Anas said: He died while this prohibition remained in force.

Ikrimah and al-Dahhak said: The meaning of the verse is that no women are lawful for you except those whom We have made lawful for you, as stated in His words, “O Prophet, We have made lawful for you your wives,” to the end of the verse. He then says, “No women are lawful for you after this,” except those whom We made lawful for you according to the categories previously mentioned.

Ubayy ibn Kab was asked, “Had the Prophet’s wives died, would it have been lawful for him to marry?” He replied, “What would prevent him from doing so?” It was said, “His words, ‘No women are lawful for you after this.’” He said, “Allah had only made a particular category of women lawful for him, saying, ‘O Prophet, We have made lawful for you your wives’; then He said, ‘No women are lawful for you after this.’”

Abu Salih said: He was commanded not to marry a Bedouin woman or an Arab woman, but he could marry women from among his own people—the daughters of his paternal uncles, paternal aunts, and maternal aunts—as many as three hundred, if he wished.

Mujahid said: Its meaning is that Jewish and Christian women were not lawful for you after Muslim women, nor were you to exchange your wives for them—that is, you were not to replace Muslim women with Jewish or Christian women. In other words, the Mother of the Believers was not to be Jewish or Christian. “Except those whom your right hand possesses”: Allah made lawful for him female captives from among the People of the Scripture, whom he could take as concubines.

It was also reported from al-Dahhak that it means: nor may you exchange them, nor replace the wives presently with you with other wives by divorcing them and marrying others in their place. Thus, He forbade him to divorce the women who were with him, since He had made them the Mothers of the Believers and prohibited them to others when they chose him. As for marrying women other than them, he was not prohibited from doing so.

Regarding His words, “Nor may you exchange them for other wives,” Ibn Zayd said: In the Age of Ignorance, the Arabs would exchange their wives. One man would say to another, “Exchange your wife for mine: relinquish your wife to me, and I will relinquish my wife to you.” So Allah revealed, “Nor may you exchange them for other wives” (1)—meaning: do not exchange your wives with someone else, by giving him your wife and taking his wife. “Except those whom your right hand possesses”: there is no harm in exchanging your slave-woman ⦗84/b⦘ for whichever one you wish. But this does not apply to free women.

It was reported from Ata ibn Yasar, from Abu Hurayrah, that Uyaynah ibn Hisn entered upon the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, without seeking permission, while Aisha was with him. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to him, “O Uyaynah, where is your request for permission?” He replied, “O Messenger of Allah, since reaching maturity, I have never sought permission to enter upon any man of Mudar.” Then he said, “Who is this fair-complexioned woman beside you?” He replied, “This is Aisha, the Mother of the Believers.” Uyaynah said, “Shall I not relinquish to you the most beautiful of all women?” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Allah has forbidden that.” When he left, Aisha asked, “Who was that, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied, “That is a foolish man who is obeyed; yet, despite what you see of him, he is the chief of his people.” (2)