The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 5) — Page 283
PT. 28 AT-TAHRIM CH. 66 which he replied in the negative. " This incident shows that 'Umar, and Ibn 'Abbās were of the view that the relevant verses of the Surah referred to this temporary separation of the Holy Prophet from his wives. The fact that the preceding Surah mentions the subject of Ṭalaq which is separation of a permanent character, lends weight to the inference that these verses relate to the Prophet's separation from his wives, which, however, was of a temporary nature. Besides, as reported by 'A'ishah in the above mentioned ḥadīth, immediately after the period of separation was over, v. 33:29 was revealed, and the Prophet's wives were given the choice between the Prophet's companionship and a life of poverty and austere simplicity on the one hand, and separation from him with a life of ease and comfort and all sorts of material benefit on the other. The choice was given to all the wives and the verse under comment speaks of all the wives, as also does v. 4. This shows that the incident referred to in these verses concerns all the wives in which two of them took a more prominent part. And this was when the Prophet's wives, led by 'A'ishah and Ḥafṣah, demanded of him that like other Muslim women they should also have amenities of life and comfortable living (Fathul- Qadir). In this context the words Sūrah, Bukhārī (Kitābul-Mazālim wal Ghasb) quotes Ibn 'Abbās as relating that he was always on the lookout to enquire of 'Umar as to who were the two wives to whom reference had been made in the verse: "Now, if you two turn unto Allah, it will be better for you, and your hearts are already so inclined. " One day, finding 'Umar alone, he sought to satisfy his curiosity. He had hardly finished his question, says Ibn 'Abbās, when 'Umar said that they were ‘Ã'ishah and Hafsah and then proceeded to relate the story: "Once, when my wife offered me her advice concerning some domestic affair, I curtly told her that it was no business of hers to advise me, for in those days we did not hold our womenfolk in much respect. My wife sternly replied: 'Your daughter Hafṣah takes so much liberty with the Holy Prophet that she retorts back, when he says something not to her liking till he feels offended, and you do not allow me to speak to you even about our domestic affairs. ' Upon this I went to Hafsah and sternly told her that she should not be misled by 'A'ishah in this matter as she was nearer to the Prophet's heart. Then I went to Ummi Salma and had hardly broached the matter with her when she also curtly told me not to interfere in affairs concerning the Prophet and his wives. A short time after this, the Prophet separated himself from his wives and would seem to mean decided not to go to the house of any of them. The news went round that the Prophet had divorced his wives. I went to him and asked him if it was true that he had divorced his wives to 3179 something like this: "Since thou always desirest to please thy wives and meet their wishes, they have been encouraged by this loving attitude of thine naturally to lose sight of thy