Idolatrous Women were also Released — Seal of the Prophets Vol. 3
Introduction
In this discourse from The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 3), Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra) details the historical events and scholarly insights surrounding Idolatrous Women were also Released.
Book Series: The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 3)
Author: Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra)
Section: IV – The Treaty of Hudaibiyyah & its Magnificent Outcomes
Pages: Book pp. 149–150 (PDF pp. 167–168)
Navigation: Book Table of Contents | « Previous: [Exceptional Arrangements for Emigrant Muslim Women] | Next: [The Account of Abu Basīr and its Outcomes] »
Historical Account
On the one hand, where a special case was proposed for Muslim women, on the other on this occasion, special injunctions were also enacted in relation to idolatrous women; that if an idolatrous women be married to a Muslim, she be released from wedlock. Furthermore, the order was issued that in the future, no idolatrous woman can remain married to a Muslim man. These injunctions were also revealed by means of the Holy Qur’ān,2 and after the revelation of these verses, Ḥaḍrat ‘Umarra and various other companions, who until this time were still married to various idolatrous women, divorced their idolatrous wives and released them.3 In this context, it is also worthy of mention that Islām has not forbidden marriage to all non-Muslim women. Rather, it has only forbidden marriage to idolatrous women and has deemed marriage to women of the Ahl-e-Kitāb as lawful.4 The wisdom of these injunctions are as follows:
Firstly: The religion of an idolater is poles apart from Islām and there is no chain of commonality between the two. Furthermore, by marrying
1 *Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābul-Maghāzī, Bābu Ghazwatil-Hudaibiyyah, Ḥadīth No. 4182
*Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābut-Tafsīr, Tafsīru Sūratil-Mumtaḥinah, Bābu Idhā Jā’akumul-Mu’minātu Muhaājiratin, Ḥadīth No. 4891
*Tārīkhur-Rusuli Wal-Mulūk (Tārīkhuṭ-Ṭabarī), By Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad bin Jarīr Aṭ-Ṭabarī, Volume 3, p. 134, Dhikrul-Aḥdāthillati Kānat Fī Sanati Sittim-Minal-Hijrah/Dhikrul-Khabari ‘An ‘Umratin-Nabiyyisa Allati Ṣaddahul-Mushrikūna Fīhā ‘Anil-Bait, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Second Edition (2002)
*Jāmi‘ul-Bayāni ‘An Ta’wīli Āyatil-Qur’ān (Tafsīruṭ-Ṭabari), By Imām Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad bin Jarīr Aṭ-Ṭabarī, Volume 28, pp. 78-81, Tafsīru Sūratil-Mumtaḥinah, Verse No. 10, Dāru Iḥyā’it- Turāthil-‘Arabī, Beirut (2001)
Usdul-Ghābah Fī Ma‘rifatiṣ-Ṣaḥābah, By ‘Izzuddīn Ibnul-Athīr Abul-Ḥasan ‘Alī bin Muḥammad, Volume 6, pp. 401-402, Ummu Kulthūmin bintu ‘Uqbah, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon (2003) 2 Al-Mumtaḥinah (60:11) 3 Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābush-Shurūṭ, Bābush-Shurūṭi Fil-Jihādi…, Ḥadīth No. 2733
*Tafsīrul-Qur’ānil-‘Aẓīm (Tafsīru Ibni Kathīr), By ‘Imāduddīn Abul-Fidā’ Ismā‘īl bin ‘Umar Ibni Kathīr, Volume 8, p. 122, Tafsīru Sūratil-Mumtaḥinah, Under verse 10, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon (1998)
*Tārīkhur-Rusuli Wal-Mulūk (Tārīkhuṭ-Ṭabarī), By Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad bin Jarīr Aṭ-Ṭabarī, Volume 3, p. 134, Dhikrul-Aḥdāthillati Kānat Fī Sanati Sittim-Minal-Hijrah/Dhikrul-Khabari ‘An ‘Umratin-Nabiyyisa Allati Ṣaddahul-Mushrikūna Fīhā ‘Anil-Bait, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Second Edition (2002)
*Jāmi‘ul-Bayāni ‘An Ta’wīli Āyatil-Qur’ān (Tafsīruṭ-Ṭabari), By Imām Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad bin Jarīr Aṭ-Ṭabarī, Volume 28, p. 83, Tafsīru Sūratil-Mumtaḥinah, Verse No. 10, Dāru Iḥyā’it-Turāthil- ‘Arabī, Beirut (2001) 4 Al-Mā’idah (5:6)
an idolatrous woman there is a risk that the children may remain devoid of the fundamentals of religion in their upbringing.
Secondly: An idolatrous person is not bound by any specific moral code, due to which relations can never be established on specific and firm grounds. On the other hand, however, it was also necessary to allow for the broadening of relations, and therefore, whilst prohibiting marriage to idolatrous women, permission to marry all other nonMuslim women was granted. Among the religions of this day and age, Christians, Jews and Hindus, etc., are included in the term Ahl-e-Kitāb, with whom a Muslim is permitted to marry. Albeit, a better part of the uncivilized nations of Africa, etc., are not from the Ahl-e-Kitāb and marriage to them is forbidden in all circumstances. Since a detailed discussion has already occurred on this topic, hence here the brief note provided should suffice.
Book Series: The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 3)
Section: IV – The Treaty of Hudaibiyyah & its Magnificent Outcomes | Navigation: « Previous: [Exceptional Arrangements for Emigrant Muslim Women] | Next: [The Account of Abu Basīr and its Outcomes] »