Overview (Verse 36)
 
This passage represents another stage in reorganizing the Muslim community on the basis of Islamic teachings, addressing in particular the adoption system o which reference was made at the beginning of the sūrah and annulling its effects. God has willed that His Messenger, Muĥammad (peace be upon him), be the one who undertakes in practice the annulment of this tradition. The Arabs used o treat the divorcee of an adopted son in the same way as if he was one’s own son, i.e. she was permanently forbidden in marriage to the father. They could not accept that a woman who had previously been married to an adopted son was lawful for them to marry and this situation held until there was a precedent giving practical application to the new rule. Hence, the Prophet was chosen o undertake this new responsibility in addition to his burden of delivering God’s message. When we examine this more closely, it is immediately apparent that no one other than the Prophet could have discharged this very heavy responsibility, facing as he did the community with an action that challenged its accepted norms. We also see that the Qur’ānic comment on this situation is long, stressing the believers’ bond with God and His Messenger and clarifying the role of the Prophet in their community. All this is stated so as to make things easier for people to accept and make them more willing to implement God’s orders outlining this new social system.
 
Before this specific case is discussed, a rule is put in place giving God and His Messenger all authority over the Muslims’ lives. Once God and His Messenger decide a matter, a believer has no choice but to submit to that order and carry it out. This again demonstrates just how difficult it was to take an action that was contrary to tradition.
 
Background Cases
 
Whenever God and His Messenger have decided a matter, it is not for a believing man or a believing woman to claim freedom of choice in that matter. Whoever disobeys God and His Messenger strays far into error. (Verse 36)
 
Reports suggest that this verse was revealed in respect of Zaynab bint Jaĥsh when the Prophet wanted to remove all social considerations dividing people into different social classes. These strata were inherited by the Muslim community from their pre- Islamic days. The Prophet now, however, wanted to emphasize the full equality of all people, making the only factor that distinguishes between them their fear of God and good action. Up until this point, former slaves that had been freed were placed in a class lower than that of their masters. One such former slave was Zayd ibn Ĥārithah whom the Prophet had adopted.
 
The Prophet wanted to establish the full equality among people by giving Zayd a wife of noble birth, one from his own Hāshimite clan, and his own cousin, Zaynab bint Jaĥsh. In this way, the Prophet himself would remove class distinction within his own family. He had realized that class distinctions were so deeply entrenched in society that they could only be removed by his own practical example. His action would be the catalyst enabling humanity to follow in his footsteps.
 
In his discussion of this verse Ibn Kathīr quotes Ibn `Abbās’s report: “The Prophet wanted to choose a wife for Zayd ibn Ĥārithah, and he went into Zaynab bint Jaĥsh’s home and proposed to her that she married him. She said: I do not wish to marry him.’ The Prophet said: ‘Do not say that. Marry him.’ She said: ‘Messenger of God! I will consider it.’ As they were engaged in conversation God revealed this verse to His Messenger: ‘Whenever God and His Messenger have decided a matter, it is not for a believing man or a believing woman to claim freedom of choice in that matter.’ (Verse 36) She asked the Prophet: ‘Messenger of God! Are you happy for me to marry him?’ He replied: ‘Yes.’ She said: ‘Then I will not disobey God’s Messenger. I will marry him.”
 
Another report by Ibn `Abbās mentions that Zaynab had a sharp element in her character and that when the Prophet proposed to her that she marry Zayd, she replied: ‘I belong to a nobler family than his.’ Then God revealed this verse in full. Other early scholars, for example, Mujāhid, Qatādah and Muqātil also confirm that this verse was revealed in connection with Zaynab’s marriage to Zayd.
 
Ibn Kathīr includes in his commentary a different report attributed to `Abd al- Raĥmān ibn Zayd ibn Aslam: “This verse was revealed in connection with the case of Umm Kulthūm bint `Uqbah ibn Abī Mu`ayţ who was the first woman to migrate to Madinah after the signing of the al-Ĥudaybiyah Peace Treaty. She offered herself to the Prophet as a gift. He said, ‘I accept,’ then he married her to Zayd ibn Ĥārithah[most probably after he had divorced Zaynab], but she and her brothers were displeased. Her brother said: ‘We wanted her to be married to God’s Messenger, but he married her to his former slave.’ This verse was then revealed: Whenever God and His Messenger have decided a matter, it is not for a believing man or a believing woman to claim freedom of choice in that matter.’ (Verse 36) This is a specific order, but the sūrah includes one which is more general in its import: ‘The Prophet has more claim on the believers than they have on their own selves.’ (Verse 6)
 
Imām Aĥmad mentions a third case reported by Anas: “The Prophet wanted to give Julaybīb, a former slave, a woman from the Anşār as a wife and he proposed this to her father. The man said: ‘I will consult her mother.’ The Prophet said: ‘That is fine.’ The man went o his wife and told her what the Prophet proposed. She said: ‘How come! The Prophet could not find us anyone better than Julaybīb when we have refused better men.’ The girl was in her room and heard the conversation. As her father was about to go to tell the Prophet, the girl said to her parents: ‘Do you want to refuse what the Prophet has suggested to you? If the Prophet is happy with the man, then accept him.’ Her words came as a relief to her parents, and they agreed with her. Her father then went to the Prophet and said: ‘If you are happy with him, we accept him.’ The Prophet replied: ‘I am certainly happy with him.’ The Prophet then married the girl to Julaybīb. Some time later, Julaybīb joined a military expedition, but was killed in action, though around him were found several unbelievers whom he had killed during the fighting.” Anas also reports: “I saw this woman later: she belongs to one of the most charitable families in Madinah.”
 
These reports relate the revelation of the present verse to Zayd’s marriage to Zaynab or to Umm Kulthūm bint `Uqbah. We have added the third report about Julaybīb because it explains the sort of social environment Islam wanted to remove by assigning this task o the Prophet. This was part of his responsibility to reorganize the Muslim community on the basis of Islam, its constitution and value system.
 
Establishing a Principle
 
However, the import of the verse is much wider than just any one case. This because it also relates o the annulment of the effects of adoption, the permission to marry the divorcees of formerly adopted sons, and the Prophet’s marriage to Zaynab after Zayd divorced her. This last situation attracted much talk at the time. In fact, some people who are hostile to Islam still use it to criticize the Prophet (peace be upon him) and to fabricate legends about him. Whether the verse was revealed in connection with the cases mentioned earlier or with the Prophet’s own marriage to Zaynab, it nonetheless states a rule which is far more general than any specific case and one which has a profound effect on Muslims’ lives.
 
This principle of the Islamic faith was, as a result, clearly established and deeply rooted in the hearts of the Muslim community, and it moulded their feelings. In essence, this rule is such that Muslims have no control over anything that belongs to them. They and all that they own belong o God, and He chooses for them whatever He pleases. Each and every individual is only a tiny part of the universe which follows the overall law God has set for it. The Creator of the universe who controls it determines their affairs and assigns to them their roles in the drama, stipulating all their actions on this universal stage. They cannot choose the role they play, because they do not know the full extent of the drama. Nor can they choose an action they prefer, because this may not fit in with the overall role assigned to them. They neither wrote the play nor do they own the stage. They are merely commissioned actors who earn their wages for their actions. The end result, however, is not their concern.
 
When this element of the Islamic faith had been established in the hearts of the first Muslim community, they surrendered themselves truly and completely to God, leaving nothing for themselves. This gave them harmony with the nature of the universe, and brought their actions into line with its course. Thus, they moved in their own orbits, just like stars and planets in theirs, never trying to move out, accelerate or slow down. They willingly accepted everything God willed for them, realizing deep down that it is God’s will that determines every event and every situation. This acceptance gave them comfort and reassurance. Gradually they stopped being surprised or shocked when something happened to them by God’s will. They neither felt panic which needs reassurance, nor pain which needs patience. They simply received God’s will as something they expected, causing them neither astonishment nor taking them aback.
 
They no longer wished to hasten the turn of events so as to accomplish something they desired, not even when their desires focused on achieving victory for their faith. They simply accepted that God’s will would take them wherever He willed, while they remained content and satisfied. They laid down their lives, strove hard and sacrificed their wealth, willingly, patiently, pressing no favours and feeling no sorrow, firmly believing that they were only doing what God willed them to do and that ultimately what took place was only what God willed, and further that everything occurs at the right time. Thus they submitted themselves completely to God, letting His hand lead them along the way, feeling safe, secure and trusting that whatever the outcome it would be the right one.
 
In all this, they only did what they could, withholding nothing, wasting neither time nor effort, and not overburdening themselves or trying to go beyond their human abilities. They neither claimed what they did not have nor did they profess what they could not do.
 
This balance between absolute submission to God’s will, exerting all efforts and energies, and not trying to exceed abilities was the distinctive mark of that first Muslim community which enabled it to successfully fulfil the responsibility their faith assigned to them. This was a trust that is too heavy even for mountains to bear. In fact, when this basic element of Islamic faith found its root in the hearts of the first Muslim community, it was able to achieve the miraculous within its own lifespan and in the life of mankind in general. In short, its efforts yielded plentiful and sweet fruit in a very short period of time.
 
The great transformation that took place within their own souls was indeed the great miracle that no man can ever produce. It only happened by God’s direct will. Numerous verses in the Qur’ān refer to this truth. God says: “Indeed, you cannot guide aright everyone whom you love. It is God who guides whom He wills.” (28: 56) “It is not for you to make people follow the right guidance. It is God who guides whom He wills.” (2: 272) “All true guidance is God’s guidance.” (3: 73) This is the meaning of guidance both in its essence and in its broadest sense. It represents man’s guidance about his place in this universe, one which gives his action harmony with what takes place elsewhere in the universe. Human efforts will not achieve their full results until people genuinely accept guidance in this sense, reassured that God’s will controls everything.
 
Let us read again the verse that led to this long discussion: “Whenever God and His Messenger have decided a matter, it is not for a believing man or a believing woman to claim freedom of choice in that matter. Whoever disobeys God and His Messenger strays far into error.” (Verse 36) We see now that it has a far broader import than any particular event that might have led to its revelation. It establishes the most fundament al principle in the Islamic code.