Home > Surah 33 - The Confederates
The Quran Verse
Surah 33:37:
"...And when you said to the one on whom Allah bestowed favor... 'Keep your wife and fear Allah,' while you concealed within yourself that which Allah is to disclose... So when Zayd had no longer any need for her, We married her to you in order that there not be upon the believers any discomfort concerning the wives of their adopted sons..."
The Historical Context
Zayd ibn Harithah was Muhammad’s adopted son. He was married to Zaynab bint Jahsh. According to early biographers (like Ibn Sa'd and Al-Tabari), Muhammad visited their house, saw Zaynab partially dressed, and was struck by her beauty. Zayd later divorced her so Muhammad could marry her.
Abolition of Adoption:
In Arab culture, an adopted son was a real son, making marriage to his ex-wife incestuous. To fix this, the Quran abruptly abolished the legal status of adoption (33:4-5).
Critics argue this is revelation for domestic convenience. God intervened in a specific family drama to legalize a marriage that the culture found scandalous.
To the scholar, this shows the Quran acting as a "living document" that adapts to the personal desires and social crises of its author.