Are the Marriages of the Prophet (pbuh) Historically Recorded?
Answered by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick
Question
Is it true that the marriages of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace), except to Sayyida Khadija (may Allah be pleased with her), are not recorded? There is no valid/concrete source to prove his marriages to them?
Is it true that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace) just admitted that they are his wives, to save them in crisis or war? Also, the Prophet’s son, Ibrahim (may Allah be pleased with him), never existed?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate. May Allah guide us to that which pleases Him, forgive us for our shortcomings, and alleviate our difficulties, Amin.
The claims described are baseless, and there is evidence from the Quran and Sunna to substantiate the opposite thereof, and Allah knows best.
Marriages of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace)
Allah says: “The Prophet has a stronger affinity to the believers than they do themselves. And his wives are their mothers. As ordained by Allah, blood relatives are more entitled ‘to inheritance’ than ‘other’ believers and immigrants, unless you ‘want to’ show kindness to your ‘close’ associates ‘through bequest’. This is decreed in the Record.” [Quran, 33:6]
Allah says: “O Prophet! Say to your wives, “If you desire the life of this world and its luxury, then come, I will give you a ‘suitable’ compensation ‘for divorce’ and let you go graciously.” [Quran, 33:28]
Allah says: “O Prophet! We have made lawful for you your wives to whom you have paid their ‘full’ dowries as well as those ‘bondwomen’ in your possession, whom Allah has granted you. And ‘you are allowed to marry’ the daughters of your paternal uncles and aunts, and the daughters of your maternal uncles and aunts, who have emigrated like you. Also ‘allowed for marriage’ is a believing woman who offers herself to the Prophet ‘without dowry’ if he is interested in marrying her—’this is’ exclusively for you, not for the rest of the believers. We know well what ‘rulings’ We have ordained for the believers in relation to their wives and those ‘bondwomen’ in their possession. As such, there would be no blame on you. And Allah Most High is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [Quran, 33:50]
What more excellent record of his marriages (may Allah be please with him) could there be than Allah’s testimony in the Quran?
The Son of the Prophet (may Allah bless them and give them peace)
Anas Ibn Malik reported: We entered the house of Abu Sayf (the husband of Ibrahim’s wet-nurse) along with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).
The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) took hold of Ibrahim, kissed him, and smelled him. Then, we entered after that as Ibrahim was breathing his last breaths. It made the eyes of the Prophet shed tears.
Abdur Rahman Ibn Awf said, “Even you, O Messenger of Allah?” The Prophet said, “O Ibn Awf, this is mercy.” Then, the Prophet wept some more, and he said, “Verily, the eyes shed tears, and the heart is grieved, but we will not say anything except what is pleasing to our Lord. We are saddened by your departure, O Ibrahim.” [Bukhari]
I pray this is of benefit.
[Shaykh] Irshaad Sedick
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Shaykh Irshaad Sedick was raised in South Africa in a traditional Muslim family. He graduated from Dar al-Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah in Strand, Western Cape, under the guidance of the late world-renowned scholar, Shaykh Taha Karaan. Shaykh Irshaad received Ijaza from many luminaries of the Islamic world, including Shaykh Taha Karaan, Mawlana Yusuf Karaan, and Mawlana Abdul Hafeez Makki, among others. He is the author of the text “The Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal: A Hujjah or not?” He has served as the Director of the Discover Islam Centre and Al Jeem Foundation. For the last five years till present, he has served as the Khatib of Masjid Ar-Rashideen, Mowbray, Cape Town. Shaykh Irshaad has thirteen years of teaching experience at some of the leading Islamic institutes in Cape Town). He is currently building an Islamic online learning and media platform called ‘Isnad Academy’ and pursuing his Master’s degree in the study of Islam at the University of Johannesburg. He has a keen interest in healthy living and fitness.
