What is the meaning of the saying of Allah the Exalted: "O you who believe, when believing women come to you as emigrants, test them..."?
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The questioner : The second question asks: What is the meaning of the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Al-Mumtahanah 60:10]?
The Shaykh : This verse was revealed after the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. Part of the agreement made between the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and Quraysh was that if a believer came from Quraysh, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would return him to them. So Allah revealed this verse as an exception to that treaty, stating that if a woman comes as a believing emigrant, she is not to be returned to the disbelievers after she has been tested and examined to determine whether her emigration is sincere or false.[Al-Mumtahanah 60:10] This applies to married women; she is not lawful for her husband after she has embraced Islam while he remains in disbelief. She is not lawful for him because a disbelieving woman is not lawful for a believer, and likewise a believing woman is not lawful for a disbeliever. However, an exception is made for a disbelieving woman who is lawful for a believer if she is from the People of the Book, based on the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Al-Ma'idah 5:5] and His saying: [Al-Mumtahanah 60:10] Then Allah the Mighty and Majestic clarified that it is lawful for believers to marry these women who left their husbands as emigrants, saying: [Al-Mumtahanah 60:10] The intended meaning of "wages" here is the mahr (bridal gift). Allah called it a wage because it is compensation for the man’s enjoyment of the woman, so it is like compensation in a lease. Yes.
The questioner : This is a question from the listener Abdullah Ahmad Atiyah al-Zahrani.
O you who have believed, when the believing women come to you as emigrants, examine them. Allah is most knowing as to their faith. And if you know them to be believers, then do not return them to the disbelievers; they are not lawful [wives] for them, nor are they lawful [husbands] for them. But give the disbelievers what they have spent. And there is no blame upon you if you marry them when you have given them their due compensation. And hold not to marriage bonds with disbelieving women, but ask for what you have spent and let them ask for what they have spent. That is the judgement of Allah; He judges between you. And Allah is Knowing and Wise.
يا أيها الذين ءامنوا إذا جاءكم المؤمنات مهاجرات فامتحنوهن الله أعلم بإيمانهن فإن علمتموهن مؤمنات فلا ترجعوهن إلى الكفار لا هن حل لهم ولا هم يحلون لهن وءاتوهم ما أنفقوا ولا جناح عليكم أن تنكحوهن إذا ءاتيتموهن أجورهن ولا تمسكوا بعصم الكوافر واسألوا ما أنفقتم وليسألوا ما أنفقوا ذلكم حكم الله يحكم بينكم والله عليم حكيمThe Shaykh : This verse was revealed after the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. Part of the agreement made between the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and Quraysh was that if a believer came from Quraysh, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would return him to them. So Allah revealed this verse as an exception to that treaty, stating that if a woman comes as a believing emigrant, she is not to be returned to the disbelievers after she has been tested and examined to determine whether her emigration is sincere or false.
then do not return them to the disbelievers; they are not lawful [wives] for them, nor are they lawful [husbands] for them
فلا ترجعوهن إلى الكفار لا هن حل لهم ولا هم يحلون لهنchaste women from among the believers and chaste women from among those who were given the Scripture before you, when you have given them their due compensation
والمحصنات من المؤمنات والمحصنات من الذين أوتوا الكتاب من قبلكم إذا ءاتيتموهن أجورهنgive the disbelievers what they have spent
ءاتوهم ما أنفقواAnd there is no blame upon you if you marry them when you have given them their due compensation
ولا جناح عليكم أن تنكحوهن إذا ءاتيتموهن أجورهنThe questioner : This is a question from the listener Abdullah Ahmad Atiyah al-Zahrani.