{"id":435,"date":"2015-02-26T03:57:08","date_gmt":"2015-02-26T03:57:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/azmi.co\/cust\/ngba-wp\/?page_id=435"},"modified":"2021-04-12T01:38:34","modified_gmt":"2021-04-12T01:38:34","slug":"hafsa-scandal-mary","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/nogodbutallah.org\/?page_id=435","title":{"rendered":"Mohammad-and Hafsa Scandal (& Mary)"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the name of All\u0101h,<\/span>
\nthe Beneficent, the Merciful.<\/span>
\nPeace and Blessings of All\u0101h on Mohammad.<\/span>
\nDEDICATED TO<\/span>
\nAll\u0101h\u2013the Glorious and the High,<\/span>
\nLord of the worlds<\/span>
\nAND TO<\/span>
\nMohammad\u2013who brought the world<\/span>
\nto our feet and eternity to our arms
\n*<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 HAFSA SCANDAL<\/span><\/span>
\nRegarding Hafsa and Mary the Coptic, wives of the Prophet Mohammad, Ibn Warraq writes in his book\u00a0<\/span>Why I am not a Muslim-Ibn Warraq\u00a0<\/a><\/span>(pp.99-100): \u201cAnother sexual scandal threatened to disturb the domestic bliss of the Prophet\u2019s harem. To prevent jealousy among his wives, Muhammad used to divide his time equally among them, spending one night with each of them in turn. On a day when it was his wife Hafsa\u2019s turn, she was out visiting her father. Returning unexpectedly, she surprised Muhammad in her bed with Mary the Coptic maid, his legal concubine. Hafsa was furious and reproached him bitterly; what is more, she threatened to expose him to others in the harem. Muhammad begged her to keep quiet and promised to stay clear of the hated Mary. Hafsa was unable to keep the news to herself and told Aisha, who also hated Mary. The scandal spread throughout the harem, and soon Muhammad found himself ostracized by his own wives. As in the Zaynab affair, a divine revelation interposed to sort out his domestic problems.\u2026 Harmony returned again to the harem. The sura concerned is 66:15).\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0 It is absurd, in the least, to label the Prophet\u2019s relations with Mary as an \u201caffair\u201d when All\u0101h expressly forbids fornication and adultery. Mary was a wife of the Prophet, not a concubine. <\/i><\/strong> What is a \u201clegal concubine\u201d? There is no such allowance in Islam: any carnal relations outside of marriage is forbidden. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 The verses of the Qur\u2019an which relates to this alleged \u201csexual scandal\u201d are 66:1-5:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cO Prophet, why dost thou forbid (thyself) that which Allah has made lawful for thee? Seekest thou to please thy wives?\u201d (1)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAllah indeed has sanctioned for you the expiation of your oaths\u201d (2)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnd when the Prophet confided an information to one of his wives \u2013but when she informed (others) of it, and Allah informed him of it, he made known part of it and passed over part.\u201d (3)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf you both (\u2018Aisha and Hafsa) turn to Allah\u2026 and if you back up one another against him, then surely Allah is his Patron\u201d (4)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMaybe, his Lord, if he divorce you will give him in your place wives better than you, submissive, faithful, obedient, penitent, adorers, fasters, widows, and virgins\u201d (5)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 Mary was not a \u201cconcubine.\u201d She was a wife of Mohammad. It is hardly credible that Mohammad would have intimate relations with Mary out of wedlock \u2013which would be adultery. Islam (as well as the Torah) forbids this and the penalty for this is a hundred lashes, (and Mary, a Christian, would have been subjected to stoning to death). As Muhammad Ali says, \u201cIt is a fact that the Prophet never kept a slave\u201d\u2013(Comm. # 2517).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 If Mary was Mohammad\u2019s \u201clegal concubine\u201d why then should Hafsa make such a stink if Mohammad was with Mary when Hafsa was not home (even if it was Hafsa\u2019s turn to be with him)<\/i>? How could this relation be of such bitterness to Hafsa for her to tell \u2018Aisha, and for Mohammad to be \u201costracized\u201d for it? How could \u2018Aisha \u201cexpose\u201d Mohammad if he was with his \u201clegal concubine\u201d? Further, Mary, as a wife of the Prophet, is ranked equally with the other wives of the Prophet. Why then should the Prophet\u2019s intimate relations with her be viewed with an evil eye? <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 66:3 above speaks of \u201can information\u201d the Prophet had given to one of his wives. Hafsa surprising Mohammad in bed with Mary could not be \u201can information\u201d the Prophet gave to one of his wives. 66:4 speaks of the wives \u2018backing up one another;\u2019 Hafsa surprising Mohammad and Mary could not be something that the wives were \u2018backing up one another\u2019 in. How could \u2018Aisha back up Hafsa in a matter when she (\u2018Aisha) was not present at the time of the Prophet and Mary were in bed? \u2018Aisha would have been found to be a liar. What is it then that the wives were \u2018backing up one another\u2019 in against the Prophet? <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 The verses quoted above (66:1-5) has nothing to do with Mary the Coptic. Verses one and three are dealing with two separate matters as careful reading of these verses and as the reports of the Tradition show. Verse one recounts the Prophet\u2019s taking oath to keep away from his wives on account of their demands for material wants, which is in reference to Qur\u2019an 33:28 which says: \u201cO Prophet say to thy wives, if you desire this world\u2019s life and its adornments\u2026\u201d This verse clearly is in answer to the demands of the wives of the Prophet for worldly glamour. And \u201cThe Holy Prophet,\u201d as Malik Ghulam Farid points out \u201chad severely taken to heart his wives\u2019 demand for amenities of life, and in order to show his extreme displeasure had sworn to keep away from them for one month\u201d\u2013(comm. # 3072).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 Regarding the revelation of this verse (66:1) in which the Prophet took an oath to separate from his wives, Bokhari notes a long narration in which \u2018Umar says that \u2018Aisha and Hafsa were the ones who backed up one another against the Prophet. And that his wife told him that his daughter, Hafsa, argues with the Prophet till he becomes displeased. Whereupon \u2018Umar went to Hafsa who admitted, \u201cwe argue with him.\u201d To which her father advised her \u201cDon\u2019t be betrayed by the one who is proud of her beauty because of the love of Allah\u2019s Apostle (peace be on him) for her (i.e. \u2018Aisha).\u201d Soon afterwards the Prophet separated himself temporarily from all his wives. (Bokhari, Vol. 6, # 435).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 Verse 3 (of ch. 66) which says, \u201cAnd when the Prophet con-fided an information to one of his wives \u2013but when she informed (others) of it, and Allah informed him of it, he made known part of it and passed over part,\u201d recounts the intrigue of \u2018Aisha and Hafsa to tell the Prophet, who used to drink honey at the house of Zainab, his wife, that he smelled of maghafir, \u201ca kind of bad-smelling resin.\u201d To which the Prophet promised \u201cI shall never take it (honey) again. I have taken an oath as to that, and you should not tell anybody about it\u201d\u2013(Bokhari Vol. 6, # 434).\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

(It is to be noted, whereas this plot to tell the Prophet that he smelled of maghafir was hatched by \u2018Aisha and Hafsa, the Prophet confided only to<\/i><\/strong> \u2018Aisha about this \u201coath\u201d not to take honey anymore, the words \u201cyou should not tell anybody<\/span><\/i><\/strong> about it\u201d confirms this. However, it is obvious that \u2018Aisha passed on this information of the success of their scheme to Hafsa. And this is what is referred to in verse 3 (of ch. 66) which says: \u201cAnd when the Prophet confided an information to one of his wives \u2013but when she informed [others] of it\u201d).\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 In summary, 66:1 and 66:3 recounts, respectively, the Prophet taking oath to separate himself from his wives on account of their demand for worldly comforts, and the intrigue of \u2018Aisha and Hafsa in the maghafir<\/i> affair. Being wives of the Prophet these women were to live simple and modest lives so as to serve as a model for the community. Verses 4 and 5 offer them the high road of repentance, or replacement. As Muhammad Ali says: <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe story therefore that Hafsah\u2019s discovery of the Prophet having conjugal relations with her (Mary) upset the Prophet to such a degree that he swore not to have anything more to do with her is a pure invention, and the known facts not only nullify the calumny, but brand it as another of those fables invented by Christian writers who seek to vilify Islam\u201d\u2013(Qur\u2019anic comm; 2517). <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 It is doubtful that a man who was himself publicly sunk in sexual degradation could lead others to sexual purity. It is not presumptuous to say that the three most notable passions of men are power, wealth, and glamorous women; (and in the case of women, comfort and pleasure).<\/i> The wives of the Prophet are here told\u2013(66:4) that if they consider themselves as women of sophistication and above a life of simplicity and strictures, which as wives of the Prophet they are to observe, then Allah will replace them with wives who are devout from both categories of women \u2013matrons and virgins. As the Qur\u2019an is a guidance for Muslims to be modest and moderate, Allah has related this verse to be a red flag to Muslims of all times, who may be tempted to put desire before duty. \u00a0<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 Regarding this Qur\u2019anic revelation (66:1-5), Ibn Warraq quotes Muir as saying: \u201cthere is surely no grotesque utterance than this in the \u201cSacred Books of the East\u201d; and yet it has been gravely read all these ages, and is still read, by the Moslem, both in pub-lic and private, as part of the eternal Coran.\u201d\u201d (Wonder to which \u201cSacred Books of the East\u201d Muir is comparing the Qur\u2019an).<\/span><\/i>\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 Seems that the mention of the word \u201cvirgins\u201d in verse 5\u2013that All\u0101h would replace the wives of the Prophet with virgins <\/i>also\u2013is the reason for Muir\u2019s statement. \u201cVirgin\u201d is a natural state of birth, and represents purity: the state created by All\u0101h, God. There is no impiety is using this word. Only the vulgar would view this word with disdain.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

As noted above the Qur\u2019an is a guidance for Muslims to be modest and moderate. The Qur\u2019an which requires its followers to be conservative in wear, modest in deportment, and purity of speech and carnality could not be a Book of \u201cgrotesque utter-ance.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

(Regarding the Qur\u2019an 33:50-51, where the Prophet is allowed multiple wives, \u2018Aisha, as already noted, may have remarked to the Prophet that \u201cyour Lord hastens in fulfilling your wishes and desires\u201d (which some may want to interpret to mean that \u2018Aisha was doubtful of the Prophet\u2019s truthfulness, when in fact it could merely have been an observation on her part)\u2013(Bokhari Vol. 6, # 311). But \u2018Aisha also eloquently said about the Prophet that \u201cWhoever tell you that he concealed (some of Allah\u2019s orders), is a liar\u201d\u2013Bokhari Vol. 6. # 378.\u00a0 Notably, Allah \u2019hastened\u2019 to the aid of \u2018Aisha also, when she was slandered\u2013Qur\u2019an 24:11-20; Bokhari Vol. 6 #274). <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 The punishment to the Prophet\u2019s wives for committing sin is double.<\/span> This is so because, as wives of the Leader, they were better guided, and are to be role models for the Muslim women.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the name of All\u0101h, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Peace and Blessings of All\u0101h on Mohammad. DEDICATED TO All\u0101h\u2013the Glorious and the High, Lord of the worlds AND TO Mohammad\u2013who brought the world to our feet and eternity to our arms * \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 HAFSA SCANDAL Regarding Hafsa […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-435","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nogodbutallah.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/435","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nogodbutallah.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nogodbutallah.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nogodbutallah.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nogodbutallah.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=435"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/nogodbutallah.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/435\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5053,"href":"https:\/\/nogodbutallah.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/435\/revisions\/5053"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nogodbutallah.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=435"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}