Sunan Ibn Majah
The Chapters on Marriage
كتاب النكاح
Chapter 16
النَّهْىِ عَنِ الشِّغَارِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Anas ibn Malik said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘There is no shighar in Islam.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
Shighar is a form of exchange marriage described in related reports.
Chapter 17
صَدَاقِ النِّسَاءِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Salamah said: I asked Aishah how much bridal dower the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) received. She said, ‘His dower to his wives was twelve uqiyyahs and a nash. Do you know what a nash is? It is half an uqiyyah. That amounts to five hundred dirhams.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
An uqiyyah and a nash are measures of weight; the report itself gives the total in dirhams.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu al-Ajfa al-Sulami reported that Umar ibn al-Khattab said: ‘Do not make women’s bridal dowers excessive. If a large dower were an honor in this world or a sign of mindfulness of Allah, Muhammad (ﷺ) would have been the most entitled and deserving of it. He did not give any of his wives, nor was any of his daughters given, more than twelve uqiyyahs. A man may make his wife’s dower so burdensome that resentment toward her takes root in him, and he says, “I have put myself to great trouble for you—ʿalaq al-qirbah, or ʿaraq al-qirbah.”’ The narrator said: ‘I was an Arab muwallad, and I do not know what ʿalaq al-qirbah or ʿaraq al-qirbah means.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The report gives two variant expressions, ʿalaq al-qirbah and ʿaraq al-qirbah, and the narrator says he does not know their meaning.
قَالَ قَالَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ لاَ تُغَالُوا صَدَاقَ النِّسَاءِ فَإِنَّهَا لَوْ كَانَتْ مَكْرُمَةً فِي الدُّنْيَا أَوْ تَقْوًى عِنْدَ اللَّهِ كَانَ أَوْلاَكُمْ وَأَحَقَّكُمْ بِهَا مُحَمَّدٌ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ مَا أَصْدَقَ امْرَأَةً مِنْ نِسَائِهِ وَلاَ أُصْدِقَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنْ بَنَاتِهِ أَكْثَرَ مِنِ اثْنَتَىْ عَشْرَةَ أُوقِيَّةً وَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيُثَقِّلُ صَدَقَةَ امْرَأَتِهِ حَتَّى يَكُونَ لَهَا عَدَاوَةٌ فِي نَفْسِهِ وَيَقُولُ قَدْ كَلِفْتُ إِلَيْكِ عَلَقَ الْقِرْبَةِ أَوْ عَرَقَ الْقِرْبَةِ .
The two expressions ʿalaq al-qirbah and ʿaraq al-qirbah are explicitly uncertain in the report, and the narrator says he does not know their meaning.
What do the variant expressions mean in this context?
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
A man from Banu Fazara married for a dower of two sandals, and the Prophet (ﷺ) approved his marriage.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
A woman came to the Prophet (ﷺ), and he asked, ‘Who will marry her?’ A man said, ‘I will.’ The Prophet told him, ‘Give her something, even an iron ring.’ The man said, ‘I have nothing with me.’ He said, ‘I marry her to you for what you know of the Qur’an.’
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
The Prophet (ﷺ) married Aishah for household goods valued at fifty dirhams.
Chapter 18
الرَّجُلِ يَتَزَوَّجُ وَلاَ يَفْرِضُ لَهَا فَيَمُوتُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abdullah was asked about a man who married a woman, then died before consummating the marriage and without specifying a bridal dower. He said, ‘She is entitled to a bridal dower and inheritance, and she must observe the waiting period.’ Ma‘qil ibn Sinan al-Ashja‘i said, ‘I witnessed the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) rule the same way in the case of Barwa‘ bint Washiq.’ A second chain reports the same account.
Chapter 19
خُطْبَةِ النِّكَاحِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was given comprehensive expressions of goodness and its conclusions—or, he said, its beginnings. He taught us the opening words for prayer and the address for a need. The opening for prayer is: ‘All greetings, prayers, and pure words belong to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and Allah’s mercy and blessings. Peace be upon us and Allah’s righteous servants. I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.’
The address for a need is: ‘Praise belongs to Allah. We praise Him, seek His help and forgiveness, and seek refuge in Allah from the evils within ourselves and the consequences of our bad deeds. Whoever Allah guides, none can lead astray; and whoever He leads astray, none can guide. I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah alone, without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.’ Then join your address with three verses from the Book of Allah: ‘O you who believe, be mindful of Allah as He should be feared’ [to the end of the verse]; ‘Be mindful of Allah, in whose name you ask one another, and of the ties of kinship’ [to the end of the verse]; and ‘Be mindful of Allah and speak words of integrity; He will set your deeds right for you and forgive your sins’ [to the end of the verse].
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The report gives a variant: ‘the conclusions of goodness’ or ‘the beginnings of goodness.’ The quoted Qur’anic passages are abbreviated in the source with ‘to the end of the verse.’
قَالَ أُوتِيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ جَوَامِعَ الْخَيْرِ وَخَوَاتِمَهُ - أَوْ قَالَ فَوَاتِحَ الْخَيْرِ - فَعَلَّمَنَا خُطْبَةَ الصَّلاَةِ وَخُطْبَةَ الْحَاجَةِ خُطْبَةُ الصَّلاَةِ التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللَّهِ الصَّالِحِينَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ .
The report transmits two alternatives, khawatim (conclusions) or fawatih (beginnings) of goodness.
Which variant is intended here?
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Ibn Abbas reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: ‘Praise belongs to Allah. We praise Him, seek His help, and seek refuge in Allah from the evils within ourselves and the consequences of our bad deeds. Whoever Allah guides, none can lead astray; and whoever He leads astray, none can guide. I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah alone, without partner, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. To proceed: …’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The report ends with amma ba‘d (‘to proceed’), introducing what follows.
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: ‘Every important matter that is not begun with praise of Allah is cut off.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The word abtar literally means cut off; the report does not specify whether this means deficient, deprived of blessing, or an outcome of another kind.
قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " كُلُّ أَمْرٍ ذِي بَالٍ لاَ يُبْدَأُ فِيهِ بِالْحَمْدِ أَقْطَعُ " .
The word abtar (‘cut off’) is figurative here, and the precise consequence is not specified.
Should the phrase be rendered literally as ‘cut off’ or interpreted as ‘deficient’ or ‘deprived of blessing’?
Chapter 20
إِعْلاَنِ النِّكَاحِ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Aishah reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: ‘Announce this marriage publicly, and beat the sieve for it.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The source names a sieve as the object to be struck; it is retained literally.
عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ " أَعْلِنُوا هَذَا النِّكَاحَ وَاضْرِبُوا عَلَيْهِ بِالْغِرْبَالِ " .
The source literally says to beat a sieve for the marriage; its exact function as a sound-making instrument is not explained.
Should al-ghirbal be retained as ‘sieve’ or rendered as a wedding percussion instrument?
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: ‘The distinction between what is lawful and what is unlawful is the tambourine and sound at a marriage.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " فَصْلُ مَا بَيْنَ الْحَلاَلِ وَالْحَرَامِ الدُّفُّ وَالصَّوْتُ فِي النِّكَاحِ " .
The report says al-duff (‘tambourine’) and al-sawt (‘sound/voice’) at marriage without specifying the precise form of the sound.
Should al-sawt be rendered as singing, announcement, or simply sound?
Chapter 21
الْغِنَاءِ وَالدُّفِّ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Khalid al-Madani said: We were in Medina on the day of Ashura, while young women were beating tambourines and singing. We went to al-Rubayyi‘ bint Mu‘awwidh and told her about it. She said, ‘The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to me on the morning after my wedding, while two young women with me were singing and lamenting my fathers who had been killed at Badr. Among what they said was: “Among us is a Prophet who knows what will happen tomorrow.”’ He said, ‘As for that, do not say it. No one knows what will happen tomorrow except Allah.’
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Aishah said: Abu Bakr came in while two young women of the Ansar were with me, singing verses exchanged by the Ansar on the day of Bu‘ath. They were not professional singers. Abu Bakr said, ‘The flute of Satan in the house of the Prophet (ﷺ)?’ This was on the day of Eid al-Fitr. The Prophet said, ‘Abu Bakr, every people has a festival, and this is our festival.’
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Anas ibn Malik reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) passed through part of Medina and saw young women beating their tambourines and singing: ‘We are young women of Banu Najjar; how excellent Muhammad is as a neighbor!’ The Prophet said, ‘Allah knows that I love you.’
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Ibn Abbas reported that Aishah arranged the marriage of a female relative of hers from the Ansar. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came and asked, ‘Did you escort the young woman to her husband?’ They said, ‘Yes.’ He asked, ‘Did you send someone to sing with her?’ She said, ‘No.’ The Messenger of Allah said, ‘The Ansar are a people with a fondness for love poetry. If only you had sent someone with her to sing, “We have come to you, we have come to you; may you greet us, and may we greet you.”’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " إِنَّ الأَنْصَارَ قَوْمٌ فِيهِمْ غَزَلٌ فَلَوْ بَعَثْتُمْ مَعَهَا مَنْ يَقُولُ أَتَيْنَاكُمْ أَتَيْنَاكُمْ فَحَيَّانَا وَحَيَّاكُمْ " .
The wedding refrain fa-hayyana wa-hayyākum is a greeting formula with unclear precise nuance in this context.
Should the refrain be rendered as ‘may you greet us and we greet you’ or as a conventional welcome blessing?
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Mujahid said: I was with Ibn Umar when he heard the sound of a drum. He put his fingers in his ears and moved away, repeating this three times. Then he said, ‘This is what the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did.’
Chapter 22
فِي الْمُخَنَّثِينَ
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Zaynab bint Umm Salamah reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) came to her mother, Umm Salamah, and heard an effeminate man saying to Abdullah ibn Abi Umayyah, ‘If Allah grants victory at Taif tomorrow, I will point you to a woman who comes forward with four and turns away with eight.’ The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, ‘Expel him from your homes.’
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The description ‘comes forward with four and turns away with eight’ is preserved literally; its intended physical meaning is not made explicit in the report.
أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا فَسَمِعَ مُخَنَّثًا وَهُوَ يَقُولُ لِعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي أُمَيَّةَ إِنْ يَفْتَحِ اللَّهُ الطَّائِفَ غَدًا دَلَلْتُكَ عَلَى امْرَأَةٍ تُقْبِلُ بِأَرْبَعٍ وَتُدْبِرُ بِثَمَانٍ .
The expression tuqbilu bi-arba‘ wa-tudbiru bi-thaman (‘comes forward with four and turns away with eight’) is a figurative physical description whose exact meaning is unclear.
What physical features are being described by ‘four’ and ‘eight’?
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) invoked a curse upon a woman who imitates men and a man who imitates women.
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Ibn Abbas reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) invoked a curse upon men who imitate women and women who imitate men.