Why did the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) marry Maryam the Copt while he had wives available to him at that time, and is there a Shari'ah reason for the interpretation of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) not freeing her?
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The Shaykh : Why did the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) marry Maryam the Copt while he had wives available to him at that time? And is there a Shari'ah reason or interpretation for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) not freeing her and marrying her?
This question actually contains two questions. The first question is: Why did the Messenger (peace be upon him) marry Maryam the Copt while he had wives available to him at that time?
I say with complete frankness that I do not know why he married her. I only know with certainty that he did what Allah permitted him to do. Allah permitted him to marry whomever he wished from among women. As for why he married that specific woman, I do not know what the secret is. But I also know with certainty that he married her for her benefit, not to harm her, nor for... nor for... and other matters that cannot be fully comprehended. Some Islamic writers have writings that are not problematic in explaining or philosophizing about the Prophet's (peace be upon him) marriage to many women. They explain and justify why he married each one. For example, he married Umm Salamah because her husband had died, leaving her with young children, so he married her to be a guardian over these children and to take charge of their upbringing, education, and financial support, and so on. And he married the Lady A'ishah because she was the daughter of his companion in the cave. And he married Hafzah, and so on. They find valid reasons for each wife for which the Messenger (peace be upon him) married her. But the matter is broader than that, such that a person cannot encompass the thoughts and the wisdoms for which the Messenger (peace be upon him) married the women he married.
As for the second part of the question, which asks: Is there a Shari'ah reason for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) not freeing her and marrying her? It is as if the questioner is asking: Why did the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) not treat Maryam the Copt as he treated his wife Safiyyah? It is established that he (peace be upon him) freed Safiyyah and made her freedom her mahr (bridal gift). This is in the Sahih of al-Bukhari and Muslim.
The questioner asks: Is there a reason that clarifies and explains why he did not treat her as he (peace be upon him) treated Safiyyah? Why did he not free her and make her freedom her mahr?
I also say that I do not know. But one of the clear reasons is that it demonstrates the permissibility of marrying a slave woman who is not free. It is not obligatory for a free man to free a slave woman and marry her; rather, that is among the virtues of actions. When the Messenger (may Allah's prayers and peace be upon him) married Safiyyah and made her freedom her mahr, and when he married Maryam the Copt while she remained in slavery, the Messenger (may Allah's prayers and peace be upon him) combined in these two examples between demonstrating what is better and demonstrating what is permissible. This is what appears to me in answering this tenth question.
This question actually contains two questions. The first question is: Why did the Messenger (peace be upon him) marry Maryam the Copt while he had wives available to him at that time?
I say with complete frankness that I do not know why he married her. I only know with certainty that he did what Allah permitted him to do. Allah permitted him to marry whomever he wished from among women. As for why he married that specific woman, I do not know what the secret is. But I also know with certainty that he married her for her benefit, not to harm her, nor for... nor for... and other matters that cannot be fully comprehended. Some Islamic writers have writings that are not problematic in explaining or philosophizing about the Prophet's (peace be upon him) marriage to many women. They explain and justify why he married each one. For example, he married Umm Salamah because her husband had died, leaving her with young children, so he married her to be a guardian over these children and to take charge of their upbringing, education, and financial support, and so on. And he married the Lady A'ishah because she was the daughter of his companion in the cave. And he married Hafzah, and so on. They find valid reasons for each wife for which the Messenger (peace be upon him) married her. But the matter is broader than that, such that a person cannot encompass the thoughts and the wisdoms for which the Messenger (peace be upon him) married the women he married.
As for the second part of the question, which asks: Is there a Shari'ah reason for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) not freeing her and marrying her? It is as if the questioner is asking: Why did the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) not treat Maryam the Copt as he treated his wife Safiyyah? It is established that he (peace be upon him) freed Safiyyah and made her freedom her mahr (bridal gift). This is in the Sahih of al-Bukhari and Muslim.
The questioner asks: Is there a reason that clarifies and explains why he did not treat her as he (peace be upon him) treated Safiyyah? Why did he not free her and make her freedom her mahr?
I also say that I do not know. But one of the clear reasons is that it demonstrates the permissibility of marrying a slave woman who is not free. It is not obligatory for a free man to free a slave woman and marry her; rather, that is among the virtues of actions. When the Messenger (may Allah's prayers and peace be upon him) married Safiyyah and made her freedom her mahr, and when he married Maryam the Copt while she remained in slavery, the Messenger (may Allah's prayers and peace be upon him) combined in these two examples between demonstrating what is better and demonstrating what is permissible. This is what appears to me in answering this tenth question.