Part 94

and offered him to marry Maymuna. The prophet (pbuh) accepted the proposal and gave her four hundred dirhams as dowry. In another version it was stated that, “it was Maymuna who gave herself to the Prophet (pbuh) to wed her. Thereupon Allah the Almighty revealed,

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(And any believing woman who gives herself to the Prophet if the Prophet wishes to wed her; this only

for thee, and not for the believers (at large) , (Al-Ahzab: 50)

After the Prophet had stayed for three days as stated in the covenant of al-Hudaybiya, the people of Quraish asked him to leave. The prophet leniently asked, "Would you leave me to wed among you; and I would invite you to the wedding feast? But, they harshly replied, we do not need your food we just want you to leave."

The polytheists feared the Prophet's stay among them because they knew his great impact on hearts. For example, Maymuna not only embraced Islam but offered herself to the Prophet to marry her.

Accordingly, the Prophet (pbuh) gave permission to leave and did not complete his wedding to Maymuna. On reaching Saraf (a place) ten miles away from Makka, he slept with his bride for the first time in the month of Shawwal, in the seventh year of the Hijrah calendar.

When Maymuna arrived at Madina, she joined the pure prophetic house as an honourable woman and a Mother of the Believers. She

(may Allah be pleased with her) led a life of sincerity and obedience to her husband.

She lived after the Prophet's death for about fifty years, all of which are full of devotion, piety and loyalty to the Prophet's memory. Ibn “Ata said, "When Maymuunah died, I went out with Ibn * Abbas who said, "Do not shake her and be tender with her she is your mother." ‘Aisha also said, when Maymuna died, "Oh, Maymuna passed away. By Allah, she was pious and kept good terms with her kinship ties. May Allah have mercy on her.

The Prophet As A Husband

Having discussed the stories of the Mothers of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with them all) we would like to highlight the reason that these nine wives were such good and righteous examples for men and women in all walks of life, branches of knowledge, wisdom, piety and good manners.

If we examine the Prophet's behavior with his wives before his Messengership and after, we will realize the reason. We might also conclude that the Prophet undoubtedly had tended the position of the mothers of the Believers. Just as they say, "There is a lady behind every great man" it should also be said, "The better the horse the better the horseman"

The Prophet (pbuh) was the leader, the teacher and the example of the people, men and women in treating his wives kindly. He was also just in spending the nights in turns with each, expenditure, kindness, honoring them and enduring their anger, jealousy and dispute. He used to visit them every moming to preach and teach them and in the evening for amusement. He would periodically assemble with them in their houses alternatively. The Prophet (pbuh) also used to serve in his home and attend to his needs himself.

Now, let us highlight some aspects of the Prophet's life as a husband concerning the affairs of his house in which there are many wives of different races, ages and behaviors living, together. We have to bear in mind that such success and prosperity was not confined to his home. Rather, it encompasses all aspects of life: political, economical social.

We might hear about great leaders who achieved many progresses in the field of policy and in leading their own people. Nevertheless, if we investigated their marital life we will discover that they could not deal with their wives even if they had only one. Therefore, we are going to highlight only three aspects of the prophet (pbuh) as a husband:

1The Prophet, the strait husband.

2The Prophet, the funny husband. 3The Prophet, the faithful husband.

The Prophet, the Funny Husband

Many may imagine that the Prophet, Muhammad (pbuh) was decisive all the time, even with his wives. They may further sympathize with his wives for this reason. On the contrary, the Prophet was the kindest one towards his wives. He was comical when it was time for fun. He was also smiling and used to cuddle them.

‘Aisha, the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her) said, "By Allah, I saw the Prophet (pbuh) standing at the door of my room screening me with his garment to enable me to watch the Abyssinians playing with speares in the mosque. I was placing my head between his ear and shoulder, and my face leaning to his cheek. Then he started to say, "0 ‘Aisha, were not you satisfied?" I replied, "No" to know how dear I am to him. He said that repeatedly until I became

satisfied." (Reported by Al-Bukhari)

"He was standing especially for me until I became bored and left. Therefore, you should treat the girl who is fond of amusement (providing that it is permissible)’ according to her age."

The Prophet (pbuh) assigned some time for amusement with his

wives. This was to make them enjoy their life and so as not to feel that the marital life they lead is boring and troublesome.

‘Permissible amusement is only allowed in four cases (according to the Prophet’s hadith): (1) amusement with one’s wife (2) training one’s horse (3) walking between two targets (4) learning to swim.

‘Aisha (May Allah be pleased with her) said, "Once I traveled with Allah's Messenger (pbuh) when I was young and not fat. Then, he asked his companions to go foreward and they did so. Afterwards he said, "Let us race each other." Therefore, I started to run until f won. Later on when I became fat and forgot what had happened, I traveled again with him. He asked his companions to go foreward and they did so. Then he said, "Let us race each other." I forgot what happened in the first race. I was fat therefore I said, "O messenger of Allah, how could I race you in this case?" However, he said, "Let us race." Then, he won the race. He started to laugh and said, "This was opposite the last one."

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) would say to ‘Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): "I know when you become angry or pleased of me” She said, "Il asked, how could you know that?" He said, "When you are pleased, you say , “No, by the lord of Muhammad” and when you are angry, you say,

“ No, by the lord of Ibrahim” (Reported by Al-Bukhari)

One of the scholars said , “ Kind treatment with one’s wife does not mean not harming her. But it rather means to endure her harm and to be tolerant when she becomes angry, following the Prophet’s example the Prophet’s wives would argue with him. Moreover, they might abandon him until the night. Once, Umar’s wife (may Allah be pleased with him) argued with him. Thereby he said, do you argue with me!? Then, she said, the Prophet's wives (pbuh) would argue with him and he is better than you.

This was the Prophet's style with his wives thus, we should, following the Prophet, be playfull with our wives to relieve them of the hardships of life and to enrich the love relationship towards them

The Prophet, the Strait Husband

Although he (pbuh) treated his wives kindly, was funny with them and was patient towards their mistakes, he was also straight and decisive when the situation required it. Both tolerance and decisiveness are required in their due time and situation.

Allah the Almighty addressed Muhammad (pbuh) by saying,

¢O Prophet! Say to thy consorts: if it be that ye desire the life of this world, and its glitter then come! I will provide for your enjoyment and set you free in a handsome manner. But if ye seek Allah

and His Messenger, and the Home of the Hereafter,

verily Allah has prepared for the well-doers

The aforementioned verse was revealed when the Mothers of the Believers asked the Prophet (pbuh) for some ease and adornment. Accordingly, the Prophet (pbuh) got angry and swore that he would not approach them for a month. He therefore abandoned them all as a lesson for them. After that, Allah the Almighty revealed the aforementioned verses where they were told that they had no place in

the sacred household if they merely wished for ease or worldly glitter. If such were the case, they could be divorced and amply provided for. The Mothers of the Believer's however preferred Allah, His Messenger and the Last Day to the worldly glitter. They lived with the Prophet (pbuh) to carry out their great roles in the best way providing him with peacefulness happiness and cooperating with him in disseminating Islam all over the world.

Let us read the details of one such story: Imam Muslim reported on the authority of Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah who said, "Once, Abu Bakr asked for the Prophet's permission to enter his home. He found some people sitting by the Prophet's door whom he (pbuh) did not permit to enter. Then, Abu Bakr asked for permission and the Prophet (pbuh) permitted him to enter. Then came “Umar who also entered after asking permission. There, he found the Prophet (pbuh) keeping silent and his wives sitting around him. Then Abu Bakr intended to say something in order to make the Prophet (pbuh) laugh. He said, "O Messenger of Allah, I would like you see the daughter of Khadija (when she asked me financial support then I twisted her neck. Then, the Prophet (pbuh) laughed and said, They are around me, as you see, asking me financial support. Thereupon, Abu Bakr held ‘Aisha and started to twist her neck, so did ‘Umar with Hafsa. They (Umar and Abu Bakr) said, "Do you ask the Prophet something he does not possess? They then said, by Allah we will never ask him anything he does not have."

The Prophet abandoned them for a month. Then, the above verse was revealed upon him. Therefore, he started to speak with them. He spoke first to “Aisha by saying: