كتاب فتاوى الشبكة الإسلامية

حجية خبر الآحاد ٩ - Reason for revelation of Surah at-Tahrim - ج: 3 - ص: 372

[Reason for revelation of Surah at-Tahrim]

[السُّؤَالُ]

ـ[What is the reason for the descend of Surah at-Tahrim?]ـ

[الفَتْوَى]

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.

There are two reasons narrated in Ahadith for the revelation of the Sura at-Tahrim.

Aisha (May Allah pleased with her) narrated that the Prophet used to stay (for a period) in the house of Zainab bint Jahsh (May Allah pleased with her) (one of the wives of the Prophet) and he used to drink honey in her house. Hafsa (May Allah pleased with her) and I decided that when the Prophet entered upon either of us, she would say, "I smell in you the bad smell of Maghafir (a bad smelling raisin) . Have you eaten Maghafir?" When he entered upon one of us, she said that to him. He replied (to her) , "No, but I have drunk honey in the house of Zainab bint Jahsh, and I will never drink it again." Then the following verse was revealed: - O Prophet! Why do you ban (for you) that which Allah has made lawful for you? ... (up to) ... If you two (wives of the Prophet) turn in repentance to Allah." (٦٦.١-٤) The two were 'Aisha and Hafsa. And also the Statement of Allah: - And (Remember) when the Prophet disclosed a matter in confidence to one of his wives! '- (٦٦.٣) i.e., his saying, "But I have drunk honey." Hisham said: It also meant his saying, "I will not drink anymore, and I have taken an oath, so do not inform anybody of that." [Sahih Bukhari] .

There is another reason for the descending of Surah at-Tahrim. Imam Ibn Hajar narrated in his known book al-Fathul-Bari that Imam Nasaiee narrated through a sound chain from Anas that Hafsah said: "The Prophet had a female slave and he used to have sex with her. Hafsah the wife of the Prophet kept on insisting that he give up going to that woman slave till he agreed with her and even made her forbidden to him. Then Allah descended the above Surah".

If more than one authentic narration is given citing the reason for the revelation of a Surah, the scholars accept them as reasons for the Surah being revealed more than one time.

Allah knows best.

[تَارِيخُ الْفَتْوَى]

٠٦ شوال ١٤٢١