Kashf al-Ma'aanee of Ibn Jama'aah - Juzz 4

Follow @AhleDhikr

Surah an-Nisaa

ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفۡسٍ۬ وَٲحِدَةٍ۬ 

“and from him (Adam) He created his wife [Hawwa (Eve)]” [4:1]

Here the word Kha – la – Qa (خلق) has been used to mean “create”.

Whereas elsewhere the word Ja – ‘a – la (جعل) has been used:

وَجَعَلَ مِنۡہَا زَوۡجَهَا 

“It is He Who has created you from a single person (Adam), and (then) He has created from him his wife [Hawwa (Eve)]” [7:189]

The difference between the two is that Ja – ‘a – la doesn’t necessarily mean create, rather Ja – ‘a – la means that it was decreed that both spouses be from the same species.

[TN: this is an important point as the Jahmiyyah and the Mu’tazilah use the words خلق and جعل to prove that the Quraan is created].

مُحۡصَنَـٰتٍ غَيۡرَ مُسَـٰفِحَـٰتٍ۬ وَلَا مُتَّخِذَٲتِ أَخۡدَانٍ۬‌ۚ

“they (the above said captive and slave-girls) should be chaste, not adulterous, nor taking boy-friends” [4:25]

This Aayah describes a characteristic which is imperative before one marries – chastity (whether one marries Muslim, Jew or Christian).

However the onus of chastity is not on the woman alone, rather the same applies to the man:

مُحۡصِنِينَ غَيۡرَ مُسَـٰفِحِينَ وَلَا مُتَّخِذِىٓ أَخۡدَانٍ۬‌ۗ

“chastity (i.e. taking them in legal wedlock) not committing illegal sexual intercourse, nor taking them as girl-friends” [5:5]

Therefore, both of these Aayat combines shows that chastity is essential before marrying from both parties.