And do not marry the polytheist women. It was read with a dammah on the ta, meaning do not marry them or do not marry them. The polytheists are those who are at war, and the verse is established. It was said that the polytheists include both those at war and the people of the Book, because the people of the Book are among the polytheists, due to Allah's saying: "And the Jews said, 'Uzayr is the son of Allah,' and the Christians said, 'The Messiah is the son of Allah,'" until Allah's saying: "Glorified is He above what they associate." And it has been abrogated by Allah's saying: "And the chaste women from those who were given the Scripture before you." And the entire Surah Al-Ma'idah is established; nothing from it has been abrogated, according to the saying of Ibn Abbas and Al-Awza'i.

It has been narrated that the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, sent Murthad ibn Abi Murthad Al-Ghanawi to Mecca to bring out some Muslims from there. He had a desire for a woman in the pre-Islamic period named 'Anq. She came to him and said: "Shall we be alone?" He said: "Woe to you! Islam has placed a barrier between us." She said: "Do you wish to marry me?" He said: "Yes, but I will return to the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, and seek his permission." He sought permission from him. [It was narrated by Al-Wahidi from the Tafsir of Al-Kalbi from Ibn Abbas that "the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, sent a man named Murthad ibn Abi Murthad and mentioned him." And the descent of this verse regarding this story is not correct, as it was narrated by Abu Dawood, At-Tirmidhi, and An-Nasa'i from the narration of Amr ibn Shu'aib from his father from his grandfather who said: "There was a man named Murthad ibn Abi Murthad Al-Ghanawi. He was a strong man who would carry the captives from Mecca until he brought them to Medina - the long hadith. In it, it mentions until the verse was revealed: "The fornicator does not marry except a fornicator or a polytheist, and the fornicatress is not married except by a fornicator or a polytheist." He said: "Then the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, called me and recited it to me. He said: 'Do not marry her.'" This was also narrated by Ahmad, Ishaq, and Al-Bazzar. And we do not know of any chain of Murthad ibn Abi Murthad except this hadith.] Then it was revealed: "And a believing slave is better than a polytheist, even if he pleases you." And a believing woman, whether free or owned, is better than a polytheist, even if she pleases you. Indeed, the believers are better than them. Those are a reference to the polytheists and the polytheists, meaning they invite to disbelief, so their right is that they should not be allied with or married to, and there should be nothing between them and the believers except enmity and fighting. And Allah invites to Paradise, meaning the allies of Allah, who are the believers, invite to Paradise and forgiveness. And what leads to them, they are the ones who must be allied with and married to, and they should be preferred over others by His permission, with Allah's facilitation and success in the deeds that deserve Paradise and forgiveness. And Al-Hasan read: "and forgiveness by His permission" - in the nominative - meaning: "and forgiveness is obtained by His facilitation."