Tafsir

مَّا كَانَ عَلَى النَّبِىِّ مِنْ حَرَجٍ فِيمَا فَرَضَ اللَّهُ لَهُ(There is no blame on the Prophet in that which Allah has made legal for him.) means, in that which has been permitted for him and which he has been commanded to do, i.e. his marrying Zaynab, may Allah be pleased with her,, who had been divorced by his adopted son Zayd bin Harithah,سُنَّةَ اللَّهِ فِى الَّذِينَ خَلَوْاْ مِن قَبْلُ(That has been Allah's way with those who have passed away of old.) means this is the ruling of Allah for the Prophets who came before him. Allah would not command them to do anything for which they might be blamed. This is a refutation of those hypocrites who imagined that there was anything wrong with his marrying the ex-wife of Zayd, his freed slave and adopted son.وَكَانَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ قَدَراً مَّقْدُوراً(And the command of Allah is a decree determined.) means, His command which He has decreed must inevitably come to pass; nothing can prevent it or avert it, for whatever He wills happens, and whatever He does not decree, does not happen.

Prefacing an answer to doubts and objections

The opening sentence of verse 38: سُنَّةَ اللَّـهِ فِي الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِن قَبْلُ ۚ وَكَانَ أَمْرُ‌ اللَّـهِ قَدَرً‌ا مَّقْدُورً‌ا (a customary practice of Allah in the case of those who have gone before--- And Allah's command is pre-determined by destiny - 38) is a preface to doubts to be encountered in the wake of this marriage, particularly about why so much concern was shown in the case of this marriage despite there being other wives in the household. It was said: 'This is a sunnah of Allah (His customary practice not restricted to Muhammad al-Mustafa t. It has continued to be so in the case of earlier prophets as well, that is, under the dictate of beneficial religious considerations, permission was given for multiple marriages. Well recognized among them are Sayyidna Dawud (علیہ السلام) and Sayyidna Sulaiman Sayyidna Dawud (علیہ السلام) had one hundred wives in his nikah and Sayyidna Sulaiman (علیہ السلام) ، three hundred.

Now, if permission came for the Holy Prophet ﷺ to have several marriages under beneficial religious considerations - this nikah being included therein - why should it be taken as something far-fetched? Neither is it contrary to the dignity and status of a prophet and messenger of Allah, nor against the norms of zuhd and taqwa. In the last sentence, it was also said that the matter of nikah (marriage) too, like that of rizq or sustenance, is Divinely decided as to who will be married to whom. That which is written in the eternal destiny has to occur. In this event relating to Sayyidna Zayd ؓ and Sayyidah Zainab ؓ the factors of their mutual temperamental difference, the displeasure of Sayyidna Zayd ؓ and then his resolve to divorce her were all chains of this very creational and destined imperative.

ما كان على النبيِّ محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم من ذنب فيما أحلَّ الله له من زواج امرأة مَن تبنَّاه بعد طلاقها، كما أباحه للأنبياء قبله، سنة الله في الذين خَلَوا من قبل، وكان أمر الله قدرًا مقدورًا لا بد من وقوعه.

يقول تعالى : ( ما كان على النبي من حرج فيما فرض الله له ) أي : فيما أحل له وأمره به من تزويج زينب التي طلقها دعيه زيد بن حارثةوقوله : ( سنة الله في الذين خلوا من قبل ) أي : هذا حكم الله في الأنبياء قبله ، لم يكن ليأمرهم بشيء وعليهم في ذلك حرج ، وهذا رد على من توهم من المنافقين نقصا في تزويجه امرأة زيد مولاه ودعيه ، الذي كان قد تبناه( وكان أمر الله قدرا مقدورا ) أي : وكان أمره الذي يقدره كائنا لا محالة ، وواقعا لا محيد عنه ولا معدل ، فما شاء [ الله ] كان ، وما لم يشأ لم يكن