Marriage with ex-wives of adopted sons

There is no denying that Qur’ān is also the best biography of its Publisher, the elevated Messenger and Spokesperson of Allah the Exalted, Muhammad Sal'lallaa'hoalaih'wa'salam. He is assigned the responsibility of the Leader of Mankind. A leader is public figure. While Qur’ān emphatically enjoins protecting the right of privacy of individuals, it even portrays the most private affairs of the life of the leader of humanity as if the Leader has no right of privacy. Perhaps rightly so since he is role model and guide for the peoples in every aspect of their lives including their privacies.

Not only that his delicate privacies of bed room are mentioned, even thoughts coming to his mind and private conversations are made public. One such mention is about an event of the life of our Leader in Ayah 33:36-39.

Even a casual look on words of this Ayah signals that the type of text is Narrative. Narrative is a Factual Recount. Narrative texts have to do with real-world events and time. The purposes of narrative may be to inform, to persuade and/or to correct the record, rectify the falsities gleaned by people from the Epistemology of Testimony.

Narrative writing uses time as its deep structure. Language features of narrative text are:

• Adverb of time.

• Past Tense is used except in conversations.

• Time conjunction (when, then, thereat, suddenly, etc)

• Specific character. The character of the episode is specific, not general.

• Action verbs. A verb that shows an action.

• Direct speech. It is to make the episode lively.

• The vocabulary is usually everyday language, depending on the subject matter.

The main structural components of a narrative are the orientation, the complication and the resolution, and may include a concluding statement or comment in order to sum up the message.

The Ayah is like what is termed in English grammar a complex compound sentence. It is conjunct to the preceding Ayah, by conjunction particle, which has the topic/theme of this Frame (Ayah 36-39) - Paragraph. The paragraph form refers to its overall structure, which is a group of around seven to ten sentences focusing on a single topic.

There are three main parts of a paragraph:

• Topic sentence - it has the main idea

• Supporting sentence - details that relate to and support the topic sentence

• Concluding sentence - a brief reflection or statement about the main idea

The paragraph unity is maintained when every other sentence would give specific information than the topic sentence that maintains the same focus of attention as the topic sentence:

The topic sentence lays down the fundamental principle by which shall be governed the life of the Believers. It imposes restriction on the freewill and freedom of choice of the Believers. The key word is: definite verbal noun, the source of verbs: خَارَ-يَخِيرُ . It signifies choice, an act of choosing between two or more possibilities. It is laid down, regards any matter (Key word: ), which has since been decided - ordained - decreed by Allah the Exalted and His Messenger, meaning it is written in Qur’ān, that the believers have thenceforth no choice - freedom except wholeheartedly accepting it. It becomes the Word of Allah the Exalted and His Messenger. It is followed by the Divine verdict that whoever of claimants of belief defies, disregards or ignores the Word of Allah and His Messenger he stands doomed.

We should keep this in mind which portrays the objective and purpose of Qur’ān while studying the real-life event hereafter which in itself is quite unique mention.

وَإِذْ تَقُولُ : It begins with conjunction particle followed by time adverb which signifies point in time-when. And structurally functioning as the first part of: [الإضافة] construct (like possessive phrase) of which the second part is either a nominal clause (e.g. 3:80) or a verbal one. As an adverb, it complements a verbal element. Syntactically, it (إِذْ ) relates to elided verb which is easily recoverable-understandable from the following verb that the addressee, the elevated Messenger, was asked to mention (وَٱذْكُرْ) this event for the information of believers (contemporaries and those in time-space) to enable them seriously realize and understand the importance and implication of the Verdict mentioned hereinbefore.

The verbal sentence: تَقُولُ (termed as second element of construct-الجملة مضاف إليه) comprises of second person masculine singular imperfect verb in Indicative Mood and hidden pronoun referent to the elevated Messenger Muhammad Sal'lallaa'hoalaih'wa'salam. The imperfect indicative mood verb does not restrict itself to any idea of time; it indicates enduring existence, begun and incomplete, either in past, present or future time.

A little overlook in correctly transferring, in to the target language text, the delicacies of the choice of words in source text can distort the imagery. Thereby: وَإِذْ تَقُولُ  gives us an imagery of the scene: "And you the Messenger mention the scene of occasion when you were saying-insisting".

لِلَّذِىٓ أَنعَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَأَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِ : The Prepositional Phrase: لِلَّذِىٓ  relates to the preceding verb.  The preposition: لِ  signifies something exclusively meant for some body. When an expression is stated to someone it is in fact meant for him since taking it or not to his memory is his choice. The object Relative Pronoun, singular, masculine, third person is specified by the Linkage clause:  أَنعَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَأَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِ  (to the one) upon whom Allah the Exalted had bestowed favour and you had bestowed favour upon him —

We yet not exactly know the specific person except that he is the one upon whom the Messenger had done favour. What was being said to him is told: أَمْسِكْ عَلَيْكَ زَوْجَكَ وَٱتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ. These are two verbal sentences which are syntactically termed as: (الجملة مقول القول) that which was uttered in the speech.  The first sentence: أَمْسِكْ عَلَيْكَ زَوْجَكَ  reveals to us the ground situation and frame of time when the aforementioned activity was going on. It shows that the mentioned person had pronounced: ٱلطَّلَٟقُ the state and act of initiation for dissolving the marriage with his wife; and the wife had since crossed over to the prescribed period of restraint for choosing her further course of action in life. Thus the matrimonial bond already stood revoked.

أَمْسِكْ : This is second person masculine singular imperative verb made from verbal noun: إِمْسَاكُ; transitive, Form-IV, stemming from Root: م س ك which signifies to keep back, hold back, to take hold of the object. This is one of the course of action prescribed in case of: ٱلطَّلَٟقُ:

The obtaining situation and timing of this event can be visualized by knowing when it happens:

The verb: أَمْسِكْ and verbal noun of Form-IV: إِمْسَاكُ stems from Root: م س ك . Ibn Faris [died 1005] stated its perception:

Form-IV is primarily causative and has added/special meanings of: إِسْتِحْقَاقٌ that the doer becomes entitled to the (مأخذ) source meanings of the verb. When the husband has pronounced his resolve of divorcing his wife and the restraint period is exhausted revoking the Matrimonial Bond (Nikah) the husband has the option to hold/retain her back in his wedlock or honourably segregate her from his company.

The next sentence said to that person: وَٱتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ is reflective of strong desire of the Speaker that the addressee acts accordingly as being asked and to refrain apart his wife.

Why and in what frame of mind and heart the Speaker (elevated Messenger in his personal role) was urging the addressee; to hold back his wife instead of terminating the marriage for ever by departing his wife to her parents house, is mentioned in the following dependent/subordinate clauses; that also shows that the conversation was private:

This is circumstantial clause in which the preceding action was being taken. Verbal sentence: تُخْفِـى comprises of Form-IV transitive imperfect Indicative Mood verb and hidden second person pronoun along with prepositional phrase coupled with possessive:  فِـى نَفْسِكَ signifies withholding something to oneself, not mentioning it to others. If the intent was to mention concealing the prepositional phrase would not have been added since it was then redundant. The second sentence: وَتَخْشَى ٱلنَّاسَ is again circumstantial clause indicating the reason for withholding the information from going into public domain. It shows that while the Speaker was urging upon the addressee not to finally dissolve the marriage, it was not in general public knowledge as he was holding it to himself and he was apprehending negative affect and response from people. The following sentence is parenthetic clause.

Resuming the Narrative it is told:

This clause begins with conjunction particle: "فَ " reflecting cause and effect/consequence + a subordinating particle that introduces a subordinate temporal clause which signifies the relationship between background and foreground information. Now we get the name of the person who was being urged not to finalize the divorce of his wife. He was Zaid [Allah is pleased with him]. He is the Subject of Perfect verb:  قَضَىٰ   which signifies to decree, complete/meet an obligation. The object of verb is: وَطَرٙا which signifies  one which one purposes to accomplish. The purpose of: ٱلطَّلَٟقُ is the resolve of husband to alienate himself from his wife. The object of preposition in prepositional Phrase: مِّنْـهَا is referent to the under-divorce wife of (Syedena) Zaid.  The preposition: مِنْ denotes the local point of departure, departure from a place; hence it is connected with verbs which convey the idea of separation, departure, holding oneself or another aloof from any person or thing, liberating, preserving, fleeing, frightening away, forbidding and the like.

After the aforementioned event had passed, another event related to the same is mentioned: زَوَّجْنَٟكَـهَا .It is a complete sentence comprising of Verb - [نَا] Subject -two direct objects: كَـ referent to second person addressee and هَا referent to  the ex-wife of Zaid. Perfect verb is of Form-II from verbal noun: تَزْوِيجٌ . Form-II  has associated meanings of Attributive/ Declarative: the derivative verb makes an attribution to object; to consider or make someone or something to be something. The choice of this verb further reveals that the personal desire of the elevated Messenger, the addressee was rather vehemently opposite to it but Allah the Exalted had decided to put an end for ever to man-made artificial relationship of son by adoption.

Apparently it seems that main structural components of a narrative, the orientation, the complication and the resolution. But we do not see real complication in the incident of a man named Zaid remaining firm in his resolve to get disassociated from his wife despite having been advised to retain her in his wedlock; and nor resolution in the eventuality of Allah the Exalted making the addressee as the spouse of his ex-wife. Even the orientation is not complete since we are yet not aware who is the real figure, namely Zaid, of the episode. All the three elements of the Narrative become explicit in the following clause which states the objective why Allah the Exalted made the elevated Messenger the spouse of ex-wife of Zaid:

This clause clarifies all the three elements of the narrative. The purpose of action mentioned in verbal sentence: زَوَّجْنَٟكَـهَا is told by: Particle of purpose + Gerundival Particle that renders following verb in subjunctive and futuristic connotation. The complication was that the Believers had long held social tradition of holding the adopted son from his childhood to old age as equal to real son. Thereby, they thought it as something blameworthy to marry the ex-wife of adopted son. The objective was:  لَا يَكُونَ عَلَـى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِيـنَ حَرَجٚ. The subject noun of: يَكُونَ  subjunctive deficient verb: حَرَجٚ stems from Root: ح ر ج. The basic perception infolded in it is of collecting-storing-overcrowding things at a place which resultantly seems narrow, shrunk and congested. And such scene creates a feel of disquiet, uneasiness, congestion and contraction in the chest and minds of human beings, and is accordingly used to depict it.

When used in abstract/accident domain, it refers to  blame, perceived-wrong, awkward, offending thing-idea-proposition which causes embarrassment, disconcerting feel, reservation, hesitation, reluctance and resistance.

The Prepositional Phrase: عَلَـى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِيـنَ  (upon the Believers) relates to elided Predicate of Deficient verb. And this feel of awkwardness, reservation, hesitation is: فِـىٓ أَزْوَٟجِ أَدْعِيَآئِـهِـمْ regarding the wives of their adopted sons.  It is a prepositional phrase coupled with two successive possessive phrases. This identifies us the second character of even Syedena  Zaid  was a man who was adopted, when child, as son by exalted Muhammad Sal'lallaa'hoalaih'wa'salam in his much earlier life.

The time frame of the feel of  awkwardness, reservation, hesitation is: إِذَا قَضَوْا۟ مِنْـهُنَّ وَطَرٙا. What an amazing choice of words instead of saying in simple words "when they have separated them" as is the usual practice in divorce process mention in 65:1-2: أَوْ فَارِقُوهُنَّ بِمَعْـرُوفٛ  Or you apart them (wives with whom prescribed process of divorce is completed) respectfully, in accordance with known norms of society.

What is being ordained is that henceforth there is no blameworthiness, awkwardness in marrying the divorced wife of adopted sons but the word choice is opposite to what ordinarily happens, i.e. wife leaves away from the house of her ex-husband. But here the Prepositional phrase: مِنْـهُنّ  signifies the departure-ending from his ex-wife. It is thus matchless use of rhetorical device "foreshadowing". There is no awkwardness also in marrying the widow of the adopted son if such saddening event does occur in their life. The use of "foreshadow" device shows the regard Allah the Exalted has for passion and psychological feelings of people for their under-care/patronage children. ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ

The Narrative is concluded by such words revealing  it was ordained notwithstanding the insistence of the Patron upon the Man who was known in the society as his adopted son for having been taken under-patronage in his childhood.

This was the time-frame and event that abolished the otherwise time honoured practice of adopting children and considering them as sons.

Allah the Exalted has asked the people to amend their long held tradition, custom, practice of adoption of a male child. The amendment introduced is about that process of adoption whereby a person assumes the parenting of a male child, from that child's biological parent, whether known or not known. We find an instance of intention of parenting a male child found abandoned on river bank in ancient Egypt who was taken to Pharaoh's palace:

Another primary evidence of adoption is its mention in the Code of Hammurabi. The desire of Pharaoh's wife seems psychological and passion motivated, having no offspring of her own, but she sequenced the probabilities to indicate as if she was suggesting to her husband, a King, about economic and political interests in case they lack biological son. She gave him a food for thought by foreshadowing a future possibility.

We find another mention of adopting a child of unknown parent, bought from slave market, as son:

Adopting a son  is creating an artificial relation which can place the sanctity of pious relationship at jeopardy. It did happen in their case. Time went on until that boy reached strengthen maturity when complication occurred:

Adopted son is a psychological and passion relationship distinct from biological/blood relation. Adopting such relationship is banned by Qur'aan before mentioning the Event under study:

The first plural noun of possessive Phrase: is the first object of preceding doubly transitive verb which signifies rendering, declaring, assigning a different identity to an already existing object. The noun [in meaning of Passive participle] stems from Root: د ع و  which signifies to incline others towards oneself by voice - speech and discourse. It thus denotes those children whose responsibility of care is assumed by a person. It is like guardian-ward relationship. It does not transfer the right of changing their identity of filiation, biological father. It is thereby commanded:

The important point is that assuming guardianship, a commendable moral activity, of children of known or unknown parent is not being abolished. On the contrary, they are declared to be treated as beneficiary by the guardian in the inheritance for the reason of having given a solemn pledge of their care and patronage. The only prohibition is to treat or call them equating with biological son.

In the category of: which otherwise only includes blood relationship of kinsfolk, such under-patronage adopted children are also declared as included in them as addition because of an existing cause:

The sons for men are only and only those who are born of their lions (biological sons) and their son's wives remain forbidden-declared sanctified for ever:

The blood and other relationship of sanctification are made distinct from other relationships developed because of any other reason or consideration:

In view of the foregoing we should try to internalize this declaration as true believers:

The important/key word in this episode is also: أَمْرٙا  and أَمْـرُ ٱللَّهِ  meaning the matter, affair, command of Allah the Exalted. We are also earlier told the same thing in an episode of the days of revelation:

The concept, custom, tradition, practice of adopting sons stands resolved - disposed off - decided by Allah the Exalted and His elevated universal Messenger once for all. ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ