27/18. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 3423 — Separation Without Divorce
"Go To Your Family" Does Not Necessarily Mean Divorce
Hadith on Staying Away Without Divorce
Sunan an-Nasai : 3423
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 3423
أَخْبَرَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَبَلَةَ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُوسَى بْنِ أَعْيَنَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ رَاشِدٍ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، أَخْبَرَنِي عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبِي كَعْبَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ، - قَالَ وَهُوَ أَحَدُ الثَّلاَثَةِ الَّذِينَ تِيبَ عَلَيْهِمْ - يُحَدِّثُ قَالَ أَرْسَلَ إِلَىَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَإِلَى صَاحِبَىَّ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تَعْتَزِلُوا نِسَاءَكُمْ . فَقُلْتُ لِلرَّسُولِ أُطَلِّقُ امْرَأَتِي أَمْ مَاذَا أَفْعَلُ قَالَ لاَ بَلْ تَعْتَزِلُهَا فَلاَ تَقْرَبْهَا . فَقُلْتُ لاِمْرَأَتِي الْحَقِي بِأَهْلِكِ فَكُونِي فِيهِمْ فَلَحِقَتْ بِهِمْ .
Ka'b bin Malik Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah sent word to me and to my two companions saying: The Messenger of Allah commands you to keep away from your wives. I said to his envoy: Shall I divorce my wife, or what should I do? He said: No, just keep away from her, and do not approach her. I said to my wife: Go to your family and stay with them. So she went to them.'
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 3423In-book reference : Book 27, Hadith 35English translation : Vol. 4, Book 27, Hadith 3453
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 3423
This narration gives another wording of the Ka'b bin Malik Tabuk hadith. Ka'b, one of the three whose repentance was accepted, said that the Messenger of Allah sent word to him and his two companions. The command was to keep away from their wives. Ka'b did not assume the ruling by himself; he asked whether he should divorce his wife. The envoy answered that divorce was not required. He was to keep away and not approach her. Ka'b then told his wife to go to her family, and she went. The Hadith teaches careful action during a serious religious matter, and it keeps the meaning of separation distinct from divorce.
What we learn from this hadith
- Ka'b did not rush into divorce when he heard the command.
- The envoy clarified that the order was to keep away, not to divorce.
- The report names Ka'b among the three whose repentance was accepted.
- His wife followed the instruction and went to her family.
