with this marriage after it had taken place even though it was a command from Allah and his Messenger. She did not obey her husband, and she did not soften in her approach towards Him. Rather, she used to boast to Zayd that the bondage of slavery had not befallen her and she made life difficult for Him. Zayd complained to the Prophet (pbuh) on numerous occasions and explained to Him about her bad treatment of Him. He sought permission from the Prophet (pbuh) a number of times to divorce her. The Prophet used to reply: “Hold on to your wife”. Allah (swt) revealed to the Messenger that Zaynab will be one of his wives. This was distressing for the Prophet (pbuh) who feared that people will say that Muhammad has married his son's wife and will censure Him for that since He (pbuh) had adopted Zayd as a son. Therefore, He did not want Zayd to divorce her, but Zayd urged the Prophet (pbuh) to allow Him to divorce her. Despite the fact that the Prophet knew that she would be one of his wives as Allah (swt) had informed Him by way of revelation, He still said to Zayd: “Keep your wife to yourself, and fear Allah”. As a result of this Allah mildly reproached Him since He told Him that He had informed Him that He would marry Him to her and that He was concealing within Himself that which Allah will make known. This is the meaning of his (swt) saying:

﴿وَتُخْفِي فِي نَفْسِكَ مَا اللَّهُ مُبْدِيهِ﴾ [الأحزاب: 37]. وكان الأمر الذي أخفاه الله هو العلم بأن زينب ستكون زوجةً له، مع أنها كانت زوجةً لمن تبناه الله. وهذا ما سيُظهره الله فيما بعد، وهو زواجه من مُطلَّقة من تبناه الله ابنًا له. وسبب كتمان الرسول ﷺ لهذا الزواج، الذي أظهره الله لاحقًا، أن من عادة العرب أن يُدخلوا أبناءهم بالتبنّي إلى بيوتهم، ويحرصوا على الاتصال بأقاربهم. وكانوا يُعطون "الدَّعِيّ"، أي المُتبنّى، جميع حقوق الابن، وتُطبَّق عليهم جميع أحكام الابن، حتى في الميراث وشرف النسب. فلما أخبر الله رسوله ﷺ أن زينب، زوجة مولاه المعتَق الذي تبناه، ستكون زوجةً له، أخفى هذا العلم، وأكّد بشدة أن يُمسك زيد زوجته ولا يطلّقها، رغم إصرار زيد، وشكواه منها، وعدم الانسجام والوفاق بينهما في حياتهما الزوجية منذ أن تزوجها. غير أن زيدًا أصرّ على طلاقها، فأذن له الرسول ﷺ، فطلّقها أخيرًا دون علم بأن الرسول ﷺ سيتزوجها، ودون أن تعلم زينب نفسها أن الرسول ﷺ سيتخذها زوجةً له، وهذا ما يوضحه ما رواه أحمد ومسلم والنسائي عن سليمان بن المغيرة عن ثابت أن أنسًا قال: "لما انقضت عدة زينب قال رسول الله ﷺ لزيد: اذكرها عليّ. قال: فانطلق زيد حتى أتاها فقال: يا زينب أبشري، أرسلني رسول الله ﷺ يذكرك. قالت: ما أنا بصانعة شيئًا حتى أستأمر ربي. فقامت إلى مسجدها، ونزل القرآن، وجاء رسول الله ﷺ فدخل عليها بغير إذن، حين أُنزلت الآيات (المتعلقة بزواجها):

“But you did hide in yourself that which Allah will make manifest “. [Al- Ahzab: 37] The matter that He concealed was the knowledge that Zaynab will be his wife even though she was the wife of someone He had adopted. This is what Allah would make manifest afterwards, which was his marriage to a divorcee of someone He had adopted as his son. The reason for the Messenger's concealment of this marriage, which Allah later made manifest, is that it was the custom of the Arabs to keep their adopted sons/daughters in their houses and ensure links with their relations. They used to give the 'da'iyy' i.e. the person who is adopted, all the rights of a son. All the rules of a son were applied to them even in inheritance and the esteem of lineage. So when Allah informed the Messenger that Zaynab, the wife of his freed slave whom He had adopted will be his wife He hid this knowledge and strictly insisted that Zayd hold on to his wife and not to divorce her, despite Zayd's insistence, his complaints about her, and the lack of harmony between them and concord in their marital life ever since He married her. However, Zayd insisted on divorcing her so the Messenger gave Him permission, and He eventually divorced her without any knowledge that the Messenger would marry her and without Zaynab herself knowing that the Messenger would take her as his wife this is illustrated by what Ahmad, Muslim and an-Nisa'i have reported via Sulayman b. al-Mughira on the authority of Thabit that Anas said: “When the 'Iddah (divorce period) of Zaynab was over, Allah's Messenger said to Zayd to mention Him to her. So I (Zayd) went to her and said: “O Zaynab rejoice! Allah's Messenger sent me to propose to you on his behalf.” She said: “I do not do anything until I see my Lord order me.” So she stood at her place of worship and Allah's Messenger came to her without permission when the verses of the Qur'an (pertaining to her marriage) were revealed:

فَلَمَّا قَضَىٰ زَيْدٌ مِنْهَا وَطَرًا زَوَّجْنَاكَهَا لِكَيْ لَا يَكُونَ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ حَرَجٌ فِي أَزْوَاجِ أَدْعِيَائِهِمْ إِذَا قَضَوْا مِنْهُنَّ وَطَرًا ﴿الأحزاب: ٣٧﴾ — يعني: لما طلّق زيد زوجه (أي طلّقها) زوّجناكها، لكي لا يكون على المؤمنين إثم في شأن زواج زوجات أبنائهم المتبنّين. ولو كان زيد أو هي يعلم حينها لما قال لها: «أمسِك عليك زوجك»، ولا قالت هي: «حتى أستأمر ربي» أي تركت الأمر إلى الله ليرشدها في هذا الزواج. والعلّة في هذا الزواج أن لا يكون على المؤمن إثم في الزواج من زوجة من تبنّاه.

“So when Zayd had accomplished his desire from her (i.e. divorced her), We gave her to you in marriage, so that (in future) there may be no sin to the believers in respect of (the marriage of) the wives of their adopted sons.''[Al- Ahzab: 37] If either she or Zayd had known then He would not have said to her 'rejoice,' nor she said 'until I see my Lord order me' i.e. she left the matter to Allah to guide her in this marriage. The 'Illa of this marriage is so that there is no sin on the believer in marrying the wife of someone they had adopted.

هذا بيانٌ لزيجات رسول الله ﷺ من أزواجه، ويتبيّن من خلال ذكر هذه الزيجات أن كل واحدة منها كانت لغايةٍ أخرى غير مجرد الزواج. ويتضح من ذلك الغرض من زواجه ﷺ بأكثر من أربع نسوة، ولماذا كان هذا العدد خاصًّا به دون سائر أمته. ومن الواضح جدًّا أن الغاية لم تكن إثارة غريزة النسل عند رجلٍ تجاوز الخمسين من عمره، إذ كان ﷺ رجلًا مشغولًا بالدعوة، منهمكًا في تبليغ رسالة ربه إلى العالم، ليحيي قومًا ويصوغهم أمةً لا غاية لها في الحياة إلا حمل رسالة الله إلى العالم. فقد كان هدفه إعادة بناء المجتمع بعد أن هدم البنيان السابق، وإقامة دولةٍ تدفع العالم إلى الأمام، لتحمل دعوة الإسلام إلى الناس. ومن كان عقله مشغولًا بإحياء أمة، وإقامة دولة، وبناء مجتمع، وإيصال الرسالة إلى العالم، لا يمكن أن ينشغل بالنساء، فيتفرغ لهن ويتزوج كل عامٍ واحدة. بل كان يحمل دعوته، ويعيش حياةً زوجيةً طبيعيةً كسائر البشر.

This is the account of the Messenger's marriages to his wives. It is clear from the account of the marriages that each one was for an objective other than the mere aim of marrying. The intent of the Prophet's marriage to more than four wives and why this number is unique to Him from the rest of his Ummah becomes clear. The fact that the objective was not the agitation of the procreation instinct of a man who had passed the age of fifty is quite evident, since He was a man who was busy with the Da'wa, engaged in conveying the Message of his Lord to the world so that He may revive a people and mould them into an Ummah whose only aim in life was to carry the Message of Allah to the world. his aim was to build the society anew after He had demolished the previous edifice, and establish a state pushing ahead the world before it, in order to carry the Call of Islam to the people. Anyone who's mind is occupied with the revival of an Ummah, the establishment of a state, the building of a society, and the carrying of the Message to the world cannot be preoccupied by women devoting Himself to them and marrying one every year. Rather, He carried his Da'wah and He enjoyed a normal married life like any other human.