Al-Ahzab 33:32–36

Special instructions given to the Blessed Wives

Before we describe these instructions in details as they appear from the next verse: يَا نِسَاءَ النَّبِيِّ لَسْتُنَّ كَأَحَدٍ مِّنَ النِّسَاءِ إِنِ اتَّقَيْتُنَّ فَلَا تَخْضَعْنَ بِالْقَوْلِ (0 wives of the prophet, you are not like any other women, if you observe taqwa. So, do not be too soft in your speech ... 32), it will be useful to recollect that, in the previous verses, the blessed wives have been restrained from placing demands before the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، the fulfillment of which will be hard on him, or those which may be inappropriate in view of his high prophetic station. And once they have chosen to live in that arrangement, their status was raised higher than other women to the extent that one deed done by them was made to stand for two. Now, in and onwards from verse 32, they have been given some instructions in order to correct and groom their conduct as appropriate for wives living with the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Though, all these instructions are not restricted to the blessed wives in particular, in fact, virtually all Muslim women are obligated to observe these. But, at this place, the blessed wives have been addressed specially to bring it to their attention that they should make it a point to observe these rules of conduct that apply to all Muslim women as incumbent and obligatory - more avidly as compared to others. It is this kind of particularity that is meant by the expression: لَسْتُنَّ كَأَحَدٍ مِّنَ النِّسَاءِ (you are not like any other women - 32).

Are the blessed wives superior to all women of the world?

The arrangement of these words in the verse seems to obviously suggest that the blessed wives ؓ are superior to the women of the whole world. But, in the verse of the Qur'an about Sayyidah Maryam (علیہا السلام) it has been said: إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَاكِ وَطَهَّرَ‌كِ وَاصْطَفَاكِ عَلَىٰ نِسَاءِ الْعَالَمِينَ (Allah has chosen you and purified you and chosen you over the women of all the worlds - 'Al-` Imran, 3:42). This proves the superiority of Sayyidah Maryam (علیہا السلام) over the women of all the worlds. Then, there is the Hadith of Sayyidna Anas ؓ in Tirmidhi where the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been reported to have said, 'Sufficient for you (to hold in esteem) out of all women are: Maryam daughter of ` Imran, Khadijah daughter of Khuwailid (Ummul- Mu'minin), Fatimah daughter of Muhammad ﷺ and 'Asiyah wife of the Pharaoh.' In this Hadith, three other women along with Sayyidah Maryam (علیہا السلام) have been identified as superior to women of all the worlds.

Therefore, the superiority or precedence of the blessed wives described in this verse occurs here in itch special status, that is, the status of their being the wives and women of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، the status in which they are doubtlessly superior to women of all the worlds. However, it does not prove the kind of universally absolute superiority which may be counter to other nusus (textual authority). (Mazhari)

Soon after the opening sentence of verse 32: لَسْتُنَّ كَأَحَدٍ مِّنَ النِّسَاءِ (you are not like any other woman), there appears the condition of: إِنِ اتَّقَيْتُنَّ (if you observe Taqwa. This condition refers to the superiority they have been blessed with by Allah Ta’ ala because of their being women and wives of the Prophet ﷺ . The purpose thereby is to caution them against relying solely on this relationship of theirs with the Prophet ﷺ that they are, after all, the wives of the Messenger of Allah. Instead of that, this superiority is based on the condition that they observe Taqwa and obey Divine injunctions. (Qurtubi and Mazhari)

After that, some instructions have been given to the blessed wives ؓ

The First Instruction

It relates to restrictions on the modality of voice and speech as part of the rules of hijab or pardah applicable to women and begins with the words: فَلَا تَخْضَعْنَ بِالْقَوْلِ (so do not be too soft in your speech- 32). It means, even if there be the need to talk to someone who is not a mahram from behind a screen (or something else obstructing the view), even then, while speaking, effort should be made to avoid the delicacy and grace in diction naturally present in the voice of women. The delicacy and grace mentioned here refer to a certain level of softness which might make some inclination rise in the heart of the addressee as stated immediately after: فَيَطْمَعَ الَّذِي فِي قَلْبِهِ مَرَ‌ضٌ وَقُلْنَ قَوْلًا مَّعْرُ‌وفًا (lest someone having disease in his heart should develop fancies (about you); and do speak with appropriate words. - 32) The sense is that one should not talk softly in a manner that would cause temptation and tilt in a person who already has some disease in his heart. Disease means hypocrisy, or its offshoots. That a real hypocrite will be so tempted is all too obvious. But, a person who, despite being a sincere believer, inclines towards something unlawful may not be a hypocrite but weak in faith he certainly is. And this weakness in faith which makes one tilt towards the unlawful is really nothing but an offshoot of hypocrisy. With faith being pure and having not the least element of hypocrisy in it, no one can ever tilt towards what is Haram, unlawful. (Mazhari)

In essence, the aim of the first instruction is to empower women to achieve the high station of self-protection from non-Mahram men through personal avoidance and legal hijab so that they do not go even near a non-Mahram weak in faith lest some temptation or tilt creeps into his heart. A detailed discussion of the hijab of women will appear within this Surah under the verses that follow. Being given at this point is simply an explanation of what has appeared here as part of the special instructions for the blessed wives. So, once the noble mothers of the believers had heard the instruction about speech or address, some of them were so alerted that they, while talking to a non-Mahram male after the revelation of this verse, used to put their hand over their mouth so that their voice would change. Therefore, it appears in a Hadith of Sayyidna ` Amr Ibn al-'As: اِنَّ النَّبِیَّ ﷺ نَھٰی اَن یُّکَلِّمَ النِّسَآُء اِلَّا بِاذنِ اَزواجِھِنَّ (The Holy Prophet ﷺ had prohibited that women talk without the permission of their spouses) (Reported by at-Tabarani with 'good' chain of authority, Mazhari)

Ruling

At least this much stands proved from this verse, and from the Hadith quoted above, that the voice of a woman is not included under satr, that is, under what must be concealed. But, a precautionary restriction has been placed here too. Then, consideration has also been given in religious injunctions and acts of worship that women do not talk at a high pitch that could be heard by men. If the Imam makes a mistake, those following him in the congregation are duty-bound to interrupt and correct him verbally. But, women have been taught that, instead of correcting the Imam verbally, they should simply clap by striking one hand over the back of the other so that the Imam is alerted. They have to say nothing verbally.

The Second Instruction

This concerns the observance of full hijab (purdah or veil). It was said: وَقَرْ‌نَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ وَلَا تَبَرَّ‌جْنَ تَبَرُّ‌جَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ الْأُولَىٰ (And remain in your homes, and do not display (your) beauty as it used to be displayed in the days of earlier ignorance - 33). Here, the expression: الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ الْأُولَىٰ (the days of earlier ignorance ) means the Jahiliyyah which prevailed in the world before the advent of Islam. Embedded in this expression is the hint that later than it there is to come yet another Jahiliyyah, a period of another ignorance in which a similar display of immodesty and disregard for proper covering of bodies would become rampant. That, probably, is the Jahiliyyah of modern times, something visible everywhere.

In this verse, the essential injunction about hijab is that women stay at home (that is, do not go out without the need as admissible in the Shari'ah). Along with it, it was also said that they should not go out moving around in public without hijab, as it used to be the wont of women in the earlier period of Jahiliyyah. The word: تَبَرُّ‌جَ (tabarruj) essentially means manifestation or display and, at this place, it means the display of personal embellishment before non-Mahram men - as it appears in another verse: غَيْرَ‌ مُتَبَرِّ‌جَاتٍ بِزِينَةٍ (not displaying embellishment - An-Nur, 24:60).

As said earlier, a full discussion of the hijab or pardah of women and the injunctions related with it will follow within this Surah. Our present comments shall remain restricted to the explanation of the cited verse. The verse tells us two things about hijab:

(1) For women, the real thing desirable with Allah is that they should not go out of their homes. Their creation is an answer to whatever needs to be done at home. Let them stay involved in it. As for the real hijab desirable in the Shari'ah, it is a hijab that stands achieved by their staying at home, that is, the home becomes their veil or cover حجَاب بِالبُیُوت al-hijab-bil-buyut).

(2) The other thing it tells us is: If a woman has to go out of the home to take care of some need, let her not go out with any display of embellishment. Instead, she should wear what covers her whole body, a burqa', or jilbab (women's gown, garment or cloak) - as in the verse of this very Surah Al-Ahzab: يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِن جَلَابِيبِهِنَّ (bring down over themselves part of their outer garments - 33:59), the details about which shall appear later, insha'Allah Ta’ ala.

Occasions of need have been exempted from the obligation of 'staying in homes.'

In the opening sentence of verse 33: وَقَرْ‌نَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ ) (And remain in your homes), staying in homes was made obligatory (wajib) which apparently purports that it should be absolutely prohibited and Haram for a woman to go out of her home, but verse has, at the first place, already indicated through the use of the words: وَلَا تَبَرَّ‌جْنَ (And do not display your beauty) within this verse that going out as needed is not prohibited in an absolute sense. Instead, what is prohibited is going out in a manner which displays embellishment. Then, there is the injunction of: يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِن جَلَابِيبِهِنَّ (bring down over themselves part of their outer garments - 33:59) to appear later in Surah Al-Ahzab. This injunction is itself telling us that to a certain degree women do have the permission to go out of the home, of course on condition that they go out in hijab wearing an outer garment like burqa' etc.

In addition to that, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has himself clarified that occasions of need are exempt from this injunction, as in a Hadith where, while addressing the blessed wives, he is reported to have said: قَد اُذِنَ لَکُنَّ اَن تخرُجنَ لِحَاجَتِکُنَ (You are permitted to go out for your needs - reported by Muslim). Then, the conduct of the Holy Prophet ﷺ after the revelation of the verse of hijab proves that women have the permission to go out of homes on occasions of need, as the going of the blessed wives with the Holy Prophet ﷺ for Hajj and ` Umrah stands confirmed on the authority of sound and authentic Ahadith. Similarly, their going with him in many battles stands proved. Then, there are many narrations of Hadith which also prove that the blessed wives ؓ used to go out of their homes to visit their parents, did their duty by calling on the sick among relatives and offering condolence on the death of someone among them. And during the blessed time of the Prophet ﷺ ، they also had the permission to go to the Masajid.

And not only that it happened in the company of the Holy Prophet ﷺ or in his time alone, but even after his passing away, it is a confirmed fact that the all his blessed wives went for Hajj and ` Umrah - with the exception of Sayyidah Saudah ؓ and Sayyidah Zainab bint Jahsh ؓ etc. No reproach or disapproval (nakair) thereupon has been reported from any of the noble Sahabah. In fact, Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ sent the blessed wives of the Messenger of Allah for Hajj under arrangements specially made for them - he sent Sayyidna ` Uthman al-Ghani ؓ and Sayyidna ` Abd ur-Rahman Ibn al-'Awf ؓ with them to supervise and manage their pilgrimage. And as for the incidence of Ummul-Mu'minin Sayyidah Saudah and Sayyidah Zainab bint Jahsh ؓ not going for Hajj and ` Umrah after the passing away of the noble Prophet ﷺ ، it was not on the basis of this verse, instead, it was on the basis of a Hadith. That is, when on the occasion of the Last Hajj (Hajjatul-Wadaa), the Holy Prophet ﷺ helped his blessed wives perform their Hajj with him personally, the remark that he made on return was: ھٰذِہٖ ثُمَّ لُزُومُ الحُضُر (This is it. After that, should stick to the mats at home). The first word: ھٰذِہٖ (hadhihi: translated here as 'this is it' ) refers to this very Hajj and حُصُر (husur) is the plural form of حَصَیر (hasiir) which means a mat (of straw, a modest version of other floor spreads such as rug, carpet, daree etc.). In essence, the Hadith is saying: Your going out for this alone is done. After that, you stick to the mats of your homes necessarily without having to part therefrom. Sayyidah Saudah bint Zam'ah ؓ and Sayyidah Zainab bint Jahsh ؓ took this Hadith to mean: Your going out was permissible for this very Last Hajj. Beyond that, it is not.' The other blessed wives - including a jurist of the class of Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ - unanimously interpreted these words of the Holy Prophet ﷺ to mean that 'your going out of your homes is permissible for this kind of journey which aims at performing a recognized act of worship, otherwise you should stay at home' In gist, from the sense of the verse: وَقَرْ‌نَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ (And remain in your homes - 33) - as supported by the indicators of the Qur'an, the practice of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the consensus of the noble Sahabah - occasions of need are exempted which include religious obligations of Hajj and ` Umrah, taking care of the natural duties towards parents, visiting Mahram relatives in health and sickness and attending to other requirements of this nature. Similarly, if a woman has no arrangement for her living expenses, then, it is also permissible for her to go out in hijab in order to earn an honorable living. However, going out on occasions of need is subject to the condition that one does not go out to display personal embellishment. Instead, one should go out properly covered with burqa' or jilbab (full mantle or chadar).

The offensive lapses of the Rawafid about the journey of Ummul-Mu'minin Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ to Basrah and the event of the battle of Jamal:

It has been made amply clear in the previous paragraph that the sense of the imperative of وَقَرْ‌نَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ 'remain in your homes' (33) as proved from the very indicators, rather, expressions of the Qur'an, as well as from the practice of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and after him from the consensus of the noble Sahabah, it is confirmed that occasions of need are exempt from it - which includes going for religious needs of Hajj and ` Umrah etc. Sayyidah ` A'ishah along with Sayyidah Umm Salamah and Sayyidah Safiyyah, may Allah be pleased with all of them, had gone for Hajj. There they heard about the martyrdom of Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ and about the incidents of rebellion against him. They were intensely grieved. The apprehension of an ill-omened disorder counter to unity among Muslims was weighing heavy on their minds. Under these circumstances, Sayyidna Talhah, Zubair, Nu` man Ibn Bashir, Ka'b Ibn` Ujrah and some other noble Sahabah escaped from Madinah and reached Makkah al-Mu'azzamah because the killers of Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ wanted to kill them too. These people were not with the rebels. In fact, they had tried to dissuade them from acting in that manner. So, as they were after them as well, these people saved their lives by escaping to Makkah al-Mu'azzamah. Once there, they presented themselves before Ummul-Mu'minin Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ and sought her good counsel. She advised them not to go to Madinah until such time the rebels are gathered around Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ and he is exercising restraint against taking Qisas (retaliation) from them, lest the situation is aggravated further. In this situation, they should go to live for a few days at a place where they find themselves safe and the Amir al-Mu'minin succeeds in controlling the law and order situation in Madinah. As for making whatever efforts they can, the best they can do is to try that these people converged around the Amir al-Mu'minin get scattered and he is enabled to exercise his authority to exact Qisas (retaliation) or revenge from them.

To this, they agreed and thought of leaving for Basrah because at that time Muslim forces were converged there. Once their plan to go was firm, they also requested Ummul-Mu'minin Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ to stay at Basrah along with them until such time that the government resumes its normal function.

And the fact of the power and dominance of the killers of Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ ، as well as of the leaders of disorder, and the lack of Sayyidna 'Ali's ؓ power to enforce the Islamic legal punishment against them is something clearly proven from the report of Nahjul-Balaghah itself.(1) It should be borne in mind that Nahjul-Balaghah is regarded to be authentic by Shiites. It appears in Nahjul-Balaghah: 'To the noble Amir (Amir al-Mu'minin Sayyidna ` Ali), some of his companions and colleagues themselves said: If you punish the people who attacked ` Uthman ؓ ، it will be better. Thereupon, the noble Amir said: My brother, I am not unaware of this thing you are talking about. But, how can this be done when these very people are there all over Madinah - and your slaves and the Bedouins of the adjoining areas have also joined them. If, under these circumstances, I were to issue the orders for their punishment, how would these be implemented?

(1) Nahjul-Balaghah is a compilation of the lectures of Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ held by the Shiites as authentic.

On one side, Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ realized the helplessness of Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ in this matter while, on the other, she also knew that the hearts of Muslims were wounded in the face of the shahadah of Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ . Moreover, the delay in taking the due revenge from his killers on the part of Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ was being watched as his helplessness while the killers of Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ also used to participate in the meetings of the Amir al-Mu'minin. People who were not aware of his helplessness had found their reason for complaint against him as well. It was possible that this kind of complaint may trigger some other trial. Therefore, it was to exhort people to observe patience, to strengthen the hands of Amir al-Mu'minin for the purpose of stabilizing the rule of law in the state, to remove mutual complaints and to achieve the objective of making things work better among people that Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ decided to embark on the journey to Basrah. In this journey, her Mahram nephew, Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Zubair ؓ and others were with her. She had herself stated the purpose of this journey before Sayyidna Qa` qa` ؓ as it would appear later. And it is also obvious that the mission of conciliation and betterment among believers at the time of such a terrible trial was really a significant religious service. If, for this purpose, the Ummul-Mu'minin ؓ took to the journey of Basrah while accompanied by her Mahrams and seated in a metal-framed camel litter, why would the Shiites and Rawafid raise such a dust storm about it and say that the Ummul-Mu'minin contravened the injunctions of the Qur'an? What justification is there for it?

Later on the war-like situation, created by the mischief of the hypocrites and the agent provocateurs of disorder, was something even the thought of which had never crossed the mind of Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ . For the explanation of this verse, this much is enough. Onwards from here, this is not the occasion for going into the details of the event of the battle of Jamal. But, in order to make the reality clear in brief, a few lines follow.

Circumstances that one confronts in this world at the time of mutual discord simply cannot be neglected by people of insight and experience. The same circumstances developed here too when the journey of Basrah undertaken by Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ in the company of the noble Sahabah who had come from Madinah was reported before Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ in a totally deformed manner by the hypocrites and the manipulators of disorder. The version they gave to him was that all those people were going to Basrah to join up with forces stationed there and from where they would come out to confront him. If he was the Amir of the time, they instigated, it was his duty to preempt this threat and stop them by going to where they were, lest the danger increases any further. There were noble Sahabah of the stature of Sayyidna Hasan and Husain ؓ ، ` Abdullah Ibn Ja'far and ` Abdullah Ibn ` Abbas رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہم who even differed with this line of action. The advice they gave was that he should not throw his forces against them until such time that he had the correct assessment of the prevailing situation before him. But, the majority present there was of those who had tendered the first option. Sayyidna ` Ali, also tilting towards the same option, came out with the armed forces, and along with him, came these wicked votaries of disorder and rebellion.

When these gentlemen reached the environs of Basrah, they sent Sayyidna Qa` qa` ؓ to Ummul-Mu'minin Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ to find out the circumstances of her visit. They asked her, '0 Mother of the Believers, what was the reason that brought you here?' Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ said, اَی بُنَیَّ الاِصلَاحُ بَین النَّاس (My dear son, [ I am here to seek nothing but ] the betterment of relations between people) '. Then, she also called Sayyidna Talhah and Sayyidna Zubair ؓ in this meeting with Sayyidna Qa` qa`. He asked them, 'What do you want?' They submitted, 'We want nothing but that the Islamic legal punishment be enforced against the killers of ` Uthman ؓ .' In response, Sayyidna Qa'qa' ؓ explained by saying, 'This thing cannot be done until Muslim forces are organized and firmly established. Therefore, at this time, it is necessary that you take to a stance of conciliation.'

These blessed souls submitted to the advice. Sayyidna Qa` qa` ؓ went to Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ and told him about it. He too was very pleased, and satisfied. Everyone decided to go back. For three days, they stayed on the camping grounds in a state that no one had any doubt about the forthcoming declaration of truce between the two parties. And, on the fourth day, this announcement was going to be made and a meeting between Sayyidna ` Ali and Sayyidna Talhah and Zubair ؓ was due to take place - in which these killers of Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ were not included. This thing was too hard for them to take. They made a plan. They told their colleagues, 'First you go into the group around Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ and unleash a spate of killing and pillage so that she and her compatriots think that the pledge was broken from the side of Sayyidna Ali ؓ ، as a result of which, becoming victims of this misunderstanding, they would hurl themselves against the armed forces of Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ .' This shaitanic device engineered by them worked. So, when the attack on the group accompanying Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ came from the side of the agents of disorder who had infiltrated the forces of Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ ، they were excusable in taking this attack to have come from the forces of the Amir al-Mu'minin - and thus began their counter action in defence. When Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ saw this state of affairs, he had no option left but to fight. And the unintended mishap of mutual infighting that was to occur did occur. إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَ‌اجِعُونَ ! It is exactly like this that this event has been reported by at-Tabari and other reliable historians from the narrations of Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn Ja'far, Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Abbas and others ؓ (Ruh u1-Ma` ani).

In short, as a result of the wickedness of the agent provocateurs of disorder, this event of fighting between two revered groups came to pass unconsciously. And when this fitnah subsided, these very two revered personalities were the ones who were intensely grieved over it. Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ ، when recalled this event, would weep so much that her scarf became all wet with her tears. Similarly, Sayyidna ` Ali b was also terribly shocked over this event. When, after the fitnah had subsided, he went to see the dead bodies of those killed, he beat his thighs with his hands and said, 'Would that, much before this happened, I were dead, forgotten, lost!'

And according to some narrations, when Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ would recite the verse: وَقَرْ‌نَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ And stay in your homes - 33) in the Holy Qur'an, she used to break into tears until her scarf would be all wet with tears. (Reported by ` Abdullah Ibn Ahmad in Zawa'iduz-Zuhd and Ibn ul-Mundhir and Ibn Abi Shaibah from Masruq, (Ruh ul-Ma` ani)

That she wept on the recital of the cited verse was neither because the contravention of the command of 'staying in homes' was a sin in her sight nor because the journey was prohibited. Instead of all that, the serious and unwelcome event that came to pass was the cause of her natural grief. (All these narrations and the subject matter have been taken from Tafsir (Ruh ul-Ma` ani)

The third, fourth and fifth instruction of the Qur'an to the blessed wives

Two instructions have appeared in detail earlier. They related to the avoidance of addressing non-Mahram men softly and tenderly and of going out of homes unnecessarily. Now, the other three instructions are contained in the next sentence of verse 33: وَأَقِمْنَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتِينَ الزَّكَاةَ وَأَطِعْنَ اللَّهَ وَرَ‌سُولَهُ (and establish Salah, and pay Zakah, and obey Allah and His Messenger). These are a total of five instructions. For women, these are matters of great consequences.

These five instructions apply to all Muslims universally

At least in the case of the later instructions mentioned above, no one can presume that they could be special to the blessed wives. These are Salah, Zakah and Obedience to Allah and His Messenger. How can any Muslim anywhere be taken as exempted from these? As for the first two instructions which relate to the hijab or pardah of women, a little deliberation would make it clear that they too are not special to the blessed wives. In fact, the same injunction applies to all Muslim women. The only question that has to be answered is that the Holy Qur'an has said before these instructions,: لَسْتُنَّ كَأَحَدٍ مِّنَ النِّسَاءِ إِنِ اتَّقَيْتُنَّ (32) that is, the blessed wives are not like common women, if they take to Taqwa. This sentence apparently indicates to the speciality of the blessed wives. A clear answer to this doubt is that the speciality seen here does not mean that these injunctions are restricted to them, instead, it revolves round the care and concern to be observed in acting in accordance with them. In other words, it means that the blessed wives are not like common women, because the state of their dignity is the highest of all. Therefore, they should show the highest care and concern for following the injunctions made obligatory for all Muslim women. And Allah subhanahu wa Ta’ ala knows best.

We now move to the last sentence of verse 33 which says: إِنَّمَا يُرِ‌يدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُمُ الرِّ‌جْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَ‌كُمْ تَطْهِيرً‌ا (Allah only intends to keep (all sorts of) filth away from you, 0 members of the family (of the prophet), and to make you pure through a perfect purification. - 33). In the verses previous to this, the instructions given to the blessed wives by addressing them directly were, though, not special to them in person, rather, the entire Muslim community is obligated with these injunctions, yet the blessed wives were addressed particularly for the reason that they, in consonance with their dignity and the sanctity of the home of the Prophet, would be showing added care and concern for deeds that match their two singularities. Given in this verse is the wisdom of this particular address, that is, by the special instruction of the betterment of deeds, Allah intends to bless the household of the Messenger of Allah with an ideal state of purity by removing everything counter to it.

The word: الرِّ‌جْسَ (ar-rijs) has been used in the Qur'an for several meanings. At one place, ar-rijs has appeared in the sense of idols: فَاجْتَنِبُوا الرِّ‌جْسَ مِنَ الْأَوْثَانِ (So refrain from the filth of idols - 22:30) and on other occasions, it is used in the sense of sin in absolute terms and at times it is employed to carry the meaning of punishment or impurity or filth. The outcome is that everything which is legally or naturally (or rationally) considered detestable is ar-rijs. In the present verse, the word: الرِّ‌جْسَ arrijs) appears in this very general sense. (A1-Bahr u1-Muhit)

What does أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ : Ahl al-Bayt: People of the House" signify in this verse?

In verses appearing earlier in the present sequence, the address was to the blessed wives of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، therefore, the form used was in the feminine gender. Here, the expression: أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ ahl al-bayt) includes, along with the blessed wives, their children and fathers as well, therefore, the form used was in the masculine gender, that is: عَنکُم (from you) and: وَيُطَهِّرَ‌كُمْ (purifies you). And some Tafsir authorities take 'ahl al-bayt' to mean the blessed wives only. ` Ikrimah and Muqatil have said exactly this. And Sayyidna Said Ibn Jubayr ؓ has reported the same narration from Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ saying that he has declared 'ahl al-bayt' in this verse to mean the blessed wives and then cited the next verse: وَاذْكُرْ‌نَ مَا يُتْلَىٰ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ (and remember what is recited in your homes-34) as proof (because the address here is to the blessed wives only, as is evident from the feminine gender used in the verse and from the ' reference to their homes.) [ reported by IbnAbi Hatim and lbn Jarir). And the words of the address: نِسَاءَ النَّبِيِّ. (0 women [ wives ] of the prophet) in the immediately previous verses are also its contextual evidence. Early commentator ` Ikrimah ... used to go about proclaiming in the bazaars that 'ahl al-bayt' in the verse means the blessed wives, because this verse has been revealed to highlight their dignified status and he used to say that he was ready to enter into a mubahalah (imprecation) on it.

A form of resolving religious disputes through bi-partite invocation. For details, please see Ma'ariful-Qur'n, Volume II, pp. 90, 91.

But, several narrations of Hadith reported by Ibn Katar at this place bear witness that Sayyidah Fatimah, Sayyidna ` Ali and Sayyidna Hasan and Husain ؓ are also included in 'ahl al-bayt' - as in a Hadith of Sahih Muslim where Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ narrates: Once the Holy Prophet ﷺ went out of the house with a black sheet from Byzantine wrapped around his blessed body. When Hasan Ibn ` Ali ؓ came out, he took him inside the sheet. Then Sayyidna Husain ؓ came. He took him too inside the sheet in the same manner. After that, came Sayyidah Fatimah ؓ and then Sayyidna ` Ali al-Murtada ؓ . He also made them come inside the sheet. Thereafter, he recited the verse: يُرِ‌يدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُمُ الرِّ‌جْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَ‌كُمْ تَطْهِيرً‌ا (Allah only intends to keep (all sorts of) filth away from you, 0 members of the family (of the prophet-33). And it also appears in some narrations that, after having recited the verse, he said: اللَّھُمَّ ھٰٓؤلٓآِء اَھلُ بَیتِی (0 Allah, these are members of my family) (reported by Ibn Jarir)

After having reported several reliable ahadith on this subject, Ibn Kathir has said: In reality, there is no contradiction in the two sayings reported from Tafsir authorities. Those who said that this verse was revealed in relation to the high station of the blessed wives and 'ahl al-bayt' means them does not go contrary to the possible inclusion of other people too under the purview of 'ahl al-bayt.' Therefore, the sound position is that under the words: 'ahl al-bayt', the blessed wives are included in any case, because they themselves are the cause of the revelation of this verse. And the inclusion of the direct addressees of the revelation cannot be subjected to any doubt. And Sayyidah Fatimah and Ali and Hasan and Husain ؓ too - in accordance with the saying of the noble Prophet - are included in 'ahl al-bayt.' And at both places in this verse, before and after it, the address is to the wives of the prophet using the form of feminine gender. In previous verses, beginning from: فَلَا تَخْضَعْنَ بِالْقَوْلِ (So, do not be soft with your address - 32) up to the end all forms employed are feminine. Then, later on in: وَاذْكُرْ‌نَ مَا يُتْلَىٰ (and remember what is recited - 34) the form used in the address is in the feminine gender once again. Now, when the text departs from the context in this verse (33) in between and elects to employ the form of masculine gender as in: عَنکُم (antrum) and: يُطَهِّرَ‌كُمْ (yutahhirakum), it also becomes a strong evidence of the fact that included here are not only the wives, but some men as well.

As for what has been said in the verse under study: لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُمُ الرِّ‌جْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَ‌كُمْ تَطْهِيرً‌ا (Allah only intends to keep (all sorts of) filth away from you, 0 members of the family (of the prophet-33), it obviously means that, through these instructions, Allah Ta’ ala will keep the 'ahl al-bayt' protected against satanic instigations, sins and evils and cleanse them pure. In short, what is meant here is legal تَشرِعِی (tashri'i) purification - not the creational تَکوِنِی (takwini) purification which is the hallmark of prophets. It does not become necessary thereby that they all be مَعصُوم 'ma` sum' (infallible) and the commission of any sin by them should not be possible as is the case with the noble prophets, may peace be upon them all - which is the distinctive feature of creational purification. The people of Shiite persuasion have, by differing from the majority of the Muslim community, first of all claimed that the expression: 'ahl al-bayt' is restricted to the progeny and male relatives of the Messenger and that his blessed wives are excluded from it. Then, they went on to declare the word: تطْهِير (tathir: purification) in the cited-verse (34) as standing for their عِصمَہ ('ismah: the state of being protected, infallible) and thus made the 'ahl al-bayt' أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ (ma` sum: infallible) like prophets. This humble writer has given an answer to this approach and has taken up the subject in full details in his Ahkam ul-Qur'an under Surah Al-Ahzab. This work defines عِصمَہ ` ismah, and proves that it is restricted to prophets and angels and that no one is مَعصُوم (ma` sum) other than them---all this on the basis of Islamic legal arguments and proofs. People of knowledge may see it at their discretion. Others just do not need it.

The word: اللہ آیَات (ayatillah) in verse 34: وَاذْكُرْ‌نَ مَا يُتْلَىٰ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَالْحِكْمَةِ (And be mindful of Allah's verses and the wisdom that is recited in your homes) means the Qur'an and: حِکمَہ (hikmah) means the teachings and the sunnah of the noble Messenger of Allah - as the commentators at large have explained -- : hikmah at this place to mean sunnah. And the word: اذْكُرْ‌نَ (udhkurna) could have two meanings: (1) To personally remember and be mindful of these verses and the points of wisdom, which should result in acting according to them. (2) To mention and pass on to other members of the Muslim community whatever of the Qur'an was revealed in their homes before them as well as the teachings of the Holy Prophet ﷺ of which they were the recipients.

Special Note

In his Ahkam ul-Qur'an, Ibn al-Arabi has said: From this verse it stands proved that a person who hears a verse of the Qur'an, or a statement of Hadith, is duty-bound to convey it to the Muslim ummah, so much so that even the blessed wives were bound with the duty of conveying to members of the Muslim community whatever verses of the Qur'an are revealed in their homes or the teachings that they receive from the Holy Prophet ﷺ . Both were a matter of trust placed by Allah in their hands which they had to pass on to others.

The Protection of Qur'an and Hadith

The way the spreading of the message of the verses of the Qur'an and the making of arrangements to teach it have been made necessary for the Muslim community, it is in the same way that, by calling it hikmah, the spreading and teaching of the ahadith of the Holy Prophet ﷺ have also been made necessary (in the degree of incumbency). Therefore, the noble Sahabah, may Allah be pleased with them all, have obeyed and implemented this injunction under all circumstances. There is this incident related to the Sayyidna Mu’ adh in the Sahih of al-Bukhari. He heard a Hadith from the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، but he did not narrate it publicly for the reason that he feared that people may not give it the status it deserved or may succumb to some misunderstanding. However, when came the time of his death, he assembled people around him and narrated the Hadith before them and said, 'Up to this time, I had not mentioned it before anyone because of religious expediency. But, now the time of death is near, therefore, I consider it necessary to deliver this thing held in trust back to the Muslim ummah, its real owner.' The words of the statement in the Sahih al-Bukhari are: فَاَخبَرَ بِہٖ مَعَاذُ عِندَ مَوتہٖ تا ثماً that is, 'Sayyidna Mu` adh ؓ made people hear this Hadith at the time of his death lest he becomes a sinner by not having conveyed the Hadith of the Rasul of Allah to the Muslim ummah.'

This incident too is an apt testimony to the fact that all Sahabah considered the implementation of this injunction of the Qur'an to be obligatory, and necessary. And since the noble Sahabah had demonstrated the highest care and concern in conveying Hadith to people with utmost precaution, the protection of Hadith too came, in a certain degree, fairly close to that of the Qur'an. Picking doubts in this matter really amounts to picking doubts in the Qur'an. Allah knows best.

Commentary

The Qur'anic addresses in masculine gender normally include women: The Wisdom behind it

In the usual injunctions of the noble Qur'an, though, both men and women have been included as addressees, but generally the address is made to men. Women are included there as a corollary. Everywhere, by using the words: يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ (0 those who have believed) women have been addressed as being included and contained therein. This releases a hint suggesting that all matters relating to women are shielded, concealed and curtained. In this, there is honor and esteem for them. Particularly, if we were to ponder over the entire Qur'an, we shall discover that no woman except Sayyidah Maryam bint ` Imran (علیہا السلام) has been referred to by her personal name. Instead, when comes the occasion to mention them, they have been mentioned under the cover of their attribution to men, such as, اِمرَأۃ فِرعَون (the woman or wife of the Pharaoh), اِمرَٔۃُ نُوح (the wife of Nuh) and اِمرَأۃ لُوط (the wife of Lut). The exception of Sayyidah Maryam (علیہا السلام) may perhaps be for the reason that Sayyidna 'Isa (علیہ السلام) 'Sell could have not been attributed to any father, therefore, the attribution had to be to the mother. So, it was for this attribution that her name was disclosed. And it is Allah who knows best.

Though, this style of the Qur'an was rooted in great wisdom and expediency, yet it was natural that women should have a feeling of some sort of discomfort about it. Therefore, there are several narrations in Hadith in which women have been reported to have said to the Holy Prophet ﷺ ،"We see that Allah Ta’ ala mentions only men everywhere in the Qur'an and it is them alone that He addresses. This tells us that women have almost no good in them. We are scared about our acts of ` Ibadah. May be, even that is not accepted from us (reported by al-Baghawi from the blessed wives). Similar submissions of this nature from Sayyidah Umm ‘Umarah al-Ansariyyah appear in Tirmidhi with the authority rating of hasan (good) and from Sayyidah Asma' bint ` Umays ؓ in some other narrations. And in all these narrations, this very submission has been identified as the cause of the revelation of the verse cited above.

In these verses special mention has been made of the acceptability of their deeds to mollify the hearts of women. Here, it has been made very clear that the touchstone of acceptance and appreciation with Allah Ta’ ala is the righteousness of deeds and the spirit of obedience to Him. In this, there is no discrimination between man and woman.

The Injunction of Making the Dhikr of Allah Abundantly and Its Wisdom

Islam stands on five acts of ` Ibadah or worship - Salah, Zakah, Siyam (fasting), Hajj and Jihad. But, there is just no injunction in the entire Qur'an that commands any act of Ibadah from out of these to be done abundantly. However, the doing of the Dhikr (remembrance) of Allah (by heart or tongue) abundantly has been ordered in several verses of the Holy Qur'an as in Surah Al-Anfal (8:45) and Surah Al-Jumu'ah (62:10) while in the present verse of Surah Al-Ahzab it was said: وَالذَّاكِرِ‌ينَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرً‌ا وَالذَّاكِرَ‌اتِ (and the men remembering Allah much and the remembering women - 35).

What is the wisdom behind it? To begin with, it can be said that the Dhikr of Allah is the essential spirit of all acts of worship as it appears in a narration of Sayyidna Mu` adh Ibn Anas ؓ . Someone asked the Holy Prophet ﷺ ،"Who from among the Mujahidin deserves the best of returns?" He said, "One who makes the Dhikr of Allah most abundantly." It was asked again, "Who from among the fasting is most reward-worthy?" He said, "One who makes the Dhikr of Allah most abundantly." Then, similar questions were asked about Salah, Zakah, Hajj and Sadaqah. Every time he said: 'One who makes the Dhikr of Allah most abundantly,' that is, he or she is more deserving of the reward (reported by Ahmad, from Ibn Kathir)

Secondly, it is the easiest of all acts of ` Ibadah. The Shari'ah too has placed no condition for it. Be it with wudu' or without, be it lying, sitting, or walking, the Dhikr of Allah can be done at all times. It demands no hard labor from anyone nor does it require any formal free time. Yet, so great is the effect and benefit of the Dhikr of Allah that, through it, even worldly chores transform into worship and religious acts. The prayers that are made before and after eating, on going out and on coming back, before travel, in travel and on returning home, and before and after starting a business have all been taught to us by the Holy Prophet ﷺ . The outcome of this enormous, treasure of prophetic prayers is that no Muslim should do anything at any time while he or she may be heedless toward or negligent of Allah. And should one make it a point to recite these prayers as part of what he or she has to do in life and its work, then, dunya becomes deen, i.e. worldly duties start releasing the fragrance of faith, a wonderful experience indeed.

Commentary

It has been repeatedly explained earlier that the majority of injunctions appearing in Surah Al-Ahzab relate to the reverence, love and perfect obedience of the Holy Prophet ﷺ or to the prohibition of causing any pain to him. The verses cited above have also been revealed in connection with some incidents of this nature.

One such incident related to Sayyidna Zayd Ibn Harithah who was the slave of someone. It was during the days of Jahiliyyah that the Holy Prophet ﷺ had bought him from the famous bazaar of ` Ukaz. He was still very young at that time. The Holy Prophet ﷺ had freed him after purchasing him, and further honored him by adopting him as his son as was the common practice under the Arab custom of the time and went on to bring him up. In Makkah al-Mukarramah, he was called by the name of Zayd Ibn Muhammad. The Qur'an declared it to be an erroneous custom of the Jahiliyyah and prohibited the calling of the so-called or adopted son of a person as his 'son' and ordered that he should be attributed to his real father. Revealed in this connection were verses that have appeared earlier within this Surah: ادْعُوهُمْ لِآبَائِهِمْ (Call them by (the name of) their (real) fathers - 5) After the revelation of these injunctions, the noble Sahabah abandoned the practice of calling him by the name of Zayd Ibn Muhammad and started attributing him to his father, Harithah.

A subtle point

Not even the name of the greatest of the great Sahabi - of course, except that of the blessed prophets - was ever mentioned throughout the Qur'an with the sole exception of Sayyidna Zayd Ibn Harithah! Some respected elders while describing the wisdom behind it have said that the attribution of his parentage to the Holy Prophet ﷺ when severed under the injunction of the Qur'an had him deprived of a great personal honor. However, Allah Ta’ ala had it compensated by mentioning him in the Qur'an by name. Thus, the word: زَید (Zayd), being a word of the Qur'an, has its own distinct status. On every letter of this word, in accordance with the promise in Hadith, ten good deeds are recorded in the Book of Deeds. So, when his name is recited in the Qur'an, the reciter gets thirty good deeds in return just for pronouncing his name!

Even the Holy Prophet ﷺ used to give him respect. Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ says, 'Whenever he has sent him on a military expedition, it is invariably him that he has made the commander of the forces.' (Ibn Kathir)

A lesson to remember

This, in a nutshell, was the reality of slavery at the advent of Islam when slaves were educated and trained till they became achievers and whoever from them proved his class and capability was given the rank of leaders.

When Zayd Ibn Harithah grew to be a young man, the Holy Prophet ﷺ chose Sayyidah Zainab bint Jahsh, the daughter of his paternal aunt for marriage with him. A formal proposal of marriage was sent. Since Sayyidna Zayd was branded with the conventional label of being a freed slave, Sayyidah Zainab and her brother, ` Abdullah Ibn Jahsh rejected this proposal on the basis that they were nobler than him in terms of family and lineage.

Revealed upon this incident was the verse: مَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ وَلَا مُؤْمِنَةٍ (And it is not open for a believing man or a believing woman - 36). The instruction given there is: When the Holy Prophet ﷺ orders someone to do something as an obligation, it becomes obligatory for that person to do it. The choice of not doing it does not remain valid under Islamic Law - even if the required act may not be obligatory or necessary in its origin. But, once he does order someone to do that, it become incumbent and obligatory on him. And should someone not do so, his or her action has been termed as open error at the end of the verse.

When Sayyidah Zainab bint Jahsh ؓ and her brother heard this verse, they retracted from their rejection and agreed to the proposal of marriage. Thus, the marriage was solemnized. The dower of the bride was paid by the Holy Prophet ﷺ on behalf of Sayyidna Zayd which was ten dinars [ equal to approximately 4 tolas of gold), (equal to approximately 18-1/2 tolas of silver), one beast of burden, complete pair of ladies dress, 15 mudd (approximately 25 kilos) of flour and 10 mudd (approximately 5 kilos) of dates (Ibn Kathir). The well-known event in the background of the revelation of this verse is, according to the majority of commentators, no other but this very account of the marriage of Sayyidah Zainab bint Jahsh (Ibn Kathir, Qurtubi and Mazhari).

Ibn Kathir and some other commentators have also reported two additional events of this nature. There too, it has been said that the cited verse has been revealed in the background of those events. One of these events is about Sayyidna Julaibib ؓ whose proposal to marry the daughter of an Ansari Sahabi was turned down by the father and his family. When this verse was revealed, they agreed and the marriage was solemnized. The Holy Prophet ﷺ made a du'a (prayer) for extended means of livelihood for them. The noble Companions say that Allah had placed such barakah in their home that it was known to be the most generously kept home of Madinah at-Tayyibah. Later, Sayyidna Julaibib ؓ met with his shahadah in a Jihad. The Holy Prophet ﷺ bathed and shrouded his body with his own blessed hands.

A similar event relating to Umm Kulthum bint 'Uqbah Ibn Abi Mu'ait has been reported in Hadith narrations (Ibn Kathir, Qurtubi) and there is no contradiction in them. It is possible that several events of this nature may have been the cause of the revelation of the verse.

The Injunction to consider the principle of کفو (kuf) in marriage

The reason why Sayyidah Zainab bint Jahsh ؓ and her brother ` Abdullah had initially rejected the proposal of marriage with Sayyidna Zayd Ibn Harithah was that the two of them had no familial and lineal homogeneity, which is desirable even in the sight of the Shari'ah. The Holy Prophet ﷺ said that girls should be married in their کفو (kuf': equal, alike, matching) (to be explained later). Therefore, a question arises here as to why the excuse of Sayyidah Zainab and her brother was not accepted in this case?

The answer is that the equality, rather equalness (کَفَاءت :kafa’ ah) and likeness of spouses in their religion is certainly incumbent and necessary for the validity of the marriage. The marriage of any Muslim girl with any disbeliever is not halal (lawful) under the consensus of the Muslim ummah - even if the girl agrees to it. The reason is that this is not simply the right of a woman which may be dropped at her pleasure. Instead, it is the right of Allah and a Divinely imposed duty. On the contrary, equality of the spouses in financial and lineal status is the right of the girl and in the matter of lineal equality, the guardians too have right along with the girl. If a sane and adult girl, despite being from a wealthy family, were to drop her right by agreeing to marry some pauper, the choice is hers. And in lineal equality, if the girl and her guardians, all of them, abandon this right for the sake of some other major expedient consideration and agree to the proposal of marriage from a person who is lesser than them in terms of lineage and family status, then, they have the right to do so. In fact, should this be in view of higher religious consideration, the act of surrendering this right is most desirable and praiseworthy. It is for this reason that the Holy Prophet ﷺ has, on several occasions, recommended that this right should be ignored and marriage should be solemnized because of higher and more beneficial religious considerations.

And clear indicators set forth in the noble Qur'an prove that the right of the Holy Prophet ﷺ on the men and women of his ummah is more than that of anyone else. In fact, it is more than that of their own self - as the Qur'an says: النَّبِيُّ أَوْلَىٰ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ that is, 'The Prophet is closer to the believers than their own selves - 33:6.' Therefore, in the case of Sayyidah Zainab ؓ and her brother, ` Abdullah, when the Holy Prophet ﷺ advised them to ignore their right to lineal equality and ordered them to agree to the marriage with Sayyidna Zayd Ibn Harithah ؓ ، it was their duty to bypass their personal opinion and their own rights in the face of this prophetic order. Therefore, it was on this refusal from them that this injunction of the Qur'an was revealed.

As for the lineal consideration in marriage, one may ask when it was worthy of consideration in the sight of the Holy Prophet ﷺ himself, why would he himself not go by it? The answer to this doubt is already clear from the earlier submission, that is, this consideration is worth surrendering in favour of other higher and more beneficial religious considerations. During the blessed period of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، several marriages were solemnized among non-equals (ghayr-kuf' ) as based on these very kinds of beneficial religious considerations which do not violate the principle.

The Issue of Equality in marriage (Kaf'ah)

Marriage (nikah) is a matter in which the absence of homogeneity in the temperaments of the spouses disturbs the purpose of marriage, disturbs the process of fulfilling each other's rights and breeds mutual disputes. Therefore, the Shari` ah has ordered that kafa'ah (mutual likeness) should be taken into consideration. But, it never means that a man of high family background starts taking a man from a family lesser than him as low and mean. In Islam, the criterion of low and high is based on Taqwa and love for one's faith. Whoever does not have it, no matter how noble his family is, he yet has no status in the sight of Allah. So, this order to take kafa'ah (mutual equality) into consideration in marriages has been given only to keep the management of matters smooth and straight.

In a Hadith, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been reported to have said that the nikah (marriage) of girls should invariably be through their guardians (that is, it is not appropriate even for a pubescent girl that she settles the transaction of her nikah (marriage) all by herself. Modesty demands that this matter should be handled by her parents and guardians). And he said that the nikah of girls should invariably be solemnized within their kuf' (equal, like). Though, the authority of this Hadith is weak but, with the support from the reports and sayings of the noble Sahabah, it becomes worth being used as an argument. In Kitab ul-'Athar, Imam Muhammad has reported Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ saying: "I shall issue an operative order that no girl from some high and recognized family should be given in marriage to another having a lesser status." Similarly, Sayyidah ` A'ishah ؓ and Sayyidna Anas ؓ have also stressed that kafa'ah (likeness) should be taken into consideration in nikah (marriage) - as reported from several authorities. Imam Ibn Humam has also written about it in details in Fath al-Qadir.

Hence, the outcome is that the consideration of kafa'ah (equalness and likeness) in nikah (marriage) is desirable in religion, so that the spouses live in accord and harmony. But, should some other important consideration, more important than this kafa'ah, come up, then, it is permissible for the woman and her guardians that they surrender this right of theirs and marry in ghayr kuf, that is, other than equal and like. Particularly so, when there is some religious consideration in sight - if so, it is better and more merit worthy to do so, as proved from several events pertaining to the noble Sahabah. Incidentally, from this we also know that these events do not negate the basic premise of the issue of kafa'ah. Allah knows best.