This third passage in the sūrah speaks specifically of the Prophet’s wives, except for the last verse which tells of the reward for all Muslims, men and women, for their good actions. At the beginning of the sūrah, they were called ‘mothers of the believers’, and this motherhood establishes certain duties. Their noble position, which earned them this status, also establishes certain duties. Further duties are also made obligatory on them because of their relationship o the Prophet. The present passage outlines some of these duties and states the values God wants the Prophet’s home, with all its purity, to represent and uphold so as to serve as a beacon of light guiding travellers.

Prophet! Say to your wives: ‘If you desire the life of this world and its charms, I shall provide for you and release you in a becoming manner; but if you desire God and His Messenger and the life of the hereafter, know that God has readied great rewards for those of you who do good.’ (Verses 28-29)

The Prophet chose for himself and his household a standard of living which was just about enough to meet their essential needs. The reason for so doing was not that he could not afford a better standard of living. Indeed, enormous tracts of land came under his control, yielding great wealth, and availing him of great riches if he so chose. Yet there were times when a month would pass without a fire being lit for cooking in any of his homes. At the same time, the Prophet was extremely generous when it came to giving gifts and charitable donations. Essentially, then, he made this choice so as to rise above material and worldly needs, and to sincerely seek what God keeps for believers. It was a question of preference. Neither his faith nor the law it lays down required that the Prophet lead such a life of austerity. Comfort and luxury are not disdained in Islam. Indeed, the Prophet did not turn his back on them when they were offered normally, without being sought after. Yet, he neither excessively indulged in them nor was he so preoccupied. We do not find any instruction from the Prophet requiring that any of his followers live the sort of life he chose for himself. He left it entirely o them, should they choose to emulate him in freeing themselves from the pressures of seeking life’s comforts.

The Prophet’s wives were ordinary women who shared all human feelings and desires. Noble, virtuous and close to the Prophet as they all were, their natural desire for life’s comforts remained strong. When they felt that circumstances had changed and, by God’s grace, prosperity had replaced poverty in the Muslim society, they spoke to the Prophet about their standard of living. He did not welcome this. In fact it was unpleasant to him, because his noble soul preferred to live without any such preoccupation. He appreciated the freedom and sublimity such a life provides. It was not a matter of whether life’s comforts were lawful or not: there was no question of prohibition as Islam made it clear that such comforts were not prohibited for Muslims. It was rather a question of being free from material pressures.

The Prophet was so upset at this turn of events that he did not go out to meet his Companions. That he stayed away was very hard for them. They, therefore, went to see him, but were not admitted. Imām Aĥmad relates on Jābir’s authority: “Abū Bakr went to the Prophet when people were sitting near his door, but he was not admitted. `Umar also went, sought permission to enter but no such permission was given. Later on though, he admitted both Abū Bakr and `Umar. As they went in, they saw the Prophet surrounded by his wives but he was silent. `Umar thought that he should say something to make the Prophet laugh. He said: ‘Messenger of God! I wish you had seen how last night my wife was asking me for more money and I thrust my fingers into her neck.’ The Prophet laughed heartily and said: ‘You see them surrounding me asking for more money.’ Abū Bakr rose to hit his daughter, `Ā’ishah, while `Umar sought to do the same to Ĥafşah, his daughter. Both said to them: Are you asking the Prophet to give you what he has not?’ The Prophet told them not to hit their daughters, and both `Ā’ishah and Ĥafşah said: ‘By God! We will never again ask the Prophet for anything he does not have.’ God then revealed the verses offering them the choice. The Prophet started with `Ā’ishah saying to her: ‘I am going to tell you something which I would like you o consider carefully and consult your parents before you decide.’ He then read to her the two verses: “Prophet! Say to your wives: ‘If you desire the life of this world and its charms, I shall provide for you and release you in a becoming manner; but if you desire God and His Messenger and the life of the hereafter, know that God has readied great rewards for those of you who do good.” She said to him: ‘Would I consult my parents about staying with you? I certainly choose God and His Messenger. However, I would request you nor o mention my choice to any of your other wives.’ He said to her: ‘God has not sent me to adopt a hard attitude, but He has made me a teacher and a facilitator. If any of them asks me about your choice, I will tell her.” [This ĥadīth is also related by Muslim on the authority of Zakariyyā ibn Isĥāq, and related in a slightly different wording by al-Bukhārī.] The Qur’ān defines the principal values in the Islamic concept of human life.

We need o pause a little to reflect on some aspects of this event which defines the Islamic concept of values. It leaves our hearts with no room for hesitation between worldly values and those of the life to come; between the world we live in and the world of heaven. It purges our hearts of any influence that hinders us from purely seeking God’s pleasure, to the exclusion of everything else.

From another point of view, the event describes to us the nature of the Prophet’s lifestyle, as well as those who lived with him and were closely related to him. The most beautiful thing about this lifestyle is the fact that it was chosen by ordinary people who never lost sight of their human feelings, desires and preferences, despite rising to sublime standards of devotion and dedication. Their human feelings and emotions did not die; they only rose to an exalted level and were purged of impurity while retaining their natural human beauty. Thus, they enabled them o attain the highest standard of perfection possible.

We often err when we give the Prophet and his Companions an untrue or incomplete image that does not consider all their human characteristics and emotions. We think that in this way we put them above what we consider to be a weakness. Our mistake renders the Prophet and his Companions opaque, devoid of their essential human features and characteristics. The human relation between us and them is severed, and we begin to see them as ghosts lacking a tangible reality.

We begin to think of them as belonging to a different species: angels or a similar type of creature above human feelings and emotions. In this way they are removed from our lives and if we permit this they will no longer provide us with an example to follow or to be influenced by. When we read the history of the Prophet and his Companions we no longer find in this something for us to emulate, but instead we find ourselves looking at their lives with an awe and admiration that produces only vague feelings without practical effect. We also lose our ability to identify with such great personalities, because we no longer see them as ordinary humans who experienced the same emotions, feelings and reactions as we ourselves experience.

We can clearly understand God’s wisdom in assigning His messages to ordinary men to deliver. This task was not assigned to angels or to creatures from any other species. This provides a real bond between the lives of the messengers and the lives of their followers. The latter continue o feel that the messengers’ feelings and emotions, exalted as they were, were always those of humans. Thus, they love them and try to emulate them in the same way as children try o emulate adults.

In the question of the choice offered o the Prophet’s wives we note their natural desire for comforts and luxuries. We also see an image of the Prophet’s home life, with his wives asking their husband for more money. He is upset, but he does not allow Abū Bakr and `Umar to beat `Ā’ishah and Ĥafşah, their daughters for their requests. The whole question is one of feelings and inclinations, which need to be refined, not suppressed. The question remains at this level until God orders the Prophet to give his wives the choice and they make their free choice without pressure or the suppression of any feelings. That his wives opted for the sublime standard he preferred greatly delighted the Prophet.

The sūrah then outlines some special features for the Prophet’s wives, giving them special privileges and responsibilities, which suit their noble status and their relation to the Prophet:

Wives of the Prophet! If any of you were to be guilty of manifestly immoral conduct, her punishment would be doubled. That is easy for God. But if any of you devoutly obeys God and His Messenger and does good deeds, We shall grant her a double reward, and We have prepared for her most excellent provisions. (Verses 30-31)

This is a responsibility commensurate with their status as wives of the Prophet and mothers of all believers. Both positions impose on them heavy duties and protect them against immorality. If, for argument’s sake, any of them is guilty of some manifestly immoral conduct, she would deserve double punishment. This relates to the responsibility associated with their position and status. “That is easy for God.” It is in no way more difficult as a result of their status as the Prophet’s wives, as some people might think. “But if any of you devoutly obeys God and His Messenger and does good deeds, We shall grant her a double reward,” just as We double her punishment in the opposite situation. “And We have prepared for her most excellent provisions.” (Verse 31) It is all ready, waiting for her, by God’s grace.

The sūrah then explains what distinguishes the Prophet’s wives from all other women, outlining their duties in dealing with other people, worshipping God, their conduct at home, and the special care God takes of the Prophet’s noble household:

Wives of the Prophet! You are unlike any other women: if you truly fear God, do not speak too soft, lest any who is sick at heart should be moved with desire; but speak in an appropriate manner. And stay quietly in your homes, and do not display your charms as they used to display them in the old days of pagan ignorance. Attend regularly to your prayers, and pay the obligatory charity, i.e. zakāt, and pay heed to God and His Messenger. God only wants to remove all that is loathsome from you, you members of the [Prophet’s] household, and to purify you fully. Bear in mind all that is recited in your homes of God’s revelations and wisdom; for God is unfathomable in His wisdom, all aware. (Verses 32-34)

At the dawn of Islam, Arabian society looked upon women as a means of enjoyment and physical fulfilment. In this, it was like most other societies at the time.

From a purely human angle, Arabian society simply looked upon women as inferior.

Islam also found in Arabian society much confusion in sexual relations. The family system, moreover, was unsound, as already explained in this sūrah. Moreover, sex was looked at in a carnal way that disregarded beauty and purity and endorsed a wild, physical approach. This is clear in pre-Islamic poetry which focused on the woman’s body, and expressed carnal thoughts.

Islam began to change the social attitude towards women, emphasizing the human aspect in relations between the two sexes. It is not merely a physical relation that seeks to satisfy a carnal urge. It is rather the meeting of two people, created from one soul, connected with a tie based on affection and mercy, and bringing both of them comfort and reassurance. Their meeting has a goal related o God’s will that brought man into being, gave the earth its population and assigned to man the charge of taking care of the earth.

When it comes o the purification of the Muslim community and establishing its life on the basis of Islamic values, men and women are equal and have the same role.

Therefore, the sūrah gives these in detail:

For all men and women who have submitted themselves to God, all believing men and believing women, all truly devout men and truly devout women, all men and women who are true to their word, all men and women who are patient in adversity, all men and women who humble themselves before God, all men and women who give in charity, all men and women who fast, all men and women who are mindful of their chastity, and all men and women who always remember God — for them all God has prepared forgiveness of sins and a mighty reward. (Verse 35)

These qualities grouped together in this one verse work together to form a Muslim’s character. These are: self surrender to God, faith, devotion, being true to one’s word, patience in adversity, humility before God, being charitable, fasting, being mindful of one’s chastity, and remembering God at all times. Each quality has its own role to play in a Muslim’s life.

The first two qualities are expressed in the two Arabic words islām and īmān, which mean ‘submission’ and ‘belief’ respectively. There is a strong interrelation between the two, or we can say that both are two sides of the same coin. Submission is the outcome of belief and true belief gives rise to submission. ‘Devotion’ means obedience that results from submission and belief, though inner acceptance, not external pressure. ‘Truthfulness’ is the quality essential for every Muslim. Whoever does not possess this quality cannot be within the ranks of the Muslim community.

God says in the Qur’ān: “It is only those who do not believe in God’s revelations that invent falsehood.” (16: 105) Thus, a liar is expelled from the ranks of the community which always remains true to its word, the Muslim community.

The next quality is ‘patience in adversity’. In fact a Muslim cannot fulfil the requirements and duties of his faith without this quality. Islam needs patience in adversity at every step. Muslims have to be patient, resisting desire, bearing the harm inflicted by others, overcoming impediments, patiently addressing weaknesses and crookedness in other people, and going through the tests of either an easy life or hardship. Essentially, both are difficult predicaments.

‘Humility before God’ is an inner quality that reflects how we feel God’s majesty deep in our hearts and how truly and willingly we obey and fear Him. ‘Being charitable’ indicates purification from greed and self indulgence. It also reflects care for others and kindness to them, as well as mutual security within the Muslim community. It is an act of gratitude to God for what He gives us and represents our discharging our duty on wealth.

‘Fasting’ is considered a quality because of its regular and consistent nature. It reflects an attitude that rises above the essential needs of life, enhancing man’s willpower and giving supremacy within man’s constitution to human qualities.