36

And it is not [fitting] for any believing man or believing woman, when Allahu ta’ālā and His Messenger (rasūl) have decided on a matter, to have (read takūna or yakūna) a choice in their matter, in contravention of the decision of Allahu ta’ālā and His Messenger (rasūl). This [verse] was revealed regarding 'Abd Allāh b. Jahsh and his sister Zaynab, whose hand the Prophet had asked for in marriage, but meaning on behalf of Zayd b. Hāritha. They were loathe to this [proposal] when they found out [that it was on the latter's behalf], for they had thought that the Prophet "sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam" wanted to marry her himself. But afterwards they consented because of the [following part of the] verse: And whoever disobeys Allahu ta’ālā and His Messenger (rasūl) has certainly strayed into manifest error. Thus the Prophet "sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam" gave her in marriage to Zayd. Then on one occasion he [the Prophet] caught sight of her and felt love for her, whereafter [when he realised that] Zayd lost his affection for her and so said to the Prophet "sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam", 'I want to part with her'. But the Prophet said to him, 'Retain your wife for yourself', as Allahu ta’ālā, exalted be He, says: