3. After the death of Khadijah(Rathiyallaho anha'), there was no one to look after the children of the Holy Prophet
. It was the time when he was heavily engaged in his noble mission of propagating Islam, and was unable to spare much time in looking after his children. When the Holy Prophet went to Taif on his mission, he was greatly worried about his children, and, consequently, on the proposal made by his close Companions married another aged widow, named Sauda daughter of Zama’, belonging to the important tribe of Banu Amir. Both the Holy Prophet and Sauda were fifty at that time. She accepted Islam quite earlier, and migrated to Abyssinia with her husband. On the death of her husband, however, she returned to Mecca. After marrying the Holy Prophet, she took care of his children with great devotion and remained with him for the rest of his life. It may be noted that she was his only wife after Khadija during the next four years till he was fifty-four, when he married other women in Madina on the Commandment of Almighty Allah. (The Holy Prophet and Sauda(Rathiyallaho anha') migrated to Madina, when both of them were 53 years of age.)
4. The Holy Prophet was in his fifties, when he began to expand his household on the Commandment of Almighty Allah, after migrating to Madina. They were all widows, excepting two, and mostly over 36 years of age. During this period, he was engaged in a most terrible and fierce struggle for his survival. He was surrounded by his enemies from all directions, and from inside was being threatened by the hypocrites and Jews. The Quraish were organizing a series of raids for invading the city of Madina, and the surrounding hostile tribes were a constant threat to the new Muslim State. It was difficult to sleep peacefully during the night. In such a sate, therefore, the household of the Holy Prophet was extended only for the noble cause of his mission. (The Holy Prophet married other women in Madina, when he was 55 to 60 years age.)
5. All the marriages were necessary and were conducted by the order of Allah. They were practical requirements without which the mission could not have been successfully carried out. Half of humanity consisted of women to whom the message had to be conveyed effectively.
The Holy Quran commands the wives of the Holy Prophet:
“And remember (O’ wives of the Holy Prophet) (i.e. learn, explain
and convey to other women) which is recited in your homes of the
Revelations of Allah, and Wisdom (i.e. the Sunnah of the Holy
Prophet)…” (33:34)
