ʿĀʾishah—who had grown very fond of her (1)—said, “Tell me: if I pay them the whole amount in a single lump sum, will your family sell you so that I may set you free?”

In another wording he said to ʿĀʾishah, “That should not stop you.”

That narration also quotes him as beginning, “To proceed….”

One report states: “She was emancipated while still married to Mughīth ibn Jashsh, so the Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave her the choice and said, ‘If he has already been intimate with you, then you no longer have that choice.’”

Another version relates: “He fixed her waiting period to be the same as that of a free woman who has been divorced.”

A further wording says: “She came to me while the Messenger of Allah was sitting there and asked, ‘What did her people decide?’ I replied—by Allah (2), and I raised my voice—‘They refused.’ He then said, ‘Take her and stipulate the condition.’”

Yet another version has him say, “When you are set free, you have the greater right over yourself as long as he has not lain with you, though I would prefer that you stay.” She replied, “I have no need of him.”

Al-Qāsim narrates from ʿĀʾishah:
“Three sunnahs were established through Barīrah: once emancipated she was given the option concerning her husband; while a pot was boiling with meat on the fire the Prophet ﷺ was offered some household relish, whereupon he said, ‘Did I not see a pot?’ They answered, ‘Indeed, but that meat was given in charity to Barīrah, and you do not eat charity.’ He said, ‘For her it is charity, but for us it is a gift.’”

In one narration it says: “She was offered the choice regarding her husband and he was a free man—then he added, I am not sure (3).”

And another wording states: “She had been married to a slave, and he said, ‘You have full control over your own affairs; if you wish, you may remain with him.’”