Barirah mawla Aisha

Barirah mawla Aisha (Arabic: بريرة مولى عائشة) was a 7th century Arab slave-girl who belonged to Utbah ibn Abu Lahab. She was forced to marry another slave whose name was Mughith, somebody she did not approve of. She had a child with him. Aisha took pity on her and bought her and set her free. When the young woman was free and in control of her own affairs, she divorced him. Mughith used to follow her, weeping, whilst she rejected him.

Sahih Bukhari quotes Ibn Abbas:

"Barirah's husband was a slave, who was known as Mughith. I can almost see him, running after her and crying, with tears running down onto his beard. The Prophet said to `Abbas, `O `Abbas, do you not find it strange, how much Mugith loves Barirah, and how much Barirah hates Mughith?' The Prophet said (to Barirah), `Why do you not go back to him?' She said, `O Messenger of Allah, are you commanding me to do so?' He said, `I am merely trying to intervene on his behalf.' She said, `I have no need of him.'"

Muslims note here that when she asked if it was a commandment, obligatory to follow, Muhammad said that he simply was merely trying to intercede and bring about reconciliation if possible; he was not trying to force anybody to do something they did not wish to. See also Talaq.