The prophet sent a man named MARSAD to Mecca on an assignment. There he met with a beautiful woman whom he knew her from the Pagan Era. The woman invited him for love, but he refused to accept. The lady asked him to marry her, but this request of her was also rejected. Marsad told her that for that purpose he has to consult with the prophet. When he asked for the prophet's advice concerning the matter, this verse (221) revealed saying: ``Do not marry polytheist women (and idolateress) until they believe and convert.''

      Then in a comparison the verse adds: ``A believing slave girl is better than a polytheist free woman even though she allures you by her beauty, wealth, or some other qualifications.'' Therefore the aim of marriage lays not only in sexual affairs. A wife is supposed to be the partner of her husband for life. She is to be the tutor and guardian of his children and race. She makes half of the man's personality. How can he or she, then take the polytheism and its inauspicious consequences, in exchange for some temporary beauty and sex?

      A happy and successful marriage can be obtained when spiritual harmony is combined with the physical link: A difference in idea and religion will affect the lives of both sexes, more profoundly than differences of birth, race, language, and social positions. If two persons love each other their outlook in the highest things of life must be the same. Then the verse applies to the opposite phase of the commandment, saying: ``Believer women too should not marry the polytheist until he converts - a believing slave is better than a free man who is a polytheist and idolater, even though his qualifications allure you.''