Sahih Muslim 18-The Book of Divorce - كتاب الطلاق

Command him ('Abdullah b. 'Umar) to take her back (and keep her) and pronounce divorce when she is purified and she again enters the period of menstruation and she is again purified (after passing the period of menses), and then if he so desires he may keep her and if he desires divorce her (finally) before touching her (without having an intercourse with her), for that is the period of waiting ('ldda) which God, the Exalted and Glorious, has commanded for the divorce of women.

When 'Abdullah was asked about it, he said to one of them: If you have divorced your wife with one pronouncement or two (then you can take her back), for Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) commanded me to do it; but if you have divorced her with three pronouncements, then she is forbidden for you until she married another husband, and you disobeyed Allah in regard to the divorce of your wife what He had commanded you. (Muslim said: The word" one divorce" used by Laith is good.)

I divorced my wife during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) when she was in the state of menses. 'Umar (Allah be pleased with him) made a mention of it to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), whereupon he said: Command him to take her back and leave her (in that state) until she is purified. Then (let her) enter the period of second menses, and when she is purified, then divorce her (finally) before having a sexual intercourse with her, or retain her (finally). That is the 'Idda (the prescribed period) which Allah commanded (to be kept in view) while divorcing the women. 'Ubaidullah reported: I said to Nafi': What became of that divorce (pronounced within 'Idda)? He said: It was as one which she counted.

A hadith like this has been narrated on the authority of 'Ubaidullah, but he made no mention of the words of Ubaidullah that he said to Nafi'.

If you pronounced one divorce or two, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had commanded him to take her back, and then allow her respite until she enters the period of the second menses, and then allow her respite until she is purified, and then divorce her (finally) before touching her (having a sexual intercourse with her) ; and if you have pronounced (three divorces at one and the same time) you have in fact disobeyed your Lord with regard to what He commanded you about divorcing your wife. But she is however (finally separated from you).

I divorced my wife while she was in the state of menses. 'Umar (Allah be pleased with him) made mention of it to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) and he was enraged and he said: Command him to take her back until she enters the second ensuing menses other than the one in which he divorced her and in case he deems proper to divorce her, he should pronounce divorce (finally) before touching her (in the period) when she is purified of her menses, and that is the prescribed period in regard to divorce as Allah has commanded. 'Abdullah made a pronouncement of one divorce and it was counted in case of divorce. 'Abdullah took her back as Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had commanded him.

I took her back, and counted this pronouncement of divorce (as valid) with which I divorced her.

Command him to take her back, then divorce her when she is pure or she is pregnant.

Command him to take her back until she is pure and then she enters the second menses and then becomes pure. Then either divorce her (finally) or retain her.

One who was blameless (as a narrator) narrated to me for twenty years that Ibn 'Umar (Allah be pleased with him) pronounced three divorces to his wife while she was in the state of menses. He was commanded to take her back. I neither blamed them (the narrators) nor recognised the hadith (to be perfectly genuine) until I met Abu Ghallab Yunus b. Jubair al-Bahili and he was very authentic, and he narrated to me that he had asked Ibn 'Umar (Allah be pleased with there) and he narrated it to him that he made one pronouncement of divorce to his wife as she was in the state of menses, but he was commanded to take her back. I said: Was it counted (as one pronouncement)? He said: Why not, was I helpless or foolish?

A hadith like this has been transmitted on the authority of Ayyub with a slight variation of words.

Umar (Allah be pleased with him) asked Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) about it and he commanded him that he should take her back until she is divorced in the state of purity without having a sexual intercourse with her, and said: Divorce her in the beginning of her 'Idda or her 'Idda commences.

I said to Ibn'Umar (Allah be pleased with them): A person divorcedhis wife while she was in the state of menses, whereupon he said: Do you know 'Abdullah b. Umar (Allah be pleased with them), for he divorced his wife in the state of menses. 'Umar (Allah be pleased with him) came to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) and asked him, and he (the Holy Prophet) commanded him that he should take her back, and she started her 'Idda. I said to him: When a person divorces his wife, and she is in the state of menses, should that pronouncement of divorce be counted? He said: Why not, was he hopless or foolish?

I divorced my wife while she was in the state of menses. 'Umar (Allah he pleased wish him) came toAllah's Apostle (ﷺ) and made mention of that to him, whereupon Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) told that be should take her back, and when she is pure he may divorce her. if he would so wish. I (one of the narrators) said to Ibn 'Umar (Allah be pleased with them): Did you count (this pronouncement of divorce) in her case? He said: What (after all) prevents him from doing so? Do you find him (Ibn Umar) either helpless or foolish?

I asked Ibn 'Umar (Allah be pleased with them) about the woman whom he had divorced. He said: I divorced her while she was in the state of menses. It was mentioned to 'Umar (Allah be pleased with him) and he then made a mention of that to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ), whereupon he said: Command him to take her back and when the period of menses is over, then (he may divorce her in the state of her purity. He (Ibn Umar) said: So I took her back, then divorced her in her purity. I (the narrator) said: Did you count that divorce which you pronounced in the state of menses? He said: Why should I not have counted that? Was I helpless or foolish?

Command him to take her back and when she is pure, then divorce her. I said to Ibn 'Umar Allah be pleased with them): Did you count that pronouncement of divorce? He said: Why not?

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Shu'ba with the same chain of transmitters but with a slight variation in wording.

Do you know 'Abdullah b. Umar? He said: Yes. He said: It was he who divorced his wife jn the state of menses and 'Umar went to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) and gave him this information. and he commanded him that he should take her back; and he (Abu Tawus) said: I did not hear any addition to this (hadith) from my father.

What is your opinion about the person who divorced his wife in the state of menses? Thereupon he said: Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with them) divorced his wife during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) while she was in the state of menses. Upon this Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) told him to take her back and so he took her back and he (further) said: When she is pure, then either divorce her or retain her. Ibn 'Umar (Allah be pleased with them) said that Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) then recited this verse:" O Apostle, when you divorce women, divorce them at the commencement of their prescribed period" (Ixv 1).

The story in the above hadith has likewise been narrated through another chain.

He made a mistake who said that it was 'Urwa; it was in fact the freed slave of 'Azza.)

Verily the people have begun to hasten in the matter in which they are required to observe respite. So if we had imposed this upon them, and he imposed it upon them.

Do you know that three (divorces) were treated as one during the lifetime of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ), and that of Abu Bakr, and during three (years) of the caliphate of Umar (Allah be pleased with him)? Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) said: Yes.

Enlighten us with your information whether the three divorces (pronounced at one and the same time) were not treated as one during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and Abu Bakr. He said: It was in fact so, but when during the caliphate of 'Umar (Allah be pleased with him) people began to pronounce divorce frequently, he allowed them to do so (to treat pronouncements of three divorces in a single breath as one).

Verily, there is in the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) a model pattern for you.

When a man declares his wife unlawful for himself that is an oath which must be atoned, and he said: There is in the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) a noble pattern for you.

I and Hafsa agreed that one whom Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) would visit first should say: I notice that you have an odour of the Maghafir (gum of mimosa). He (the Holy Prophet) visited one of them and she said to him like this, whereupon he said: I have taken honey in the house of Zainab bint Jabsh and I will never do it again. It was at this (that the following verse was revealed): 'Why do you hold to be forbidden what Allah has made lawful for you... (up to). If you both ('A'isha and Hafsa) turn to Allah" up to:" And when the Prophet confided an information to one of his wives" (lxvi. 3). This refers to his saying: But I have taken honey.

A woman of her family had sent her a small vessel of honey as a gift, and she gave to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) from that a drink. I said: By Allah, we would also contrive a device for him. I mentioned that to Sauda, and said: When he (Allah's Apostle) would visit you and draw close to you, say to him: Allah's Messenger, have you taken maghafir? And he would'say to you: No. Then say to him: What is this odour? And Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) felt it very much that unpleasant odour should emit from him. So he would say to you: Hafsa has given me a drink of honey. Then you should say to him: The honey-bees might have sucked 'Urfut, and I would also say the same to him and. Safiyya, you should also say this. So when he (the Holy Prophet) came to Sauda, she said: By Him besides whom there is no god, it was under compulsion that I had decided to state that which you told me when he would be at a little distance at the door. So when Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came near, she said: Messenger of Allah, did you eat Maghafir? He said: No. She (again) said: Then what is this odour? He said: Hafsa gave me honey to drink. She said: The honey-bee might have sucked 'Urfut. When he came to me I told him like this. He then visited Safiyya and she also said to him like this. When he (again) visited Hafsa, she said: Messenger of Allah, should I not give you that (drink)? He said: I do not need that. Sauda said: Hallowed be Allah, by Him we have (contrived) to make that (honey) unlawful for him. I said to her: Keep quiet.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of 'Urwa with the same chain of transmitters.

When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was commanded to give option to his wives, he started it from me saying: I am going to mention to you a matter which you should not (decide) in haste until you have consulted your parents. She said that he already knew that my parents would never allow me to seek separation from him She said: Then he said: Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, said: Prophet, say to thy wives: If you desire this world's life and its adornment, then come, I will give you a provision and allow you to depart a goodly departing; and if you desire Allah and His Messenger and the abode of the Hereafter, then Allah has prepared for the doers of good among you a great reward She is reported to have said: About what should I consult my parents, for I desire Allah and His Messenger and the abode of the Hereafter? She ('A'isha) said: Then all the wives of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) did as I had done.

" Thou mayest put off whom thou pleasest of them, and take for thee whom thou pleasest" (xxxiii. 5). Mu'adha said to her: What did you say to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) when he sought your permission? She said: I used to say: If it had the option in this I would not have (allowed anyone) to have precedence over me.

The above hadith has likewise been narrated through another chain.

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) gave us the option (to get divorce) but we did not deem it as divorce.

I do not mind if I give option to my wife (to get divorce) once, hundred times, or thousand times after (knowing it) that she has chosen me (and would never seek divorce). I asked 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) (about it) and she said: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) gave us the option, but did it imply divorce? (It was in fact not a divorce; it is effective when women actually avail themselves of it.)

'A'isha reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) gave option to his wives, but it was not a divorce.

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) gave us the option (to get divorce) and we chose him and he did not count it a divorce.

Allah's Messeinger (ﷺ) gave us the option (to get divorce), but me made a choice of him and he did not count anything (as divorce) in regard to us.

A hadith like this has been transmitted on the authority of 'A'isha through another chain of narrators.

Abu Bakr (Allah be pleased with him) came and sought permission to see Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). He found people sitting at his door and none amongst them had been granted permission, but it was granted to Abu Bakr and he went in. Then came 'Umar and he sought permission and it was granted to him, and he found Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) sitting sad and silent with his wives around him. He (Hadrat 'Umar) said: I would say something which would make the Prophet (ﷺ) laugh, so he said: Messenger of Allah, I wish you had seen (the treatment meted out to) the daughter ofKhadija when you asked me some money, and I got up and slapped her on her neck. Allah's Messenger (mav peace be upon him) laughed and said: They are around me as you see, asking for extra money. Abu Bakr (Allah be pleased with him) then got up went to 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) and slapped her on the neck, and 'Umar stood up before Hafsa and slapped her saying: You ask Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) which he does not possess. They said: By Allah, we do not ask Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) for anything he does not possess. Then he withdrew from them for a month or for twenty-nine days. Then this verse was revealed to him:" Prophet: Say to thy wives... for a mighty reward" (xxxiii. 28). He then went first to 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) and said: I want to propound something to you, 'A'isha, but wish no hasty reply before you consult your parents. She said: Messenger of Allah, what is that? He (the Holy Prophet) recited to her the verse, whereupon she said: Is it about you that I should consult my parents, Messenger of Allah? Nay, I choose Allah, His Messenger, and the Last Abode; but I ask you not to tell any of your wives what I have said He replied: Not one of them will ask me without my informing her. God did not send me to be harsh, or cause harm, but He has sent me to teach and make things easy.

When Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) kept himself away from his wives, I entered the mosque, and found people striking the ground with pebblesand saying: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) has divorced his wives, and that was before they were commanded to observe seclusion 'Umar said to himself: I must find this (actual position) today. So I went to 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) and said (to her): Daughter of Abu Bakr, have you gone to the extent of giving trouble to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)? Thereupon she said: Son of Khattab, you have nothing to do with me, and I have nothing to do with you. You should look to your own receptacle. He ('Umar) said: I visited Hafsa daughter of 'Umar, and said to her: Hafsa, the (news) has reached me that you cause Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) trouble. You know that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) does not love you, and had I not been (your father) he would have divorced you. (On hearing this) she wept bitterly. I said to her: Where is Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)? Shesaid: He is in the attic room. I went in and found Rabah, the servant of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), sitting on the thresholds of the window dangling his feet on the hollow wood of the date-palm with the help of which Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) climbed (to the apartment) and came down. I cried: 0 Rabah, seek permission for me from Allah's Messenger (way peace be upon him). Rabah cast a glance at the apartment and then looked toward me but said nothing. I again said: Rabah, seek permission for me from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). Rabah looked towards the apartment and then cast a glance at me, but said nothig. I then raised my voice and said: 0 Rabah, seek permission for me from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). I think that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) is under the impression that I have come for the sake of Hafsa. By Allah, if Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) would command me to strike her neck, I would certainly strike her neck. I raised my voice and he pointed me to climb up (and get into his apartment). I visited Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), and he was lying on a mat. I sat down and he drew up his lower garment over him and he had nothing (else) over him, and that the mat had left its marks on his sides. I looked with my eyes in the store room of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). I found only a handful of barley equal to one sa' and an equal quantity of the leaves of Mimosa Flava placed in the nook of the cell, and a semi-tanned leather bag hanging (in one side), and I was moved to tears (on seeing this extremely austere living of the Holy Piophet), and he said: Ibn Khattab, what wakes you weep? I said: Apostle of Allah, why should I not shed tears? This mat has left its marks on your sides and I do not see in your store room (except these few things) that I have seen; Ceasar and Closroes are leading their lives in plenty whereas you are Allah's Messenger. His chosen one, and that is your store! He said: Ibn Khattab, aren't you satisfied that for us (there should be the prosperity) of the Hereafter, and for them (there should be the prosperity of) this world? I said: Yes. And as I had entered I had seen the signs of anger on his face, and I therefore, said: Messenger of Allah, what trouble do you feel from your wives, and if youhave divorced them, verily Allah is with you, His angels, Gabriel, Mika'il, I and Abu Bakr and the believers are with you. And seldom I talked and (which I uttered on that day) I hoped that Allah would testify to my words that I uttered. And so the verse of option (Ayat al-Takhyir) was revealed. Maybe his Lord, if he divorce you, will give him in your place wives better than you..." (Ixv. 5). And if you back up one another against him, then surely Allah is his Patron, and Gabriel and the righteous believers, and the angels after that are the aidera (lvi. 4). And it was 'A'isha, daughter of Abu Bakr, and Hafsa who had prevailed upon all the wives of Allah's Prophet (way peace be upon him) for (pressing them for mote money). I said: Messenger of Allah, have you divorced them? He said: No. I said: Messenger of Allah, I entered the mosque and found the Muslims playing with pebbles (absorbed in thought) and saying: Allah's Messenger has divorced his wives. Should I get down and inform there that you have not divorced them? He said: Yes, if you so like. And I went on talking to him until I (found) the signs of anger disappeared on his face and (his seriousness was changed to a happy mood and as a result thereof) his face had the natural tranquillity upon it and he laughed and his teeth were the most charming (among the teeth) of all people. Then Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) climbed down and I also climbed down and catching hold of the wood of the palm-tree and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came down (with such ease) as if he was walking on the ground, not touching anything with his hand (to get support). I said: Messenger of Allah, you remained in your apartment for twenty-nine days. He said: (At times) the month consists of twenty-nine days. I stood at the door of the mosque and I called out at the top of my voice: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) has not divorced his wives (and it was on this occasion that this) verse was revealed:" And if any matter pertaining to peace or alarm comes within their ken, they broadcast it; whereas, if they would refer it to the Apostle and those who have been entrusted with authority amongst them, those of them who are engaged in obtaining intelligence would indeed know (what to do with) it" (iv 83). And it was I who understood this matter, and Allah revealed the verse pertaining to option (given to the Prophet (may peace be upon him in regard to the retaining or divorcing of his wives).

I intended to ask 'Umar b. al-Khattab (Allah be pleased with him) about a verse, but I waited for one year to ask him out of his fear, until he went out for Pilgrimage and I also accompanied him. As he came back and we were on the way he stepped aside towards an Arak tree to ease himself. I waited for him until he was free. I then walked along with him and said: Commander of the Faithful, who are the two among the wives of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) who backed up one another (in their demand for extra money)? He said: They were Hafsa and 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with them). I said to him: It is for one year that I intended to ask you about this matter but I could not date so on account of the awe for you. He said: Don't do that. If you think that I have any knowledge, do ask me about that. And if I were to know that, I would inform you. He (the narrator) stated that 'Umar had said: By Allah, during the days of ignorance we had no regard for women until Allah the Exalt- ed revealed about them what He has revealed, and appointed (turn) for them what he appointed. He said: It so happened that I was thinking about some matter that my wife said: I wish you had done that and that. I said to her: It does not concern you and you should not feel disturbed in a matter which I intend to do. She said to me: How strange is it that you, O son of Khattab, do not like anyone to retort upon you, whereas your daughter retorts upon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upou him) until he spends the day in vexation. 'Umar said: I took hold of my cloak, then came out of my house until I visited Hafsa and said to her: O daughter, (I heard) that you retort upon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) until he spends the day in vexation, whereupon Hafsa said: By Allah, we do retort upon him. I said: You should bear in mind, my daughter, that I warn you against the punishment of Allah and the wrath of His Messenger (ﷺ). You may not be misled by one whose beauty has fascinated her, and the love of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) for her. I ('Umar) then visited Umm Salama because of my relationship with her and I talked to her. Umm Salama said to me: Umar b. al-Khattab, how strange is it that you meddle with every matter so much so that you are anxious to interfere between Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and his wives, and this perturbed me so much that I refrained from saying what I had to say, so I came out of her apartment, and I had a friend from the Anar. When I had been absent (from the company of the Holy Prophet) he used to bring me the news and when he had been absent I used to bring him the news, and at that time we dreaded a king of Ghassan. It was mentioned to us that he intended to attack us, and our minds were haunted by him. My friend, the Ansari, came to me, and he knocked at the door and said: Open it, open it. I said: Has the Ghassani come? He said: (The matter is) more serious than that. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) has separated himself from his wives. I said: Let the nose of Hafsa and 'A'isha be besmeared with dust. I then took hold of my cloth and went out until I came and found Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in his attic to which he climbed by means of a ladder made of date-palm, and the servant of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) who was black had been sitting at the end of the ladder. I said: This is Umar. So permission was granted to me. I narrated this news to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and as I narrated the news concerning Umm Salama, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) smiled. He was lying on the mat and there was nothing between him and that (mat), and under his head there was a pillow made of leather and it was stuffed with plam fibres and at his feet were lying a heap of sant tree (acacia niloctica, meant for dyeing) and near his head there was hanging a hide. And I saw the marks of the maton the side of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), and so I wept. He said: What makes you weep? I said: Messenger of Allah, the Khusrau and the Ceasars (spendd their lives in) the midst of (luxuries), whereas you being Allah's Messenger (are leading your life in this poverty). Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Don't you like that they should have riches of their world, and you have the Hereafter.

I came along with Umar until we reached Marr al-Zahran (the name of a place), and the rest of the hadith is the same as narrated by Sulaiman b. Bilal (except with) the variation (of words) that I said: (What) about these two women? He said: They were Hafsa and Umm Salama. And he made this addition: I came to the apartments and in every apartment there was (the noise) of weeping. And this addition was also made: And he (the Holy Prophet) had taken an oath of remaining away from them for a month, and when twenty-nine days had passed, he visited them.

I intended to ask Umar about those two ladies who had pressed for (worldly riches) during the lifetime of the Prophet (ﷺ), and I kept waiting for one year, but found no suitable opportunity with him until I happened to accompany him to Mecca. And as he reached Marr al Zahran he went away to answer the call of nature, and he said (to me): Bring me a jug of water, and I took that to him. After having answered the call of nature, as he came back, I began to pour water (over his hands and feet), and I remembered (this event of separation of Allah's Apostle [may peace be upon him] from his wives). So I said to him: Commander of the Faithful, who are the two ladies (who had pressed the Prophet [may peace be upon him] for providing comforts of life) and I had not yet finished my talk when he said: They were 'A'isha and Hafsa.

" If you both turn in repentance to Allah, then indeed your hearts are inclined (to this)" (Ixvi. 4), until 'Umar (Allah be pleased with him) set out for Hajj and I also went along with him. And as we were going along a path, 'Umar (Allah be pleased with hiyn) went aside and I also went aside with him with a jug (of water). He answered the call of nature, and then came to me and I poured water over his hands and he performed ablution I said: Commander of the Faithful, who are the two ladies amongst the wives of Allah's Prophet (ﷺ) about whom Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, said: 'If you both turn to Allah in repentance, then indeed your heart are inclined to it"? 'Umar (Allah he pleased with him) said: How strange is it for you, Ibn 'Abbas! (Zuhri said: By Allah, he disliked what he asked about, but did not keep it a secret.) He ('Umar) said: They are Hafsa and 'A'isha; and he then began to narrate the hadith and said: We were such people among the Quraish who dominated women, and as we reached Medina we found there people who were dominated by their women, and our women began to learn (the habits) of their women. He further said: And my house was situated in the suburb of Aledina in the tribe of Banu Umayya b. Zaid. One day I became angry with my wife and she retorted upon me. I did not like that she should retort upon me. She said: You disapprove of my retorting upon you By Allah, the wives of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) retort upon him, and one of them detaches herself from him for the day until the night. So I ('Umar) went out and visited Hafsa and said: Do you retort upon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)? She said: Yes. I said; Does any one of you detach herself from him from the day to the night? She said: Yes. He said: She who did like it amongst you in fact failed and incurred loss. Does everyone amongst you not fear the wrath of Allah upon her due to the wrath of His Messenger (ﷺ), and (as a result thereof) she may perish? So do not retort upon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and do not ask him for anything, but ask me that which you desire, (and the frank behaviour) of your companion may not mislead you, if she is more graceful and is dearer to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) than you (meaning 'A'isha) (Allah be pleased with her). He (Hadrat 'Umar further) said: I had a compalaion from the Ansar and, we used to remain in the company of the Messenger (ﷺ) turn by turn. He remained there for a day while I remained there on the other day, and he brought me the news about the revelation and other (matter), and I brought him (the news) like this. And we discussed that the Ghassanids were shoeing the horses in order to attack us. Id y companion once attended (the Apostle). and then came to me at night and knocked at my door and called me, and I came out to him, and he said: A matter of great importance has happened. I said: What is that? Have the Ghassanids come? He said: No, but even more serious and more significant than that: the Prophet (ﷺ) has divorced his wives. I said: Hafsa has failed and has incurred loss. and I feared that it would happen. When it was dawn I observed the dawn prayer and dressed myself, and then came there (in the house of the Holy Prophet) and visited Hafsa, and she was weeping. I said: Has Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) divorced you (all)? She said: I do not know. He has, however, separated himself in his attic. I came to a black servant and said to him: Seek permission for 'Umar. He went in and then came to me and said: I made mention of you to him, but he kept quiet. I then went to the pulpit and sat there, and there was a group of people sitting by it and some of then were weeping. I sat there for some time, until I was overpowered (by that very idea) which was in my mind. I then came back to the boy and said to him: Seek permission for Umar. He went in and came to me and said: I made mention of you to him but he kept quiet. I was about to turn back when the boy called me and said: Go in; permission has been granted to you. I went in and greeted Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and he was reclining against the couch of mat and it had left its marks upon his side. I said: Messenger of Allah, have you divorced your wives? He raised his head towards me and said: No. I said: Allah is the Greatest. Messenger of Allah, I wish if you had seen how we the people of Quraish had domination over women but when we came to Medina we found people whom their women dominated. So our women began to learn from their women. One dily I became angry with my wife and she began to retort upon me. I did not approve that she should retort upon me. She said: You do not like that I should retort upon you, but, by Allah. the wives of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) retort upon him and any one of them separates herself from him for a day until night. I said: He who did that amongst them in fact failed and incurred loss. Does any of them feel sate from the wrath of Allahupon her due to the wrath of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), and she has certainly perished. Allah's Messtnger (ﷺ) smiled, I said: Messenger of Allah, I visited Hafsa and said: (The behaviour) of your companion ('A'isha) may not mislead you, If she is more graceful than you and is dearer to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) than you. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) smiled for the second time. I said: Allah's Messenger, way I talk to you about agreeable things? He said: Yes. I sat down and lifted my head (to see things) in the house and, by Allah, I did not see anything significant besides three hides. I said: Messenger of Allah, supplicate the Lord that He should make (life) prosperous for your Ummah as He has made plentiful for the people of Persia and Rome (in spite of the fact) that they do no, worship Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, whereupon he (Allah's Messenger) sat up an I then said: Ibn Khattab, do you doubt that they are a nation whom their nice things have been given immediately in the life of this world. I said: Allah's Messenger! seek pardon for me. And he (Allah's Messenger) had taken an oath that he would not visit them for a month due to extreme annoyance with them until Allah showed His displeasure to him (Allah's Messenger). Zuhri said: 'Urwa informed me that 'A'Isha (Allah be pleased with her) said: When twenty-nine nights were over, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) visited me, and he began (his visit) with me. I said: Messenger of Allah, you had taken an oath that you would not visit us for a month, while you have visited after I have counted only twenty-nine (nights). Thereupon he said: The month may also be of twenty-nine (days). He then said: 'A'isha, I am going to talk to you about a matter, and you should not be hasty in it (and do not give your final decision) until you have consulted your parents. He then recited this verse to me:" O Prophet, say to your wives" till he reached" mighty reward" (xxxiii. 28). 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) said: By Allah, he knew that my parents would not allow me to separate from him. I said: Is there any need to consult my parents in this matter? I in fact choose Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ) and the abode in the Hereafter. Ma'mar said: Ayyub reported to me that 'A'isha said: Don't inform your wives that I have chosen you, whereupon Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) said: Verily Allah has sent me as a conveyer of message, and He has not sent me as a source of hardship (to others). Qatada said:" Saghat qulubukum" means" Your hearts have inclined."

I swear by Allah that you have no claim on us. she went to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and mentioned that to him. He said: There is no maintenance due to you from him, and he commanded her to spend the 'Idda in the house of Umm Sharik, but then said: That is a woman whom my companions visit. So better spend this period in the house of Ibn Umm Maktum, for he is a blind man and yon can put off your garments. And when the 'Idda is over, inform me. She said: When my period of 'Idda was over, I mentioned to him that Mu'awiya b. Abu Sufyan and Jahm had sent proposal of marriage to me, whereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: As for Abu Jahm, he does not put down his staff from his shoulder, and as for Mu'awiya, he is a poor man having no property; marry Usama b. Zaid. I objected to him, but he again said: Marry Usama; so I married him. Allah blessed there in and I was envied (by others).

By Allah, I will inform Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), and if maintenance allowance is due to me then I will accept that which will suffice me, and if it is not due to me, I will not accept anything from him. She said: I made a mention of that to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and he said: There is neither maintenance allowance for you nor lodging.

There is no maintenance allowance for you, and you better go to the house of Ibn Umm Maktum and live with him for he is a blind man and you can put off your clothes in his house (i. e. you shall not face much difficulty in observing purdah there).

There is no maintenance allowance due to you from us. Khalid b. Walid along with a group of persons visited Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in the house of Maimuna and they said: Abu Hafs has divorced his wife with three pronouncements; is there any maintenance allowance due to her? Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: No maintenance allowance is due to her, but she is required to spend the 'Idda; and he sent her the message that she should not be hasty in making a decision about herself and commanded her to move to the house of Umm Sharik, and then sent her the message that as the first immigrants (frequently) visit the house of Umm Sharik, she should better go to the house of Ibn Umm Maktum, the blind, (and further said: In case you put off your head-dress, he (Ibn Umm Makhtum) will not see you. So she went to his house, and when the 'Idda was over, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) married her to Usama b. Zaid b. Haritha.

I had been married to a person from Banu Makhzum and he divorced me with irrevocable divorce. I sent a message to his family asking for maintenance allowance, and the rest of the hadith has been transmitted with a slight change of words.

Fatima bint Qais (Allah be pleased with her) reported that she had been married to Abu 'Amr b. Hafs b. al-Mughira and he divorced her with three pronouncements. She stated that she went to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) asking him about abandoning that house. He commanded her to move to the house of Ibn Umm Maktum, the blind. Marwan refused to testify the divorced woman abandoning her house (before the 'Idda was over). 'Urwa said that 'A'isha objected to (the words of) Fatima bint Qais.

This hadith has been transmitted through another chain of narrators.

By Allah, there is no maintenance allowance for you, except in case you are pregnant. She came to Allah's Apostle (may peace he upon him) and mentioned their opinion to him, whereupon he said: There is no maintenance allowance for you. Then she sought permission to move (to another place), and he (the Holy Prophet) permitted her. She said: Allah's Messenger, where (should I go)? He said: To the house of Ibn Umm Maktum and, as he is blind, she could put off her garmeqts in his presence and he would not see her. And when her 'Idda was over. Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) married her to Usama b. Zaid. Marwan (the governor of Medina) sent Qabisa b. Dhuwaib in order to ask her about this hadith, and she narrated it to him, whereupon Marwan said: We have not heard this hadith but from a woman. We would adopt a safe (path) where we found the people. Fatima said that when these words of, Marwan were conveyed to her. There is between me and you the word of Allah, the Exalted and Majestic: Do" not turn them out" of their houses. She asserted: This is in regard to the revocable divorce what new (turn can the event take) after three pronouncements (separation between irrevocable). Why do you say there is no maintenance allowance for her if she is not pregnant? Then on what ground do you restrain her?

I visited Fatima bint Qais and asked her about the verdict of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) about (board and lodging during the 'Idda) and she said that her husband divorced her with an irrevocable divorce. She (further. said): I contended with him before Allah's Messerger (ﷺ) about lodging and maintenance allowance, and she said: He did not provide me with any lodging or maintenance allowance, and he commanded me to spend the 'Idda in the house of Ibn Umm Maktum.

A hadith like this has been trarismitted on the authority of Hushaim through another chain of narrators.

We visited Fatima bint Qais and she served us fresh dates and a drink of barley flour, and I asked her: Where should a woman who has been divorced by three pronouncements, spend the period of her 'Idda. She said: My husband divorced me with three pronouncements, and Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) permitted me to spend my 'Idda period with my family (with my parents).

Fatima bint Qais (Allah be pleased with her) reported from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) that there is no lodging and maintenance allowance for a woman who has been given irrevocable divorce.

My husband divorced me with three pronouncements. I decided to move (from his house to another place). So I came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), and he said: Move to the house of your cousin 'Amr b. Umm Maktum and spend your period of 'Idda there.

I was with al-Aswad b. Yazid sitting in the great mosque, and there was with us al-Sha'bi, and he narrated the narration of Fatima bint Qais (Allah be pleased with her) that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) did not make any provision for lodging and maintenance allowance for her. Al-Aswad caught hold of some pebbles in his fist and he threw them towards him saying: Woe be to thee, you narrate like it, whereas Umar said: We cannot abandon the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of our Apostle (ﷺ) for the words of a woman. We do not know whether she remembers that or she forgets. For her, there is a provision of lodging and maintenance allowance. Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, said:" Turn them not from their houses nor should they themselves go forth unless they commit an open indecency" (lxv. 1).

A hadith like this has been narrated on the authority of Ishaq with the same chain of transmitters.

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to me: When your period of 'Idda is over, inform me. So I informed him. (By that time) Mu'awiya, Abu Jahm and Usama b. Zaid had given her the proposal of marriage. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: So far as Mu'awiya is concerned, he is a poor man without any property. So far as Abu Jahm is concerned, he is a great beater of women, but Usama b. Zaid... She pointed with her hand (that she did not approve of the idea of marrying) Usama. But Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon himn) said: Obedience to Allah and obedience to His Messenger is better for thee. She said: So I married him, and I became an object of envy.

My husband Abu 'Amr b. Hafs b. al-Mughira sent 'Ayyish b. Abu Rabi'a to me with a divorce, and he also sent through him five si's of dates and five si's of barley. I said: Is there no maintenance allowance for me but only this, and I cannot even spend my 'Idda period in your house? He said: No. She said: I dressed myself and came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). He said: How many pronouncements of divorce have been made for you? I said: Three. He said what he ('Ayyish b. Abu Rabi'a) had stated was true. There is no maintenance allowance for you. Spend 'Idda period in the house of your cousin, Ibn Umm Maktum. He is blind and you can put off your garment in his presence. And when you have spent your Idda period, you inform me. She said: Mu'awiya and Abu'l-Jahm (Allah be pleased with them) were among those who had given me the proposal of marriage. Thereupon Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) said: Mu'awiya is destitute and in poor condition and Abu'l-Jahm is very harsh with women (or he beats women, or like that), you should take Usama b. Zaid (as your husband).

I and Abu Salama b 'Abd al-Rahman came to fatima bint Qais (Al! ah be pleased with her) and asked her (about divorce, etc.). She said: I was the wife of Abu 'Amr b. Hafs b. al-Mughira, and he set out to join the battle of Najran. The rest of the hadith is the same, but he made this addition:" She said: I married him and Allah hornoured me on account of Ibn Zaid and Allah favoured me because of him."

I and Abu Salama came to Fatima bint Qais (Allah be pleased with her) during the time of Ibn Zubair (Allah be pleased with him) and she narrated to us that her husband gave her an irrevocable divorce. (The rest of the hadith is the same.)

My husband divorced me with three pronouncements and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) made no provision for lodging and maintenance allowance.

Verily, Fatima too went out (of her in-laws' house). 'Urwa said: I came to 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) and told her about it and she said: There is no good for Fatima bint Qais (Allah be pleased with her) in making mention of it.

Allah's Messenger, my husband has divorcee me with three pronouncements and I am afraid that I may be put to hardship, and so he commanded her and so she moved (to another house).

It is no good for Fatima to make mention of it, i. e. her statement:" There is no lodging and maintenance allowance (for the divorced women)."

Didn't you see that such and such daughter of al-Hakam was divorced by her husband with an irrevocable divorce, and she left (the house of her husband)? Thereupon 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) said: It was bad that she did. He ( Urwa) said: Have you not heard the words of Fatima? Thereupon she said: There if no good for her in making mention of it.

My maternal aunt was divorced, and she intended to pluck her dates. A person scolded her for having come out (during the period of 'Idda). She came to Allah's Prophet (may peace be upon him.) and he said: Certainly you can pluck (dates) from your palm trees, for perhaps you may give charity or do an act of kindness.

What is this that I see you embellished; perhaps you are inclined to marry, By Allah, you cannot marry unless four months and ten days (of 'Idda are passed). When he said that. I dressed myself, and as it was evening I came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and asked him about it, and he gave me a religious verdict that I was allowed to marry when I had given birth to a child and asked me to marry if I so liked. Ibn Shihab said: I do not find any harm fur her in marrying when she has given birth to a child even when she is bleeding (after the birth of the child) except that her husband should not go near her until she is purified.

Her 'Idda is that period which is longer of the two (between four months and ten days and the birth of the child, whichever is longer). AbuSalama, however said: Her period of 'Idda is over (with the birth of the child), and they were contending with each other over this issue, whereupon Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) said: I subscribe (to the view) held by my nephew (i. e. Abu Salama). They sent Kuraib (the freed slave of Ibn 'Abbas) to Umm Salama to ask her about it. He came (back) to them and informed them that Umm Salama (Allah be pleased with her) said that Subai'ah al-Aslamiyya gave birth to a child after the death of her husband when the few flights (had hardly) passed and she made mention of that to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and he commanded her to marry.

They sent him to Umm Salama, but no mention was made of Kuraib.

I went to Umm Habiba, the wife of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ), when her father Abu Sufyan had died. Umm Habiba sent for a perfume having yellowness in it or something else like it, and she applied it to a girl and then rubbed it on her cheeks and then said: By Allah, I need no perfume but for the fact that I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) say on the pulpit:" It is not permissible for a woman believing in Allah and the Hereafter to mourn for the dead beyond three days, but (in case of the death) of the husband it is permissible for four months and ten days." Zainab said: I then visited Zainab hint Jahsh (Allah be pleased with her) when her brother died and she sent for perfume and applied it and then said: By Allah, I don't feel any need for the perfume but that I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) say on the pulpit:" It is not permissible for a woman believing in Allah and the Hereafbler to mourn the dead beyond three days except in case of her husband (for whom she can mourn) for four months and ten days." Zainab (Allah be pleased with her) said: I heard my mother Umm Salama (Allah be pleased with her) as saying: A woman came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said: Allah's Messenger. I have a daughter whose husband has died and there has developed some trouble in her eye; should we apply collyrium to it? Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: No (repeating it twice or thrice, saying only, NO" all the time). Then he said: It is only four mouths and ten days, whereas in the preIslamic period none of you threw away the dung until one year had passed. Humaid said: I said to Zainab: What is this throwing of dung until a year is passed? Zainab said: When the husband of a woman died, she went into a hut and put on her worst clothes, and did not apply perfume or something like it until a year was over. Then an animal like a donkey, or a goat, or a bird was brought to her and she rubbed her hand over it, and it so happened that one on which she rubbed her hand died. She then came out of her house and she was given dung and she threw it and then she made use of anything like perfume or something else as she liked.

I, am doing it, for I have heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying: It is not permissible for a woman believing in Allah and the Hereafter to mourn beyond three days except the husband (for whom she can mourn) for four months and ten days.

This hadith was narrated by Zainab from her mother and from Zainab, the wife of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ), or from some other lady from among the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ).

One among you used to spend one year in a dungeon dressed in worst clothes. (And at the end of this period) she threw dung at the dog which happened to pass that way and then she came out (of her 'Idda). Can't she (wait) even for four months and ten days?

Humaid b. Nafi' narrated two traditions from Umm Salama dealing with collyrium and the other hadith from the wives of Allah's Prophet (ﷺ) except with this that no mention was made of Zainab.

Umm Salama and Umm Habiba (Allah be pleased with them) were talking with each other (and saying) that a woman came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and mentioned to him that her daughter had lost her husband, and her eyes were sore and she wnted to use collyrium, whereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: One among you used to throw dung at the end of a year, and now (this abstinence from adornment) is only for four months and ten days.

I had in fact no need of it, but I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: It is not permissible for the women believing in Allah and the Hereafter to abstain from adornment beyond three days except (at the death of) husband (in which case she must abstain from adornment) for four months and ten days.

It is not permissible for a woman believing in Allah and the Hereafter (or believing in Allah and His Messenger) that she should observe mourning for the dead beyond three days except in case of her husband.

A hadith like this is transmitted on the authority of Nafi'.

" She should abstain from adorning herself (in case of the death of her husband) for four months and ten days."

Safiyya bint Abu 'Ubaid narrated this tradition of Allah's Prophet (ﷺ) on the authority of some wives of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ)

It is not permissible for a woman believing in Allah and the Hereafter to observe mourning on the dead for more than three (days), except in case of her husband.

A woman must not observe mourning for one who had died for more than three (days) except for four months and ten days in the case of her husband. And she must not wear a dyed garment except one of the types made of dyed yarn, or apply collyrium, or touch perfume except a little perfume or incense, when she has been purified after her courses.

A hadith like this has been narrated on the authority of Hisham with the same chain of narrators but with a slight variation of words.

We were forbidden to observe mourning for the dead beyond three days except in the case of husband (where it is permissible) for four months and ten days, and (that during this period) we should neither use collyrium nor touch perfume, nor wear dyed clothes, but concession was given to a woman when one of us was purified of our courses to make use of a little incense or scent.