Q: Why Prophet Muhammad (SAW) got married from more than one? and when he ordered all the Muslims to marry just 4 ladies why he married more than that?
A: There were certain Shar’i laws and injunctions which were exclusive to Rasulullah (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam), e.g The performance of tahajjud. It was made compulsory upon Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) though it is nafl on the ummah. Similarly qurbaani was made waajib upon Rasulullah (sallalahu alaihi wasallam) under all circumstances. As far as the ummah is concerned, it is only waajib upon that person who possess the nisaab during the days of qurbaani. Accordingly is the masalah of marring more than four wives. This permission was exclusive to Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). The sahaabah understood this to be the exclusive right of Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). Hence none of the sahabah emulated Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) in this law.
And Allah Ta’ala knows best.
تُرْجِي مَن تَشَاءُ مِنْهُنَّ وَتُؤْوِي إِلَيْكَ مَن تَشَاءُ ۖ وَمَنِ ابْتَغَيْتَ مِمَّنْ عَزَلْتَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكَ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَدْنَىٰ أَن تَقَرَّ أَعْيُنُهُنَّ وَلَا يَحْزَنَّ وَيَرْضَيْنَ بِمَا آتَيْتَهُنَّ كُلُّهُنَّ ۚ وَاللَّـهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ ۚ وَكَانَ اللَّـهُ عَلِيمًا حَلِيمًا ﴿سورة الاحزاب٥١﴾
Answered by:
Mufti Zakaria Makada
Checked & Approved:
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)