Why do you prohibit what Allah has made lawful for you?

This surah begins with a profound address:

After Surah At-Talaq, which addresses the breakdown of love between husband and wife, this surah examines the opposite scenario.

Instead of transitioning to guidance for the believers, Allah addresses something the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself was doing.

This relates to a famous incident involving two of the Mothers of the Believers.

It concerns the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) equitable distribution of time among his wives. One of the Mothers of the Believers had prepared a special honey drink for him, and he spent some extra time at her residence enjoying it.

When he visited another wife’s home, she detected the scent and expressed disapproval, saying it smelled unpleasant. Out of love and consideration for his wife’s feelings, the Prophet decided he would never consume that honey again.

This wasn’t a religious prohibition in the legal sense—it was simply a personal preference made out of courtesy and respect for his spouse.

However, the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) behavior exists under constant scrutiny. Muslims observe everything he does and derive religious rulings from his actions. There’s historical precedent for this kind of misunderstanding.

The Companions were so devoted to following the Prophetic example that they would avoid eating certain fruits simply because they never witnessed the Prophet cutting them—not knowing whether there was a proper Sunnah method for doing so. One Companion would lean to one side whenever he passed a certain road in Madinah because a tree once stood there, and the Prophet used to bend that way when passing by it.

This wasn’t unique to the Muslim community. Allah mentions in the Qur’an:

Prophet Jacob (peace be upon him) simply didn’t like the taste of camel meat, so he avoided it personally. His descendants then transformed this personal preference into a religious prohibition, making camel meat haram in their understanding of the law.

For prophets, even the smallest habits carry immense weight because they establish religious precedents.

If the Prophet (peace be upon him) declares he won’t eat honey anymore as a personal gesture to his wife, this could be misunderstood as a religious ruling, leading the entire community to avoid honey. This is why prophets must be extraordinarily cautious about even minor personal choices.

When Allah says, “Why do you forbid what Allah has made lawful for you?” He is addressing this deeper issue. The closing of the ayah contains within it both correction and profound compliment:

Everyone should be concerned with ensuring the Messenger (peace be upon him) is pleased with them, yet here is the Messenger worried about whether his wife is upset. He’s willing to give up something he enjoys simply to maintain harmony.

Even in this moment of Divine correction, Allah acknowledges the beauty of his character and his deep love for his family.

The ayah teaches us a crucial principle: don’t forbid upon yourself what Allah has made permissible simply to save a relationship or to please a spouse.