Quran Garden

Did you know only one of Prophet Muhammad's companions is mentioned by name in the Quran?  Curious about who this sahabi is?  In today's tafsir, we will reveal his name and discuss how he achieved this remarkable honor.  Sit back and listen.

Session 570

Chapter 4

Verse 23

a continuation

You are forbidden to take as wives your mothers, daughters, sisters, paternal and maternal aunts, the daughters of brothers and daughters of sisters, and your foster mothers who breastfed you, and your foster sisters from breastfeeding, your wives' mothers, the stepdaughters in your care- those born of women with whom you have consummated marriage, if you have not consummated the marriage, then you will not be blamed- wives of your begotten sons, two sisters simultaneously- with the exception of what is past: God is most forgiving and merciful-  (Chapter 4: Verse 23)

In the previous session, we discussed the family relations that stem from adoption.  More specifically, the phrase "wives of your begotten sons" forbids a man from marrying the ex-wife of his biological son but not his adopted son.  In fact, God completely abolished adoption from Islam and did so through Prophet Muhammad's own family.  Why?  Because adoption was deeply entrenched in Arabia, and the Messenger was to set an example for all to follow in ending adoption. 

We shared the story of Zayd, the adopted son of our beloved Muhammad, who by God's command, was no longer adopted.  Then, by God's command, the Prophet, peace be upon him, married Zayd's ex-wife.  God says,

Muhammad is not the father of any of your men but the Messenger of God and the Final Seal of the Prophets.  Allah has knowledge of all things.  (33:40)

This Aya ended adoption in Islam.  Before its time, Zayd was known as Zayd ibn Muhammad, which is the most incredible honor one could ever dream of.  Now, he reverted to Zayd ibn Harithah, and he was devastated.  But God, the All-Merciful and Kind, compensated Zayd for the loss of this honor.  How?  The Almighty made the name "Zayd" part of the Quran to be recited, memorized, and elevated till the Day of Judgment.  Your name, Zayd, is now immortalized in Aya 37 of Surah Al-Ahzab,

When Zayd no longer wanted her, We gave her to you in marriage so that there might be no fault in believers marrying the wives of their adopted sons after they no longer wanted them.

Suppose Zayd had remained as Zayd ibn Muhammad; what impact would that have had?  It would be a part of his biography and a point of pride for him, but isn't it a higher honor when your name is read in God's book, which is eternally preserved?  Zayd is the only Companion of the Prophet mentioned explicitly by name in the Quran, ensuring his status until the end of times.

This brings us back to the principle: "Muhammad is not the father of any of your men." In its linguistic inference, the phrase "not the father of any" suggests that he is a father to all believers without singling out one person or another.  Don't we call the wives of God's Messenger our mothers?  Aren't they forbidden for anyone else to marry?  Thus, he, peace be upon him, is our father collectively. 

God continues, "But the Messenger of God and the Final Seal of the Prophets"— being a messenger and the conclusion of prophethood surpasses the honor of fatherhood.  Likewise, the honor you and I gain by being believers far surpasses being called the son of Muhammad.  Blood relations are inconsequential among the Prophets.  Good deeds, not blood relations, are the path that gets you close to God's Messengers.  Our beloved Muhammad included Salman—who was Persian— as a member of his family, saying, "Salman is one of us, the Household of Muhammad (Ahlu al-Bayt)."

This brings us back to the verse.  God says that marrying "two sisters simultaneously" is prohibited.  Why?  Because marriage to two sisters may disrupt the love, kindness, and harmony between siblings.  This prohibition protects the familial bond of love and compassion from being disrupted by jealousy and distrust. 

However, when it comes to the women one's right hand possesses, there are different interpretations of the phrase "two sisters simultaneously." When asked about having sexual relations with sisters who are captured in war, Caliph Uthman refrained from issuing an edict and said, "I neither command it nor forbid it." Caliph Ali prohibited having sexual relations with sisters in possession but allowed ownership without intimacy, and this opinion is the majority among scholars of the Quran. 

The verse concludes, "With the exception of what is past: God is most forgiving and merciful." Allah does not hold people accountable for actions that took place before His teachings were revealed.  Islamic law isn't retroactive; there's no sin without a clear command, nor punishment without sin.  This ruling only applies from the time it was revealed onward.

The words of the Quran are primarily divided by chapter (Surah) and verse (Aya).  The chapters vary in length and are generally arranged from longest to shortest.  To ease the reading process, the Quran is additionally divided into 30 equal sections, each called a Juz.  These divisions make it easier for you to pace the reading of the entire Quran over one month, reciting a relatively equal amount of one Juz each day.  This is particularly important during Ramadan when one is recommended to complete one full reading of the Quran from cover to cover. 

Aya 23 of Surah An-Nisaa marks the end of the fourth Juz of the Nobel Quran.  For all of you who have been with Quran Garden from the beginning, we say: Thank you.  God willing, we will continue our journey through the Quran together.

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