‘Ubaid Allah bin ‘Abd Allah bin ‘Utbah said that his father wrote (a letter) to ‘Abd Allaah bin Al Arqam Al Zuhri asking him to visit Subai’ah daughter of Al Harith Al Aslamiyyah and ask her about her story and what the Apostle of Allaah ﷺ said to her when she asked his opinion (about her). So, ‘Umar bin Abd allah wrote in reply to ‘Abd Allah bin ‘Utbah informing him what she told him. She told that she was under (i.e., the wife of) Sa’d bin Khawlah who belonged to Banu Amir bin Luwayy. He was one of those who participated in the battle of Badr. He died at the Farwell Pilgrimage while she was pregnant. Soon after his death she gave birth to a child. When she was purified from her bleeding after child birth she adorned herself for seekers in marriage. Then Abu Al Sanabil bin Ba’kah a man from Banu Abd Al Dar entered upon her and said to her “What is the matter seeing you adorned, perhaps you are seeking marriage? I swear by Allah you cannot marry until four months and ten days pass away. Saubai’ah said “When she said this to me, I gathered my clothes on me when the evening came and I came to the Apostle of Allaah ﷺ and asked him about that. He told me that I became lawful when I had delivered a child. He suggested me to marry if I wished. Ibn Shihab said “I do not see any harm if she marries when she gives birth to the child, even though she had the bleeding after the child birth, but her husband should not have sexual intercourse till she is purified.  

أَنْ يَدْخُلَ عَلَى سُبَيْعَةَ بِنْتِ الْحَارِثِ الأَسْلَمِيَّةِ فَيَسْأَلَهَا عَنْ حَدِيثِهَا وَعَمَّا قَالَ لَهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ حِينَ اسْتَفْتَتْهُ فَكَتَبَ عُمَرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ إِلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ يُخْبِرُهُ أَنَّ سُبَيْعَةَ أَخْبَرَتْهُ أَنَّهَا كَانَتْ تَحْتَ سَعْدِ ابْنِ خَوْلَةَ وَهُوَ مِنْ بَنِي عَامِرِ بْنِ لُؤَىٍّ وَهُوَ مِمَّنْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا فَتُوُفِّيَ عَنْهَا فِي حَجَّةِ الْوَدَاعِ وَهِيَ حَامِلٌ فَلَمْ تَنْشَبْ أَنْ وَضَعَتْ حَمْلَهَا بَعْدَ وَفَاتِهِ فَلَمَّا تَعَلَّتْ مِنْ نِفَاسِهَا تَجَمَّلَتْ لِلْخُطَّابِ فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا أَبُو السَّنَابِلِ بْنُ بَعْكَكٍ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي عَبْدِ الدَّارِ فَقَالَ لَهَا مَا لِي أَرَاكِ مُتَجَمِّلَةً لَعَلَّكِ تَرْتَجِينَ النِّكَاحَ إِنَّكِ وَاللَّهِ مَا أَنْتِ بِنَاكِحٍ حَتَّى تَمُرَّ عَلَيْكِ أَرْبَعَةُ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرٌ قَالَتْ سُبَيْعَةُ فَلَمَّا قَالَ لِي ذَلِكَ جَمَعْتُ عَلَىَّ ثِيَابِي حِينَ أَمْسَيْتُ فَأَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَسَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَأَفْتَانِي بِأَنِّي قَدْ حَلَلْتُ حِينَ وَضَعْتُ حَمْلِي وَأَمَرَنِي بِالتَّزْوِيجِ إِنْ بَدَا لِي قَالَ ابْنُ شِهَابٍ وَلاَ أَرَى بَأْسًا أَنْ تَتَزَوَّجَ حِينَ وَضَعَتْ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ فِي دَمِهَا غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ لاَ يَقْرَبُهَا زَوْجُهَا حَتَّى تَطْهُرَ  

I can invoke the curse of Allah on anyone who wishes: The smaller surat an-Nisa (i.e. Surat at-Talaq) was revealed after the verse regarding the waiting period of four months and ten days had been revealed.  

مَنْ شَاءَ لاَعَنْتُهُ لأُنْزِلَتْ سُورَةُ النِّسَاءِ الْقُصْرَى بَعْدَ الأَرْبَعَةِ الأَشْهُرِ وَعَشْرًا