S33:37 Marriage to adopted son’s wife

When the Prophet was commanded to marry his adopted son’s wife, he refused to obey Allah’s command because in pagan tradition adopted son’s were treated as own biological sons. He felt shameful to marry his own adopted son’s wife, so he ordered Zaid to keep his wife –

S33:37 Behold! Thou (Muhammad) didst say to one who had received the grace of Allah and thy favour: “Retain thou (Zaid) in wedlock thy wife, and fear Allah.” But thou (Muhammad) didst hide in thy heart that which Allah was about to make manifest: thou (Muhammad) didst fear the people, but it is more fitting that thou (Muhammad) shouldst fear Allah.

But the command of Allah has to be fulfilled by Muhammad which he obeyed after Zaid divorced his wife –

S33:37… Then when Zaid had dissolved (his marriage) with her, with the necessary formality, We joined her in marriage to thee: in order that in future there may be no difficulty to the Believers in (the matter of) marriage with the wives of their adopted sons, when the latter have dissolved with the necessary formality (their marriage) with them. And Allah’s command must be fulfilled.

Muhammad as a prophet has no choice but to obey Allah’s command as has been done by previous prophets when they were ordered to do things they normally do not like.

S33:38 There can be no difficulty to the Prophet in what Allah has indicated to him as a duty. It was the practice (approved) of Allah amongst those of old that have passed away. And the command of Allah is a decree determined.

In Islam, it is now perfectly legal to marry one own adopted son’s divorced wife.
What is prohibited to marry is listed below –

S4:22 And marry not women whom your fathers married, except what is past: It was shameful and odious, an abominable custom indeed.

S4:23 Prohibited to you (For marriage) are:- Your mothers, daughters, sisters; father’s sisters, Mother’s sisters; brother’s daughters, sister’s daughters; foster-mothers (Who gave you suck), foster-sisters; your wives’ mothers; your step-daughters under your guardianship, born of your wives to whom ye have gone in law, no prohibition if ye have not gone in;- (Those who have been) WIVES OF YOUR SONS PROCEEDING FROM YOUR LOINS; and two sisters in wedlock at one and the same time, except for what is past; for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

Although it is legal to marry your adopted son’s wife, it is prohibited to marry your adopted daughter who have been given suck from milk of your wife.

The adopted daughter is not related by blood but are raised together as in the same mother as in foster family, by keeping siblings together as in foster care to preserve their bonds. That will make them prohibited status as that of foster-mothers (Who gave you suck) and foster-sisters or to the adopted father as his own daughter.

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