the wife of his adopted son, to remove any blame from the believers for marrying the wives of their adopted sons. Thus, we know that what he did was permissible for us to do.

When Allah singled him out for certain rulings, He said:

“And a believing woman if she offers herself to the Prophet, if the Prophet wishes to marry her—a privilege exclusively for you, not for the other believers. We know what We have prescribed for them concerning their wives and those whom their right hands possess, so that there may be no hardship for you. And Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

When He permitted him to marry a woman who offered herself to him, He made clear that this was exclusively for him, not for the other believers. Thus, no one other than him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, may marry a woman without a dower.

In Sahīh Muslim, it is reported:

“A man asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ‘May a fasting person kiss?’ He replied, ‘Ask her,’ referring to Umm Salamah. She told them that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did so. The man said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, Allah has forgiven your past and future sins.’ He replied, ‘By Allah, I am indeed the most mindful of Allah among you and the most fearful of Him.’”

By answering him with his own practice, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, indicated that what was permissible for him was also permissible for his community. Hence, the majority of the community’s scholars held that whenever Allah commands him to do something or forbids him from something, his community is to follow his example in that, unless evidence establishes that it applies exclusively to him.