In Encyclopaedia of Muhammad’s Women Companions – Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani and Laleh Bakhtiar.

1. The case of Kabshah bint Man Ansariyyah. (p-354)

She was the wife of Abu Qays b. Aslat Ansari. Not mentioned by Ibn Sad. When her husband died, her stepson claimed her in marriage as was the jahiliyyah custom. She went to the Prophet and asked him to help her so that she would not have to marry him but could be free to marry someone else. Surah 4:19 was revealed:

‘O you who believe. You are forbidden to inherit women against their will. Nor should you treat them with harshness that you may take away part of the dowry that has been given to them, except where they have been found guilty of open lewdness. On the contrary, live with them on a footing of kindness and equity.’

He gave widows the full right to remarry anyone they wanted to marry after they had completed the waiting period.

2. The case of Khansah bint Khudham al-Ansariyyah. (p. 360-361)

She was the sister (?) of Unays b Qatada, wife of Abu Lubaba b. Abu Mundhir, of the Malik an-Najjar clan of Khazraj.

She accepted Islam, and the hadith was recorded by her that a father alone without his daughter’s consent could not arrange her marriage. Nafi b. Jubayr related that she was widowed, and her father gave her in marriage when she was unwilling. Shewent to the Prophet, and said her father had followed his own opinion and given her in marriage without consulting her. The Prophet said: ‘There is no marriage. Marry whom you wish.’

The marriage was revoked, and she married Abu Lubaba b. Mundhir.
Said b. Abdu’r Rahman al-Jahshi said she was married to Unays b. Qatada, who was killed at the battle of Uhud.

Her father than gave her in marriage to a man she did not want, although she preferred her son’s paternal uncle.

The Prophet gave control of her life to her.

3. Case of Bint Amr b. Wahb. (p.304).

She was the wife of Sad al-Aswad Sehmi. She was not mentioned by Ibn Sad.
One of the Companions, Sad al-Aswad, was extremely unattractive. No-one was prepared to marry his daughter to him. He informed the Prophet, who told him to go to Amr b. Wahb, who would give him his daughter. Amr refused to accept this. However, his daughter had heard the conversation, and went to the door and told sad that if he were really sent by Allah’s Messenger she would happily and willingly marry him. Sad returned to the Prophet and told him what had happened. The Prophet then prayed for the girl who, in the meantime, had warned her father of Allah’s punishment. Her father went to the Prophet and asked forgiveness. They were married, but sad was martyred in battle before he could take his bride home.

4. Case of Tamimah bint Wahb of Banu Malik an-Najjar of Khazraj. (p.222-3, and 420-21)

She was married to Rifa’a b. Samawel al-Qurayzi. He divorced her irrevocably, and after the waiting period she married Abdu’r rahman b. Zubayr. She went to see the Prophet while he was sitting with Aishah and Abu Bakr, and Khalid b. Said was at the door. She wanted release from Abdu’r Rahman, because ‘he only had something like the fringe of a garment’, she said, showing the fringe of her veil. This either meant he had a very small penis, or he was impotent and had been unable to consummate the marriage. It was said he was averse to her, and divorced her, and Rifa’a wanted to remarry her. Khalid was shocked to hear her speak to the Prophet like this and asked Abu Bakr why he did not stop her. The Prophet did nothing but smile. He told her that she could not return to Rifa’a until Abdu’r Rahman had consummated the marriage. He told Rifa’a that ‘she is unlawful to you until she has tasted the sweetness.’

5. Case of Habibah bint Sahl (p.327).

Her father was Sahl b. Thalaba, of the Malik b. Najjar clan of Khazraj, and she was the wife of Thabit b. Qays. She married Thabit after the Prophet had considered marrying her himself, but then decided against it in case of jealousy amongst the other Ansar women. Thabit had a violent temper, and used to beat her, and Aishah reported that he had even broken her bones. She went to the Prophet’s door in the early morning darkness, and told him she could not remain with Thabit. At that point Thabit arrived. She put on her veil when she saw he was coming towards them. She said he was the darkest, the shortest and the of the worst appearance of them all. She did not dislike him for any of his defects in morals or religion, but simply because he was so ugly. She wanted to spit in his face when he came near her. The Prophet asked if she was prepared to return the garden he had given her as mahr? She said she was more than willing – she would give whatever he asked. He ordered Thabit to accept the garden back, and divorce her.

Later Thabit married a second wife, Jamilah, and was violent towards her also, and she was also allowed divorce from him.

When he sought to marry the beautiful captive Juwayriyyah, the Prophet took her for himself.