Ikramah reports that Abdullah Ibn Rawahah (radhiallahu anhu) was lying with his wife. He got up, went to his slave girl and became engaged with her. His wife awoke and, not finding him, became worried. When she saw him with his slave girl, she went to her room and came out with a knife. Meanwhile, Ibn Rawahah had moved away.
He met his wife, knife in hand and asked what the matter was. She replied, "You’re asking what the matter is! If I had found you where I had seen you, I would have plunged the knife between your shoulders." Ibn Rawahah asked where she had seen him. She replied with the slave girl.
Ibn Rawahah said, "The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) has forbidden recitation of Qur’aan in a state of pollution (requiring a bath)." Hearing this, his wife said, "Recite the Qur’aan!" Ibn Rawahah recited some couplets of poetry in praise of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).
On hearing this, his wife said, "I believe in Allah and disbelieve my eyes." Ibn Rawahah went early to the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and related the incident. The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) laughed so much that his molars became visible.
Here we read of the tremendous love that a wife had for her husband that drove her to secure his love, of her unquestioning belief in the truth of Allah and His Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), of the husband’s understanding that did not lead him to become abusive, and of a lesson in using wisdom to diffuse potentially acrimonious situations. May Allah Ta’ala Bless the Sahaabah.
