It is not permissible, and it was read in the masculine, because the feminine plural is not real. If it is permissible without separation in His saying, 'And the women said,' then it is more permissible with separation after the nine, because the nine is the quota of the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, from the wives, just as the four is the quota of his community from them. It is not permissible for him to exceed the quota, nor to replace them, nor to exchange these nine for other wives, whether all of them or some of them. Allah intended for them honor and reward for what they chose and were pleased with. So the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, limited himself to them, and they are the nine: those whom he passed away from: Aisha bint Abu Bakr, Hafsa bint Umar, Umm Habiba bint Abu Sufyan, Sawda bint Zam'a, Umm Salama bint Abi Umayya, Safiyya bint Huyayy al-Khaybariyya, Maymuna bint al-Harith al-Hilaliyya, Zainab bint Jahsh al-Asadiyya, and Juwayriya bint al-Harith al-Mustalqi, may Allah be pleased with them. This is agreed upon as al-Waqidi and others said, but there is a difference regarding Rayhana. Ibn Abi Khaythama narrated from al-Zuhri and from Qatada, and Abu Ubaid said: It is established with us that the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, married Khadija and did not marry another woman while she was alive, then he married Sawda, then Aisha, then Umm Salama, then Hafsa, then Zainab bint Jahsh, then Juwayriya, then Umm Habiba, then Safiyya, then Maymuna, then Fatima bint Sariq, then Zainab bint Khuzayma, then Hind bint Yazid, then Asma bint al-Nu'man, then Haila bint Qais, the sister of al-Ash'ath. Then Asma bint Saba.