Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and him) said to a man: "Marry, for the best of this Ummah are those who have the most women." Does this refer to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), or is it a general statement?
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The questioner : ... He means the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), or he means that every man, meaning, and I will shorten the example...
The Shaykh : When we mention the hadith as it came, the intent becomes clear. But before I mention the hadith in its entirety, it is necessary to remind you that it is not a marfu' hadith, but rather a mawquf hadith. Its context is that... Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said to a man: "Marry, for the best of this Ummah are those who have the most women". So, he means the Messenger, but he used this to emphasize the good example in him (peace and blessings be upon him). When he said: "Marry, for the best of this Ummah", he did not say: "Marry, for the best of this Ummah married", but rather he said that the best of this Ummah are those who have the most: "for the best of this Ummah are those who have the most women". In it is an encouragement not to limit oneself to one wife, but to increase in marriage, following the example of him (peace and blessings be upon him).
Of course, this does not mean that one marries without calculation, for that was a specific attribute of him (peace and blessings be upon him). Rather, one marries what Allah has permitted for him, as mentioned in the previous verse: And now we will hear from the brother what he promised us, good, if Allah wills.
Another questioner: May Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh. May Allah reward you, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : When we mention the hadith as it came, the intent becomes clear. But before I mention the hadith in its entirety, it is necessary to remind you that it is not a marfu' hadith, but rather a mawquf hadith. Its context is that... Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said to a man: "Marry, for the best of this Ummah are those who have the most women". So, he means the Messenger, but he used this to emphasize the good example in him (peace and blessings be upon him). When he said: "Marry, for the best of this Ummah", he did not say: "Marry, for the best of this Ummah married", but rather he said that the best of this Ummah are those who have the most: "for the best of this Ummah are those who have the most women". In it is an encouragement not to limit oneself to one wife, but to increase in marriage, following the example of him (peace and blessings be upon him).
Of course, this does not mean that one marries without calculation, for that was a specific attribute of him (peace and blessings be upon him). Rather, one marries what Allah has permitted for him, as mentioned in the previous verse:
Two, three, and four
مثنى وثلاث ورباعAnother questioner: May Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh. May Allah reward you, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you.