and the Hereafter
وَالدَّارَ الآخِرَةَ
that is Paradise
then indeed, Allah has prepared for the doers of good among you
فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ أَعَدَّ لِلْمُحْسِنَاتِ مِنْكُنَّ
by desiring the Hereafter
a great reward
أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا
that is Paradise, and He began with this world
if you desire this world
إِنْ كُنْتُنَّ تُرِدْنَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا
because they were demanding financial maintenance, which is related to this world.
But if you should desire Allah and His Messenger and the home of the Hereafter
وَإِنْ كُنْتُنَّ تُرِدْنَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَالدَّارَ الآخِرَةَ
This is their second state.
then indeed, Allah has prepared for the doers of good among you
فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ أَعَدَّ لِلْمُحْسِنَاتِ مِنْكُنَّ
He did not say “for you” but said “for the righteous among you,” making the explicit in place of the implicit to make it clear that this desire is righteousness, and that if they desire Allah and His Messenger and the Hereafter, that is from righteousness. So Allah has prepared for the righteous among them a great reward. And the “among”
Who
من
here is not for partiality but for clarification, so it includes the case where all of them desire Allah and His Messenger and the Hereafter, in which case Allah prepares for all of them a great reward. He began first with the one most beloved to him among his wives, who was Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), and he said to her:
It is not a burden for you not to rush, so consult your parents
لا عليك ألا تستعجلي فتستأمري أبويك
He feared that because she was a young girl, she would rush and say, “I want this world.” So he asked her not to rush until she consulted her parents, meaning sought their permission. It is known that her parents did not want her to choose this world and its adornment over Allah and His Messenger and the Hereafter. But she, (may Allah be pleased with her), despite her young age, had a far-sighted view. So she said, “O Messenger of Allah,
‘Do I need to consult my parents in this matter?’” meaning, “Do I need to consult my parents in this?”
“No, I only desire Allah and His Messenger and the Hereafter, but do not tell your wives what I said.” Yes. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
I was only sent as a facilitator, not as a difficult one or one who causes difficulty, and any woman who asks me, I will inform her
إنما بعثت ميسراً لا متعنتاً ولا معنتاً وأي امرأة تسألني فسأخبرها
But all his wives, whenever they asked him, every woman would say:
“She desires Allah and His Messenger and the Hereafter.” So they remained in the complete state, (may Allah be pleased with them), in accordance with what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was in, of a hard life and little wealth. And with this, Allah guided them and bestowed upon them. And this is undoubtedly from Allah’s care for His Messenger that He chose for him such women. So their reward was that Allah said to him:
Not lawful to you, [O Muhammad], are [any additional] women after [this], nor [is it] for you to exchange them for [other] wives, even if their beauty were to please you, except what your right hand possesses
لا يَحِلُّ لَكَ النِّسَاءُ مِنْ بَعْدُ وَلا أَنْ تَبَدَّلَ بِهِنَّ مِنْ أَزْوَاجٍ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكَ حُسْنُهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا مَلَكَتْ يَمِينُكَ
So these women who chose Allah and His Messenger and the Hereafter after being given the choice, in addition to the reward of the Hereafter, had this worldly reward: the Messenger was forbidden to marry any other women after that or to replace one with a new woman.
nor [is it] for you to exchange them for [other] wives, even if their beauty were to please you, except what your right hand possesses. And ever is Allah, over all things, an Observer.
وَلا أَنْ تَبَدَّلَ بِهِنَّ مِنْ أَزْوَاجٍ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكَ حُسْنُهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا مَلَكَتْ يَمِينُكَ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ رَقِيبًا
[Al-Ahzab: 52] And Allah knows best.
