The Book of Suckling

كتاب الرضاع

Chapter 11: Detecting relationships from physical features

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported

A physiognomist visited (our house) and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was present, and Usama b. Zaid and Zaid b. Haritha were both lying asleep, and he (the physiognomist), said: These feet are related to one another. Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) was pleased to hear this, and he was happy and informed 'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) about it.

Chapter 12: How long a virgin and a previously-married woman are entitled to have the husband stay with them after marriage

'Abd al-Malik b. Abu Bakr b. Abd al-Rahman b. al-Harith b. Hisham reported on the authority of his father from Umm Salama (Allah be pleased with her) that when Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) married Umm Salama, he stayed with her for three nights, and said

There is no lack of estimation on the part of your husband for you. If you wish I can stay with you for a week, but in case I stay with you for a week, then I shall have to stay for a week with all my wives.

Abu Bakr b. 'Abd al-Rahman reported that when Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) married Umm Salama and he visited her, and when he intended to come out, she caught hold of his cloth. whereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said

If you so desire, I can extend the time (of my stay) with you, but then I shall have to calculate the time (that I stay with you and shall have to spend the same time with other wives). For the virgin woman, (her husband has to stay with her) for a week, and for the woman previously married it is three days.

Abu Qilaba reported on the authority of Anas

It is the Sunnah to stay with a virgin (after having married her) for a week. Khalid (one of the narrators) said: If wish I can say that it can be traced up to the Prophet (ﷺ).

Chapter 14: It is permissible for a wife to give her turn to a co-wife

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported

Never did I find any woman more loving to me than Sauda bint Zam'a. I wished I could be exactly like her who was passionate. As she became old, she had made over her day (which she had to spend) with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) to 'A'isha. She said: I have made over my day with you to 'A'isha. So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) allotted two days to 'A'isha, her own day (when it was her turn) and that of Sauda.

'A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported

I felt jealous of the women who offered themselves to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said: Then when Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, revealed this:" You may defer any one of them you wish, and take to yourself any you wish; and if you desire any you have set aside (no sin is chargeable to you)" (xxxiii. 51), I ('A'isha.) said: It seems to me that your Lord hastens to satisfy your desire.

'Ata related that when they were with Ibn 'Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) at the funeral of Maimuna In Sarif, Ibn 'Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) said

This is the wife of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) ; so when you lift her bier, do not shake her or disturb her, but be gentle, for Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had nine wives, with eight of whom he shared his time, but to one of them, he did not allot a share. 'Ati said: The one to whom he did not allot a share of time was Safiyya, daughter of Huyayy b. Akhtab.

Chapter 15: It is recommended to marry one who is religiously committed

Jabir b. 'Abdullah (Allah be pleased with them) reported

I married a woman during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (may peace be. upon him). I met the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), whereupon he said: Jabir, have you married? I said: Yes. He said: A virgin or one previously marrried? I said: With due previously married, whereupon he said: Why did you not marry a virgin with whom you could sport? I said: Allah's Messenger, I have sisters; I was afraid that she might intervene between me and them, whereupon he said: Well and good, if it is so. A woman is married for four reasons, for her religion, her property, her status, her beauty, so you should choose one with religion. May your hands cleave to dust.

Chapter 16: It is recommended to marry virgins

Jabir b. 'Abdullah (Allah be pleased with them) reported

I married a woman, whereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to me: Have you married? I said: Yes. He said: Is it a virgin or a previously married one (widow or divorced)? I said: With a previously married one, whereupon he said: Where had you been (away) from the amusements of virgins? Shu'ba said: I made a mention of it to 'Amr b. Dinar and he said: I too heard from Jabir making mention of that (that Allah's Apostle) said: Why didn't you marry a girl, so that you might sport with her and she might sport with you?

Chapter 18: Advice with regard to women

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported

Woman has been created from a rib and will in no way be straightened for you; so if you wish to benefit by her, benefit by her while crookedness remains in her. And if you attempt to straighten her, you will break her, and breaking her is divorcing her.

Chapter 12: How long a virgin and a previously-married woman are entitled to have the husband stay with them after marriage

Ibn Abu Bakr b. Abd al-Rahman reported that when Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) married Umm Salama and she stayed with him (during the night), and it was dawn, he (the Holy Prophet) said to her

There is no lack of estimation for you on the part of your husband. So if you desire I can spend a week with you, and if you like I may spend three (nights). and then I will visit you in turn. She said: Spend three (nights).

A hadith like this has been narrated on the authority of Ibn Humaid.

Umm Salama (Allah be pleased with her) reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) married her, and he (the narrator) made mention of so many things in this connection (and one of them was this) that he said

If you desire that I spend a week with you, I shall have to spend a week with my (other) wives, and if spend a week with you, I shall have to spend a week with my (other) wives.

Chapter 14: It is permissible for a wife to give her turn to a co-wife

Ibn Juraij narrated a hadith with the same chain of transmitters, and she (Hadrat Maimuna) was the last of them to die at Medina.

Chapter 16: It is recommended to marry virgins

Jabir b. 'Abdullah (Allah be pleased with him) reported

I went out with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) on an expedition, but my camel delayed me. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to me and said to me: Jabir, I said: Yes. Allah's Messenger, (here I am at your beck and call) He said: What is the matter with you? I said: My camel has delayed me and is tired, so I have lagged behind. He (the Holy Prophet) got down and goaded it with a crooked stick and then said: Mount it. So I mounted and (to my great surprise) I saw it (moving so quickly that) I had to restrain it (from going ahead of) Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). He (the Holy Prophet) (in the course of journey said to me): Have you married? I said: Yes. He (again) said: Is it with a virgin or one previously married? I said. With one previously married, whereupon he (again) said: Why not with a young girl with whom you could sport and she could have sported with you? I said: I have sisters, so I preferred to marry a woman who could keep them together (as one family). who could comb them and look after them. He said: You are about to go (to your house), and there you have the enjoyment (of the wife's company). He again said: Do you want to sell your camel? I said: Yes. So he bought it from me for one u'qiya (of silver), Then Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) arrived (at Medina) and I arrived in the evening. I went to the mosque and found him at the door of the mosque, and said: Is it now that you have arrived? I said: Yes, He said: Leave your camel, and enter (the mosque) and offer two rak'ahs. So I entered and offered two rak'ahs of prayer, and then returned. He (the Holy Prophet) then commanded Bilal to weigh out one 'uqiya (of silver) tor me. Bilal weighed that out for me (lowering the scale of) balance. So I proceeded and as I turned my back he said: Call for me, Jabir. So I was called back, and I said (to myself): He would return me the camel, and nothing was more displeasing to me than this (that after having received the price I should also get the camel). He said: Take your camel and keep its price with you, (also).

Jabir b. 'Abdullah (Allah be pleased with them) reported

We were with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in a journey, and I was riding a camel meant for carrying water and it lagged behind all persons. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) hit it or goaded it (I think) with something he had with him. And after it (it moved so quickly) that it went ahead of all persons and it struggled with me (to move faster than I permitted It) and I had to restrain it. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Do you sell it at such and such (price)? May Allah grant you pardon. I said: Allah's Apostle, it is yours. He (again) said: Do you sell it at such and such (price)? May Allah grant you pardon. ' I said: Allah's Apostle, it is yours. He said to me: Have you married after the death of your father? I said: Yes. He (again) said: With one previously married or a virgin? I said: With one previously married. He said: Why didn't you marry a virgin who might amuse you and you might amuse her, and she might sport with you and you might sport with her? Abu Nadra said: That was the common phrase which the Muslims spoke:" You do such and such (thing) and Allah may grant you pardon."

Chapter 18: Advice with regard to women

A hadith like this is reported by another chain of narrators.

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

A believing man should not hate a believing woman; if he dislikes one of her characteristics, he will be pleased with another.

A hadith like this has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him).

Chapter 19: Were it not for Hawa', no female would ever betray her husband

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

Had it not been for Eve, woman would have never acted unfaithfully towards her husband.