Muhammad's numerous wives have occasioned a good deal of prurient interest in

the West, but it would be a mistake to imagine the Prophet basking decadently in
sensual delight, like some of the later Islamic rulers. The Quran granted women
inheritance and divorce rights centuries before Western women were granted such
rights. Muhammad and the emigrants from Mecca had no means of earning a
living in Medina. There was not enough land for them to farm, and, in any case,
they were merchants and businessmen, not agriculturalists. Some of the Jews in
smaller clans were friendly and enhanced Muhammad's knowledge of Jewish
scripture. To accommodate the emigrants and enhance relations with their Jewish
allies, Muhammad proclaimed a series of reforms that granted women rights that
had never been granted to them before. He allowed women to own and inherit
property, which enabled them to be self-sufficient and gain financial autonomy.
These reforms shocked both the Arab and Jewish populations, as women had never
been given the same rights and privileges as men before.