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Did the Prophet (peace be upon him) becoming angry with Umm Al-Mu'minin Hafsa (may Allah be pleased with her) for revealing his secret indicate that she violated Allah's sacred limits? And what was it that displeased him? And why did he divorce her immediately without gradual punishment? And what is the recompense for a husband if he reveals his wife's secret?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

We advise the questioner to focus on what benefits them and brings them closer to Allah, and to abandon the affectation of seeking out ambiguities, because pursuing doubts and inclining towards them corrupts hearts.

As for the questioner’s statement that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, would not become angry or seek revenge for himself unless the sacred limits of Allah were violated, the correct position is what was narrated from Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her: "The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was never given a choice between two matters except that he chose the easier of them, as long as it was not a sin. If it was a sin, he would be the furthest person from it. And the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, never sought revenge for himself, unless the sacred limits of Allah, the Mighty and Exalted, were violated." The Prophet might get angry for himself, but he would not seek revenge unless the sacred limits of Allah were violated.

The Prophet's divorce of Hafsa, may Allah be pleased with her, is established, and Jibreel, peace be upon him, advised him to take her back. The reason for it has not been established by an authentic hadith. No Muslim has ever said that the Companions are infallible from sins; rather, they make mistakes and repent. It is obligatory to have a good opinion of the Prophet's wives, peace be upon him, and to refrain from seeking out their errors.

For a husband to divorce his wife without necessity is permissible according to the majority of scholars, and there is no specific legal punishment for one who reveals a secret.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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