ভূমিকা

Say to your wives: ‘If you desire the life of this world and its adornment, then come, I will provide you enjoyment and set you free in a handsome manner.” As the result of gaining the booties by the Muslims, the wives of the Prophet (S) wished to develop their lives and, therefore, demanded him (S) some means and welfare potentialities. The Prophet (S) opposed their demand and did not go to them for a month until when the verses under discussion were revealed.

The life of all Muslims must be simple. The religious, social and guiding situation creates a particular duty for man. “…If you desire the life of this world…” Therefore, the verse says: “O Prophet! Say to your wives: ‘If you desire the life of this world and its adornment, then come, I will provide you enjoyment and set you free in a handsome manner.” The Arabic word /’umatti‘kunna/ is derived from /mut‘ah/ and, as it has been said in the commentary of Surah Al-Baqarah, No.

2, verse 236, its purpose is a present which is fit with the rank of a woman. Here the purpose is that he ought to add to the dowry an appropriate sum, or if there has not been appointed a particular dowry he may give them a worthy present so that they become content and happy and that their separation would occur in a friendly environment.

The Arabic word /sarah/ is originally derived from /sarh/ in the sense of a plant which has leaves and fruit; and the Arabic phrase: /sarahtul-’abil/ means ‘I left the camels to enjoy the plants and the leaves of the trees’. Then, it has been used in a vaster scope of meaning, with the sense of any kind of leaving anything and anyone; and sometimes it is also used ironically in the sense of ‘to divorce’.