Benefits of the Hadith: (That the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to visit his wives with a single ghusl)
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The Shaykh : This hadith provides evidence for several matters:
The first matter: the permissibility of repeating intercourse without ghusl or wudu. Pay attention to my saying "without wudu" and "without ghusl," correct?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Based on his saying: He used to visit all the women. If he visited the women with a single ghusl, then it is even more permissible to repeat intercourse with one woman. But I say: without wudu; the hadith does not indicate this. Therefore, this does not contradict the command of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to perform wudu when a person intends to have intercourse again, because it is better for a person to perform wudu when he intends to have intercourse again, due to the body regaining its energy after becoming sluggish from the first intercourse.
And among the benefits of this hadith: the permissibility of delaying ghusl, and that it is not obligatory to hasten to perform it. Because if he visited them with a single ghusl, there must have been a difference in time, is that not so? Because they were not in one house, but in multiple houses. It is known that Safiyyah’s house was outside the mosque, far away, as established from the Prophet (peace be upon him) when she came to him during his i'tikaf, he went out to see her off. This indicates that her house was not adjacent to the mosque like the other houses.
And among the benefits of this hadith as well: that it is not obligatory for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to divide his nights equally among his wives. The explanation is: he used to visit them in one night. If dividing the nights had been obligatory upon him, he would have stayed with one woman for the entire night. But some scholars said: there is no evidence in this, and they derived from it that it is permissible for a man to have intercourse with his wives, even if it is in the night of one of them, because intercourse is not staying the night. Staying the night is with the woman whose turn it is, but as for intercourse, he may visit them, especially if the woman he is with has an impediment to intercourse, such as menstruation or post-natal bleeding. In that case, he may be compelled or have a strong need to visit the other women.
Some scholars used this as evidence that it is not obligatory for the Messenger to divide his nights equally, as we said first. Based on this opinion, there is no problem with the hadith.
These scholars used as evidence that it is not obligatory for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to divide his nights equally, the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Ahzab 33:51].
They said: Allah granted him a dispensation, saying:[Al-Ahzab 33:51] meaning you may delay, : you may call her, [Al-Ahzab 33:51] and I said: there is no blame on you for the one you sought and returned to divide the night with.
meaning: what We have informed you of regarding this ruling, : because the ruling is from Allah, [Al-Ahzab 33:51] to the end of it.
But many of the scholars of knowledge, if not most of them, say: it is obligatory for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to divide his nights equally. They used as evidence his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan Ibn Majah 1971Sahih (Darussalam). Some scholars answered this hadith with answers which we will mention, if Allah wills, later. In the previous hadith: " Bulugh al-Maram 8:73 Both of them narrated it, and the wording is from Muslim ":
We mentioned that some scholars used this hadith as evidence that it is not obligatory for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to divide his nights equally. They said: because he used to visit his wives with a single ghusl, and this implies that dividing the nights is not obligatory upon him.
And we mentioned that other scholars said: dividing the nights is obligatory upon him, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to divide and be just, and he would say:Sunan Ibn Majah 1971Sahih (Darussalam), and that this is the implication of the generality: Sunan Abi Dawud 2133Sahih (Al-Albani).
The words of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) include the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), but if there is evidence for specification, he is specified by it.
And we may say: dividing the nights is obligatory upon him, but he used to visit his wives with a single ghusl with their consent. And if the women consent to him doing this, there is no blame, and he may do it. It is possible that this was before the obligation of dividing the nights. And it is possible to say: dividing the nights may be divided among them except in intercourse, and the basis of dividing the nights is in the night, and in the day the person is free. But it is established in this same hadith that he used to visit his wives in one night, and this implies that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by each one in every night. And what appears to me, and Allah knows best:
That Allah granted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) a dispensation to leave dividing the nights, but due to his generosity (peace and blessings be upon him) and good character, he was just to the extent he could. And they were pleased with him visiting them with a single ghusl, and the settling down was with the woman whose turn it was. And this does not harm them in any way. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) has freedom, and the woman whose turn it is has the settling down with her.
And Allah granted him a dispensation in that because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was given the strength of thirty men in intercourse, and such strength may not be sufficient for one woman in one night. Therefore, he was granted a dispensation based on what Allah the Exalted gave him of this special attribute. But he (peace and blessings be upon him), due to his generosity, was just among them as much as he could. This is the closest thing that can be said in tracing this hadith.
The first matter: the permissibility of repeating intercourse without ghusl or wudu. Pay attention to my saying "without wudu" and "without ghusl," correct?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Based on his saying:
with a single ghusl
بغسل واحدAnd among the benefits of this hadith: the permissibility of delaying ghusl, and that it is not obligatory to hasten to perform it. Because if he visited them with a single ghusl, there must have been a difference in time, is that not so? Because they were not in one house, but in multiple houses. It is known that Safiyyah’s house was outside the mosque, far away, as established from the Prophet (peace be upon him) when she came to him during his i'tikaf, he went out to see her off. This indicates that her house was not adjacent to the mosque like the other houses.
And among the benefits of this hadith as well: that it is not obligatory for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to divide his nights equally among his wives. The explanation is: he used to visit them in one night. If dividing the nights had been obligatory upon him, he would have stayed with one woman for the entire night. But some scholars said: there is no evidence in this, and they derived from it that it is permissible for a man to have intercourse with his wives, even if it is in the night of one of them, because intercourse is not staying the night. Staying the night is with the woman whose turn it is, but as for intercourse, he may visit them, especially if the woman he is with has an impediment to intercourse, such as menstruation or post-natal bleeding. In that case, he may be compelled or have a strong need to visit the other women.
Some scholars used this as evidence that it is not obligatory for the Messenger to divide his nights equally, as we said first. Based on this opinion, there is no problem with the hadith.
These scholars used as evidence that it is not obligatory for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to divide his nights equally, the saying of Allah the Exalted:
You, [O Muhammad], may put aside whom you will of them or take to yourself whom you will. And any that you desire of those [wives] from whom you had [temporarily] separated - there is no blame upon you [in returning her]. That is more suitable that they should be content and not grieve and that they should be satisfied with what you have given them - all of them
ترجي من تشاء منهن وتؤي إليك من تشاء ومن ابتغيت ممن عزلت فلا جناح عليك ذلك أدنى أن تقر أعينهن ولا يحزن ويرضين بما أتيتهن كلهنThey said: Allah granted him a dispensation, saying:
You, [O Muhammad], may put aside whom you will
ترجي من تشاءand keep away from whom you wish
وتؤي إليكAnd any that you desire of those [wives] from whom you had [temporarily] separated
ومن ابتغيت ممن عزلتthat
ذلكThat is better that their eyes may be satisfied
أدنى أن تقر أعينهنnot grieve and that they should be satisfied
ولا يحزن ويرضينBut many of the scholars of knowledge, if not most of them, say: it is obligatory for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to divide his nights equally. They used as evidence his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):
he would say 'O Allah, this is what I am doing with regard to that which is within my control, so do not hold me accountable for that which is under Your control and is beyond my control.'
كان يقسم ويعدل ويقول: اللهم هذا فعلي فيما أملك، فلا تلمني فيما تملك ولا أملكThe Prophet (ﷺ) used to have intercourse with his wives (one after another), with a single bathing.
أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يطوف على نسائه بغسل واحدWe mentioned that some scholars used this hadith as evidence that it is not obligatory for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to divide his nights equally. They said: because he used to visit his wives with a single ghusl, and this implies that dividing the nights is not obligatory upon him.
And we mentioned that other scholars said: dividing the nights is obligatory upon him, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to divide and be just, and he would say:
O Allah, this is what I am doing with regard to that which is within my control, so do not hold me accountable for that which is under Your control and is beyond my control.
اللهم هذا فعلي فيما أملك فلا تلمني فيما تملك ولا أملكWhen a man has two wives and he is inclined to one of them, he will come on the Day of resurrection with a side hanging down.
من كان له امرأتان فمال إلى إحداهما جاء يوم القيامة وشقه مائلThe words of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) include the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), but if there is evidence for specification, he is specified by it.
And we may say: dividing the nights is obligatory upon him, but he used to visit his wives with a single ghusl with their consent. And if the women consent to him doing this, there is no blame, and he may do it. It is possible that this was before the obligation of dividing the nights. And it is possible to say: dividing the nights may be divided among them except in intercourse, and the basis of dividing the nights is in the night, and in the day the person is free. But it is established in this same hadith that he used to visit his wives in one night, and this implies that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by each one in every night. And what appears to me, and Allah knows best:
That Allah granted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) a dispensation to leave dividing the nights, but due to his generosity (peace and blessings be upon him) and good character, he was just to the extent he could. And they were pleased with him visiting them with a single ghusl, and the settling down was with the woman whose turn it was. And this does not harm them in any way. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) has freedom, and the woman whose turn it is has the settling down with her.
And Allah granted him a dispensation in that because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was given the strength of thirty men in intercourse, and such strength may not be sufficient for one woman in one night. Therefore, he was granted a dispensation based on what Allah the Exalted gave him of this special attribute. But he (peace and blessings be upon him), due to his generosity, was just among them as much as he could. This is the closest thing that can be said in tracing this hadith.