are renewed day after day. Hence, we said that he must allot her a turn in the future, but she may not retract what has already passed, because what has passed has been received, and a gift may not be revoked after it has been received. As for what lies ahead, it has not yet come, so she may retract it.

This reasoning for what the author said is sound. However, it should be conditional upon there having been no settlement. If there was a settlement, then she should not have the right to retract, due to Allah’s saying:

“And if a woman fears ill-treatment or aversion from her husband, there is no blame upon them if they make terms of settlement between themselves.” [al-Nisa’ 4:128]

A settlement is binding. How might such a settlement take place? For instance, she may sense that this man is going to divorce her, and so she fears this. She then says to him: “I agree with you that I will give my day to such-and-such a woman, and you will keep me as your wife.” He agrees to this settlement, and the matter thus becomes a binding agreement. Once it is a binding agreement, it must remain in force and be binding; otherwise, there would be no benefit in settlement. This is the view chosen by Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him.

There is no required division of time for his female slaves or for the mothers of his children. Rather, he may have intercourse with whichever one he wishes, whenever he wishes. If he marries a virgin, he stays with her for seven nights, then resumes the rotation; and if he marries a previously married woman, for three nights. If she prefers seven, he may do so, but must make up the same number for the other wives.

His statement, “There is no required division of time for his female slaves,” means that no division of time among his female slaves is obligatory. Thus, if a man has more than one female slave, he is not required to divide his time among them. For example, if he has five or ten female slaves, he is not obliged to divide his time between them, because Allah the Exalted says:

“But if you fear that you will not be just, then marry only one, or those whom your right hands possess.” [al-Nisa’ 4:3]

This indicates that equal treatment is not obligatory with respect to those whom one’s right hand possesses. Had division of time among his female slaves been obligatory, there would have been no difference between them and free wives.

His statement, “and the mothers of his children,” means likewise that he is not required to divide his time among the mothers of his children.

His statement, “Rather, he may have intercourse with whichever one he wishes, whenever he wishes,” means among the female slaves. “Whichever” refers to the individual, and “whenever” refers to the time; that is, he may have intercourse with whichever of them he wishes,