Surah At-Tahrim

It is also called Surah Al-Mutaharrim, Surah Li-ma Tuharrim, and Surah An-Nabi (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). According to Ibn al-Zubayr, it is called Surah An-Nisa. The well-known view is that it is Medinan. Qatadah states that the Medinan portion extends to the tenth verse, and the remainder is Meccan. Its verses are twelve by consensus. It is a companion to the preceding surah in its opening with the address to the Prophet (may Allah exalt him and grant him peace). The former comprises the divorce of women, while this comprises the prohibition of slave-girls, and between them is a connection that is not hidden. Since the former was concerning the disputes of the women of the Ummah, he mentioned in this one the dispute of the wives of the Chosen One (may Allah exalt him and grant him peace), out of reverence for their status, so that they might not be mentioned alongside other women; thus, they were singled out with a dedicated surah. For this reason, it concludes with the mention of two wives of the Prophet (may Allah exalt him and grant him peace) in Paradise: Asiya, the wife of Pharaoh, and Maryam, daughter of Imran—as stated by Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti, may mercy be upon him.

"In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. O Prophet, why do you prohibit [yourself from] what Allah has made lawful for you..."

Al-Bukhari, Ibn Sa’d, ‘Abd ibn Humayd, Ibn al-Mundhir, and Ibn Marduyah narrated from ‘Aisha that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to stay with Zaynab bint Jahsh and drink honey at her place. I and Hafsa conspired that whichever of us the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) entered upon should say, "I perceive in you the scent of Maghafir; have you eaten Maghafir?" When he entered upon one of them, she said this to him. He replied, "No, rather I drank honey at the house of Zaynab bint Jahsh, and I shall never do it again." In another narration, he had sworn an oath, so she said, "Do not inform anyone of this." Then, "O Prophet, why do you prohibit..." was revealed. In another narration, Sawda said, "Did you eat Maghafir?" He said, "No." She asked, "Then what is this scent I perceive from you?" He replied, "Hafsa gave me a drink of honey." She said, "The bees of the ‘Arfat have hovered over it." Thus, the honey was prohibited, and this [verse] was revealed. In a hadith narrated by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawood, and An-Nasa’i from ‘Aisha, the drinking of honey was in the house of Hafsa, and the ones speaking were Sawda and Safiyya.

Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn Abi Hatim, At-Tabarani, and Ibn Marduyah narrated—and Al-Hafiz as-Suyuti said, with a sound chain of authority—from Ibn ‘Abbas that he said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) drank a beverage of honey at the house of Sawda. He then entered upon ‘Aisha, who said, "I perceive a scent from you." He then entered upon Hafsa, who said, "I perceive a scent from you." He said, "I suspect it is from a beverage I drank at Sawda’s house; by Allah, I will not drink it again." Then this [verse] was revealed. An-Nasa’i, Al-Hakim (who authenticated it), and Ibn Marduyah narrated from Anas that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) had a bondmaid with whom he had relations, but ‘Aisha and Hafsa did not cease pressuring him until he made her forbidden for himself. Then Allah the Almighty revealed this verse, "O Prophet, why do you prohibit..." This is supported by what Al-Bazzar and At-Tabarani narrated with a good, sound chain of authority from Ibn ‘Abbas, who said: "O Prophet, why do you prohibit..." was revealed regarding his bondmaid.

The well-known opinion is that she was Maria, and that he (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had relations with her in the house of Hafsa on her day. She discovered it and reproached him. He (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, "Will you not be pleased if I forbid her and do not approach her?" She said, "Yes," so he forbade her. In another narration, this occurred in the house of Hafsa on the day of ‘Aisha. In Al-Kashshaf, it is narrated that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was alone with Maria on the day of ‘Aisha, and Hafsa found out. He said to her, "Keep this secret for me; I have forbidden Maria for myself, and I bring you the glad tidings that Abu Bakr and ‘Umar will possess the command of my nation after me." She then informed ‘Aisha, as they were friends.

In sum, the reports are contradictory, and you have heard what has been said regarding them. However, Al-Khafaji said: An-Nawawi said in his commentary on Sahih Muslim: "The authentic [view] is that the verse is regarding the story of the honey, not the story of Maria, for the story of Maria is not in the two Sahihs and did not come through an authentic chain." Then Al-Khafaji said, also quoting him: "The correct view is that the drinking of honey occurred at the house of Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her)." At-Tibi stated regarding what we quoted from Al-Kashshaf that he did not find it in the well-known books. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

Maghafir: With a fatha on the mim and the ghayn (with a dot), and with a ya after the fa—according to what Qadi ‘Iyad deemed correct—is the plural of Maghfur (with a damma on the mim). It is a substance with a foul odor secreted by the ‘Arfat, which is a tree or plant with broad leaves. According to Al-Matla’, the ‘Arfat is the gum, and the Maghfur is a thorn that has blossoms from which the bees eat, and the ‘Arfat appears upon it. He (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) loved perfume intensely and disliked foul odors due to the refinement of his noble self and because the angels would visit him while he disliked such odors. It weighed heavily upon him (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) what was said, and thus what occurred, occurred.

In his addressing him (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) as "O Prophet" at the opening of the reproach, there is a degree of kindness, gentleness, and elevation of his status—may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him—that is manifest. Similar to this is His saying, "Allah pardon you, why did you give them permission?" The intent by "prohibiting" is "abstaining," and by "what Allah has made lawful" is "honey," according to what An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) deemed correct, or "having relations with his bondmaid," according to some narrations. The mode of expression using "what" (ma) in these two interpretations is clear. Some interpreted "what" (ma) as referring to Maria, and the expression of her using "what" is consistent with the common usage of it for slave-concubines; the rationale for this is clear.

His saying, "seeking the approval of your wives" is a state (hal) of the subject of "prohibit." Abu Hayyan chose this, and it is the point of the reproach, as has been said. Its aspect seems to be that in speech containing a restriction, the intended meaning is the proof or negation of that restriction, or the restriction is of the type "doubled and multiplied," provided that the prohibition itself is the subject of reproach and the motive for it is likewise, as is in Al-Kashf. Or it is a grammatical or explanatory resumption—which is more appropriate. The aspect is that the interrogation is not literal, but is rather a reproach based on the fact that the prohibition was not for a pleasing motive; thus, it was appropriate to ask about what he considers objectionable, though others among the Prophets (peace be upon them) had done the same—do you not see His saying, "Except what Israel had made unlawful for himself?" It was said, "seeking the approval of your wives," and for someone like you, it is not fitting to seek their approval through such means. It is permitted that it be an explanation of "you prohibit" by making the seeking of their approval the very essence of the prohibition, emphasizing that it is the cause for it, and there is in this a glorification of the matter. The genitive construction in "your wives" is for the genus, not for generalization. "And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful."

It is said: The attribution of prohibition to him (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is metaphorical, and the meaning is: "Do not let your swearing to abandon it be a cause for Allah prohibiting for you what He made lawful for you." This does not require [the former interpretation], and there is disagreement regarding whether an oath was actually taken. Those who affirm it argue based on some reports and the apparent meaning of His saying...