The Wives of the Prophet are the Most Superior of all Women

يَا نِسَاءَ النَّبِيِّ لَسْتُنَّ كَأَحَدٍ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ ۚ إِنِ اتَّقَيْتُنَّ

O wives of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, you are not like anyone among women, if you fear Allah.^[1]

In other words, there are undeniably no women in this world superior to the wives of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, on condition that they (the wives) fear Allah. Thus, if their fear of Allah is established, it would establish their superiority over all women throughout time, without exception. This is not something unfathomable when one considers that they are, after all, the wives of that Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam who is the most superior of all the prophets and messengers—in fact the best of all creation—and they were preferred by Allah and the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam over all other women in this world.

As for them fearing Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala and possessing the quality of taqwa, this too is proven from the Glorious Book of Allah. Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala says:

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُلْ لِأَزْوَاجِكَ إِنْ كُنْتُنَّ تُرِدْنَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا وَزِينَتَهَا فَتَعَالَيْنَ أُمَتِّعْكُنَّ وَأُسَرِّحْكُنَّ سَرَاحًا جَمِيلًا وَإِنْ كُنْتُنَّ تُرِدْنَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَالدَّارَ الْآخِرَةَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ أَعَدَّ لِلْمُحْسِنَاتِ مِنْكُنَّ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا

O Prophet, say to your wives, “If you should desire the worldly life and its adornment, then come, I will provide for you and give you a gracious release. But if you should desire Allah and His Messenger and the home of the Hereafter, then indeed, Allah has prepared for the doers of good among you a great reward.”^[2]

They chose Allah and His Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and abandoned the life of this world and its adornments. There is no other reason for them choosing Allah and His Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam—which meant patiently enduring the hardship and difficulty which accompanied the office of Nubuwwah—except firmness of faith and fear of Allah. Since their decision to remain with the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was motivated by taqwa, they were honoured by Allah:

لَا يَحِلُّ لَكَ النِّسَاءُ مِنْ بَعْدُ وَلَا أَنْ تَبَدَّلَ بِهِنَّ مِنْ أَزْوَاجٍ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكَ حُسْنُهُنَّ

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.^[3]

They were honoured in two ways in this verse:

The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was prohibited from taking another wife after them.
The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was prohibited from divorcing any one of them, in order to marry another.

The reason for this was that they would be his wives for eternity; not only in this world but in the Hereafter as well. This is also the reason why the believers were prohibited from marrying them after his demise:

وَمَا كَانَ لَكُمْ أَنْ تُؤْذُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَلَا أَنْ تَنْكِحُوا أَزْوَاجَهُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ أَبَدًا ۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكُمْ كَانَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ عَظِيمًا

And it is not [conceivable or lawful] for you to harm the Messenger of Allah or to marry his wives after him, ever. Indeed, that would be in the sight of Allah an enormity.^[4]

And they were awarded the position of mothers to every believer:

النَّبِيُّ أَوْلَىٰ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ ۖ وَأَزْوَاجُهُ أُمَّهَاتُهُمْ ۗ

The Prophet is more worthy of the believers than themselves, and his wives are [in the position of] their mothers.^[5]

Every person should ponder deeply over these points and recognise the noble status awarded to the Ummahat al Mu’minin.

NEXT⇒ The Wisdom Behind the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam Having Multiple Wives

^[1] Surah al Ahzab: 32.

^[2] Surah al Ahzab: 28-29.

^[3] Surah al Ahzab: 52.

^[4] Surah al Ahzab: 53.

^[5] Surah al Ahzab: 6.

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