A sinister tafsir by Ibn Kathir on the unveiling of revelation to Prophet Muhammad A.S at S33:53 of the Qur’an insinuating the prophet was a very jealous husband.
Ibn Kathir commented on the Quran at S33:53 being revealed was prompted by an incident where a young man, identified by some as Talhah ibn Ubaydullah, expressed a desire to marry Aisha, one of the Prophet’s wives after his death.
This falsehood as his background incident leading to revelation is a conjuncture which contradicted with the message of the Qur’an that deals with the prohibition of marrying the Prophet’s wives after his death.
The verse emphasizes the sanctity of the Prophet’s household and prohibits anyone from marrying his wives, considering it a grave offense.
The reasons for the background leading the revelation of prohibition to marry his wives after his death was not because a man wanted to marry one of his wives
but the prophet’s wives were as mothers to the believers. All the prophet’s wives were treated as the mothers of believers. Being their mothers were the reason the believers were not allowed to marry them even after the death of the Prophet.
S33:6 The Prophet is closer to the Believers than their own selves, and his wives are their mothers…..
Another reason for the prohibition to marry his wives after his death was the rewards in the hereafter for the wives of the Prophet is double compared to wives of others. They would lose this right if they remarried –
S33:31 And whoever of you devoutly obeys Allah and His Messenger and does righteousness, We will give her a reward twice; and We have prepared for her a noble provision.
There is also the need of prohibition as to keep the personal secrets between husband and wives’ intimate relationship when the Prophet was alive intact even after he died –
S33:32 O wives of the Prophet, you are not like anyone among women. If you fear Allah, then do not be soft in speech [to men], lest he in whose heart is disease should covet, but speak with appropriate speech.
S33:53……And when ye ask (his ladies) for anything ye want, ask them from before a screen: that makes for greater purity for your hearts and for theirs. Nor is it right for you that ye should annoy Allah’s Messenger, or that ye should marry his widows after him at any time. Truly such a thing is in Allah’s sight an enormity.
These personal secrets that the Prophet’s wives were to keep private to themselves and not to share with others especially their intimate friends is the major reason for the prohibition.
Thus, the numerous hadith on the wives of the Prophet narrating their private experience with the Prophet especially Aisha on those happening in their bedroom is proven to be fabrications as the true wives of the Prophet would refrain for doing those unethical actions.
S18:56 We only send the messengers to give Glad Tidings and to give warnings: But the unbelievers dispute with vain argument, in order therewith to weaken the truth, and they treat My Signs as a jest, as also the fact that they are warned!
The revelation of the Qur’an is from Allah and it is His prerogative when it is to be sent down based on the criteria which can be found in the Qur’an itself.
S75:16-18 Move not thy tongue concerning the Qur’an to make haste therewith. It is for Us to collect it and to promulgate it: But when We have promulgated it, follow thou its recital as promulgated.
Pondering with Saifuddin's index 