(Such of you as put away your wives (by saying they are as their mothers)…) [58:2].
Abu Mansur Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Mansuri informed us> 'Ali ibn 'Umar al-Hafiz> Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Ziyad al-Naysaburi> Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn al-Ash'ath> Muhammad ibn Bakkar> Sa'id ibn Bashir that he asked Qatadah about putting away one's wife declaring her to be as one's mother, and he informed him that Anas ibn Malik said: “Aws ibn al-Samit put away his wife, Khuwaylah bint Tha'labah, declaring her as his mother and the latter went to complain to the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace. She said: 'He put me away, declaring me to be as his mother, when I grew old and my strength failed'. And so Allah, exalted is He, revealed the verse of putting one's wife away, declaring her to be as one's mother. The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, said to Aws: 'You have to free one slave'. He said: 'I cannot afford it!' The Prophet said: 'Then you have to fast two consecutive months'. Aws said: 'If I fail to eat twice a day, my sight suffers'. The Prophet said: 'Then you have to feed sixty needy people'. Aws said: 'I cannot do it unless you help me'. The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, helped him with fifteen measures (sa') [of dates] and Allah enabled him to gather what was necessary to feed sixty needy people, and Allah is merciful - they were of the opinion that Aws already had with him fifteen measures, in order to feed sixty needy people”.
'Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Hamid al-'Adl informed us> Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn 'Abd Allah ibn Zakariyya> Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Rahman al-Daghuli> Abu'l-Hasan Ahmad ibn Siyar> 'Abd al-'Aziz ibn Yahya ibn Yusuf> Abu'l-Asbagh al-Harrani> Muhammad ibn Maslamah> Muhammad ibn Ishaq> Ma'mar ibn 'Abd Allah ibn Hanzalah> Yusuf ibn 'Abd Allah ibn Salam who said: “Khuwaylah bint Tha'labah, the wife of Aws ibn al-Samit, the brother of 'Ubadah ibn al-Samit, related to me, saying: 'He [Aws] came in one day and said something to me in an irritated tone. I answered him back and he got angry. He said: 'You are to me as my mother'. He then went out to the gathering place of his people. When he came back he wanted to seduce me but I refused. He wanted to force himself on me but I was able to push him back as can a woman usually do with a weak man. I said: 'Nay, by Him in Whose Hand is Khuwaylah's soul, you will not touch me until Allah, exalted is He, issues His ruling concerning us'. I then went to the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, to complain about what I have been through. But he said: 'He is your husband and cousin; fear Allah and treat him well'. However, I did not leave until the Qur'an was revealed (Allah hath heard the saying of her that disputeth with thee (Muhammad) concerning her husband) up to His words (Lo! Allah is Hearer, Knower). When he got to the expiation, he said: 'Tell him to free a slave'. I said: 'O Prophet of Allah, by Allah he does not have any slave to free'. He said: 'Tell him to fast two consecutive months'. I said: 'O Prophet of Allah, by Allah he is an old man and unable to fast'. He said: 'Then let him feed sixty needy people'. I said: 'O Prophet of Allah, by Allah he does not have what to feed them with'. He said: 'In that case, we will help him with a 'Arq of dates [30 measures (Sa') of dates]'. I said: 'And I will help him with another 'Arq'. He said: 'Good of you; let him spend it in charity' ”.
Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi , trans. Mokrane Guezzou