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→Third Marriage
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Muslim Apologist Gives Reasons why it was Right for Mohammed to Marry Zaynab | Muslim Apologist Gives Reasons why it was Right for Mohammed to Marry Zaynab | ||
{{Quote|http://www.islaminfo.com/new/detail.asp?ID=28/ | {{Quote|http://www.islaminfo.com/new/detail.asp?ID=28/ A Muslim Explanation for the Situation.|First, the prophet was responsible for arranging Zaynab’s marriage to Zayd. In a sense, then, he was also indirectly responsible for the unhappiness she felt in her marriage. | ||
''A true prophet would have known in advance that Zaynab and Zayd would be unhappy together. In fact, Muhammad did not need to be a prophet to know that the marriage would probably be unhappy. A quite ordinary man is capable of understanding that when a woman says, “I don’t want to marry Zayd,” what she means is, “I don’t want to marry Zayd.” Mohammed certainly was responsible for Zaynab’s unhappiness because he ignored her objections and pressured her into the marriage anyway. But surely the correct response was to apologise and allow her a divorce? Mohammed did not do this. Zayd said three times that he too wanted a divorce, yet Mohammed discouraged divorce and urged him three times to keep his wife. The idea that Zaynab could be “compensated” for one bad marriage by being remarried to the person who had caused the situation was naïve and shallow, to say nothing of conceited.'' | ''A true prophet would have known in advance that Zaynab and Zayd would be unhappy together. In fact, Muhammad did not need to be a prophet to know that the marriage would probably be unhappy. A quite ordinary man is capable of understanding that when a woman says, “I don’t want to marry Zayd,” what she means is, “I don’t want to marry Zayd.” Mohammed certainly was responsible for Zaynab’s unhappiness because he ignored her objections and pressured her into the marriage anyway. But surely the correct response was to apologise and allow her a divorce? Mohammed did not do this. Zayd said three times that he too wanted a divorce, yet Mohammed discouraged divorce and urged him three times to keep his wife. The idea that Zaynab could be “compensated” for one bad marriage by being remarried to the person who had caused the situation was naïve and shallow, to say nothing of conceited.'' | ||
Her marriage to the prophet now provided her the honour she felt she deserved... | Her marriage to the prophet now provided her the honour she felt she deserved... | ||
''The “honour” that Zaynab craved was related to her snobbish disparaging of “low-class” people. This was not a desire that deserved to be indulged.'' | ''The “honour” that Zaynab craved was related to her snobbish disparaging of “low-class” people. This was not a desire that deserved to be indulged.'' | ||
... and exonerated the prophet. | ... and exonerated the prophet. | ||
''No, it did not exonerate him. He did not consider the feelings of his existing wives. He did not consider that he would now have five wives when other Muslims were only allowed four. His method of relieving Zaynab’s pain was to cause a new pain to a different group of people. And no sooner did he marry Zaynab than he also tried to marry Ghaziya and Rayhana! One wonders if that was truly what Zaynab had had in mind. A real solution to the problem would have been to instruct Zayd to be faithful to Baraka and Umm Mubashshir om now on, to promise his existing wives that he would never add to their number, and to let Zaynab choose herself a new husband from among the many Muslim bachelors.'' | ''No, it did not exonerate him. He did not consider the feelings of his existing wives. He did not consider that he would now have five wives when other Muslims were only allowed four. His method of relieving Zaynab’s pain was to cause a new pain to a different group of people. And no sooner did he marry Zaynab than he also tried to marry Ghaziya and Rayhana! One wonders if that was truly what Zaynab had had in mind. A real solution to the problem would have been to instruct Zayd to be faithful to Baraka and Umm Mubashshir om now on, to promise his existing wives that he would never add to their number, and to let Zaynab choose herself a new husband from among the many Muslim bachelors.'' | ||
The prophet’s marriage to the divorced wife of Zayd was a practical demonstration that the adopted relationship was not equal to a real blood-relationship. | The prophet’s marriage to the divorced wife of Zayd was a practical demonstration that the adopted relationship was not equal to a real blood-relationship. | ||
''Even if we allow that Mohammed disliked adoption, a “practical demonstration” was hardly necessary. A simple announcement that “adoption is abolished” would have been sufficient to advise the umma that adoption was abolished.''}} | ''Even if we allow that Mohammed disliked adoption, a “practical demonstration” was hardly necessary. A simple announcement that “adoption is abolished” would have been sufficient to advise the umma that adoption was abolished.''}} | ||