Allah has made blind the hearts of some people as He has deprived them of eyesight that they give religious verdict in favour of temporary marriage, while he was alluding to a person (Ibn 'Abbas). Ibn Abbas called him and said: You are an uncouth person, devoid of sense. By my life, Mut'a was practised during the lifetime of the leader of the pious (he meant Allah's Messenger, may peace be upon him), and Ibn Zubair said to him: just do it yourselves, and by Allah, if you do that I will stone you with your stones. Ibn Shihab said. Khalid b. Muhajir b. Saifullah informed me: While I was sitting in the company of a person, a person came to him and he asked for a religious verdict about Mut'a and he permitted him to do it. Ibn Abu 'Amrah al-Ansari (Allah be pleased with him) said to him: Be gentle. It was permitted in- the early days of Islam, (for one) who was driven to it under the stress of necessity just as (the eating of) carrion and the blood and flesh of swine and then Allah intensified (the commands of) His religion and prohibited it (altogether). Ibn Shihab reported: Rabi' b. Sabra told me that his father (Sabra) said: I contracted temporary marriage with a woman of Banu 'Amir for two cloaks during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ; then he forbade us to do Mut'a. Ibn Shihab said: I heard Rabi' b. Sabra narrating it to Umar b. 'Abd al-'Aziz and I was sitting there.
Commentary on Temporary Marriage (Mut'a)
This narration from Sahih Muslim 1406k addresses the controversial matter of temporary marriage, which was permitted during the early Islamic period but subsequently prohibited. The scholars explain that Mut'a was initially allowed during times of necessity, similar to other temporary concessions in Islamic law.
Historical Context and Abrogation
Classical commentators note that temporary marriage was practiced during the Prophet's time but was later forbidden as Islamic legislation became more complete. This follows the pattern of gradual legislation where certain permissions were later revoked as the Muslim community matured.
Ibn Abbas initially held the permissibility based on early practice, but the consensus of scholars later affirmed its prohibition, considering the initial permission as abrogated by subsequent teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Scholarly Perspectives
The majority of classical scholars, including the four Sunni schools of jurisprudence, consider temporary marriage forbidden based on numerous authentic narrations. They interpret the initial permission as a temporary concession during travel or military campaigns.
The strong language used in the narration reflects the seriousness with which the companions regarded religious verdicts that contradicted established Islamic law after its abrogation.