Some commentators said: “When the verse of choice [33:29] was revealed, the wives of the Prophet were scared of being divorced. They said to him: ‘O Prophet of Allah, apportion for us whatever you like of your wealth and person; just leave us as we are’. And so this verse was revealed”. ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Abdan informed us> Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn Nu‘aym> Muhammad ibn Ya‘qub al-Akhram> Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab> Muhadir ibn al-Muwaddi‘> Hisham ibn ‘Urwah> his father> ‘A’ishah who used to say to the wives of the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace: “Does a woman not feel ashamed of offering herself?” And so Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse (Thou canst defer whom thou wilt of them and receive unto thee whom thou wilt). ‘A’ishah then said: “I see that your Lord hastens for you what you desire”. This is narrated by Bukhari from Zakariyya ibn Yahya and also by Muslim from Abu Kurayb; both Zakariyya ibn Yahya and Abu Kurayb related it from Abu Usamah who related it from Hisham.
Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi , trans. Mokrane Guezzou
