Unjust Treatment of Wives (Qur'an 4:129): Difference between revisions

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The evidence for the meaning of Qur'an 4:129 can be ascertained by looking at the pertinent verses in the Qur'an, relevant ahadith and [[Tafsir]]s. As with many verses in the Quran, these verses were required in response to a situation occurring in [[Muhammad]]'s life at the time.

===Evidence from Tafsirs===

﴿وَإِنِ امْرَأَةٌ خَـفَتْ مِن بَعْلِهَا نُشُوزاً أَوْ إِعْرَاضاً فَلاَ جُنَاْحَ عَلَيْهِمَآ أَن يُصْلِحَا بَيْنَهُمَا صُلْحاً وَالصُّلْحُ خَيْرٌ وَأُحْضِرَتِ الأنفُسُ الشُّحَّ وَإِن تُحْسِنُواْ وَتَتَّقُواْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيراً ﴾

(And Allah is Ever All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Wise.) is: His favor is tremendous, His bounty is enormous and He is All-Wise in all His actions, decisions and commandments.}}

{ وَإِنِ ٱمْرَأَةٌ خَافَتْ مِن بَعْلِهَا نُشُوزاً أَوْ إِعْرَاضاً فَلاَ جُنَاْحَ عَلَيْهِمَآ أَن يُصْلِحَا بَيْنَهُمَا صُلْحاً وَٱلصُّلْحُ خَيْرٌ وَأُحْضِرَتِ ٱلأنْفُسُ ٱلشُّحَّ وَإِن تُحْسِنُواْ وَتَتَّقُواْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيراً }

But if they, the married couple, separate, by way of divorce, God will compensate each of them, [from the need] of the other, out of His plenty, that is, out of His bounty, by giving her another as husband, and giving him another as wife. God is ever Embracing, of His creatures in bounty, Wise, in what He has ordained for them.}}

{ وَإِنِ ٱمْرَأَةٌ خَافَتْ مِن بَعْلِهَا نُشُوزاً أَوْ إِعْرَاضاً فَلاَ جُنَاْحَ عَلَيْهِمَآ أَن يُصْلِحَا بَيْنَهُمَا صُلْحاً وَٱلصُّلْحُ خَيْرٌ وَأُحْضِرَتِ ٱلأنْفُسُ ٱلشُّحَّ وَإِن تُحْسِنُواْ وَتَتَّقُواْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيراً }

===Evidence from Hadith===

Whenever Allah's Apostle wanted to go on a journey, he would draw lots as to which of his wives would accompany him. He would take her whose name came out. He used to fix for each of them a day and a night. But Sauda bint Zam'a gave up her (turn) day and night to 'Aisha, the wife of the Prophet in order to seek the pleasure of Allah's Apostle (by that action).  }}

Whenever Allah's Apostle wanted to go on a journey, he would draw lots as to which of his wives would accompany him. He would take her whose name came out. He used to fix for each of them a day and a night. But Sauda bint Zam'a gave up her (turn) day and night to 'Aisha, the wife of the Prophet in order to seek the pleasure of Allah's Apostle (by that action). }}

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported: Never did I find any woman more loving to me than Sauda bint Zam'a. I wished I could be exactly like her who was passionate. As she became old, she had made over her day (which she had to spend) with Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) to 'A'isha. She said: I have made over my day with you to 'A'isha. So Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) allotted two days to 'A'isha, her own day (when it was her turn) and that of Sauda. }}

A hadith like this has been transmitted on the authority of Hisham with the same chain of narrators (and the words are): When Sauda became old (the rest of the hadith is the same) and in the narration of Sharik there is an addition (of these words:" She was the first woman whom he (Allah's Apostle) married after me." }}

regarding the Verse: 'If a wife fears cruelty or desertion on her husband's part ...') (4.128) It concerns the woman whose husband does not want to keep her with him any longer, but wants to divorce her and marry some other lady, so she says to him: 'Keep me and do not divorce me, and then marry another woman, and you may neither spend on me, nor sleep with me.' This is indicated by the Statement of Allah: 'There is no blame on them if they arrange an amicable settlement between them both, and (such) settlement is better." (4.128) }}

===Muhammad and Qur'an 4:129===

'A'isha reported: Never did I feel jealous of the wives of Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) but in case of Khadija, although I did not (have the privilege to) see her. She further added that whenever Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) slaughtered a sheep, he said: Send it to the companions of Khadija I annoyed him one day and said: (It is) Khadija only who always prevails upon your mind. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Her love had been nurtured in my heart by Allah Himself.}}

===Summary===

Regarding the apologist's claims about polygamy, and this verse's relevance to Qur'an 4:3, this is soundly refuted by the evidence. Kathir, Jalalayn and 'Ibn Abbas all confirm that "justice" as mentioned in Qur'an 4:3 is in reference to material rights only; and has no bearing on feelings shown or felt toward each wife. All three scholars also make it clear that you cannot be just with each wife in terms of love, affection and other feelings, but this is not mentioned as a prohibition against taking more than one wife. On the contrary, the three scholars all indicate that if you are "just" with all of your wives in all that you are able, then Allah will forgive you the favoritism that you could not help feeling for some over others. Kathir goes further in stating in regards to this verse that you cannot do "perfect justice" to your wives. However Qur'an 4:3 does not demand perfect justice - just justice in those things that you have power over.  

4:3 only mandates that material equality and equitable Mahr are required in order to fulfill its requirement of justice, whereas 4:129 deals with Muslim men who are tired of their wives and seek a concession of rights from them as an alternative to divorce as revealed after the Muhammad and Sauda situation. Qur'an 4:129 also gives Muslim men a workaround for the requirement of material equality as mandated in Qur'an 4:3 regarding the taking multiple wives.