Surah Tahrim ayat 4 Tafsir Quran 66:4

﴿إِن تَتُوبَا إِلَى اللَّهِ فَقَدْ صَغَتْ قُلُوبُكُمَا ۖ وَإِن تَظَاهَرَا عَلَيْهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ مَوْلَاهُ وَجِبْرِيلُ وَصَالِحُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۖ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ ظَهِيرٌ﴾
[ التحريم: 4]

66:4 If you two [wives] repent to Allah, [it is best], for your hearts have deviated. But if you cooperate against him - then indeed Allah is his protector, and Gabriel and the righteous of the believers and the angels, moreover, are [his] assistants.

If the two of you namely Hafsa and ‘Ā’isha repent to God … for your hearts were certainly inclined towards the prohibition of Māriya that is to say your keeping this secret despite knowing the Prophet’s s dislike of it which is itself a sin the response to the conditional ‘if the two of you repent to God’ has been omitted to be understood as ‘it will be accepted of both of you’; the use of the plural qulūb ‘hearts’ instead of the dual qalbayn ‘both your hearts’ is on account of the cumbersomeness of putting two duals together in what is effectively the same word; and if you support one another tazzāharā the original second tā’ of tatazāharā has been assimilated with the zā’; a variant reading has it without this assimilation tazāharā against him that is the Prophet in what he is averse to then know that God He huwa a pronoun for separation is indeed his Protector His supporter and Gabriel and the righteous among the believers Abū Bakr and ‘Umar may God be pleased with both of them wa-Jibrīlu wa-sālihu’l-mu’minīna is a supplement to the syntactical locus of the subject of inna sc. ‘God’ who will also be his supporters and the angels furthermore further to the support of God and those mentioned are his supporters assistants of his in supporting him to prevail over both of you.

If both of you change your minds with regard to past action and conduct and feel contrition and keep Allah in mind, then you have indeed opened your hearts ears. And if you challenge him and his wisdom then you must know that Allah, is his tutelary protector and so are the Spirit Gibril (Gabriel) and the pious among the believers, and moreover the angels support him and form his back

Which was revealed in Al-Madinah بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ (In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Allah censures His Prophet for Prohibiting Himself from what He has allowed for Him In the Book Al-Bukhari recorded that `Ubayd bin `Umayr said that he heard `A'ishah claiming that Allah's Messenger ﷺ used to stay for a period in the house of Zaynab bint Jahsh and drink honey in her house.
( She said ) "Hafsah and I decided that when the Prophet entered upon either of us, we would say, `I smell Maghafir on you.
Have you eaten Maghafir' When he entered upon one of us, she said that to him.
He replied ( to her ),
«لَا، بَلْ شَرِبْتُ عَسَلًا عِنْدَ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتِ جَحْشٍ وَلَنْ أَعُودَ لَه»
( No, but I drank honey in the house of Zaynab bint Jahsh, and I will never drink it again. )" Then the following was revealed; يأَيُّهَا النَّبِىُّ لِمَ تُحَرِّمُ مَآ أَحَلَّ اللَّهُ لَكَ ( O Prophet! Why do you fobid that which Allah has allowed to you ) up to, إِن تَتُوبَآ إِلَى اللَّهِ فَقَدْ صَغَتْ قُلُوبُكُمَا ( If you both turn in repentance to Allah, your hearts are indeed so inclined; ) in reference to `A'ishah and Hafsah. وَإِذَ أَسَرَّ النَّبِىُّ إِلَى بَعْضِ أَزْوَجِهِ حَدِيثاً ( And (remember ) when the Prophet disclosed a matter in confidence to one of his wives,) which refers to this saying,
«بَلْ شَرِبْتُ عَسَلًا»
( But I have drunk honey. ) Ibrahim bin Musa said that Hisham said that it also meant his saying,
«وَلَنْ أَعُودَ لَهُ وَقَدْ حَلَفْتُ فَلَا تُخْبِرِي بِذَلِكِ أَحَدًا»
( I will not drink it anymore, I have taken an oath to that.
Therefore, do not inform anybody about it. ) Al-Bukhari also recorded this Hadith in the Book of Divorce; then he said, "Al-Maghafir is a type of sap, and in Ar-Rimth ( a type of citrus ) its taste is sweet..." Al-Jawhari said, "The `Urfut is a tree of the shrub variety, which secretes Maghfur." Muslim collected this Hadith from `A'ishah in the Book of Divorce in his Sahih, and his wording is the same as Al-Bukhari in the Book of Vows.
In the Book of Divorce, Al-Bukhari recorded that `A'ishah said, "Allah's Messenger ﷺ liked sweets and honey.
After performing the `Asr prayer, he used to visit his wives, going close to them.
So he went to Hafsah, daughter of `Umar, and stayed with her more than his usual stay.
I ( `A'ishah ) became jealous and asked about that.
It was said to me, `A woman of her family sent her a small vessel of honey as a gift, and she gave a drink to Allah's Messenger ﷺ made from it.' I said, `By Allah, we will contrive a plot against him.' I said to Sawdah bint Zam`ah, `When the Messenger visits you and draws close to you, say to him, `Have you eaten Maghafir' And when he says to you, `No', then ask him, `What is this odor' He will say to you, `Hafsah has given me a drink of honey.' Then you should say to him, `The honeybees might have eaten from Urfut, and I will also say the same to him.
Safiyyah, you should also say this.' Sawdah later said, `It was under compulsion that I had decided to state that which you told me; soon, by Allah, he was standing at my door.' So when Allah's Messenger ﷺ came near her, she said, `O Messenger of Allah! Did you eat Maghafir' He said, `No.' She again said, `Then what is this odor' He said,
«سَقَتْنِي حَفْصَةُ شَرْبَةَ عَسَل»
( Hafsah gave me honey to drink. ) She said, `The honeybees might have eaten from `Urfut.')" `A'ishah continued, "When he came to me I said the same to him.
He then visited Safiyyah and she also said similar to him.
When he again visited Hafsah, she said, `O Messenger of Allah, should I not give you that ( drink )' He said,
«لَا حَاجَةَ لِي فِيه»
( I do not need it. ) Sawdah said, `By Allah! We have prevented him from drinking honey.' I said to her, `Keep quiet!"' Muslim also recorded this Hadith, but this wording is from Al-Bukhari.
In the narration of Muslim, `A'ishah said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to hate to have a bad odor coming from him" This is why they suggested to him that he ate Maghafir, because it causes a bad odor.
When he said,
«بَلْ شَرِبْتُ عَسَلًا»
( No, I had some honey. ) They said that the bees ate from a tree that is called Al-`Urfut, which has Maghafir gum, suggesting that this is the reason behind the bad odor they claimed was coming from him.
The latter narration, collected through `Urwah from `A'ishah, mentions that it was Hafsah who gave the Prophet the honey.
In another narration collected from `Ubayd bin `Umayr, from `A'ishah, it was Zaynab bint Jahsh who gave the honey to the Prophet , while `A'ishah and Hafsah were the plotters.
Allah knows best.
Some might say that they were two separate incidents.
However, it is not likely that the Ayat were revealed about both incidents, if indeed they were two separate incidents.
Allah knows best.
A Hadith that Imam Ahmad collected in the Musnad mentions that `A'ishah and Hafsah were the plotters.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "I was eager to ask `Umar about the two ladies among the wives of the Prophet , about whom Allah said, إِن تَتُوبَآ إِلَى اللَّهِ فَقَدْ صَغَتْ قُلُوبُكُمَا ( If you two turn in repentance to Allah your hearts are indeed so inclined; ) Then I performed Hajj along with `Umar, and on our way back from Hajj he went aside ( to relieve himself ).
I also went aside along with him carrying a tumbler of water.
When he finished and returned, I poured water on his hands from the tumbler and he performed ablution.
I said, `O Commander of the faithful! Who were the two ladies among the wives of the Prophet , to whom Allah said, إِن تَتُوبَآ إِلَى اللَّهِ فَقَدْ صَغَتْ قُلُوبُكُمَا ( If you two turn in repentance to Allah your hearts are indeed so inclined )' `Umar said, `I am astonished at your question, O Ibn `Abbas."' - Az-Zuhri ( a subnarrator ) said that `Umar did not like the question, but he still answered it, saying that they were `A'ishah and Hafsah.
"Then `Umar went on relating the story and said, `We, the people of Quraysh, used to have authority over our women.
But when we came to live with the Ansar, we noticed that the Ansari women had the upper hand over their men, so our women started acquiring the habits of the Ansari women.
At that time, I was residing at the house of Umayyah bin Zayd, in Al-`Awali.
Once I got angry with my wife, and she talked back to me; I disliked her answering me back.
She said, `Why do you dislike me talking back to you By Allah, the wives of the Prophet talk back to him, and some of them may not speak with him for the whole day, until nightfall.' Then I went to Hafsah and asked her, `Do you talk back to Allah's Messenger ﷺ ' She said, `Yes.' I asked, `Does any of you keep Allah's Messenger ﷺ angry all day long, until night' She replied, `Yes.' I said, `Whoever among you does this is a ruined, losing person! Doesn't she fear that Allah may get angry for the anger of His Messenger and, thus, she will be ruined Don't ask Allah's Messenger ﷺ too many things, and don't retort him in any case.
Demand from me whatever you like, and don't be tempted to imitate your neighbor, for she is more beautiful than you, and more beloved to Allah's Messenger ﷺ than you.' He meant `A'ishah. I, and an Ansari neighbor of mine used to visit the Prophet in turns.
He used to go one day, and I another day.
When I went I would bring him the news of what had happened that day regarding the revelation and when he went, he used to do the same for me.
In those days it was rumored that the Ghassan ( tribe ) were preparing their horses to invade us.
My companion went and returned to us at night and knocked at my door.
I came out to him.
He said that a grave thing happened.
I asked him, `What is it Have Ghassan come' He replied that it was worse and more serious than that, adding that Allah's Messenger ﷺ had divorced all his wives.
I said, `Hafsah is a ruined loser! I expected that would happen some day.' So I dressed myself and I performed the Subh prayer.
I went to Hafsah and found her weeping.
I asked her, `Has Allah's Messenger ﷺ divorced all of you' She replied, `I don't know.
He is there alone in the upper room.' I went to the upper room and asked a black slave of the Prophet to ask for his permission to see me, and the boy went in and then came out saying, `I mentioned you to him and he remained silent.' I then went out and came to the Minbar and found a group of people around it and some of them were weeping.
I sat with them for some time, but could not endure the situation.
So, I requested to the boy, `Will you get the permission for `Umar' He went in and then came out saying, `I mentioned you to him, but he did not reply.' So, I went to Minbar and sat with the people who were sitting by the Minbar, but I could not bear the situation, so I went to the boy again and said, `Will you get the permission for `Umar' He went in and brought the same reply as before.
When I was leaving, behold, he called me saying, `Allah's Messenger ﷺ has granted you permission.' So, I entered the Prophet's room, greeted him with the Salam and saw him lying on a mat without bedding on it, and the mat had left its mark on the body of the Prophet. I said, `Have you divorced your wives, O Allah's Messenger' He raised his eyes to me and replied no.
I said, `Allahu Akbar.
O Allah's Messenger! We, the people of Quraysh used to have the upper hand over our women.
But when we came to Al-Madinah, we found a people whose women had the upper hand over them.
Our women started learning this behavior from them.
Once, I got angry with my wife, and she talked back to me.
I disliked that behavior from her and she said, `Why do you dislike that I talk back to you By Allah, the Prophet's wives talk back to him and one of them would ignore him the whole day, until the night.' I said to her, `Whoever does this among them is the ruined loser! Does she feel safe from Allah getting angry with her on account of His Messenger's anger In that case, she would be ruined.' On that the Prophet smiled.
I then said, `O Allah's Messenger! I went to Hafsah and said to her, `Do not be tempted to imitate your companion ( `A'ishah ) for she is more beautiful than you and more beloved to the Prophet.' The Prophet smiled again.
When I saw him smiling, I said, `Does the Messenger feel calm' He said, `Yes.' So, I sat down and cast a glance at the room, and by Allah, I couldn't see anything of importance, except three hides.
I said, `Invoke Allah, O Allah's Messenger, to make your followers prosperous, for the Persians and the Byzantines have been made prosperous and given worldly luxuries, even though they do not worship Allah.' The Prophet sat upright and said,
«أَفِي شَكَ أَنْتَ يَا ابْنَ الْخَطَّابِ أُولَئِكَ قَوْمٌ عُجِّلَتْ لَهُمْ طَيِّبَاتُهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا»
( O Ibn Al-Khattab! Do you have any doubt These people have been given rewards of their good deeds in this world only. ) I asked the Prophet , `Please beg Allah's forgiveness for me, O Allah's Messenger.' The Prophet swore that he would not go to his wives for one month, because of his severe anger towards them, until Allah the Exalted and Most Honored censured him." Al-Bukhari, Muslim, At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i also collected this Hadith using various chains of narration.
Al-Bukhari and Muslim also collected it from Ibn `Abbas, who said, "For a whole year, I was eager to ask `Umar bin Al-Khattab about an Ayah.
However, I hesitated out of respect for him.
Once, he went on a Hajj trip and I accompanied him.
On our way back, he stopped to relieve himself behind some trees of Arak.
I stopped until he finished and then walked along with him and asked him, `O Leader of the believers! Who are the two women who helped each other ( or plotted ) against the Prophet "' This is the narration that Al-Bukhari collected, while Muslim recorded that Ibn `Abbas asked, "Who are the two women about whom Allah the Exalted said, وَإِن تَظَاهَرَا عَلَيْهِ ( but if you help one another against him, )" `Umar replied, "A'ishah and Hafsah." Muslim mentioned the rest of the Hadith.
Muslim also recorded that Ibn `Abbas said that `Umar bin Al-Khattab said to him, "When Allah's Messenger ﷺ stayed away from his wives, I entered the Masjid and found people striking the ground with pebbles.
They said, `Allah's Messenger ﷺ has divorced his wives.' That occurred before Hijab was commanded.
I said to myself, `I must investigate this news today."' So he mentioned the Hadith in which he went to `A'ishah and Hafsah and admonished them.
He then said, `I went in and found Rabah, the servant of Allah's Messenger ﷺ, sitting on a window sill.
I called, `O Rabah, seek permission for me from Allah's Messenger ﷺ."' He then mentioned the story as we mentioned above.
`Umar continued, "I said, `O Messenger of Allah, what trouble do you feel from your wives If you have divorced them, verily Allah is with you, His angels, Jibril, Mikal, I, Abu Bakr and the rest of believers are with you.' Often, when I talked, all praise is due to Allah, I hoped that Allah would testify to the words that I uttered.
And so the Ayat of option was revealed.
Allah said, عَسَى رَبُّهُ إِن طَلَّقَكُنَّ أَن يُبْدِلَهُ أَزْوَجاً خَيْراً مِّنكُنَّ ( Maybe his Lord, if he divorces you, will give him in your place wives better than you, ) and, وَإِن تَظَاهَرَا عَلَيْهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ مَوْلَـهُ وَجِبْرِيلُ وَصَـلِحُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمَلَـئِكَةُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ ظَهِيرٌ ( but if you help one another against him, then verily, Allah is his Protector, and Jibril, and the righteous among the believers; and after that the angels are his helpers. ) I said, `Messenger of Allah ﷺ, have you divorced them' He said, `No.' I stood at the door of the Masjid and called out at the top of my voice, `The Messenger of Allah ﷺ has not divorced his wives.' It was on this occasion that this Ayah was revealed, وَإِذَا جَآءَهُمْ أَمْرٌ مِّنَ الاٌّمْنِ أَوِ الْخَوْفِ أَذَاعُواْ بِهِ وَلَوْ رَدُّوهُ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ وَإِلَى أُوْلِى الاٌّمْرِ مِنْهُمْ لَعَلِمَهُ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَنْبِطُونَهُ مِنْهُمْ ( When any matter pertaining to peace or alarm comes to them, they broadcast it; whereas, if they would refer it to the Messenger and those who have been entrusted with authority among them, those of them who are engaged in obtaining intelligence would indeed know (what to do with ) it.)( 4:83 ) It was I who understood ( and properly investigated ) this matter." Similar was said by Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Ikrimah, Muqatil bin Hayyan, Ad-Dahhak and others.
The Ayah, وَصَـلِحُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ( and the righteous among the believers; ) refers to Abu Bakr and `Umar.
Al-Hasan Al-Basri added `Uthman to them.
Layth bin Abi Sulaym said from Mujahid: وَصَـلِحُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ( and the righteous among the believers; ) includes `Ali bin Abi Talib also.
Al-Bukhari recorded that Anas said, "`Umar said, `The wives of the Prophet were all jealous for his affection, and I said to them, عَسَى رَبُّهُ إِن طَلَّقَكُنَّ أَن يُبْدِلَهُ أَزْوَجاً خَيْراً مِّنكُنَّ ( Maybe his Lord, if he divorces you, will give him instead of you, wives better than you. ) Thereafter, this Ayah was revealed."' We mentioned before that `Umar said statements that were confirmed by the Qur'an, such as about the revelation about Hijab see 33:53 and the captive idolators after the battle of Badr see 8:67.
`Umar's suggestion to take the Station of Ibrahim as a place for prayer and Allah revealed this Ayah; وَاتَّخِذُواْ مِن مَّقَامِ إِبْرَهِيمَ مُصَلًّى ( And take you the Maqam (station ) of Ibrahim as a place of prayer.) ( 2:125 ) Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Anas said that `Umar bin Al-Khattab said, "I heard news that the Mothers of the faithful had a dispute with the Prophet .
So I advised them, saying, `Either stop bothering Allah's Messenger ﷺ or Allah might provide him better wives than you.
Al-Hasan Al-Basri added `Uthman to them.
Layth bin Abi Sulaym said from Mujahid: وَصَـلِحُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ( and the righteous among the believers; ) includes `Ali bin Abi Talib also.
Al-Bukhari recorded that Anas said, "`Umar said, `The wives of the Prophet were all jealous for his affection, and I said to them, عَسَى رَبُّهُ إِن طَلَّقَكُنَّ أَن يُبْدِلَهُ أَزْوَجاً خَيْراً مِّنكُنَّ ( Maybe his Lord, if he divorces you, will give him instead of you, wives better than you. ) Thereafter, this Ayah was revealed."' We mentioned before that `Umar said statements that were confirmed by the Qur'an, such as about the revelation about Hijab see 33:53 and the captive idolators after the battle of Badr see 8:67.
`Umar's suggestion to take the Station of Ibrahim as a place for prayer and Allah revealed this Ayah; وَاتَّخِذُواْ مِن مَّقَامِ إِبْرَهِيمَ مُصَلًّى ( And take you the Maqam (station ) of Ibrahim as a place of prayer.) ( 2:125 ) Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Anas said that `Umar bin Al-Khattab said, "I heard news that the Mothers of the faithful had a dispute with the Prophet .
So I advised them, saying, `Either stop bothering Allah's Messenger ﷺ or Allah might provide him better wives than you.
Abu `Abdur-Rahman As-Sulami, Abu Malik, Ibrahim An-Nakha`i, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, As-Suddi, and others.

(66:4) If the two of you turn in repentance to Allah (that is better for you), for the hearts of both of you have swerved from the Straight Path. *7 But if you support one another against the Prophet, *8 then surely Allah is his Protector; and after that Gabriel and all righteous believers and the angels are all his supporters. *9

If you two [wives] repent to Allah, meaning

*7) The word saghat in the original is from Baghy which means to swerve and to become crooked.
Shah Waliyullah and Shah Rafi'uddin have translated this sentence thus: " Crooked have become your hearts. " Hadrat 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud, 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas, Sufyan Thauri and Dahhak have given this meaning of it: " Your hearts have swerved from the right path. " Imam Razi explains it thus: " Your hearts have swerved from what is right, and the right implies the right of the Holy Prophet ( upon whom be Allah's peace ). " And 'Allama Alusi's commentary is Although it is incumbent on you that you should approve what the Holy Messenger ( upon whom he peace ) approves and disapprove what he disapproves, yet in this matter your hearts have swerved from conformity with him and turned in opposition to him.
"
*8) The word tazahur means to cooperate mutually in opposition to another person, or to be united against another person.
Shah Waliyullah has translated this sentence, thus: "If you mutually join together to cause distress to the Prophet.
" Shah 'Abdul Qadir's translation is: "If you both overwhelm him." Maulana Ashraf 'AII Thanwi's translation urns: "And if you both continued to work thus against the Prophet.
" And Maulana Shabbir Ahmad 'Uthmami has explained it thus: , "lf you two continued to work and behave thus ( against the Prophet )."
The verse is clearly addressed to two ladies and the context shows that these ladies arc from among the wives of the Holy Prophet ( upon whom be peace ) for in vv.
1-5 of this Surah the affairs concerning the Holy Prophet's wives only have been discussed continuously, and this becomes obvious from the style of the Qur'an itself.
.As for the question who were the wives, and what was the matter which caused Allah's displeasure, the details are found in the Hadith.
In Musnad Ahmad, Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi and Nasa'i, a detailled tradition of Hadrat 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas has been related, which describes the incident with sane variation in wording.
Ibn 'Abbas says:
"I had been thinking a long time to ask Hadrat 'Umar as to who were the two of the Holy Prophet's wives, who had joined each other against him, and about whom Allah sent down this verse: In tatuba.....; but I could not muster courage because of his awe-inspiring personality until he left for Hajj and I accompanied him.
On our way back while helping him to perform ablutions for the Prayer at one place I had an opportunity to ask him this question.
He replied: they were 'A'ishah and Hafsah.
Then he began to relate the background, saying: " We, the people of Quraish, were used to keeping our women folk under strict control.
Then.
when we came to Madinah, we found that the people here were under the control of their wives, and the women of Quraish too started learning the same thing from them.
One day when I became angry with my wife, I was amazed to see that she argued with me.
I felt badly about her conduct.
She said, 'Why should you feel so angry at my behaviour? By God, the wives of the Holy Prophet ( upon whom be peace ) answer him back face to face,' ( the word in the original is li yuraji nahu ) and some one of them remains angrily apart from hire for the whole day.
( According to Bukhari: the Holy Prophet remains angry and- apart from her the whole day ).
Hearing this I came out of my house and went to Hafsah ( who was Hadrat `Umar's daughter and the Holy Prophet's wife ).
I asked her.
Do you answer back to the Holy Prophet ( upon whom be peace ) face to face? She said: Yes.
asked: And does one of you remain apart from him for the whole day ( According to Bukhiiri: the Holy Prophet remains angry and apart from her for the entire day ).
She said: Yes.
I said: Wretched is the one from among you, who behaves thus.
Has one of you become so fearless of this that AIIah should afflict her with His wrath because of the wrath of His Prophet and she should perish? So, do not be rude to the Prophet ( here also the words are: la turaji-'i ), nor demand of him anything, but demand of me whatever you desire.
Do not be misled by this that your neighbor ( i.e.
Hadrat `A'ishah ) is more beautiful and dearer to the Holy Prophet.
After this I left her house and went to the house of Umm Salamah, who was related to me, and talked to her on this subject.
She said: Son of Khattab, you are a strange man: you have meddled in every matter until you are now interfering in the affair between Allah's Messenger and his wives.
She discouraged me.
Then it so happened that an Ansari neighbor came to my house at night and he called out to me.
We used to sit in the Holy Prophet's assembly by turns and each used to pass on to the other the news of the day of his turn.
It was the time when we were apprehending an attack by the Ghassanids any time.
On his call when I came out of my house, he said that something of grave significance had happened.
1 said: Have the Ghassanids launched an attack? He said: No, but something even more serious! The Holy Prophet ( upon whom be peace ) has divorced his wives.
I said: Doomed is Hafsah ( the words in Bukhari are: Raghima anfu Hafsah wa `Aishah ).
I already had a premonition of this. "
We have left out what happened after this, how next morning Hadrat 'Umar went before the Holy Prophet and tried to appease his anger.
We have described this incident by combining the traditions of Musnad Ahmad and Bukhari.
In this the word muraj`at which Hadrat `Umar has used cannot be taken in its literal sense, but the context shows that the word has been used in the sense of answering back face to face and Hadrat `Umar's saying to his daughter: La turaji- `I Rasul Allah clearly has the meaning: Do not be impudent to the Messenger of Allah, Some people say that this is a wrong translation, and their objection is: Although it is correct to translate muraja `at as answering hack, or answering hack face to face, yet it is not correct to translate it as " bing impudent " .
These objectors do not understand that if a person of a lower rank or position answers back or retorts to a person of a higher rank and position, or answers him back face to face this very thing is described as impudence.
For example, if a father rebukes his son for something or feels angry at his behaviour, and the son instead of keeping quiet or offering an excuse, answers back promptly this could only he described as impudence.
Then, when the matter is not between a father and a son, but between the Messenger of Allah and an individual of his community, only a foolish person could say that it was not impudence.

Some other people regard this translation of ours as disrespectful, whereas it could be disrespectful in case we had had the boldness to use such words in respect of Hadrat Hafsah from ourselves.
We have only given the correct meaning of the words of .Hadrat 'Umar, and these words he had used while scolding and reproving his daughter for her error.
Describing it as disrespectful would mean that either the father should treat his daughter with due respect and reverence even when scolding and rebuking her or else the translator should render his rebuke and reproof in a way as to make it sound respectful and reverent.

Here, what needs to be considered carefully is that if it was such an ordinary and trivial matter that when the Holy Prophet said something to his wives they would retort to Him, why was it given so much importance that in the Qur'an AIIah administered a severe warning directly to the wives themselves? And why did Hadrat 'Umar take it as such a grave matter that first he reproved his own daughter, then visited the house of the other wives and asked them to fear the wrath of Allah? And, about alI, was the Holy Prophet ( upon whom be peace ) also so sensitive that he would take offence at minor things and become annoyed with his wives, and was he, God forbid, so irritable that once having been annoyed at such things he had severed his connections with all his wives and retired to his private apartment in seclusion? If a person considers these questions deeply, he will inevitably have to adopt one of the two views in the explanation of these verses Either on account of his excessive concern for reverence for the holy wives he should not at aII mind if a fault is imputed to AIIah and His Messenger, or else he should admit in a straightforward way that at that time the attitude and behaviour of these holy wives has actually become so objectionable that the Holy Prophet ( upon whom be peace ) was justified in becoming annoyed over it, and more than that, AIIah Himself was justified that He should administer a severe warning to the wives on their unseemly behaviour and attitude.

*9) That is, " You would only harm yourselves if you upheld and supported each other against the Messenger of AIlah ( upon whom be Allah's peace ), for none could succeed against him whose Protector was Allah and who had Gabriel and the angels and alI the righteous Believers on his side.
"
 

Which was revealed in Al-Madinah بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ (In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Allah censures His Prophet for Prohibiting Himself from what He has allowed for Him In the Book Al-Bukhari recorded that `Ubayd bin `Umayr said that he heard `A'ishah claiming that Allah's Messenger ﷺ used to stay for a period in the house of Zaynab bint Jahsh and drink honey in her house.
( She said ) "Hafsah and I decided that when the Prophet entered upon either of us, we would say, `I smell Maghafir on you.
Have you eaten Maghafir' When he entered upon one of us, she said that to him.
He replied ( to her ), «لَا، بَلْ شَرِبْتُ عَسَلًا عِنْدَ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتِ جَحْشٍ وَلَنْ أَعُودَ لَه» ( No, but I drank honey in the house of Zaynab bint Jahsh, and I will never drink it again. )" Then the following was revealed; يأَيُّهَا النَّبِىُّ لِمَ تُحَرِّمُ مَآ أَحَلَّ اللَّهُ لَكَ ( O Prophet! Why do you fobid that which Allah has allowed to you ) up to, إِن تَتُوبَآ إِلَى اللَّهِ فَقَدْ صَغَتْ قُلُوبُكُمَا ( If you both turn in repentance to Allah, your hearts are indeed so inclined; ) in reference to `A'ishah and Hafsah. وَإِذَ أَسَرَّ النَّبِىُّ إِلَى بَعْضِ أَزْوَجِهِ حَدِيثاً ( And (remember ) when the Prophet disclosed a matter in confidence to one of his wives,) which refers to this saying, «بَلْ شَرِبْتُ عَسَلًا» ( But I have drunk honey. ) Ibrahim bin Musa said that Hisham said that it also meant his saying, «وَلَنْ أَعُودَ لَهُ وَقَدْ حَلَفْتُ فَلَا تُخْبِرِي بِذَلِكِ أَحَدًا» ( I will not drink it anymore, I have taken an oath to that.
Therefore, do not inform anybody about it. ) Al-Bukhari also recorded this Hadith in the Book of Divorce; then he said, "Al-Maghafir is a type of sap, and in Ar-Rimth ( a type of citrus ) its taste is sweet..." Al-Jawhari said, "The `Urfut is a tree of the shrub variety, which secretes Maghfur." Muslim collected this Hadith from `A'ishah in the Book of Divorce in his Sahih, and his wording is the same as Al-Bukhari in the Book of Vows.
In the Book of Divorce, Al-Bukhari recorded that `A'ishah said, "Allah's Messenger ﷺ liked sweets and honey.
After performing the `Asr prayer, he used to visit his wives, going close to them.
So he went to Hafsah, daughter of `Umar, and stayed with her more than his usual stay.
I ( `A'ishah ) became jealous and asked about that.
It was said to me, `A woman of her family sent her a small vessel of honey as a gift, and she gave a drink to Allah's Messenger ﷺ made from it.' I said, `By Allah, we will contrive a plot against him.' I said to Sawdah bint Zam`ah, `When the Messenger visits you and draws close to you, say to him, `Have you eaten Maghafir' And when he says to you, `No', then ask him, `What is this odor' He will say to you, `Hafsah has given me a drink of honey.' Then you should say to him, `The honeybees might have eaten from Urfut, and I will also say the same to him.
Safiyyah, you should also say this.' Sawdah later said, `It was under compulsion that I had decided to state that which you told me; soon, by Allah, he was standing at my door.' So when Allah's Messenger ﷺ came near her, she said, `O Messenger of Allah! Did you eat Maghafir' He said, `No.' She again said, `Then what is this odor' He said, «سَقَتْنِي حَفْصَةُ شَرْبَةَ عَسَل» ( Hafsah gave me honey to drink. ) She said, `The honeybees might have eaten from `Urfut.')" `A'ishah continued, "When he came to me I said the same to him.
He then visited Safiyyah and she also said similar to him.
When he again visited Hafsah, she said, `O Messenger of Allah, should I not give you that ( drink )' He said, «لَا حَاجَةَ لِي فِيه» ( I do not need it. ) Sawdah said, `By Allah! We have prevented him from drinking honey.' I said to her, `Keep quiet!"' Muslim also recorded this Hadith, but this wording is from Al-Bukhari.
In the narration of Muslim, `A'ishah said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to hate to have a bad odor coming from him" This is why they suggested to him that he ate Maghafir, because it causes a bad odor.
When he said, «بَلْ شَرِبْتُ عَسَلًا» ( No, I had some honey. ) They said that the bees ate from a tree that is called Al-`Urfut, which has Maghafir gum, suggesting that this is the reason behind the bad odor they claimed was coming from him.
The latter narration, collected through `Urwah from `A'ishah, mentions that it was Hafsah who gave the Prophet the honey.
In another narration collected from `Ubayd bin `Umayr, from `A'ishah, it was Zaynab bint Jahsh who gave the honey to the Prophet , while `A'ishah and Hafsah were the plotters.
Allah knows best.
Some might say that they were two separate incidents.
However, it is not likely that the Ayat were revealed about both incidents, if indeed they were two separate incidents.
Allah knows best.
A Hadith that Imam Ahmad collected in the Musnad mentions that `A'ishah and Hafsah were the plotters.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "I was eager to ask `Umar about the two ladies among the wives of the Prophet , about whom Allah said, إِن تَتُوبَآ إِلَى اللَّهِ فَقَدْ صَغَتْ قُلُوبُكُمَا ( If you two turn in repentance to Allah your hearts are indeed so inclined; ) Then I performed Hajj along with `Umar, and on our way back from Hajj he went aside ( to relieve himself ).
I also went aside along with him carrying a tumbler of water.
When he finished and returned, I poured water on his hands from the tumbler and he performed ablution.
I said, `O Commander of the faithful! Who were the two ladies among the wives of the Prophet , to whom Allah said, إِن تَتُوبَآ إِلَى اللَّهِ فَقَدْ صَغَتْ قُلُوبُكُمَا ( If you two turn in repentance to Allah your hearts are indeed so inclined )' `Umar said, `I am astonished at your question, O Ibn `Abbas."' - Az-Zuhri ( a subnarrator ) said that `Umar did not like the question, but he still answered it, saying that they were `A'ishah and Hafsah.
"Then `Umar went on relating the story and said, `We, the people of Quraysh, used to have authority over our women.
But when we came to live with the Ansar, we noticed that the Ansari women had the upper hand over their men, so our women started acquiring the habits of the Ansari women.
At that time, I was residing at the house of Umayyah bin Zayd, in Al-`Awali.
Once I got angry with my wife, and she talked back to me; I disliked her answering me back.
She said, `Why do you dislike me talking back to you By Allah, the wives of the Prophet talk back to him, and some of them may not speak with him for the whole day, until nightfall.' Then I went to Hafsah and asked her, `Do you talk back to Allah's Messenger ﷺ ' She said, `Yes.' I asked, `Does any of you keep Allah's Messenger ﷺ angry all day long, until night' She replied, `Yes.' I said, `Whoever among you does this is a ruined, losing person! Doesn't she fear that Allah may get angry for the anger of His Messenger and, thus, she will be ruined Don't ask Allah's Messenger ﷺ too many things, and don't retort him in any case.
Demand from me whatever you like, and don't be tempted to imitate your neighbor, for she is more beautiful than you, and more beloved to Allah's Messenger ﷺ than you.' He meant `A'ishah. I, and an Ansari neighbor of mine used to visit the Prophet in turns.
He used to go one day, and I another day.
When I went I would bring him the news of what had happened that day regarding the revelation and when he went, he used to do the same for me.
In those days it was rumored that the Ghassan ( tribe ) were preparing their horses to invade us.
My companion went and returned to us at night and knocked at my door.
I came out to him.
He said that a grave thing happened.
I asked him, `What is it Have Ghassan come' He replied that it was worse and more serious than that, adding that Allah's Messenger ﷺ had divorced all his wives.
I said, `Hafsah is a ruined loser! I expected that would happen some day.' So I dressed myself and I performed the Subh prayer.
I went to Hafsah and found her weeping.
I asked her, `Has Allah's Messenger ﷺ divorced all of you' She replied, `I don't know.
He is there alone in the upper room.' I went to the upper room and asked a black slave of the Prophet to ask for his permission to see me, and the boy went in and then came out saying, `I mentioned you to him and he remained silent.' I then went out and came to the Minbar and found a group of people around it and some of them were weeping.
I sat with them for some time, but could not endure the situation.
So, I requested to the boy, `Will you get the permission for `Umar' He went in and then came out saying, `I mentioned you to him, but he did not reply.' So, I went to Minbar and sat with the people who were sitting by the Minbar, but I could not bear the situation, so I went to the boy again and said, `Will you get the permission for `Umar' He went in and brought the same reply as before.
When I was leaving, behold, he called me saying, `Allah's Messenger ﷺ has granted you permission.' So, I entered the Prophet's room, greeted him with the Salam and saw him lying on a mat without bedding on it, and the mat had left its mark on the body of the Prophet. I said, `Have you divorced your wives, O Allah's Messenger' He raised his eyes to me and replied no.
I said, `Allahu Akbar.
O Allah's Messenger! We, the people of Quraysh used to have the upper hand over our women.
But when we came to Al-Madinah, we found a people whose women had the upper hand over them.
Our women started learning this behavior from them.
Once, I got angry with my wife, and she talked back to me.
I disliked that behavior from her and she said, `Why do you dislike that I talk back to you By Allah, the Prophet's wives talk back to him and one of them would ignore him the whole day, until the night.' I said to her, `Whoever does this among them is the ruined loser! Does she feel safe from Allah getting angry with her on account of His Messenger's anger In that case, she would be ruined.' On that the Prophet smiled.
I then said, `O Allah's Messenger! I went to Hafsah and said to her, `Do not be tempted to imitate your companion ( `A'ishah ) for she is more beautiful than you and more beloved to the Prophet.' The Prophet smiled again.
When I saw him smiling, I said, `Does the Messenger feel calm' He said, `Yes.' So, I sat down and cast a glance at the room, and by Allah, I couldn't see anything of importance, except three hides.
I said, `Invoke Allah, O Allah's Messenger, to make your followers prosperous, for the Persians and the Byzantines have been made prosperous and given worldly luxuries, even though they do not worship Allah.' The Prophet sat upright and said, «أَفِي شَكَ أَنْتَ يَا ابْنَ الْخَطَّابِ أُولَئِكَ قَوْمٌ عُجِّلَتْ لَهُمْ طَيِّبَاتُهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا» ( O Ibn Al-Khattab! Do you have any doubt These people have been given rewards of their good deeds in this world only. ) I asked the Prophet , `Please beg Allah's forgiveness for me, O Allah's Messenger.' The Prophet swore that he would not go to his wives for one month, because of his severe anger towards them, until Allah the Exalted and Most Honored censured him." Al-Bukhari, Muslim, At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i also collected this Hadith using various chains of narration.
Al-Bukhari and Muslim also collected it from Ibn `Abbas, who said, "For a whole year, I was eager to ask `Umar bin Al-Khattab about an Ayah.
However, I hesitated out of respect for him.
Once, he went on a Hajj trip and I accompanied him.
On our way back, he stopped to relieve himself behind some trees of Arak.
I stopped until he finished and then walked along with him and asked him, `O Leader of the believers! Who are the two women who helped each other ( or plotted ) against the Prophet "' This is the narration that Al-Bukhari collected, while Muslim recorded that Ibn `Abbas asked, "Who are the two women about whom Allah the Exalted said, وَإِن تَظَاهَرَا عَلَيْهِ ( but if you help one another against him, )" `Umar replied, "A'ishah and Hafsah." Muslim mentioned the rest of the Hadith.
Muslim also recorded that Ibn `Abbas said that `Umar bin Al-Khattab said to him, "When Allah's Messenger ﷺ stayed away from his wives, I entered the Masjid and found people striking the ground with pebbles.
They said, `Allah's Messenger ﷺ has divorced his wives.' That occurred before Hijab was commanded.
I said to myself, `I must investigate this news today."' So he mentioned the Hadith in which he went to `A'ishah and Hafsah and admonished them.
He then said, `I went in and found Rabah, the servant of Allah's Messenger ﷺ, sitting on a window sill.
I called, `O Rabah, seek permission for me from Allah's Messenger ﷺ."' He then mentioned the story as we mentioned above.
`Umar continued, "I said, `O Messenger of Allah, what trouble do you feel from your wives If you have divorced them, verily Allah is with you, His angels, Jibril, Mikal, I, Abu Bakr and the rest of believers are with you.' Often, when I talked, all praise is due to Allah, I hoped that Allah would testify to the words that I uttered.
And so the Ayat of option was revealed.
Allah said, عَسَى رَبُّهُ إِن طَلَّقَكُنَّ أَن يُبْدِلَهُ أَزْوَجاً خَيْراً مِّنكُنَّ ( Maybe his Lord, if he divorces you, will give him in your place wives better than you, ) and, وَإِن تَظَاهَرَا عَلَيْهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ مَوْلَـهُ وَجِبْرِيلُ وَصَـلِحُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمَلَـئِكَةُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ ظَهِيرٌ ( but if you help one another against him, then verily, Allah is his Protector, and Jibril, and the righteous among the believers; and after that the angels are his helpers. ) I said, `Messenger of Allah ﷺ, have you divorced them' He said, `No.' I stood at the door of the Masjid and called out at the top of my voice, `The Messenger of Allah ﷺ has not divorced his wives.' It was on this occasion that this Ayah was revealed, وَإِذَا جَآءَهُمْ أَمْرٌ مِّنَ الاٌّمْنِ أَوِ الْخَوْفِ أَذَاعُواْ بِهِ وَلَوْ رَدُّوهُ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ وَإِلَى أُوْلِى الاٌّمْرِ مِنْهُمْ لَعَلِمَهُ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَنْبِطُونَهُ مِنْهُمْ ( When any matter pertaining to peace or alarm comes to them, they broadcast it; whereas, if they would refer it to the Messenger and those who have been entrusted with authority among them, those of them who are engaged in obtaining intelligence would indeed know (what to do with ) it.)( 4:83 ) It was I who understood ( and properly investigated ) this matter." Similar was said by Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Ikrimah, Muqatil bin Hayyan, Ad-Dahhak and others.
The Ayah, وَصَـلِحُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ( and the righteous among the believers; ) refers to Abu Bakr and `Umar.
Al-Hasan Al-Basri added `Uthman to them.
Layth bin Abi Sulaym said from Mujahid: وَصَـلِحُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ( and the righteous among the believers; ) includes `Ali bin Abi Talib also.
Al-Bukhari recorded that Anas said, "`Umar said, `The wives of the Prophet were all jealous for his affection, and I said to them, عَسَى رَبُّهُ إِن طَلَّقَكُنَّ أَن يُبْدِلَهُ أَزْوَجاً خَيْراً مِّنكُنَّ ( Maybe his Lord, if he divorces you, will give him instead of you, wives better than you. ) Thereafter, this Ayah was revealed."' We mentioned before that `Umar said statements that were confirmed by the Qur'an, such as about the revelation about Hijab see 33:53 and the captive idolators after the battle of Badr see 8:67.
`Umar's suggestion to take the Station of Ibrahim as a place for prayer and Allah revealed this Ayah; وَاتَّخِذُواْ مِن مَّقَامِ إِبْرَهِيمَ مُصَلًّى ( And take you the Maqam (station ) of Ibrahim as a place of prayer.) ( 2:125 ) Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Anas said that `Umar bin Al-Khattab said, "I heard news that the Mothers of the faithful had a dispute with the Prophet .
So I advised them, saying, `Either stop bothering Allah's Messenger ﷺ or Allah might provide him better wives than you.
Al-Hasan Al-Basri added `Uthman to them.
Layth bin Abi Sulaym said from Mujahid: وَصَـلِحُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ( and the righteous among the believers; ) includes `Ali bin Abi Talib also.
Al-Bukhari recorded that Anas said, "`Umar said, `The wives of the Prophet were all jealous for his affection, and I said to them, عَسَى رَبُّهُ إِن طَلَّقَكُنَّ أَن يُبْدِلَهُ أَزْوَجاً خَيْراً مِّنكُنَّ ( Maybe his Lord, if he divorces you, will give him instead of you, wives better than you. ) Thereafter, this Ayah was revealed."' We mentioned before that `Umar said statements that were confirmed by the Qur'an, such as about the revelation about Hijab see 33:53 and the captive idolators after the battle of Badr see 8:67.
`Umar's suggestion to take the Station of Ibrahim as a place for prayer and Allah revealed this Ayah; وَاتَّخِذُواْ مِن مَّقَامِ إِبْرَهِيمَ مُصَلًّى ( And take you the Maqam (station ) of Ibrahim as a place of prayer.) ( 2:125 ) Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Anas said that `Umar bin Al-Khattab said, "I heard news that the Mothers of the faithful had a dispute with the Prophet .
So I advised them, saying, `Either stop bothering Allah's Messenger ﷺ or Allah might provide him better wives than you.
Abu `Abdur-Rahman As-Sulami, Abu Malik, Ibrahim An-Nakha`i, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, As-Suddi, and others.

( If ye twain turn unto Allah repentant ) if you two, i.e. Hafsah and ’A’ishah, repent of hurting and disobeying the Prophet ( pbuh ) ( (ye have cause to do so ) for your hearts desired ( the ban )) for your hearts have deviated from the Truth; ( and if ye aid one another against him (Muhammad )) but if you help one another to harm and disobey him ( then lo! Allah, even He, is his protecting Friend ) then Allah is his Protector and Helper against you, ( and Gabriel ) will help him against you ( and the righteous among the believers ) all true believers are helpers to him against you: Abu Bakr, ’Umar, ’Uthman, ’Ali, may Allah be well pleased with, and all other true believers; ( and furthermore the angels are his helpers ) and the angels are with all these his helpers against you.

If you two (wives of the Prophet SAW, namely 'Aishah and Hafsah) turn in repentance to Allah, (it will be better for you), your hearts are indeed so inclined (to oppose what the Prophet SAW likes), but if you help one another against him (Muhammad SAW), then verily, Allah is his Maula (Lord, or Master, or Protector, etc.), and Jibrael (Gabriel), and the righteous among the believers, and furthermore, the angels are his helpers.

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