This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Rabi' b. Sabra that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) forbade to contract temporary marriage with women at the time of Victory, and that his father had contracted the marriage for two red cloaks.
The Prohibition of Mut'ah Marriage
This narration from Sahih Muslim (1406j) addresses the practice of temporary marriage (mut'ah), which was permitted in early Islam but subsequently abrogated. The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) explicitly forbade this practice during the Conquest of Mecca, establishing its impermissibility for all subsequent generations of Muslims.
Historical Context and Abrogation
The mention of "two red cloaks" as dowry illustrates the temporary nature of such unions, where minimal mahr was given for a fixed duration. This practice differed fundamentally from permanent marriage (nikah), which requires proper maintenance, inheritance rights, and waiting periods.
Scholars unanimously agree that temporary marriage remains forbidden based on this and other authentic narrations. The prohibition was absolute and not limited to specific circumstances, as evidenced by the Prophet's declaration during a major historical event.
Legal Implications
This hadith establishes that any marriage must be contracted with the intention of permanence, proper financial support, and the establishment of family ties. Temporary arrangements undermine the sacred purposes of marriage in Islam, which include tranquility, affection, mercy, and procreation within stable family structures.