Ibn Abbas said:
“I was ever determined to ask Umar about the two women, among the wives of the Prophet, about whom Allah [the Mighty and Sublime] said: If you two turn in repentance, your hearts are indeed so inclined… until once when Umar performed Hajj, and I performed Hajj along with him. I poured water for his Wudu from a water holder, and I said: ‘O Commander of the Believers! Who are the two women among the wives of the Prophet, about whom Allah said: If your two turn in repentance, you hearts are indeed so inclined?’ He said to me: ‘I am astonished at you O Ibn Abbas!’” – Az-Zubair (one of the narrators) said: “By Allah! He disliked what he asked him, but he did not withhold it from him.” – “He said to me: ‘It was Aishah and Hafsah.’” He said: “Then he began narrating the Hadith to me. He said: ‘We, the people of the Quraish, used to have the upper hand over our women. So when we arrived in Al-Madinah, we found a people whose women had the upper hand over them. Our women began acquiring the habits of their women. One day I became angry with my wife when she started talking back to to me, she said: “What bothers you about that? By Allah! The wives of the Prophet talk back to him, and one of them may stay away from him a whole day until the night?’” “He said: ‘I said to myself: “Whoever among them has done that, then she has thwarted herself and lost.’” “He said: ‘My house was in Al-Awali among those of Banu Umayyah, and I had a neighbor among the Ansar, and he and I would take turns visiting the Messenger of Allah.’ He said: ‘One day I would visit him and bring the news of the Revealation, and other than that, and one day he would visit him and bring the same. We heard stories that Ghassan were preparing their horses to attack us. He said: ‘One day he came to me in the evening and knocked on my door, so I went out to him. He said: “A horrible thing has happened.” I said: “Ghassan has come?” He said: “Worse than that. The Messenger of Allah has divorced his wives.’” He said: ‘I said to myself: “Hafsah has thwarted herself and is a loser! I though this would happen some day.’” He said: ‘After we prayed Subh, I put on my clothes, then went to visit Hafsah. There I found her crying. I said: “Has the Messenger of Allah divorced (all of you)?” She said: “I do not know. He has secluded himself in the upper room.’” He said: ‘So I wen, and came upon a black slave, I said: “Seek permission for Umar.’” He said: ‘So he entered then came out to me. He said: “I mentioned you to him, but he did not say anything.’” He said: ‘So I went to the Masjid. There I found a group of people sitting around the Minhar weeping, so I sat down with them. Then it became too much for me, so I went to the slave and said: “Seek permission for Umar.” He went in, then he came out to me and said: “I mentioned you to him, but he did not say anything.’” He said: ‘So I went to the Masjid again, and sat there until I could not take it any more, and I went back to the slave and said: “Seek permission for Umar.” He went in, then he came out to me and said: “I mentioned you to him but he did not say anything.’” He said: ‘So I turned to leave, when the slave called me back. He said: “Enter for he has given you permission.’” He said: ‘So I entered, and found the Prophet reclining upon a woven mat, and I saw the marks it left on his side. I said: “O Messenger of Allah! Have you divorced your women?” He said: “No.” I said: “Allahu Akbar! IF you only saw us O Messenger of Allah! We the people of the Quraish used to have the upper hand over our women, but when we came to Al-Madinah we found a people whose women had the upper hand over them. Our women began acquiring the habits of their women. One day I became angry with my wife, so when she started talking back to me I rebuked her and she said: ‘What bothers you about that? By Allah! The wives of the Prophet talk back to him, and one of them may stay away from him a whole day until the night?’” He said: “I said to Hafsah: ‘Do you talk back to the Messenger of Allah?’ She said: ‘Yes, and one of us may stay away from him all day until the night.’” He said: “I said: ‘Whoever among them has done that, then she has thwarted herself and lost. So any of you feel so secure against Allah becoming angry with you because of the anger of the Messenger of Allah, then she will be ruined?’ He said: ‘So the Prophet smiled.’ He said: ‘So I said to Hafsah: “Do not talk back to the Messenger of Allah, and don’t ask him for anything. Ask me for whatever you want. And do not be tempted by the behavior of your companions, for she is more beautiful than you, and more loved by the Messenger of Allah.’” He said: ‘So he smiled again, I said: “O Messenger of Allah! May I speak candidily?” He said: “Yes.’” He said: ‘I raised my head and did not see in the house except for three hides. So I said: “O Messenger of Allah! Supplicate to Allah to make your followers prosperous. For verily, He has made the Persians and the Romans prosper, and they do not worship Him.” He then sat up and said: “Do you have some doubts O Ibn Al-Khattab? They are a people whose good has been hastened for them in this world’s life.’” He said: ‘He swore that he would not enter upon his women for a month. So Allah censured him for that, and he made the atonement of an oath.’” Az-Zuhri said: “Urwah informed me that Aishah said: “When twenty-nine days passed, the Prophet entered upon me first, and he said: “O Aishah! I am about to mention something to you, but do not be hasty in reply until you consult your parents.’” She said: ‘Then he recited this Ayah: “O Prophet! Say to your wives.” She said: ‘I knew by Allah! That my parents would not tell me to part with him.’ She said: ‘I said: “Is it about this that I should consult with my parents? Indeed I want Allah and His Messenger and the abode of the Hereafter.” Ma’mar (one of the narrators) said: “Ayyub informed me that Aishah said to him: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Do not inform your wives that I chose you.’ So the Prophet said: ‘Allah send me only as one who conveys (Muballigh), He did not send me as one causing hardship.’”