The Book of Marriage

كتاب النكاح

Chapter 4: Prohibition of Celibacy

Narrated Abu Salamah

It was narrated from Abu Salamah that Abu Hurairah said: "I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I am a young man and I fear hardship for myself, but I cannot afford to marry; should I castrate myself?'" The Prophet turned away from him until he said it three times. Then the Prophet said: "O Abu Hurairah, the pen is dried concerning what you are going to face, so (it is up to you whether) you castrate yourself or not." Abu Abdur-Rahman (An-Nasai) said: Al-Awzai did not hear this narration from Az-Zuhri, and this hadith is sahih, Yunus reported it from Az-Zuhri.

Narrated Sa'd bin Hisham

It was narrated from Sa'd bin Hisham that he came to the Mother of the Believers, 'Aishah. He said: "I want to ask you about celibacy, what do you think about it?" She said: "Do not do that; have you not heard that Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, says: 'And indeed We sent Messengers before you, and made for them wives and offspring'? So do not be celibate."

Narrated Anas

It was narrated from Anas that there was a group of the Companions of the Prophet, one of whom said: "I will not marry women." Another said: "I will not eat meat." Another said: "I will not sleep on a bed." Another said: "I will fast and not break my fast." News of that reached the Messenger of Allah and he praised Allah then said: "What is the matter with people who say such and such? But I pray and I sleep, I fast and I break my fast, and I marry women. Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not of me."

Chapter 5: Allah Will Help the One Who Marries, Seeking To Keep Himself Chaste

Narrated Abu Hurairah

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah said: "There are three who are promised the help of Allah: The Mukatab who wants to buy his freedom, the one who gets married seeking to keep himself chaste, and the Mujahid who fights in the cause of Allah."*Mukatab: the slave who has made a contract of manumission.

Chapter 6: Marrying Virgins

Narrated Jabir

It was narrated that Jabir said: "I got married then I came to the Prophet and he said: 'Have you got married, O Jabir?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'To a virgin or to a previously married woman?' I said: 'To a previously married woman.' He said: 'Why not a virgin, so you could play with her and she could play with you?'"

Narrated Jabir

It was narrated that Jabir said: "The Messenger of Allah met me and said: 'O Jabir, have you got married to a woman since I last saw you?' I said: 'Yes, O Messenger of Allah.' He said: 'To a virgin or to a previously-married woman?' I said: 'To a previously-married woman.' He said: 'Why not a virgin, so she could play with you?'"

Chapter 7: A Woman Marrying Someone Who Is Similar In Age to Her

Narrated 'Abdullah bin Buraidah

It was narrated from 'Abdullah bin Buraidah that his father said: "Abu Bakr and 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, proposed marriage to Fatimah but the Messenger of Allah said: 'She is young.' Then 'Ali proposed marriage to her and he married her to him."

Chapter 8: A Freed Slave Marrying An Arab Woman

Narrated 'Ubaidullah bin 'Abdullah bin 'Utbah

It was narrated from 'Ubaidullah bin 'Abdullah bin 'Utbah that during the reign of Marwan, 'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin 'Uthman, who was a young man, issued a final divorce to the daughter of Sa'eed bin Zaid, whose mother was Bint Qais. Her maternal aunt, Fatimah bint Qais, sent word to her telling her to move from the house of 'Abdullah bin 'Amr. Marwan heard of that and he sent word to the daughter of Sa'eed, telling her to go back to her home, and asking her why she had moved from her home before her 'Iddah was over? She sent word to him telling him that her maternal aunt had told her to do that. Fatimah bint Qais said that she had been married to Abu 'Amr bin Hafs, and when the Messenger of Allah appointed 'Ali bin Abi Talib as governor of Yemen, he went out with him and sent word to her that she was divorced with the third Talaq. He told Al-Harith bin Hisham and 'Ayyash bin Abi Rai'ah to spend on her. She sent word to Al-Harith and 'Ayyash asking them what her husband had told them to spend on her, and they said: 'By Allah, she has no right to any maintenance from us, unless she is pregnant, and she cannot come into our home without our permission.' She said that she came to the Messenger of Allah and told him about that, and he stated that they were correct. Fatimah said: 'Where should I move to, O Messenger of Allah?' He said: 'Move to the home of Ibn Umm Maktum, the blind man whom Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, named in His Book.' Fatimah said: 'So I observed my 'Iddah there. He was a man who has lost his sight, so I used to take off my garments in his house, until the Messenger of Allah married me to Usamah bin Zaid.' Marwan criticized her for that and said: 'I have never heard this Hadith from anyone before you. I will continue to follow the ruling that the people have been following.'"

Narrated 'Aishah

It was narrated from 'Aishah that Abu Hudhaifah bin 'Utbah bin Rabi'ah bin 'Abd Shams --who was one of those who had been present at Badr with the Messenger of Allah-- adopted Salim and married him to his brother's daughter, Hind bint Al-Walid bin 'Utbah bin Rabi'ah bin 'Abd Shams, and he was a freed slave of an Ansari woman --as the Messenger of Allah had adopted Zaid. During the Jahiliyyah, if a man adopted someone, the people would call him his son, and he would inherit from his legacy, until Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, revealed about that: 'Call them by (the names of) their fathers, that is more just with Allah. But if you know not their fathers' (names, call them) your brothers in Faith and Mawalikum (your freed slaves)." Then if a person's father's name was not known, he would be their freed slave and brother in faith.

Narrated 'Aishah

It was narrated from 'Aishah the wife of the Prophet, and Umm Salamah the wife of the Prophet that Abu Hudhaifah bin 'Utbah bin Rabi'ah bin Abd Shams --who was one of those who had been present at Badr with the Messenger of Allah-- adopted Salim --who was the freed slave of an Ansari woman-- as the Messenger of Allah had adopted Zaid bin Harithah. Abu Hudhaifah bin 'Utbah married Salim to his brother's daughter Hind bint Al-Walid bin 'Utbah bin Rabi'ah. Hind bint Al-Walid bin 'Utbah was one of the first Muhajir women, and at that time she was one of the best single women of the Quraish. When Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, revealed the following concerning Zaid bin Harithah: "Call them by (the names of) their fathers, that is more just with Allah. But if you know not their fathers' (names, call them) your brothers in Faith and Mawalikum (your freed slaves).' Each of them went back to being called after his father, and if a person's father was unknown, he was named after his former masters.

Chapter 9: Nobility

Narrated Ibn Buraidah

It was narrated from Ibn Buraidah that his father said: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'The nobility of the people of this world, that which they (always) go to, is wealth.'"

Chapter 10: For What Should A Woman Be Married?

Narrated Jabir

It was narrated from Jabir that he married a woman at the time of the Messenger of Allah, and the Prophet met him and said: "Have you got married, O Jabir?" He said: 'Yes.' He said: 'A virgin or a previously-married woman?' I said: 'A previously-married woman.' He said: 'Why not a virgin who would play with you?' I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I have sisters, and I did not want her to come between them and I.' He said: 'That's better then. A woman may be married for her religious commitment, her wealth or her beauty. You should choose the one who is religiously committed, may your hands be rubbed with dust (may you prosper).'"

Chapter 11: It Is Disliked To Marry One Who Is Infertile

Narrated Ma'qil bin Yasar

It was narrated that Ma'qil bin Yasar said: "A man came to the Messenger of Allah and said: 'I have found a woman who is from a good family and of good status, but she does not bear children, should I marry her?' He told him not to. Then he came to him a second time and he told him not to (marry her). Then he came to him a third time and he told him not to (marry her), then he said: 'Marry the one who is fertile and loving, for I will boast of your great numbers.'"

Chapter 12: Marrying An Adulteress

Narrated 'Amr bin Shu'aib

It was narrated from 'Amr bin Shu'aib, from his father, from his grandfather, that Marthad bin Abi Marthad Al-Ghanawi --a strong man who used to take the prisoners from Makkah to Al-Madinah-- said: "I arranged with a man to bring him (from Makkah to Al-Madinah). There was a prostitute in Makkah who was called 'Anaq, and she was his friend. She came out and saw my shadow on the wall, and said: 'Who is this? Marthad? Welcome, O Marthad, come tonight and stay at our place.' I said: 'O 'Anaq, the Messenger of Allah has forbidden adultery.' She said: 'O people of the tents, this porcupine is the one who is taking your prisoners from Makkah to Al-Madinah!' I headed toward (the mountain of) Al-Khandamah, and eight men came after me. They came and stood over my head, and they urinated, and their urine reached me, but Allah caused them not to see me. Then I went to my companion (the prisoner) and brought him to Al-Arak, where I undid his fetters. Then I came to the Messenger of Allah and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, shall I marry 'Anaq?' He remained silent and did not answer me, then the following was revealed: 'And the adulteress-fornicator, none marries her except an adulterer-fornicator or an idolater.' He called me and recited them to me and said: 'Do not marry her.'"

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas

It was narrated from Ibn 'Abbas that a man came to the Messenger of Allah and said: "I have a wife who is one of the most beloved of the people to me, but she does not object if anyone touches her." He said: "Divorce her." He said: "I cannot do without her." He said: "Then stay with her as much as you need to."

Chapter 13: The Prohibition of Marrying Adulteresses

Narrated Abu Hurairah

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet said: "Women are married for four things: their wealth, their nobility, their beauty and their religious commitment. Choose the one who is religiously committed, may your hands be rubbed with dust."

Chapter 14: Which Woman Is Best?

Narrated Abu Hurairah

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: "It was said to the Messenger of Allah: 'Which woman is best?' He said: 'The one who makes him happy when he looks at her, obeys him when he commands her, and she does not go against his wishes with regard to herself nor her wealth.'"

Chapter 15: The Righteous Woman

Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Al-'As

It was narrated from 'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Al-'As that the Messenger of Allah said: "This world is all temporary conveniences, and the best temporary convenience of this world is a righteous woman."

Chapter 16: The Jealous Woman

Narrated Anas

It was narrated from Anas that they said: "O Messenger of Allah, why don't you marry a woman from the Ansar?" He said: "They are very jealous."

Chapter 17: It Is Permissible To Look Before Marriage

Narrated Abu Hurairah

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: "A man proposed to a woman from among the Ansar and the Messenger of Allah said to him: 'Have you seen her?' He said: 'No.' So he told him to look at her."