wicked woman guilty of unlawful sexual intercourse marries anyone but a wicked man guilty of the same. He also states that good men are for good women. Thus, a good man cannot be for a wicked woman, since that would contradict the exclusivity expressed here. He has stated that all wicked women are for wicked men, leaving no wicked woman for a good man, nor any good man for a wicked woman.
He also states that all good women are for good men, leaving no good woman for a wicked man. This exclusivity therefore applies on both sides, in agreement with His words:
“A man guilty of unlawful sexual intercourse marries none but a woman guilty of unlawful sexual intercourse or a polytheist woman; and a woman guilty of unlawful sexual intercourse is married by none but a man guilty of unlawful sexual intercourse or a polytheist. And that is forbidden to the believers.”
This is why some of the early generations said: “No prophet’s wife ever committed adultery.” The opening portion of this surah was revealed concerning those who spread the slander and what they said about ‘Ā’ishah. Thus, when those allegations were made against her and suspicion arose, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, consulted those whom he consulted about divorcing her, before the revelation declaring her innocence came down. For it would not be fitting for him to have a wife who was not good. It has also been reported:
“No dayyūth will enter Paradise.”
A dayyūth is a man who condones immorality in his family. Hence, protective jealousy against adultery is something Allah loves and has commanded. Indeed, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
“Are you astonished at Sa‘d’s protective jealousy? I have greater protective jealousy than he, and Allah has greater protective jealousy than I. For this reason, He has forbidden shameful deeds, whether open or concealed.”
For this reason, Allah has permitted a man who accuses a woman of adultery, if he is her husband, to invoke li‘ān (sworn imprecation): he testifies four times, swearing by Allah that he is telling the truth. Allah has made this avert the prescribed punishment for slander from him, just as producing four witnesses to the accusation would do, because he needs to accuse her in view of Allah’s command to exercise