The Confederates (Al-Ahzab)
Verses 51-52 GROUP_1099 33.51-52
51
تُرْجِي مَن تَشَاء مِنْهُنَّ وَتُؤْوِي إِلَيْكَ مَن تَشَاء وَمَنِ ابْتَغَيْتَ مِمَّنْ عَزَلْتَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكَ ذَلِكَ أَدْنَى أَن تَقَرَّ أَعْيُنُهُنَّ وَلَا يَحْزَنَّ وَيَرْضَيْنَ بِمَا آتَيْتَهُنَّ كُلُّهُنَّ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَلِيمًا
You may defer [the turn of] any of them that you please, and you may receive any you please: and there is no blame on you if you invite one whose [turn] you have set aside. That is more proper, so that their eyes may be cooled, and so that they may not grieve, and so that they will be satisfied with what you have given them. God knows what is in your hearts; and God is all knowing, and forbearing.
52
لَا يَحِلُّ لَكَ النِّسَاء مِن بَعْدُ وَلَا أَن تَبَدَّلَ بِهِنَّ مِنْ أَزْوَاجٍ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكَ حُسْنُهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا مَلَكَتْ يَمِينُكَ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ رَّقِيبًا
It is not lawful for you to marry more women after this, nor to change them for other wives, even though their beauty may please you, except any that your right hand possesses. God is watchful over all things.
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Commentary
(a) Where a number of ladies are involved, the scope for complaint increases. The Prophet Muhammad had many wives. In view of this, there was a possibility that these ladies might have grievances about ineqalities in conjugal rights, as a result of which giving his full concentration to the performance of his missionary work might have been hampered. So, it was laid down that his case was a special one and that he was not subject to the provisions regarding the observance of equality in conjugal rights which were applicable to Muslims in general. If there had been any clash between the provisions regarding conjugal rights and those regarding Islamic rights, then it would have been legitimate for the Prophet to give preference to Islamic rights. The purpose of granting exemption to the Prophet from the general provisions, was to prevent the growth of resentment among his wives; as a matter of fact, the Prophet hardly ever took advantage of these powers in practice.