Tafsir al-Baghawi - Al-Baghawi - (2/294)

Tafsir al-BaghawiAl-Baghawi

“If a woman fears ill-treatment or aversion from her husband, there is no blame on either of them if they reach a settlement between themselves; and settlement is best. Yet souls are prone to selfishness. If you do good and are mindful of Allah, then Allah is surely All-Aware of what you do. (128)”

Allah the Exalted says: “If a woman fears ill-treatment or aversion from her husband,” to the end of the verse. It was revealed concerning Amrah—or, it is said, Khawlah (1) bint Muhammad ibn Muslimah—and her husband Sa‘d ibn al-Rabi‘—or, it is said, Rafi‘ ibn Khadij. He married her when she was young, but when old age overtook her, he married another, younger wife and favored her over her. He treated the daughter of Muhammad ibn Salamah coldly, so she came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and complained to him. Thus this verse was revealed concerning her. (2)

Sa‘id ibn Jubayr said: A man had a wife who had grown old and borne him children. He wanted to divorce her and marry another woman in addition to her. She said, “Do not divorce me. Let me remain to care for my children, and assign me a turn once every two months if you wish; and if you wish, do not assign me a turn.” He said, “If this is permissible, it is dearer to me.” He then came ⦗97/b⦘ to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and mentioned this to him. Thereupon Allah the Exalted revealed: “If a woman fears” (3)—that is, if she knows—“from her husband,” meaning from her spouse, “ill-treatment,” meaning aversion. Al-Kalbi said: This means that he ceases to share her bed. “Or aversion”: by turning his face away from her and spending little time in her company. “There is no blame on either of them,” that is, on the husband and the wife, if they reconcile with one another. The people of Kufah recited “if they bring about a settlement,” from aṣlaḥa (to bring about reconciliation). “Between themselves, a settlement,” meaning with regard to the division of time and maintenance.

This is where the husband says to her: “You have advanced in age, and I wish to marry a young and beautiful woman whom I will favor over you in the division of nights and days. If you accept this, then remain with me; but if you dislike it, I will let you go.” If she accepts, she is the one acting kindly, and she cannot be compelled to do so. If she does not accept anything less than her rightful share of time, then the husband must give her her full right to a share of his time and to maintenance, or release her graciously. If he keeps her and gives her her full rights despite his dislike, then he is acting kindly.

(1) In manuscript A: “Khuwaylah.” (2) See: Al-Muwatta of Imam Malik, Book of Marriage, chapter “General Matters of Marriage,” 2:548-549; Al-Mustadrak by al-Hakim, 2:308; Ahkam al-Quran by al-Shafii, 1:205; Al-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Bayhaqi, 7:296; Tafsir al-Tabari, 9:275; and Asbab al-Nuzul by al-Wahidi, p. 178. (3) It is narrated with a similar meaning on the authority of Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, by al-Bukhari and Muslim. See: Asbab al-Nuzul by al-Wahidi, pp. 175-176; Al-Durr al-Manthur, 2:710-711.

﴿وَإِنِ امْرَأَةٌ خَافَتْ مِنْ بَعْلِهَا نُشُوزًا أَوْ إِعْرَاضًا فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِمَا أَنْ يُصْلِحَا بَيْنَهُمَا صُلْحًا وَالصُّلْحُ خَيْرٌ وَأُحْضِرَتِ الْأَنْفُسُ الشُّحَّ وَإِنْ تُحْسِنُوا وَتَتَّقُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا (١٢٨) ﴾ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: ﴿وَإِنِ امْرَأَةٌ خَافَتْ مِنْ بَعْلِهَا نُشُوزًا أَوْ إِعْرَاضًا﴾ الْآيَةَ، نَزَلَتْ فِي عَمْرَةَ وَيُقَالُ فِي خَوْلَةَ (١) بِنْتِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمَةَ، وَفِي زَوْجِهَا سَعْدِ بْنِ الرَّبِيعِ -وَيُقَالُ رَافِعِ بْنِ خَدِيجٍ-تَزَوَّجَهَا وَهِيَ شَابَّةٌ فَلَمَّا عَلَاهَا الْكِبَرُ تَزَوَّجَ عَلَيْهَا امْرَأَةً شَابَّةً، وَآثَرَهَا عَلَيْهَا، وَجَفَا ابْنَةَ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَلَمَةَ، فَأَتَتْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَشَكَتْ إِلَيْهِ فَنَزَلَتْ فِيهَا هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ (٢) . وَقَالَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ جُبَيْرٍ: كَانَ رَجُلٌ لَهُ امْرَأَةٌ قَدْ كَبِرَتْ وَلَهُ مِنْهَا أَوْلَادٌ فَأَرَادَ أَنْ يُطَلِّقَهَا وَيَتَزَوَّجَ عَلَيْهَا غَيْرَهَا، فَقَالَتْ: لَا تُطَلِّقْنِي وَدَعْنِي أَقُومُ عَلَى أَوْلَادِي وَاقْسِمْ لِي مِنْ كُلِّ شَهْرَيْنِ إِنْ شِئْتَ، وَإِنْ شِئْتَ فَلَا تَقْسِمْ لِي. فَقَالَ: إِنْ كَانَ يَصْلُحُ ذَلِكَ فَهُوَ أَحَبُّ إليّ، فأتى ٩٧/ب رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَذَكَرَ لَهُ ذَلِكَ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: ﴿وَإِنِ امْرَأَةٌ خَافَتْ﴾ (٣) أَيْ عَلِمَتْ ﴿مِنْ بَعْلِهَا﴾ أَيْ: مِنْ زَوْجِهَا ﴿نُشُوزًا﴾ أَيْ: بُغْضًا، قَالَ الْكَلْبِيُّ: يَعْنِي تَرْكَ مُضَاجَعَتِهَا، ﴿أَوْ إِعْرَاضًا﴾ بِوَجْهِهِ عَنْهَا وَقِلَّةِ مُجَالَسَتِهَا، ﴿فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِمَا﴾ أَيْ: عَلَى الزَّوْجِ وَالْمَرْأَةِ، أَنْ يَصَّالَحَا أَيْ: يَتَصَالَحَا، وَقَرَأَ أَهْلُ الْكُوفَةِ ﴿أَنْ يُصْلِحَا﴾ مِنْ أَصْلَحَ، ﴿بَيْنَهُمَا صُلْحًا﴾ يَعْنِي: فِي الْقِسْمَةِ وَالنَّفَقَةِ، وَهُوَ أَنْ يَقُولَ الزَّوْجُ لَهَا: إِنَّكِ قَدْ دَخَلْتِ فِي السِّنِّ وَإِنِّي أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَتَزَوَّجَ امْرَأَةً شَابَّةً جَمِيلَةً أَوِثْرُهَا عَلَيْكِ فِي الْقِسْمَةِ لَيْلًا وَنَهَارًا فَإِنْ رَضِيتِ بِهَذَا فَأَقِيمِي وَإِنْ كَرِهْتِ خَلَّيْتُ سَبِيلَكِ، فَإِنْ رَضِيَتْ كَانَتْ هِيَ الْمُحْسِنَةَ وَلَا تُجْبَرُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، وَإِنْ لَمْ تَرْضَ بِدُونِ حَقِّهَا مِنَ الْقَسْمِ كَانَ عَلَى الزَّوْجِ أَنْ يُوَفِّيَهَا حَقَّهَا مِنَ الْقَسْمِ وَالنَّفَقَةِ أَوْ يُسَرِّحَهَا بِإِحْسَانٍ، فَإِنْ أَمْسَكَهَا وَوَفَّاهَا حَقَّهَا مَعَ كَرَاهِيَةٍ فَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ.

(١) في أ: (خويلة) . (٢) انظر: الموطأ للإمام مالك، كتاب النكاح، باب جامع النكاح: ٢ / ٥٤٨ - ٥٤٩، والمستدرك للحاكم: ٢ / ٣٠٨، أحكام القرآن للشافعي: ١ / ٢٠٥، والسنن الكبرى للبيهقي: ٧ / ٢٩٦، تفسير الطبري: ٩ / ٢٧٥، أسباب النزول للواحدي ص (١٧٨) . (٣) بمعناه عن عائشة ﵂، أخرجه البخاري ومسلم. انظر: أسباب النزول للواحدي ص (١٧٥ - ١٧٦) ، الدر المنثور: ٢ / ٧١٠ - ٧١١.