‘Ā'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: The wife of Rifā‘ah al-Qurazhi came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "I was with Rifā‘ah al-Qurazhi, and he divorced me and it was an irrevocable divorce. Then I married ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Az-Zubayr, and he only has the like of a garment's fringe." The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) smiled and said: "Do you want to go back to Rifā‘ah? Not until you taste his sweetness and he tastes your sweetness (have sexual intercourse)." She (‘Ā'ishah) said: "Abu Bakr was with him, and Khālid ibn Sa‘īd was at the door waiting to be allowed in. Khālid called out: 'O Abu Bakr, do you not hear what this [woman] is saying? What is she saying openly in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!'"
Do you want to go back to Rifā‘ah? Not until you taste his sweetness and he tastes your sweetness (have sexual intercourse)
Explanation
The wife of Rifā‘ah al-Qurazhi came to complain about her situation to the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him). She told him that she was married to Rifā‘ah, who gave her a third irrevocable divorce. Then she married ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Az-Zubayr who, nevertheless, could not have sexual intercourse with her, because of his inability to have a penile erection. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) smiled at her explicit words, which women would usually feel too shy to say. He understood that she wanted his judgment to go back to her ex-husband, Rifā‘ah. The lady believed that she was now lawful for Rifā‘ah on the grounds of her marriage contract with ‘Abdur-Rahmān. However, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) refused to grant her that judgment. To become lawful for her ex-husband, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: She must have sexual intercourse with her new husband. Abu Bakr was with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and Khālid ibn Sa‘īd was standing at the door, waiting to be allowed in. So Khālid called out to Abu Bakr in resentment at what the lady said to the Prophet. Indeed, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) had great reverence and esteem for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). We ask Allah to grant us respect for and compliance with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
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