Al-W¥^idÏ's Asb¥b al-Nuz‰l - The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies ...
Al-W¥^idÏ's Asb¥b al-Nuz‰l - The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies ...
Al-W¥^idÏ's Asb¥b al-Nuz‰l - The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies ...
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Chapter 24: Surah <strong>al</strong>-Nur<br />
In the name of <strong>Al</strong>lah, the Beneficent, the Merciful<br />
(<strong>The</strong> adulterer sh<strong>al</strong>l not marry save an adulteress or an idolatress…) [24:3].<br />
<strong>The</strong> commentators of the Qur’an said: “When the Emigrants, some of whom without any means, arrived<br />
at Medina, they found there prostitutes who sold pleasure for a price. <strong>The</strong>se prostitutes were, at that time,<br />
amongst the most well off people of Medina. Some poor Emigrants coveted their earnings, saying: ‘Why<br />
do we not marry them and live with them until <strong>Al</strong>lah, ex<strong>al</strong>ted is He, suffices us from them’ <strong>The</strong>y asked<br />
permission from the Messenger of <strong>Al</strong>lah, <strong>Al</strong>lah bless him and give him peace, to marry them, but then<br />
this verse was reve<strong>al</strong>ed which states that it is forbidden to marry an adulteress in order to exonerate the<br />
believers from such acts”. 1<br />
‘Ikrimah said: “This verse was reve<strong>al</strong>ed about some prostitutes who worked openly in Mecca and Medina.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re were so many of them. However, nine of them had banners like the banners of <strong>al</strong>-Baytar by<br />
means of which they were known. <strong>The</strong>se nine prostitutes were: Umm Mahzul, the slave girl of <strong>al</strong>-Sa’ib<br />
ibn Abi <strong>al</strong>-Sa’ib <strong>al</strong>-Makhzumi, Umm ‘Ulayt, the slave girl of Safwan ibn Umayyah, Hannah the Copt,<br />
the slave girl of <strong>al</strong>-‘As ibn Wa’il, Muznah, the slave girl of M<strong>al</strong>ik ibn ‘Amilah ibn <strong>al</strong>-Subaq, J<strong>al</strong><strong>al</strong>ah, the<br />
slave girl of Suhayl ibn ‘Amr, Umm Suwayd, the slave girl of ‘Amr ibn ‘Uthman <strong>al</strong>-Makhzumi, Sharifah,<br />
the slave girl of Zum‘ah ibn <strong>al</strong>-Aswad, Farsah, the slave girl of Hisham ibn Rabi‘ah and Fartana, the slave<br />
girl of Hil<strong>al</strong> ibn Anas. <strong>The</strong> houses of these prostitutes were c<strong>al</strong>led, in the pre-<strong>Islamic</strong> period, mawakhir 2<br />
and those who entered them to buy pleasure were either Muslim adulterers or idolaters, worshippers of<br />
idols. Some Muslims wanted to marry prostitutes to gain a living from them, and so <strong>Al</strong>lah, ex<strong>al</strong>ted is He,<br />
reve<strong>al</strong>ed this verse, warned the believers against it and made it forbidden unto them”.<br />
Abu S<strong>al</strong>ih Mansur ibn ‘Abd <strong>al</strong>-Wahhab <strong>al</strong>-Bazzar informed us> Abu ‘Amr ibn Hamdan> Ahmad ibn<br />
<strong>al</strong>-Hasan ibn ‘Abd <strong>al</strong>-Jabbar> Ibrahim ibn ‘Ar‘arah> Mu‘tamir> his father> <strong>al</strong>-Hadrami> <strong>al</strong>-Qasim ibn<br />
Muhammad> ‘Abd <strong>Al</strong>lah ibn ‘Amr who related that a woman by the name of Umm Mahzul used to fornicate.<br />
And her condition for any man who proposed to marry her was that she would provide for him [by<br />
continuing to sell herself]. A Muslim man wanted to marry her. He mentioned the matter to the Prophet,<br />
<strong>Al</strong>lah bless him and give him peace, and so this verse was reve<strong>al</strong>ed (<strong>The</strong> adulterer sh<strong>al</strong>l not marry save an<br />
adulteress or an idolatress). 3<br />
(As for those who accuse their wives but have no witnesses except themselves…) [24:6].<br />
Abu ‘Uthman Sa‘id ibn Muhammad <strong>al</strong>-Mu’adhdhin informed us> Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn ‘<strong>Al</strong>i <strong>al</strong>-<br />
Hiri> <strong>al</strong>-Hasan ibn Sufyan> Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah> Yazid ibn Harun> ‘Abbad ibn Mansur> ‘Ikrimah><br />
Ibn ‘Abbas who said: “When the verse (And those who accuse honourable women but bring not<br />
four witnesses…) up to His words (<strong>The</strong>y indeed are evil-doers) [24:4], Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah, the master of the<br />
Helpers, said: ‘Is this how it was reve<strong>al</strong>ed to you, O Messenger of <strong>Al</strong>lah’ <strong>The</strong> Messenger of <strong>Al</strong>lah, <strong>Al</strong>lah<br />
bless him and give him peace, responded: ‘Do you not hear, O Helpers, what your master is saying’ <strong>The</strong>y<br />
said: ‘O Messenger of <strong>Al</strong>lah, he is a very je<strong>al</strong>ous man. By <strong>Al</strong>lah, he never married a woman who was not<br />
a virgin and no one amongst us ever dares to marry any woman he divorces, because of his extreme je<strong>al</strong>ousy’.<br />
Sa‘d then said: ‘O Messenger of <strong>Al</strong>lah, by <strong>Al</strong>lah I know it is the truth and that it is from <strong>Al</strong>lah. But<br />
I was wondering: if I were to find a man on top of my wife, I am not supposed to disturb or move him<br />
1<br />
Durr, :127.<br />
2<br />
Houses of ill-repute or brothels.<br />
3<br />
Tabari, :71.
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