28يا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُل لِأَزواجِكَ إِن كُنتُنَّ تُرِدنَ الحَياةَ الدُّنيا وَزينَتَها فَتَعالَينَ أُمَتِّعكُنَّ وَأُسَرِّحكُنَّ سَراحًا جَميلًاMuhammad AsadO PROPHET! Say unto thy wives: "If you desire [but] the life of this world and its charms - well, then, I shall provide for you and release you in a becoming manner;1By the time this verse was revealed (see note 65 on verse 52 of this surah) the Muslims had conquered the rich agricultural region of Khaybar, and the community had grown more prosperous. But while life was becoming easier for most of its members, this ease was not reflected in the household of the Prophet who, as before, allowed himself and his family only the absolute minimum necessary for the most simple living. In view of the changed circumstances, it was no more than natural that his wives were longing for a share in the comparative luxuries which other Muslim women could now enjoy. but an acquiescence by Muhammad to their demand would have conflicted with the principle, observed by him throughout his life, that the standard of living of God's Apostle and his family should not be higher than that of the poorest of the believers.