5110 - My father narrated to us, Abu al-Yaman narrated to us, Shu'ayb narrated to us, from al-Zuhri, who said: Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib used to say regarding the saying of Allah the Almighty: "And [also prohibited are] all married women [al-muhsanat min al-nisa']": They are women who have husbands; Allah has forbidden marrying them while they are with their husbands. So, the woman who is protected by chastity and the woman who is protected by a husband are both forbidden. However, those of your right hands possess from among the slave girls are lawful for you, provided that the slave girl does not have a husband; and sometimes a slave girl is called 'muhsanah' (protected/married) even if she has no husband, for Allah has named her 'muhsanah.'

5111 - My father narrated to us, Abu Salih narrated to us, Mu'awiyah ibn Salih narrated to me, from 'Ali ibn Abi Talhah, from Ibn 'Abbas, regarding His saying: "And [also prohibited are] all married women [al-muhsanat min al-nisa']": He said: "Every woman with a husband means: (They are) forbidden to you, except for the four who are married with clear evidence and a dowry." It has been narrated from 'Ubaydah al-Salmani something similar.

The second interpretation:

5112 - I read to Muhammad ibn 'Abd Allah ibn 'Abd al-Hakam, Ibn Wahb informed us, Haywah ibn Shurayh informed us, from Abu Sakhr, from Muhammad ibn Ka'b al-Qurazi, that he said: "A female captive may have a husband in her own land; the Muslims capture her, then she is sold among the spoils of war, so she is purchased while she still has a husband, yet she is lawful (for the purchaser)." It has been narrated from Makhul something similar.

His saying, the Almighty: "Except what your right hands possess."

[The first interpretation]

5113 - Yunus ibn Habib narrated to us, Abu Dawud narrated to us, Hammam narrated to us, from Qatadah, from Salih, meaning: Abu al-Khalil, from Abu 'Alqamah al-Hashimi, from Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, who said: "We captured women on the day of Awtas who had husbands, so we were reluctant to have intercourse with them. We asked the Prophet (peace be upon him), and this verse was revealed: 'And [also prohibited are] all married women except what your right hands possess.'" Abu Muhammad (Ibn Abi Hatim) said: "Meaning: from them, it is lawful; and all female captives from the polytheists (are lawful) once they have completed one menstrual cycle, even if they have husbands in the lands of war."

5114 - My father narrated to us, Abu Salih narrated to us, Mu'awiyah ibn Salih narrated to me, from 'Ali ibn Abi Talhah, from Ibn 'Abbas, regarding His saying: "Except what your right hands possess," he says: "Except a slave girl you have come to own, and she has a husband in the land of war; she is lawful for you once you have ascertained her emptiness (of pregnancy)." It has been narrated from 'Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud and Makhul something similar.