And it is not fitting for any believing man or believing woman when God and His Messenger have decided on a matter to have read takūna or yakūna a choice in their matter in contravention of the decision of God and His Messenger. This verse was revealed regarding ‘Abd Allāh b. Jahsh and his sister Zaynab whose hand the Prophet had asked for in marriage but meaning on behalf of Zayd b. Hāritha. They were loathe to this proposal when they found out that it was on the latter’s behalf for they had thought that the Prophet s wanted to marry her himself. But afterwards they consented because of the following part of the verse And whoever disobeys God and His Messenger has certainly strayed into manifest error. Thus the Prophet s gave her in marriage to Zayd. Then on one occasion he the Prophet caught sight of her and felt love for her whereafter when he realised that Zayd lost his affection for her and so said to the Prophet s ‘I want to part with her’. But the Prophet said to him ‘Retain your wife for yourself’ as God exalted be He says
