(6) “The Prophet has a greater claim on the believers than they have on themselves, and his wives are their mothers. Blood relatives have a greater claim upon one another, according to the Book of Allah, than other believers and emigrants, except that you may show kindness to your allies. This has been inscribed in the Book.”
Allah, Exalted is He, informs the believers of the Messenger’s standing and rank so that they may treat him accordingly. He says: “The Prophet has a greater claim on the believers than they have on themselves.” A person’s own self is what is closest to him and has the greatest claim upon him, yet the Messenger has a greater claim upon him than his own self. This is because he—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—showed them such sincere concern, compassion, and kindness that he was the most merciful and compassionate of all people toward them. Allah’s Messenger conferred a greater favor upon them than any other created being, for not even an atom’s weight of good reached them, nor was an atom’s weight of evil warded off from them, except through his hands and because of him.
For that reason, whenever what they themselves want, or what anyone else wants, conflicts with what the Messenger wants, they must give precedence to what the Messenger wants. They must not set anyone’s words against the Messenger’s words, whoever that person may be. They must sacrifice their lives, wealth, and children for him, give priority to loving him over loving all other created beings, refrain from speaking before he speaks, and never put themselves forward before him.
He—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—is a father to the believers, as stated in the reading of some of the Companions, nurturing them as a father nurtures his children.
It follows from this fatherhood that his wives are their mothers—that is, in the prohibition against marrying them and in the respect and honor due to them, but not in the sense that private seclusion with them is permissible or that they possess the ordinary legal status of a mahram (an unmarriageable close relative). This is, as it were, a prelude to the forthcoming account of Zayd ibn Hāritha, who had previously been called “Zayd ibn Muhammad,” until Allah revealed: “Muhammad is not the father of any of your men.” This severed his lineage and attribution to the Prophet. Allah therefore states in this verse that all believers are the Messenger’s children, with no one enjoying any distinction over another. Even though one of them ceased to be ascribed to him by adoption, his bond of faith with him was not severed; he therefore need not grieve or feel sorrow.
It also follows from the Messenger’s wives being the mothers of the believers that no one may marry them after him, as Allah explicitly stated (1): “Nor may you ever marry his wives after him.”
“Blood relatives”—that is, relatives, whether near or distant—“have a greater claim upon one another, according to the Book of Allah,” [that is] (2), according to His ruling. They inherit from one another and treat one another kindly, and thus take precedence over bonds of sworn alliance and mutual support.
Adopted sons had previously inherited through such arrangements instead of blood relatives. Allah, Exalted is He, therefore abolished inheritance on that basis and assigned it to relatives, out of His kindness and wisdom. Had the former practice continued, it would have led to much corruption, evil, and scheming to deprive relatives of their inheritance.
“Than the believers and emigrants”—that is, whether those relatives are believing emigrants or believers who did not emigrate, blood relatives take precedence in this matter. This verse proves that blood relatives have priority in every form of guardianship, such as guardianship in marriage, over property, and in other matters.
“Except that you may show kindness to your allies”—that is, they have no prescribed right; rather, the matter is left to your discretion. If you wish, you may make them a voluntary gift and extend some kindness to them. “This has been inscribed in the Book”—that is, the ruling just mentioned has been set down, written, and decreed by Allah, and so it must inevitably take effect.