Why did the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, keep away from his wives for a month?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ʻalayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger. 

It has been authentically reported that the Prophet, sallallaahu ʻalayhi wa sallam, kept away from his wives for a month. Ibn ʻAbbaas narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ʻalayhi wa sallam, said, “I will not enter upon them for a month.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] The version cited in Saheeh Muslim reads, “...because he was so upset with them...”

As for the reason why the Prophet, sallallaahu ʻalayhi wa sallam, was angry with his wives, different views were reported in this regard. It has been narrated that it was because Hafsah disclosed a secret that the Prophet, sallallaahu ʻalayhi wa sallam, asked her to keep to 'Aa’isha'. It has been reported in Saheeh Al-Bukhari that “When Hafsah disclosed that incident to ʻAa'ishah, the Prophet, sallallaahu ʻalayhi wa sallam, said, ʻI will not enter upon them for a month.’” Some scholars advised that the secret that Hafsah disclosed to ʻAa'ishah was the famous incident of the honey cited in Saheeh Al-Bukhari and Saheeh Muslim. Others held that it was because the Prophet, sallallaahu ʻalayhi wa sallam, had intimate relations with his slave woman Maariyah at the house of Hafsah. This was narrated on the authority of Al-Bayhaqi, Ad-Daaraqutni, and At-Tabarani in his books Al-Muʻjam Al-Awsat and Al-Muʻjam Al-Kabeer.

Others said that it was because they demanded too much provision from him. Al-Haafith Ibn Hajar wrote:

“It is possible that all these reasons combined led the Prophet, sallallaahu ʻalayhi wa sallam, to keep away from his wives for a month. This is more becoming of the refined manners and forbearance of the Prophet, sallallaahu ʻalayhi wa sallam, for he was known for being forgiving and would not have deserted his wives until they did what would entail such discipline in more than one occasion. May Allaah confer peace and blessings on the Prophet and be pleased with them...” [Fat-h Al-Baari]

Allaah knows best.