Actually, what happened was that Sayyiduna Sa?d ibn al-Rabee? [radhiallaahu anhu], who was from the Ansar, had mentioned to Sayyiduna Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Awf [radhiallaahu anhu], who was a Muhaajir ? one who migrated from Makkah, that, ?If you wish, I would divide my wealth into half for you, and I also have 2 wives, see which of the two you prefer and I would divorce her, so after Iddah, you may marry her.? Sayyiduna Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Awf [radhiallaahu anhu] refused both options and made Du’aa for him.? (Sahih Bukhari Hadith3780, 3781; Fathul Baari vol.9 pg.290 Hadith5167)
From the above, one would understand that the wives were not mere commodities for the following reasons:
1. If it was so, then there would be no need for Sayyiduna Sa?d ibn al-Rabee? to mention his wives separately, because they would have been included in his wealth. This was not the case. Instead, he mentioned them separately.
2. Sayyiduna Sa?d had explicitly mentioned that in the event of his [Sayyiduna Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Awf] preferring any of them, he would first divorce her, thereafter she would have to complete the Iddat and then only could he marry her, and the procedure for marriage is known to all, that the permission of the bride is necessary. So, if after being divorced, she had refused to marry Sayyiduna Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Awf, then she would not end up in his marriage. On the contrary, if the wives were treated like commodities, there would have been no need for the abovementioned procedure.
3. One should also bear in mind that this was done by the Ansar to demonstrate to the Muhajireen their total compassion for them so as to comfort them in Madinah, which was a new, foreign habitat for them.
May Allah Ta’ala reward the Ansar [radhiallaahu anhum] in abundance for all their sacrifices and may He reward every other Sahaabi [radhiallaahu anhu] as well, Aameen.
and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Ml. Muhammad ibn Moulana Haroon Abasoomar
FACULTY OF SPECIALTY IN HADITH SCIENCES
CHECKED & APPROVED: Mufti Ebrahim Desai