What is the answer to the one who says: If the thigh is an awrah, how did the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) expose it?
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The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : All right, O Shaykh, but how do we remove the doubt of the one who asks how the Messenger does what is forbidden, given that the thigh is an awrah?
The Shaykh : How did the Messenger marry more than four wives? Is that not forbidden?
The questioner : Yes, it is forbidden.
The Shaykh : But it is a special case.
But here, the researching jurist may mention more than this excuse. However, the truth is that my answer was intended to refute the thinker who asks this question, to refute his claim, “How does the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) commit a forbidden act?”
The answer was dialectical, as I told you earlier, but it is not forbidden for him. That is the precise answer to the issue. But what is the reason? There are three possibilities regarding his (peace be upon him) exposing his thigh in some hadiths. The answer to “why did he expose it?” is one of three answers:
The first answer is that it may have been before his saying: This is a consistent answer for many matters where his action appears to contradict his words, (peace and blessings be upon him and his family).
It may also have been due to something he could not control, such as his garment slipping off.
And I did not want to go into these details so as not to lengthen the answer.
Among those hadiths in which the thigh of the Messenger (peace be upon him) was exposed is the hadith of Anas in the two Sahihs. It states that when he (may Allah’s prayer and peace be upon him) raided Khaybar while on his horse, there are two narrations here with two wordings. One is in Sahih al-Bukhari: and the narration of Muslim is: This is a very natural image if we imagine how the early riders were when they mounted; they would tuck their clothes and shirts so as not to be uncomfortable while riding their horses.
It may be that when he (may Allah’s prayer and peace be upon him) tucked his garment and izar, the narrator said he exposed his thigh, but one of them narrated the report with a more precise expression: meaning that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) did not intend this exposure, but it happened without his intention. It is answered with such possibilities.
And finally, the third and last possibility is that this may be a special case, like his (peace be upon him) marriage to more than four wives. There are many hadiths that serve as examples for reconciling them according to these two principles. I do not want to open a new door for you, so let us be content with the questions we have.
Yes.
The questioner : All right, O Shaykh, but how do we remove the doubt of the one who asks how the Messenger does what is forbidden, given that the thigh is an awrah?
The Shaykh : How did the Messenger marry more than four wives? Is that not forbidden?
The questioner : Yes, it is forbidden.
The Shaykh : But it is a special case.
But here, the researching jurist may mention more than this excuse. However, the truth is that my answer was intended to refute the thinker who asks this question, to refute his claim, “How does the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) commit a forbidden act?”
The answer was dialectical, as I told you earlier, but it is not forbidden for him. That is the precise answer to the issue. But what is the reason? There are three possibilities regarding his (peace be upon him) exposing his thigh in some hadiths. The answer to “why did he expose it?” is one of three answers:
The first answer is that it may have been before his saying:
The thigh is 'awrah
الفخذ عورةIt may also have been due to something he could not control, such as his garment slipping off.
And I did not want to go into these details so as not to lengthen the answer.
Among those hadiths in which the thigh of the Messenger (peace be upon him) was exposed is the hadith of Anas in the two Sahihs. It states that when he (may Allah’s prayer and peace be upon him) raided Khaybar while on his horse, there are two narrations here with two wordings. One is in Sahih al-Bukhari:
The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) exposed his thigh
حسر رسول الله عن فخذهThe garment slipped down from his thigh
انحسر الإزار عن فخذهIt may be that when he (may Allah’s prayer and peace be upon him) tucked his garment and izar, the narrator said he exposed his thigh, but one of them narrated the report with a more precise expression:
The garment slipped down from his thigh
انحسر الإزار عن فخذهAnd finally, the third and last possibility is that this may be a special case, like his (peace be upon him) marriage to more than four wives. There are many hadiths that serve as examples for reconciling them according to these two principles. I do not want to open a new door for you, so let us be content with the questions we have.
Yes.