* Zihar was a pre-Islamic Arabian practice in which a man could repudiate his wife by saying: ‘You are to me as my mother’s back (zahr).’ By declaring this, the wife was deprived of her marital rights but was not yet free to contract another marriage. Islam abolished this unjust practice.
*
Or: The Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) has a greater right and authority over the believers than they have over themselves.
Or: The Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) should be considered and felt more beloved by the believers than their own selves.
* This verse refers to the inability of Zaynab bint Jahsh to reconcile with Zayd b. Haritha because she insisted on getting a divorce. According to another report, Zayd insisted on divorcing her. Since Zayd and Zaynab came from two different social classes, the marriage was not successful, despite the Prophet’s advice to them on several occasions to retain the marriage. In contrast, Allah had willed that Zaynab would be wedded to the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) after her divorce. The Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) was worried that people would misunderstand the situation. Hence, this verse was revealed.