Sunan Ibn Majah
The Chapters on Marriage
كتاب النكاح
Chapter 1
مَا جَاءَ فِي فَضْلِ النِّكَاحِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abdullah ibn Amir ibn Zurarah narrated to us; Ali ibn Mushir narrated to us, from al-A‘mash, from Ibrahim, from Alqamah ibn Qays, who said: I was with Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud at Mina. Uthman drew him aside, and I sat close by. Uthman said to him, ‘Would you like me to arrange for you to marry a young virgin who will remind you of some of what has passed of your own life?’ When Abdullah saw that he had no need beyond this, he gestured to me with his hand, so I came. He was saying, ‘If you say that, then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did say: “O young men, whoever among you is able to marry, let him marry, for it is more effective in lowering the gaze and guarding the private parts. Whoever cannot, let him fast, for fasting is like castration for him.”’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The phrase about Abdullah having no need beyond this is kept close to the source; its subject and intended implication are not fully explicit.
قَالَ كُنْتُ مَعَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ بِمِنًى فَخَلاَ بِهِ عُثْمَانُ فَجَلَسْتُ قَرِيبًا مِنْهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ عُثْمَانُ هَلْ لَكَ أَنْ أُزَوِّجَكَ جَارِيَةً بِكْرًا تُذَكِّرُكَ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ بَعْضَ مَا قَدْ مَضَى فَلَمَّا رَأَى عَبْدُ اللَّهِ أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ لَهُ حَاجَةٌ سِوَى هَذَا أَشَارَ إِلَىَّ بِيَدِهِ فَجِئْتُ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ لَئِنْ قُلْتَ ذَلِكَ لَقَدْ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " يَا مَعْشَرَ الشَّبَابِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ مِنْكُمُ الْبَاءَةَ فَلْيَتَزَوَّجْ فَإِنَّهُ أَغَضُّ لِلْبَصَرِ وَأَحْصَنُ لِلْفَرْجِ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَعَلَيْهِ بِالصَّوْمِ فَإِنَّهُ لَهُ وِجَاءٌ " .
The clause ‘when Abdullah saw that he had no need except this’ does not make fully clear whether it refers to Uthman’s purpose or Abdullah’s need, or what the demonstrative ‘this’ denotes.
How should the subject and demonstrative in this clause be understood?
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Ahmad ibn al-Azhar narrated to us; Adam narrated to us; Isa ibn Maymun narrated to us, from al-Qasim, from Aishah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Marriage is part of my sunnah. Whoever does not follow my sunnah is not of me. Marry, for I will take pride in your numbers among the nations. Whoever has the means should marry, and whoever does not find the means should fast, for fasting is like castration for him.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The source uses ‘fasting is like castration’ as a metaphor for restraint.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Muhammad ibn Yahya narrated to us; Sa‘id ibn Sulayman narrated to us; Muhammad ibn Muslim narrated to us; Ibrahim ibn Maysarah narrated to us, from Tawus, from Ibn Abbas, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘We have not seen anything like marriage for two people who love one another.’
Chapter 2
النَّهْىِ عَنِ التَّبَتُّلِ
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Abu Marwan Muhammad ibn Uthman al-Uthmani narrated to us; Ibrahim ibn Sa‘d narrated to us, from al-Zuhri, from Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyab, from Sa‘d, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) rejected Uthman ibn Maz‘un’s renunciation of marriage. Had he permitted him, we would have castrated ourselves.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
Tabattul is rendered as renunciation of marriage; the source does not specify any particular form of celibacy.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Bishr ibn Adam and Zayd ibn Akhzam narrated to us; they said: Mu‘adh ibn Hisham narrated to us; my father narrated to us, from Qatadah, from al-Hasan, from Samurah, that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade renunciation of marriage. Zayd ibn Akhzam added: Qatadah recited, ‘We sent messengers before you and made for them spouses and offspring.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The Quranic quotation is partial, as it is in the source.
Chapter 3
حَقِّ الْمَرْأَةِ عَلَى الزَّوْجِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to us; Yazid ibn Harun narrated to us, from Shu‘bah, from Abu Qaza‘ah, from Hakim ibn Mu‘awiyah, from his father, that a man asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), ‘What right does a wife have over her husband?’ He said: ‘He should feed her when he eats and clothe her when he dresses. He should not strike her face, call her ugly, or abandon her except within the home.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The Arabic uses a verb from the root for ugliness; ‘call her ugly’ preserves that wording directly.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to us; al-Husayn ibn Ali narrated to us, from Za’idah, from Shabib ibn Gharqadah al-Bariqi, from Sulayman ibn Amr ibn al-Ahwas, who narrated to me that his father witnessed the Farewell Pilgrimage with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). He praised Allah, extolled Him, reminded the people, and admonished them. Then he said: ‘Treat women well, for they are like captives in your care. You have no authority over them beyond that, except if they commit a manifest indecency. If they do, then leave them in their beds and strike them without severity. If they obey you, do not pursue any course against them. You have rights over your women, and your women have rights over you.’
‘As for your right over your women: they should not allow onto your beds those whom you dislike, nor admit into your homes those whom you dislike. Their right over you is that you treat them well in their clothing and food.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The source uses the term ‘captives’ (ʿawān) for women in the husband’s care and specifies that any striking be non-severe; both expressions are kept close to the Arabic.
Chapter 4
حَقِّ الزَّوْجِ عَلَى الْمَرْأَةِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to us; Affan narrated to us; Hammad ibn Salamah narrated to us, from Ali ibn Zayd ibn Jud‘an, from Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyab, from Aishah, that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘If I were to command anyone to prostrate before another, I would command a woman to prostrate before her husband. Even if a man ordered a woman to move from a red mountain to a black mountain, and from a black mountain to a red mountain, it would be her duty to do so.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The final phrase is rendered ‘her duty’; the source uses the less common term nawl for what is due or owed.
أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ " لَوْ أَمَرْتُ أَحَدًا أَنْ يَسْجُدَ لأَحَدٍ لأَمَرْتُ الْمَرْأَةَ أَنْ تَسْجُدَ لِزَوْجِهَا وَلَوْ أَنَّ رَجُلاً أَمَرَ امْرَأَةً أَنْ تَنْقُلَ مِنْ جَبَلٍ أَحْمَرَ إِلَى جَبَلٍ أَسْوَدَ وَمِنْ جَبَلٍ أَسْوَدَ إِلَى جَبَلٍ أَحْمَرَ - لَكَانَ نَوْلُهَا أَنْ تَفْعَلَ " .
The term nawl in the final clause is uncommon and can denote what is due or owed; the intended force in this hypothetical is not explicit.
Should nawl here be understood as a duty, an entitlement, or another sense of what is due?
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Azhar ibn Marwan narrated to us; Hammad ibn Zayd narrated to us, from Ayyub, from al-Qasim al-Shaybani, from Abdullah ibn Abi Awfa, who said: When Mu‘adh returned from Syria, he prostrated to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). He said, ‘What is this, Mu‘adh?’ Mu‘adh said, ‘I came to Syria and found them prostrating to their bishops and dignitaries. I wished in my heart that we might do that to you.’ The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Do not do that. If I were to command anyone to prostrate to anyone other than Allah, I would command a woman to prostrate to her husband. By Him in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, a woman does not fulfill her Lord’s right until she fulfills her husband’s right. Even if he asks her for herself while she is on a camel saddle, she should not refuse him.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
‘Asks her for herself’ preserves the source’s euphemistic expression for a husband seeking sexual relations; ‘on a camel saddle’ is retained literally.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to us; Muhammad ibn Fudayl narrated to us, from Abu Nasr Abdullah ibn Abd al-Rahman, from Musawir al-Himyari, from his mother, who said: I heard Umm Salamah say: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: ‘Any woman who dies while her husband is pleased with her will enter Paradise.’
Chapter 5
فَضْلِ النِّسَاءِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘This world is only temporary enjoyment, and nothing in this world is better than a righteous wife.’
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
When the verses concerning silver and gold were revealed, the people asked, ‘What wealth should we acquire?’ Umar said, ‘I will find that out for you.’ He urged his camel on and caught up with the Prophet (ﷺ), while I followed behind him. He said, ‘Messenger of Allah, what wealth should we acquire?’ He replied, ‘Let each of you acquire a grateful heart, a tongue that remembers Allah, and a believing wife who helps him with the affairs of the Hereafter.’
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
The Prophet (ﷺ) used to say: ‘After mindfulness of Allah, a believer gains nothing better than a righteous wife: if he commands her, she obeys him; if he looks at her, she brings him joy; if he swears an oath concerning her, she fulfills it; and if he is away from her, she is sincere toward him with regard to herself and his property.’
Chapter 6
تَزْوِيجِ ذَوَاتِ الدِّينِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘A woman is married for four things: her wealth, her family standing, her beauty, and her religious commitment. So choose the one with religious commitment; may your hands be rubbed with dust.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The closing phrase is an idiomatic exhortation urging the listener to choose well; rendered literally to preserve its wording.
فَاظْفَرْ بِذَاتِ الدِّينِ تَرِبَتْ يَدَاكَ " .
The closing expression ‘taribat yadak’ is an idiom whose force is not straightforwardly literal.
Should the idiom be rendered with an English equivalent rather than literally?
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Do not marry women for their beauty, for their beauty may bring them ruin; and do not marry them for their wealth, for their wealth may lead them to transgress. Rather, marry them for their religious commitment. A black enslaved woman with a pierced nose who has religious commitment is better.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The adjective kharmāʾ describes a physical feature of the nose; ‘pierced’ is a cautious rendering.
قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " لاَ تَزَوَّجُوا النِّسَاءَ لِحُسْنِهِنَّ فَعَسَى حُسْنُهُنَّ أَنْ يُرْدِيَهُنَّ وَلاَ تَزَوَّجُوهُنَّ لأَمْوَالِهِنَّ فَعَسَى أَمْوَالُهُنَّ أَنْ تُطْغِيَهُنَّ وَلَكِنْ تَزَوَّجُوهُنَّ عَلَى الدِّينِ وَلأَمَةٌ خَرْمَاءُ سَوْدَاءُ ذَاتُ دِينٍ أَفْضَلُ " .
The exact physical feature denoted by kharmāʾ is not clear from this source text alone.
Should kharmāʾ be rendered as ‘pierced-nosed’ or left transliterated?
Chapter 7
تَزْوِيجِ الأَبْكَارِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Jabir ibn Abdullah said: I married a woman during the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). I met the Messenger of Allah and he asked, ‘Have you married, Jabir?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ He asked, ‘A virgin or a previously married woman?’ I said, ‘A previously married woman.’ He said, ‘Why not a virgin, so that you could play with her?’ I replied, ‘I have sisters, and I feared that she would come between me and them.’ He said, ‘Then that is the reason.’
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Choose virgins, for they have sweeter mouths, are more fertile, and are more content with little.’
Chapter 8
تَزْوِيجِ الْحَرَائِرِ وَالْوَلُودِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Anas ibn Malik said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: ‘Whoever wishes to meet Allah pure and purified should marry free women.’
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Marry, for I shall take pride in your great number.’
Chapter 9
النَّظَرِ إِلَى الْمَرْأَةِ إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَتَزَوَّجَهَا
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Muhammad ibn Maslamah said: I proposed to a woman and kept hiding from her until I saw her in her palm grove. Someone said to him, ‘You do this, even though you are a Companion of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)?’ He replied, ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah say: “If Allah places in a man’s heart the intention to propose to a woman, there is no harm in his looking at her.”’