A Sahabi’s Test of Faith: The Story of Marthad and ‘Anaq

When a Sahabi Asked the Prophet to Marry a Woman from His Past

A Sahabi who asked Prophet peace be upon him to marry his friend from the days of Jahiliyah. 

Iman Boosting narration.

Tirmidhi and an-Nasai narrated

There was a strong man named Marthad (when he became Muslim and did Hijrah, Prophet peace be upon him chose him to) carry captives from Makkah to Al-Madinah.”

He said: “And there was a prostitute woman in Makkah called ‘Anaq, who was a friend of his (in the days of Jhiliyah). 

He had promised a man from the captives of Makkah that he would transport him, and he said: ‘So I came until I reached one of the walls of Makkah on a moon-lit night.’ 

He said “‘Anaq came along and she saw the darkness of my shadow next to the wall. When she reached me she recognized me and said: “Marthad?” So I replied: “(Yes it is) Marthad.”

She said: “Welcome, come and spend the night with us.” 

I said: “O ‘Anaq! Allah has made illicit sexual relations unlawful.”

So she said (in anger): “O people of the tents! That is the man who takes your captives away!”

He said: “Eight people followed me, and I went through the passes of Al-Khandamah. (A place). I stopped at a cave and entered it. 

They came until they stood over my head, and they began urinating, their urine falling on my head. Yet Allah made them unable to see me. He said: ‘Then I went back (to Mecca and didn’t retreat). I returned to my companion to transport him – and he was a heavy man – until I reached Al-Idhkir (a place outside Mecca).

There I removed his shackles to make him easier to carry, since he was exhausting me, until I arrived at Al-Madinah. I went to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and I said “O Messenger of Allah! May I marry ‘Anaq? (Due to his love for her even though she almost killed him) [I said this, two times] but the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was silent, and he did not reply to me at all until (the following) was revealed: 

The Zani marries not but a Zaniyah or a Mushrikah; and the Zaniyah, none marries her except a Zani or a Mushrik (24:3). So do not marry her.'” (So he submitted himself to the Quran and didn’t marry her).

Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3177, Sunan an-Nasa’i 3228 graded Hasan by Tirmidhi, al Albani and Dar us salam.