319. The status of the wife of an adopted son in Islam.

The person (Zaid) referred to in these verses is the former foster son of Prophet Muhammad. The comrades of Prophet Muhammad stopped calling Zaid as they used to as his son, on revelation of the verse “Those fostered by you cannot be your own sons” was revealed.

(We have explained this in our explanation point no;317)

Prophet Muhammad got Zaid married to Zainab the daughter of his sister. When the marriage did not work out, prophet got her divorced from Zaid. She was later re-married to Prophet Muhammad. The verse 33:37 of the Quran states this marriage was fixed by Allah. 

There are two reasons attributed to this development:

1) People those days believed that an adopted son had all the rights similar to that of biological one. 

2) And also to tell the world, the foster son when divorces his wife, and she getting remarried to the foster parent, cannot be considered as marrying a daughter-in-law.

The enemies of Islam keep spreading a canard, that Prophet Muhammad deliberately got Zainab divorced from Zaid since he had developed a liking towards her. 

Had the prophet developed a liking for Zainab as claimed by these shaitans, nothing stops him from marrying her in her youthful days. Because he was her guardian, and got her married to Zaid as her custodian.

Hence this marriage took place as willed by the Almighty. It is entirely wrong to accuse Prophet Muhammad, based on his physical needs when he did not marry her in her youthful days instead got married to her after she led a life with Zaid for many years.

Please refer to explanation point 378, to know more about Prophet Muhammad’s polygamy.