Meaning
What is meant by "a believing bondwoman" in this āyah?
Answer
Imām Ibn al-Jawzī (d. 597/1201) summarized the scholars' opinions in his book "Zād al-Masīr" as follows:
- It refers to an enslaved woman. [Majority] In this case, the meaning is: marrying a believing slavewoman is better than marrying a free polytheist woman. Ibn al-Jawzī: this is more correct.
- It refers to any woman (as everyone is a slave of Allah), even if she is not in the position of slavery. [Al-Ḍaḥḥāk]