13563: What is the meaning of the word muhsanaat in the Qur'aan?
-----
(Go here for Reference & More Islamic Questions & Answers:
http://books.google.co.uk/books?vid=ISBN1861791542)
-----
Question:
What is the meaning of the word muhsanaat in the Qur'aan?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Al-Shanqeeti said:
The word muhsanaat is used in three senses in the Qur'aan:
(1) Muhsanaat meaning chaste women. For example, Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning):
"they (the above said slave-girls) should be chaste [muhsanaat], not committing
illegal sex, nor taking boyfriends"
[al-Nisaa' 4:25]
i.e., they should be chaste, not committing zina (fornication or adultery).
(2) muhsanaat meaning free. For example, Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"if they commit illegal sexual intercourse, their punishment is half of that
for free[muhsanaat] (unmarried) women"
[al-Nisaa' 4:25]
(3) the word ihsaan (from which the word muhsanaat is derived) may also mean
marriage. For example the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
"And after they have been taken in wedlock [uhsinna], if they commit illegal
sexual intercourse…"
[al-Nisaa' 4:25]
meaning ,when they have gotten married. The view of some scholars, that the
meaning of ihsaan in the phrase "uhsinna" is Islam goes against the apparent
meaning of the context of the aayah, because the context of the aayah is
speaking about believing girls, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And whoever of you have not the means wherewith to wed free believing women…"
[al-Nisaa' 4:25]
Ibn Katheer said in his commentary on this aayah:
The most apparent meaning _ and Allaah knows best _ is that what is meant by
ihsaan here is marriage, because the context of the aayah indicates that, when
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And whoever of you have not the means wherewith to wed free believing women,
they may wed believing girls from among those (slaves) whom your right hands
possess…"
[al-Nisaa' 4:25]
The context of the aayah speaks of believing (slave) girls. Therefore the
meaning of the phrase "uhsinna" means marriage, as it was interpreted by Ibn
`Abbaas and others.
Adwaa' al-Bayaan, 1/279, 280
-----
(Go here for Reference & More Islamic Questions & Answers:
http://books.google.co.uk/books?vid=ISBN1861791542)
-----
***************************************************************************
{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom
(i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue
with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone
astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy
Quran-16:125)
{And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allah (believes in
His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites
(men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I
am one of the Muslims."} (Holy Quran-41:33)
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Allah, if
Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of
camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, "Whoever
calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who
follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all."
[Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Recommended:
http://www.ikhwanweb.com
http://www.islamonline.net
http://www.islam-guide.com
http://www.prophetmuhammadforall.org
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
All views expressed herein belong to the individuals concerned and do not in
any way reflect the official views of IslamCity unless sanctioned or approved
otherwise.
If your mailbox clogged with mails from IslamCity, you may wish to get a daily
digest of emails by logging-on to http://www.yahoogroups.com to change your
mail delivery settings or email the moderators at [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the
title "change to daily digest".
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/islamcity/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/islamcity/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
