Prohibition of proposing to a woman already proposed to, and the hadith of the woman to whom two men proposed

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. This questioner says: By the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), “A Muslim must not propose to a woman already proposed to by his brother.” He says: It is reported in a hadith that a woman came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said, “O Messenger of Allah, Mu'awiyah and Abu al-Jahm have proposed to me.” Two men proposed to her. He asks: How do we reconcile these two?

Answer:
Without one of them knowing about the other’s proposal. We reconcile them by saying that one of them did not know of the other’s proposal, and if he did not know, there is no harm in it.