and Abū Dāwūd and others narrated the report about her. This woman was not Muslim. However, it may be argued that this incident provides no evidence, because it occurred shortly after the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, arrived in Medina, when marriage to polytheistic women was not yet forbidden. That prohibition was established only after al-Hudaybiyya, when Allah Most High revealed:

“And do not hold on to marriage bonds with disbelieving women.”

Umar then divorced his wife who was in Mecca. As for the verse in al-Baqara, the date of its revelation is unknown. Some passages in al-Baqara were revealed later, such as the verses concerning fornication, while others were revealed earlier, such as the verses concerning fasting.

Another example is the report:

“When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, intended to undertake the expedition to Tabūk, he said to al-Jadd ibn Qays, ‘Would you like some of the women of Banū al-Asfar?’ He replied, ‘Give me leave, and do not tempt me.’”

Another example is his conquest of Khaybar and his distribution of the slaves. He did not require the Muslims to refrain from intercourse with the women until they embraced Islam, although he did require them to observe the waiting period to establish that they were not pregnant.

Indeed, those who permit “intercourse with idol-worshipping women by right of ownership” may cite what occurred at Awtās, when he said:

“No intercourse is to take place with a pregnant woman until she gives birth, nor with a woman who is not pregnant until she has had one menstrual period to establish that she is not pregnant.”

They may cite this as evidence that intercourse with idol-worshipping women by right of ownership is permissible. There is discussion to be had on this, but this is not the place for it. When the Companions conquered the lands, they did not refrain from intercourse with Christian women.