How come Mohammad (pbuh) was married to 9 women?
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had the unique privilege of marrying multiple wives, which was permitted to him by divine decree. The Qur'an states: O Prophet! Lo! We have made lawful unto thee thy wives unto whom thou hast paid their dowries, and those whom thy right hand possesseth of those whom Allah hath given thee as spoils of war...
33:50. This verse outlines the specific allowances granted to the Prophet, distinguishing his marital rights from those of other believers.
Historically, it is noted that the Prophet had nine wives at one time. Sahih al-Bukhari records, He said that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to visit his wives all of them in one night at once, and at that time he had nine wives.
Sahih al-Bukhari 5:36. This arrangement was not merely personal but had social and political dimensions, as many of his marriages were made to strengthen community ties and support the early Muslim community.
Furthermore, the Shia tradition also acknowledges that the Prophet was permitted to marry as many wives as he desired, except for those specifically prohibited. Al-Kafi mentions, The only women forbidden to him are those whom Allah prohibited in this verse—your mothers and daughters throughout this entire verse.
Al-Kafi 3:331. This indicates that the Prophet's marriages were within the framework of divine guidance, allowing him a level of flexibility that was not extended to other men in the community.
Thus, the marriages of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) can be understood within the context of divine permission, societal needs, and the unique role he played as a leader and guide for the early Muslim community.
Sources
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33:50 · Al-Ahzaab
33:50 · Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ إِنَّآ أَحْلَلْنَا لَكَ أَزْوَٰجَكَ ٱلَّٰتِىٓ ءَاتَيْتَ أُجُورَهُنَّ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ يَمِينُكَ مِمَّآ أَفَآءَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ وَبَنَاتِ عَمِّكَ وَبَنَاتِ عَمَّٰتِكَ وَبَنَاتِ خَالِكَ وَبَنَاتِ خَٰلَٰتِكَ ٱلَّٰتِى هَاجَرْنَ مَعَكَ وَٱمْرَأَةًۭ مُّؤْمِنَةً إِن وَهَبَتْ نَفْسَهَا لِلنَّبِىِّ إِنْ أَرَادَ ٱلنَّبِىُّ أَن يَسْتَنكِحَهَا خَالِصَةًۭ لَّكَ مِن دُونِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۗ قَدْ عَلِمْنَا مَا فَرَضْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ فِىٓ أَزْوَٰجِهِمْ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُهُمْ لِكَيْلَا يَكُونَ عَلَيْكَ حَرَجٌۭ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورًۭا رَّحِيمًۭا
O Prophet! Lo! We have made lawful unto thee thy wives unto whom thou hast paid their dowries, and those whom thy right hand possesseth of those whom Allah hath given thee as spoils of war, and the daughters of thine uncle on the father's side and the daughters of thine aunts on the father's side, and the daughters of thine uncle on the mother's side and the daughters of thine aunts on the mother's side who emigrated with thee, and a believing woman if she give herself unto the Prophet and the Prophet desire to ask her in marriage - a privilege for thee only, not for the (rest of) believers - We are Aware of that which We enjoined upon them concerning their wives and those whom their right hands possess - that thou mayst be free from blame, for Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.
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Sahih al-Bukhari 5:36
Sahih al-Bukhari · Book 5, Hadith 36 · Narrated by Anas ibn Malik
He said that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to visit his wives all of them in one night at once, and at that time he had nine wives.
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Al-Kafi 3:331
Al-Kafi · Book 3, Hadith 331
The Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) used to do something specific for those who died from Banu Hashim that he did not do for other Muslims: when he prayed over the Hashimi and sprinkled water on his grave, he placed his palm on the grave until his fingers were visible in the mud. Travelers or visitors from the city would come, see the fresh grave with the mark of the Messenger of God’s palm and say, 'Who died from the family of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family)?' — OR — From Ahmad ibn Muhammad, from al-Hasan ibn Ali, from Yunus ibn Ya'qub: I said to Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him): I purchased a camel (badana). How should I manage it? He said: Proceed until you reach the Masjid al-Shajarah, then make it go to you from the water, wear two garments, then saddle it facing the Qiblah. Then enter the mosque, pray, perform the prescribed sacrifice after your prayer, then go out to it and brand it on the right side of its hump. Then say: In the name of Allah, O Allah, from You and for You, O Allah, accept from me. Then proceed until you reach al-Bayda’ and pronounce the talbiyah. — OR — I said to him: Do you see Allah's saying, 'It is not lawful for you to have women after this'? He said: The only women forbidden to him are those whom Allah prohibited in this verse—your mothers and daughters throughout this entire verse. If the matter were as people say, it would have permitted you what he was not allowed. Because anyone would replace wives as he wished. But the matter is not as people say. The narrations of the family of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) oppose those of others. Allah permitted His Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) to marry as many women as he desired except those forbidden in this verse of Surat An-Nisa. — OR — I asked one of them (peace be upon them) about the hadd punishment for the mute, the deaf, and the blind. He said: They are subject to hadd punishments if they understand what they are doing.
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