27/9. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 3408 — Rifa'ah’s Wife and Remarriage
The Divorce Of A Woman Who Married A Man, But He Did Not Consummate The Marriage With Her
Rifa'ah’s Wife Hadith: The Rule of Returning to a First Husband
Sunan an-Nasai : 3408
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 3408
أَخْبَرَنِي عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْحَكَمِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعَيْبُ بْنُ اللَّيْثِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَيُّوبُ بْنُ مُوسَى، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ جَاءَتِ امْرَأَةُ رِفَاعَةَ الْقُرَظِيِّ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَتْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي نَكَحْتُ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ الزَّبِيرِ وَاللَّهِ مَا مَعَهُ إِلاَّ مِثْلَ هَذِهِ الْهُدْبَةِ . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لَعَلَّكِ تُرِيدِينَ أَنْ تَرْجِعِي إِلَى رِفَاعَةَ لاَ حَتَّى يَذُوقَ عُسَيْلَتَكِ وَتَذُوقِي عُسَيْلَتَهُ " .
A'isha Narrated from:
The wife of Rifa'ah Al-Qurazi came to the Messenger of Allah and said: 'O Messenger of Allah! I got married to 'Abdur-Rahman bin Az-Zabir, and what he has is like this fringe.' The Messenger of Allah said: 'Perhaps you want to go back to Rifa'ah? No, not until he ('Abdur-Rahman) tastes your sweetness and you taste his sweetness.'
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 3408In-book reference : Book 27, Hadith 20English translation : Vol. 4, Book 27, Hadith 3437
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 3408
This Hadith tells the case of the wife of Rifa'ah Al-Qurazi. She came to the Messenger of Allah and said that she had married 'Abdur-Rahman bin Az-Zabir, but described his condition using the example of a fringe. The Prophet understood that she may have wanted to return to Rifa'ah. He said no, not until 'Abdur-Rahman tastes her sweetness and she tastes his sweetness. The main topic is remarriage after an irrevocable divorce. The Hadith makes the condition clear in the words of the Prophet. It also shows that a person may bring a sensitive marital issue to the Messenger of Allah for a direct answer. The explanation should stay within this case and its clear wording.
What we learn from this hadith
- Sensitive marriage problems can be brought for proper guidance.
- Returning to the first husband was not allowed without the stated condition.
- The Prophet gave a direct answer to a difficult personal question.
- Marriage and divorce rules should not be handled by desire alone.
