QUESTION:
Sahih Muslim v2 1021 says “The messenger of Allah was sexually aroused when he saw a certain woman, so he went to his wife Zaynab with his need and he was satisfied. He went out to his companions and said: ‘The woman comes in the image of Shaytan and leaves in the image of Shaytan’.”
Please elaborate on this narration?
ANSWER:
The meaning of the Hadith is that if a man sees a woman and is aroused, then he should go to his wife or slave-girl, fulfil his desires, and attain satisfaction. The meaning of the statement, “A woman comes in the form of Shaytaan and goes in the form of Shaytaan” indicates towards desires and inviting to Fitnah, as Allah Ta’ala has placed inclination towards women and enjoyment in looking at women in man. This is likened to Shaytaan, as he (Shaytaan) calls one towards evil with his whispers and by making her look beautiful for him. This also indicates that a woman should not emerge (amongst men) except due to necessity, and men should lower and turn their gazes away from their clothing and from looking at women generally.
This action (of Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam going to Zainab Radiallahu Anha) does not defame the position of Nabuwwah, hence this aspect is not mentioned anywhere in the Hadith. Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam carried out such an action to advise the Sahaaba as to what is the correct attitude to be adopted at such an instance, hence he even informed them of his actions.
حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الأَعْلَى، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَأَى امْرَأَةً فَأَتَى امْرَأَتَهُ زَيْنَبَ وَهْىَ تَمْعَسُ مَنِيئَةً لَهَا فَقَضَى حَاجَتَهُ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ إِلَى أَصْحَابِهِ فَقَالَ “ إِنَّ الْمَرْأَةَ تُقْبِلُ فِي صُورَةِ شَيْطَانٍ وَتُدْبِرُ فِي صُورَةِ شَيْطَانٍ فَإِذَا أَبْصَرَ أَحَدُكُمُ امْرَأَةً فَلْيَأْتِ أَهْلَهُ فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ يَرُدُّ مَا فِي نَفْسِهِ ” .
وَمَعْنَى الْحَدِيثِ أَنَّهُ يُسْتَحَبُّ لِمَنْ رَأَى امْرَأَةً فَتَحَرَّكَتْ شَهْوَتُهُ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ امْرَأَتَهُ أَوْ جَارِيَتَهُ إِنْ كَانَتْ لَهُ فَلْيُوَاقِعْهَا لِيَدْفَعَ شَهْوَتَهُ وَتَسْكُنَ نَفْسُهُ وَيَجْمَعَ قَلْبَهُ عَلَى مَا هُوَ بِصَدَدِهِ قَوْلُهُ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ (إِنَّ الْمَرْأَةَ تُقْبِلُ فِي صُورَةِ شَيْطَانٍ وَتُدْبِرُ فِي صُورَةِ شَيْطَانٍ) قَالَ الْعُلَمَاءُ مَعْنَاهُ الْإِشَارَةُ إِلَى الْهَوَى وَالدُّعَاءِ إِلَى الْفِتْنَةِ بِهَا لِمَا جَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فِي نُفُوسِ الرِّجَالِ مِنَ الْمَيْلِ إِلَى النِّسَاءِ وَالِالْتِذَاذِ بِنَظَرِهِنَّ وَمَا يَتَعَلَّقُ بِهِنَّ فَهِيَ شَبِيهَةٌ بِالشَّيْطَانِ فِي دُعَائِهِ إِلَى الشَّرِّ بِوَسْوَسَتِهِ وَتَزْيِينِهِ لَهُ وَيُسْتَنْبَطُ مِنْ هَذَا أَنَّهُ يَنْبَغِي لَهَا أَنْ لَا تَخْرُجَ بَيْنَ الرِّجَالِ إِلَّا لِضَرُورَةٍ وَأَنَّهُ يَنْبَغِي لِلرَّجُلِ الْغَضُّ عَنْ ثِيَابِهَا وَالْإِعْرَاضُ عَنْهَا مُطْلَقًا قَوْلُهُ (تَمْعَسُ مَنِيئَةً) قَالَ أَهْلُ اللغة المعس بالعين المهملة الدلك والمنيئة بِمِيمٍ مَفْتُوحَةٍ ثُمَّ نُونٍ مَكْسُورَةٍ ثُمَّ هَمْزَةٍ مَمْدُودَةٍ ثُمَّ تَاءٍ تُكْتَبُ هَاءً وَهِيَ عَلَى وَزْنِ صَغِيرَةٍ وَكَبِيرَةٍ وَذَبِيحَةٍ قَالَ أَهْلُ اللُّغَةِ هي الجلد أول ما يوضع في الدباغ وقال الكسائي يسمي منيئة ثم أفيق بفتح الهمزة وسر الفاء وجمعه أفق كفقيز وقفز ثم أديم عُبَيْدَةَ هُوَ فِي أَوَّلِ الدِّبَاغِ مَنِيئَةٌ ثُمَّ أَفِيقٌ بِفَتْحِ الْهَمْزَةِ وَكَسْرِ الْفَاءِ وَجَمْعُهُ أُفُقٌ كَقَفِيزِ وَقُفُزٌ ثُمَّ أَدِيمٌ وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ قَوْلُهُ (إِنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلم رأى امْرَأَةً فَأَتَى امْرَأَتَهُ زَيْنَبَ وَهِيَ تَمْعَسُ مَنِيئَةً لَهَا فَقَضَى حَاجَتَهُ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ إِلَى أَصْحَابِهِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الْمَرْأَةَ تُقْبِلُ فِي صُورَةِ شَيْطَانٍ) إِلَى آخِرِهِ قَالَ (شرح صحيح المسلم للنوي ج٩ص١٧٨).
ALLAH TA’ALA IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Maulana Ahmed Saeed
Date:-14 Jumādal Ula 1445 / 28 November 2023
CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:
Mufti Mohammed Desai Saheb
