Once again on Islam is for all.

Submitted by Plato (United Arab Emirates), Jan 24, 2007 at 07:52

Mo, please read this plea from a disturbed Muslim the answer he gets and tell me Islam is still for you:

Fatwa No. : 4186 Fatwa Title : The truth concerning the Prophet's marriage to Safiya Bint Huyay Ibn Akhtab Fatwa Date : 06 Shawwaal 1423 / 11-12-2002 Question

I am in serious trouble because of an article I need an answer for the following part of this article (The Compassionate, The Merciful Prophet!):
Think about this again. Think about that young Jewish widow

Fatwa

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.

Every Muslim has to respect and regard highly the Prophet

Answerer:

That is a learned Islamic Doctor pontificating on an abominable act and twisting himself into knots to come up with an excuse for his prophet.. What is your explanation for what the Prophet did, Mo?

Safiyya one more time please! This young and beautiful 17-year-old newly wed Jewish young lady was among those captured women and children at the war of Kaibar. She was the daughter of the leader of Bani Nadir Huyay Ibn Akhtab . Her father was executed by the Prophet, and she just lost her brother, husband and all other male relatives in that war. She was soaked with profound grief by this great tragedy and was weeping with endless tears. But so what? Because of her paragon beauty - she was already selected as the booty (spoils) for the compassionate Prophet. The Prophet has had sex with this young Safiyya on their way back to Medina on the same night in the tent. Of course, according to some Sahih Hadith, prophet asked for sex the same day but she did not allow because of her menstruation period and on the second day prophet has had married her and consummated her on the way back to medina.

Whatever is true, it was for sure that Prophet asked for sex with Safiyya in a period when that poor Safiyya was in terrible grief by losing her father, brother, husband and relatives and before the blood of her relatives was even dry. By what yardstick can we measure the mercifulness and compassionateness of our Prophet? Could any Islamist tell me why our prophet had to set this terrible example?Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam). Likewise, he has to honor all the Prophets and believe in their infallibility.

One has to believe that they are chosen personalities, Allah protect them from all abominable acts and deeds. This is a generally accepted fact, no one disagrees with it except Jews who blame the Prophets of bad things and atheists who do not respect Allah, and His Prophets and who do not recognize their rights. After believing in this known and well-established fact if one comes across any report that is contrary to the above fact, it does not make one dubious as either it is a fabricated story or it is to be interpreted in a way that suits the honorable status of the prophet.

Know that Umm al-Mumineen Safiyyah daughter of Huyay (Radiya Allahu Anha) was married to Salaam bin Mushkam and then Kananah bin al-Rabee bin Abu al-Haqaiqh married her. Her father Huyay had been killed in the battle of Quraizah for breaching the covenant, he was not killed in the battle of Khaibar.

The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) made peace with the people of Khaibar after beseiging them. After that agreement no one was killed except two persons: two sons of Abu al-Haqeeq for breaching the agreement. According to the agreement no one should hide his property nevertheless the two sons of Abu al-Haqeeq who hid the property of Huyay bin Akhtab . So, they were killed as a punishment.
The general rule is that the women of warriors become captives. Dihyah a companion of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) asked the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) to give him a slave woman; he permitted him to take one of the captives. So, he took Safiyah . Then, The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) was told that she is the first lady among Quraizah and al-Nadheer (two Jewish tribes) and it is not suitable to make her marry anybody except him.

Then the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) presented Islam to her, she accepted it willingly, then the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) manumitted her and married her and her Mahr was her manumission. She accepted Islam with her own free will, although it was very possible for her to remain on her religion. In fact, her manumission was an honour for her granted by the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam). Indeed, her marriage with the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) was a blessing of Allah who honoured her by this marriage; due to this marriage she became the mother of all believers. All Muslims ask Allah's blessings for her till the Day of Judgement.

Let's assume that the honour and dignity came to her after the calamity and trials, many times the favours come after a calamity as Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {… and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you …} [2: 216].
In addition, there are many narrations proving that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) brought peace and happiness to her and made her to feel comfortable. He also clarified the reasons for what had happened to her people. Thereupon she said: "I did not get up from my place until he was the most loving person to me" . Another narration reads that she said: "I never saw anyone who has a better character more than the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam)" .

She also said: "I saw him riding on his mount while I was feeling sleepy and my head was falling on the stick of the mount then he used to pat me with his hand saying: "take it easy, O daughter of Huyay bin Akhtab" . When they reached al-Sahabah he said to her: O Safiyya! I apologize for what I did to your people, certainly they accused me of so and so" .

In fact, Allah honoured His Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) by protecting him from marrying any woman who hates him or dislikes him.
On the other hand, Allah prepared her mentally for this marriage whereas she had seen in a dream that a full moon fell in her lap. When she narrated this dream to her husband Kinanah , he slapped her saying: 'do you like the king of Yathrib'? Afterwards, the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) observed the greenness in her eyes due to that slap.

Very soon she knew that Allah made her dream to come true and honoured her by her marriage with His beloved Prophet.
She died during the caliphate of Mu'awiyah (Radiya Allahu Anhu) in 50 A.H. Indeed, she is the wife of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) in both this world and the Hereafter world.

Allah knows best. Fatwa center supervised by Dr. Abdullah Al-faqih

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