According to the consensus of search-discovered classical Islamic scholarship, the phrase 'except those whom your right hands possess' in Quran 4:24 refers specifically to a legal ruling concerning previously married female captives of war. The universally cited reason for this revelation (Asbab al-Nuzul) is the incident at the Battle of Awtas, as narrated by the companion Abu Sa'id al-Khudri. Classical jurists like Ibn Kathir, Al-Qurtubi, and Al-Tabari explain that capture in a legitimate, state-sanctioned war severs the marriage bond between the captive woman and her combatant husband remaining in enemy territory (Dar al-Harb). This annulment rendered her lawful for her new master after a mandatory waiting period, known as 'istibra', to ensure she was not pregnant. This ruling is understood as a specific component of the classical Islamic laws of war, addressing a particular historical context faced by the early Muslim community. Contemporary scholars emphasize that these rulings are contingent upon their historical and legal framework and are not applicable in modern contexts outside of legitimate warfare as defined by Sharia.