Muhammad's Hypocrisy

Revelations of Convenience 

According to revelations Muhammad claimed to receive, a Muslim was "entitled" to four wives at a time, and no more.  Except Muhammad, of course, who had special dispensation from Allah to have as many as thirteen.  

To prevent jealousy (in his harem) he spent one night with each of them in turn.  One day it was his wife Hafsa's turn.  She was away visiting her father but then returned unexpectedly.  She was furious to find the Prophet in bed with Mary, the Coptic maid and concubine.  Hafsa reproached him bitterly, threatening to tell the other wives.  Muhammad promised to stay away from the hated Mary if she would keep quiet.  Hafsa, however, confided in Aisha, who also hated Mary.  [Vishal Mangalwadi, The Book That Made Your World: How the Bible Created the Soul of Western Civilization (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2011), p. 282.]

The scandal spread through the whole harem and Muhammad found himself ostracized.  But not to worry.
  Lo and behold, Muhammad received yet another revelation (Sura 66) in which Allah supported Muhammad, endorsed his actions, and threatened the wives.  The Sura is entitled Prohibition, and is regarded as one of the last received.  It turns out Allah had decided to grant Muhammad the authority to break his promises to Hafsa and Aisha and the other wives.

The Sura reads:

Prophet, why do you prohibit that which Allah has made lawful to y ou, in seeking to please your wives?  Allah is forgiving and merciful.  Allah has given you absolution from such oaths.  Allah is your master.  He is the Wise One, the All-knowing.  . . .

If you two [wives, Hafsa and A'isha] turn to Allah in repentance (for your hearts have sinned) you shall be pardoned; but if you conspire against him, know that Allah is his protector . . . . The angels too are his helpers.  It may well be that, if he divorces you, his Lord will give him in your place better wives than yourselves, submissive to Allah and full of faith, devout, penitent, obedient, and given to fasting . . . [Sura 66: Prohibition]

The wives fell into line rather quickly. 

Several things stand out from this revelation and its circumstances.  The first is the lust of Muhammad which was allegedly sanctioned by Allah.  Secondly, the subjugation of the women in such circumstances and relationships.  Thirdly, the easy suspension of Allah's teaching when it came to Muhammad.  And, fourthly, the inevitable implication that Muhammad's revelations were creations of his own.

It is one way to win domestic arguments, we suppose.  A word from Allah sanctifying the lusts of his prophet should settle all domestic roiling.