Al-Kāfi - Volume 6


Book 2, Chapter 62

How the Choice originally was
6 Aḥadīth

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنِ ابْنِ بُكَيْرٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) يَقُولُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَنِفَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) مِنْ مَقَالَةٍ قَالَتْهَا بَعْضُ نِسَائِهِ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ آيَةَ التَّخْيِيرِ فَاعْتَزَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) نِسَاءَهُ تِسْعاً وَ عِشْرِينَ لَيْلَةً فِي مَشْرَبَةِ أُمِّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ثُمَّ دَعَاهُنَّ فَخَيَّرَهُنَّ فَاخْتَرْنَهُ فَلَمْ يَكُ شَيْئاً وَ لَوِ اخْتَرْنَ أَنْفُسَهُنَّ كَانَتْ وَاحِدَةً بَائِنَةًقَالَ وَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ مَقَالَةِ الْمَرْأَةِ مَا هِيَ قَالَ فَقَالَ إِنَّهَا قَالَتْ يَرَى مُحَمَّدٌ أَنَّهُ لَوْ طَلَّقَنَا أَنَّهُ لَا يَأْتِينَا الْأَكْفَاءُ مِنْ قَوْمِنَا يَتَزَّوَجُونَّا .


1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Faddal from ibn Bukayr from Zurarah who has said the following: “I once heard abu Ja‘far (a.s), saying, ‘Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, disdained and rejected the words of certain ones of his wives against the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, and sent revelation about choice. The Messenger of Allah stayed away from his wives for twenty-nine days in the mashrabah (a place for water containers) of ‘Umm Ibrahim. He then called them and gave them the choice. They chose him (the Messenger of Allah) then nothing happened. Had they chosen themselves it would have been one final divorce which made them all become strangers to him (the Messenger of Allah).’ I then asked him (the Imam) about the word of the woman and who she was?’ He (the narrator) has said that he (the Imam) said, ‘She said, “Muhammad thinks that if he divorces us no one of our match from our tribes will marry us.’””

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْفُضَيْلِ عَنْ أَبِي الصَّبَّاحِ الْكِنَانِيِّ قَالَ ذَكَرَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) أَنَّ زَيْنَبَ قَالَتْ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) لَا تَعْدِلُ وَ أَنْتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَ قَالَتْ حَفْصَةُ إِنْ طَلَّقَنَا وَجَدْنَا أَكْفَاءَنَا فِي قَوْمِنَا فَاحْتُبِسَ الْوَحْيُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) عِشْرِينَ يَوْماًقَالَ فَأَنِفَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لِرَسُولِهِ فَأَنْزَلَ يا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُلْ لِأَزْواجِكَ إِنْ كُنْتُنَّ تُرِدْنَ الْحَياةَ الدُّنْيا وَ زِينَتَها فَتَعالَيْنَ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ أَجْراً عَظِيماًقَالَ فَاخْتَرْنَ اللَّهَ وَ رَسُولَهُ وَ لَوِ اخْتَرْنَ أَنْفُسَهُنَّ لَبِنَّ وَ إِنِ اخْتَرْنَ اللَّهَ وَ رَسُولَهُ فَلَيْسَ بِشَيْ‏ءٍ .


2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from Muhammad ibn al-Fudayl from abu al-Sabbah al-Kinaniy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s), has said that Zaynab said, ‘You are not fair and you are the Messenger of Allah.’ Hafsah said, ‘If you divorce us we will find our match in our people.’ Revelation stopped coming to the Messenger of Allah for twenty days. He (the Imam) said that Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, disdained and rejected the words of these women against His Messenger and sent revelation that said, ‘O Prophet, say to your wives, “If you want the worldly life and its beauty become prepared . . . great reward.’” He (the Imam) said that they chose the Messenger of Allah. Had they chosen themselves they would have become stranger to him (the Messenger of Allah) and they chose the Messenger of Allah, then not anything else happened.’”

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْأَعْلَى بْنِ أَعْيَنَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ يَقُولُ إِنَّ بَعْضَ نِسَاءِ النَّبِيِّ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) قَالَتْ أَ يَرَى مُحَمَّدٌ أَنَّهُ إِنْ طَلَّقَنَا لَا نَجِدُ الْأَكْفَاءَ مِنْ قَوْمِنَا قَالَ فَغَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مِنْ فَوْقِ سَبْعِ سَمَاوَاتِهِ فَأَمَرَهُ فَخَيَّرَهُنَّ حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَى زَيْنَبَ بِنْتِ جَحْشٍ فَقَامَتْ وَ قَبَّلَتْهُ وَ قَالَتْ أَخْتَارُ اللَّهَ وَ رَسُولَهُ.


3. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from ibn abu Nasr from Hammad ibn ‘Uthaman from ‘Abd al-‘Ala’ ibn ’A‘yan who has said the following: “I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s), saying, ‘Certain ones of the wives of the Holy Prophet, had said, ‘Does Muhammad think that if he divorces us, no one from our people will marry us?’ He (the Imam) said that Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, became angry from above the seven heavens and commanded him (the Messenger of Allah) and he gave them the choice until it was the turn of Zaynab bint Jahash. She stood and kissed him (the Messenger of Allah) and accepted, saying, “I choose Allah and His Messenger.’””

حُمَيْدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ عَنِ ابْنِ سَمَاعَةَ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ سَمَاعَةَ عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ سِرْحَانَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ إِنَّ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتَ جَحْشٍ قَالَتْ أَ يَرَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) إِنْ خَلَّى سَبِيلَنَا أَنَّا لَا نَجِدُ زَوْجاً غَيْرَهُ وَ قَدْ كَانَ اعْتَزَلَ نِسَاءَهُ تِسْعاً وَ عِشْرِينَ لَيْلَةً فَلَمَّا قَالَتْ زَيْنَبُ الَّذِي قَالَتْ بَعَثَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ جَبْرَئِيلَ إِلَى مُحَمَّدٍ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) فَقَالَ قُلْ لِأَزْواجِكَ إِنْ كُنْتُنَّ تُرِدْنَ الْحَياةَ الدُّنْيا وَ زِينَتَها فَتَعالَيْنَ أُمَتِّعْكُنَّ الْآيَتَيْنِ كِلْتَيْهِمَا فَقُلْنَ بَلْ نَخْتَارُ اللَّهَ وَ رَسُولَهُ وَ الدَّارَ الْآخِرَةَ .


4. Humayd ibn Ziyad has narrated from ibn Sama‘ah from Ja‘far ibn Sama‘ah from Dawud ibn Sarhan who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s), has said that Zaynab bint Jahash once said, ‘Does the Messenger of Allah think that if he divorces us we will not find anyone other than him to marry us?’ He had stayed away from his wives for twenty-nine days. When Zaynab said this Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, sent Jibril to Muhammad ﷺ. He said, ‘Say to your wives, “If you want the worldly life and its beauty, then be prepared he will benefit you . . .” They said, ‘We choose Allah and His Messenger and the house in the hereafter.’”

عَنْهُ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ سَمَاعَةَ عَنْ وُهَيْبِ بْنِ حَفْصٍ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ إِنَّ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتَ جَحْشٍ قَالَتْ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) لَا تَعْدِلُ وَ أَنْتَ نَبِيٌّ فَقَالَ تَرِبَتْ يَدَاكِ إِذَا لَمْ أَعْدِلْ فَمَنْ يَعْدِلُ فَقَالَتْ دَعَوْتَ اللَّهَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لِيَقْطَعَ يَدَيَّ فَقَالَ لَا وَ لَكِنْ لَتَتْرَبَانِ فَقَالَتْ إِنَّكَ إِنْ طَلَّقْتَنَا وَجَدْنَا فِي قَوْمِنَا أَكْفَاءَنَا فَاحْتُبِسَ الْوَحْيُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) تِسْعاً وَ عِشْرِينَ لَيْلَةًثُمَّ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) فَأَنِفَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لِرَسُولِهِ فَأَنْزَلَ يا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُلْ لِأَزْواجِكَ إِنْ كُنْتُنَّ تُرِدْنَ الْحَياةَ الدُّنْيا وَ زِينَتَها الْآيَتَيْنِ فَاخْتَرْنَ اللَّهَ وَ رَسُولَهُ فَلَمْ يَكُ شَيْئاً وَ لَوِ اخْتَرْنَ أَنْفُسَهُنَّ لَبِنَّ .


5. It is narrated from the narrator of the previous Hadith from al-Husayn ibn Sama‘ah from Wuhayb ibn Hafs from abu Basir who has said the following: “Abu Ja‘far (a.s), has said that once Zaynab bint Jahash said to the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, ‘You are not fair and you are the Prophet.’ He (the Messenger of Allah) replied, ‘May your hands become soiled, ‘If I am not fair then who is fair?’ She then asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, did you pray that my hands get cut off?’ He (the Messenger of Allah) replied, ‘No, but they become soiled.’ She then said, ‘If you divorce us we will find in our people men as our match who will marry us.’ Revelation stopped coming for twenty-nine nights.’ Abu Ja‘far, Alayhi al-Salam, then said, ‘Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, disdained and rejected her words and sent revelation that said, ‘O Prophet, say to your wives, “If you want the worldly life and its beauty . . .” to the end of the two verses. They chose Allah and His Messenger then further things did not happen. Had they chosen themselves they would have become stranger to him (the Messenger of Allah).”’ (‘Your hands become soiled’ may mean poverty and it may also mean wealth)

وَ عَنْهُ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ جَبَلَةَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ مِثْلَهُ .وَ بِهَذَا الْإِسْنَادِ عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) فِي الرَّجُلِ إِذَا خَيَّرَ امْرَأَتَهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّمَا الْخِيَرَةُ لَنَا لَيْسَ لِأَحَدٍ وَ إِنَّمَا خَيَّرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) لِمَكَانِ عَائِشَةَ فَاخْتَرْنَ اللَّهَ وَ رَسُولَهُ وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُنَّ أَنْ يَخْتَرْنَ غَيْرَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) .


6. Through the same chain of narrators as that of the previous Hadith the following is narrated from Ya’qub ibn Salim from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “About the case of a man who gives his wife the choice abu ‘Abd Allah, Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘The choice is only for us and not for anyone else. The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, gave the choice because of the words of ‘A’ishah. They then chose Allah and His Messenger and they must not have chosen anyone other than the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause.’”