SOURCE:
The Position of Women in
Islam
C. 1997 Hamdun Dagher
This book is reprinted at the following web site: http://www.light-of-life.com
The Many Wives of Muhammad
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Muhammad was married to at least thirteen women during his life, including
one who was nine years old. The Qur'an, which Muhammad wrote, allows a Muslim to
have four wives --there is no explanation why Muhammad was allowed to have so
many more than this. This information comes from the book,
The Position of Women in Islam
by Hamdun Dagher. You can find a full reprint of the book at this web site:
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Muhammad was the prophet who introduced the religion of Islam to the world in the sixth century A.D. The teachings of Islam are written in the Muslim holy book, the Qur’an (Koran), which he claimed was given to him by the angel Gabriel. Muhammad’s life has been well-documented, which includes the fascinating history of his many wives. |
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1– Khadija Bint Khuwailid Khadija was Muhammad's first wife. He married her in 595 A.D. She died three years before the Migration (The Migration is when Muhammad fled his persecutors in 622 A.D., leaving Mecca and fleeing to the safety of the city of Medina) and ten years after he claimed prophethood. Muhammad married Khadija Bint Khuwailid when he was 25 years old. She was a merchant and enjoyed a high position among the people. She hired men for her business and competed with others. She was a forty-year-old widow when she married him. Muhammad was offered the chance of marrying her, but he was not sure of himself and said, "I possess nothing whereby I can marry." Khadija, however, took the initiative and expressed her desire to marry him. Muhammad married no one else till Khadija died. |
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2- Sawda Bint Zama Muhammad married her in the month of Ramadan ten years after he claimed prophethood, after the death of Khadija and before he married Aisha, He married her after her husband's death. |
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3- Aisha Bint Abu Bakr (9 years old) She was the only virgin among Muhammad's wives. She was Muhammad's third wife. Aisha herself narrated, "The Messenger of God married me in Shawwal in the tenth year after of his prophethood. I was nine years old when he consummated the marriage with me.” Ibn Hisham holds that "Muhammad married her when she was seven years old and consummated the marriage with her when they were in Medina when she was nine years old.” |
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4- Hafsa Bint Umar |
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5- Zainab Bint Khuzaima Zainab was called "the mother of the poor." She was the divorcee of al-Tufail Ibn al-Harith. She was married to Muhammad in Ramadan 31 months after the Migration, remained eight months with him, and passed away at the end of the month of Rabi al-Awwal. |
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6- Ummu Salama Muhammad married her three years before the Khandaq raid, in the sixth year after the Migration. |
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7- Zainab Bint Jahsh Muhammad's marriage to Zainab, who was the wife of his adopted son, led to many accusations against Muhammad. The dissimulators said, "Muhammad prohibits the wives of the son while he himself marries the wife of his son Zaid." |
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8- Juwairiyya Bint al-Harith She was taken captive during the raid of Banu al-Mustaliq and was part of the spoils. No one knows when this battle took place exactly. So the dates given for her marriage to Muhammad are the fifth or the sixth year after the Migration. Ibn Hisham claims that Muhammad bought her from Thabit Ibn Qais, set her free, and later married her. |
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9- Safiyya Bint Huyay She was among the spoils of Khaibar (one of the famous Jewish tribes), which was conquered in the sixth year A.H., and was chosen for Muhammad. |
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10- Ummu Habiba She was the wife of Ubaid Allah Ibn Jahsh who migrated to the land of Ethiopia, where he adopted Christianity and died. Umm Habiba remained in her religion. Stories say that the Negus of Ethiopia gave her to Muhammad as a wife. |
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11- Maria, the Coptic Slave al-Muqawqas, king of Egypt, sent four female slaves to Muhammad and Maria was one of them. She reached Medina in the seventh year after the Migration. Only Khadija and Maria gave birth to male children among all of Muhammad's wives. |
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12- Rayhana Muhammad Ibn Ka`b narrated: "Rayhana was among those God gave him as captives. She was a beautiful woman. When her husband was killed, she was taken captive and became the choice of the Messenger of God in the battle with Banu Quraiza. When the Messenger of God gave the freedom to choose either Islam or her religion, she chose Islam. Then the Messenger of God freed her, married her and had her veiled. She was strongly jealous over him once, which made him divorce her one time while she was still at her place. She could not bear that and wept profusely, then the Messenger of God entered on her when she was in that state and remarried her. She remained with him till she died." |
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13- Maimuna Bint al-Harith She was the last woman the Messenger of God married. This took place the seventh year during Umrat al-qadhiyya. Muhammad had sexual relations with more women those listed here; the others, however, did not receive the official recognition of marriage to Muhammad. One difficult issue that Muslim scholars have to grapple with is the holy writings of the Qur’an, which was penned by Muhammad, clearly states that God only permits a good Muslim to have up to four wives; and yet Muhammad himself had at least thirteen! |
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SOURCE: |
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The Position of Women in
Islam |
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