سَأَلَ ابْنُ أَبِي الْعَوْجَاءِ هِشَامَ بْنَ الْحَكَمِ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَ لَيْسَ اللَّهُ حَكِيماً قَالَ بَلَى وَ هُوَ أَحْكَمُ الْحَاكِمِينَ قَالَ فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ قَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَانْكِحُوا ما طابَ لَكُمْ مِنَ النِّساءِ مَثْنى وَ ثُلاثَ وَ رُباعَ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا فَواحِدَةً أَ لَيْسَ هَذَا فَرْضاً قَالَ بَلَى قَالَ فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ قَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعُوا أَنْ تَعْدِلُوا بَيْنَ النِّساءِ وَ لَوْ حَرَصْتُمْ فَلا تَمِيلُوا كُلَّ الْمَيْلِ أَيُّ حَكِيمٍ يَتَكَلَّمُ بِهَذَا فَلَمْ يَكُنْ عِنْدَهُ جَوَابٌ فَرَحَلَ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ إِلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) فَقَالَ يَا هِشَامُ فِي غَيْرِ وَقْتِ حَجٍّ وَ لَا عُمْرَةٍ قَالَ نَعَمْ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ لِأَمْرٍ أَهَمَّنِي إِنَّ ابْنَ أَبِي الْعَوْجَاءِ سَأَلَنِي عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ لَمْ يَكُنْ عِنْدِي فِيهَا شَيْءٌ قَالَ وَ مَا هِيَ قَالَ فَأَخْبَرَهُ بِالْقِصَّةِ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) أَمَّا قَوْلُهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَانْكِحُوا ما طابَ لَكُمْ مِنَ النِّساءِ مَثْنى وَ ثُلاثَ وَ رُباعَ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا فَواحِدَةً يَعْنِي فِي النَّفَقَةِ وَ أَمَّا قَوْلُهُ وَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعُوا أَنْ تَعْدِلُوا بَيْنَ النِّساءِ وَ لَوْ حَرَصْتُمْ فَلا تَمِيلُوا كُلَّ الْمَيْلِ فَتَذَرُوها كَالْمُعَلَّقَةِ يَعْنِي فِي الْمَوَدَّةِ قَالَ فَلَمَّا قَدِمَ عَلَيْهِ هِشَامٌ بِهَذَا الْجَوَابِ وَ أَخْبَرَهُ قَالَ وَ اللَّهِ مَا هَذَا مِنْ عِنْدِكَ .
Translation
Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Nuh Bin Shuayb and Muhammad Bin Al Hassan who said, ‘Ibn Abu Al-Ajwa asked Hisham Bin Al-Hakam, so he said to him, ‘Is Allah<sup>azwj</sup> not All-Wise?’ He said, ‘Yes, and He<sup>azwj</sup> is the most Decisive of the Judges’. He said, ‘So inform me about the Words of the Mighty and Majestic <span class="ibTxt"><a href="/#/books/quran:4#h3"><a href="/books/quran:4#h3">[4:3]</a></a> then marry such women as seem good to you, two and three and four; but if you fear that you will not do justice (between them), then (marry) only one</span>, is this not an Obligation?’ He said, ‘Yes’. He said, ‘So inform me about the Words of the Mighty and Majestic <span class="ibTxt"><a href="/#/books/quran:4#h129"><a href="/books/quran:4#h129">[4:129]</a></a> And you have it not in your power to do justice between wives, even though you may wish (it), but be not disinclined (from one) with total disinclination</span>. Which Wise One would speak with this?’ So there did not happen to be an answer with him. So he went to Al-Medina to Abu Abdullah<sup>asws</sup>, so he<sup>asws</sup> said: ‘O Hisham! (You have come) at such a time which is neither of Hajj nor of Umrah?’ He said, ‘Yes, May I be sacrificed for you<sup>asws</sup>! It has concerned me that Ibn Abu Al-Awja asked me a question for which there was no answer with me with regards to it’. He<sup>asws</sup> said: ‘And what is it?’ He said, ‘So I informed him<sup>asws</sup> of the story’. So Abu Abdullah<sup>asws</sup> said: ‘As for the Words of the Mighty and Majestic <span class="ibTxt"><a href="/#/books/quran:4#h3"><a href="/books/quran:4#h3">[4:3]</a></a> then marry such women as seem good to you, two and three and four; but if you fear that you will not do justice (between them), then (marry) only one</span>, Meaning regarding the expenditure. And as for His<sup>azwj</sup> Words <span class="ibTxt"><a href="/#/books/quran:4#h3"><a href="/books/quran:4#h3">[4:3]</a></a> then marry such women as seem good to you, two and three and four; but if you fear that you will not do justice (between them), then (marry) only one</span>, <span class="ibTxt">so that you leave her as it were in suspense</span>, so it is regarding the cordiality’. He (the narrator) said, ‘So when Hisham proceeded to him with the answer and informed him, he said, ‘By Allah<sup>azwj</sup>! This is not from yourself’.
Compiled by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ya'qub al-Kulayni
Source
License: Free for educational and research use (Thaqalayn Data API)
Provided for research and educational purposes. Original source: Thaqalayn Project. Open License.