The Book of Marriage
كتاب النكاح
Chapter 62: Marriage For Surahs Of The Qur'an
"O Messenger of Allah, I have come to offer myself to you (in marriage)." The Messenger of Allah looked her up and down then lowered his head. When the woman saw that he was not saying anything about her, she sat down. A man among his Companions stood up and said: "O Messenger of Allah, if you do not want to marry her, then marry me to her." He said: "Do you have anything?" He said: "No, by Allah, I do not have anything." He said: "Look, even if it is only an iron ring." He went, then he came back and said: "No, by Allah, O Messenger of Allah, not even an iron ring, but this is my Izar (lower garment)" - Sahl said: "He did not have a Rida' (upper garment)" - "she can have half of it." The Messenger of Allah said: "What could she do with your Izar? If you wear it, she will not have any of it, and if she wears it, you will not have any of it." The man sat down for a long time, then he got up, and the Messenger of Allah saw him leaving, so he ordered that he be called back. When he came, he said: "What do you know of the Qur'an?" He said: "I know Surah such-and-such, and Surah such-and-such," and listed them. He said: "Can you recite them by heart?" He said: "Yes." He said: "Then I marry you to her on the basis of what you know of the Qur'an."
Chapter 0
Chapter 1: Mentioning the Command of the Messenger of Allah Concerning Marriage, His Wives and what Allah, The Mighty And Sublime, Permitted To His Prophet When It Is Forbidden To Other People, Because Of His Virtue And High Status
It was narrated that 'Ata' said: "We attended the funeral of Maimunah, the wife of the Prophet, with Ibn 'Abbas in Sarif. Ibn 'Abbas said: 'This is Maimunah; when you lift up her bier, do not rock it nor shake it. The Messenger of Allah had nine wives and he used to give a share of his time to eight of them and not to one.'"
Anas narrated that the Prophet used to go around to his wives in a single night, and at that time he had nine wives.
It was narrated that 'Aishah said: "I used to feel jealous of those (women) who offered themselves (in marriage) to the Prophet and I said: 'Would a free woman offer herself?' Then Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, revealed: 'You can postpone whom you will of them, and you may receive whom you will.' I said: 'By Allah, I see that your Lord is quick to respond to your wishes.'"
It was narrated that Sahl bin Sa'd said: "I was among the people when a woman said: 'I offer myself (in marriage) to you, O Messenger of Allah, see what you think of me.' A man stood up and said: 'Marry me to her.' He said: 'Go and find (something), even if it is an iron ring.' So he went, but he could not find anything, not even an iron ring. So the Messenger of Allah said: 'Do you have (memorized) any surahs of the Qur'an?' He said: 'Yes.' So he married him to her on the basis of what he knew of surahs of the Qur'an."
Chapter 2: What Allah Enjoined Upon His Prophet And Forbade to Other People in Order to Bring him Closer to Him
It was narrated from 'Aishah, the wife of the Prophet, that the Messenger of Allah came to her when Allah commanded him to give his wives the choice. 'Aishah said: "The Messenger of Allah started with me and said: 'I am going to tell you something, but you do not have to rush until you consult your parents.'" She said: "He knew that my parents would not tell me to leave him." Then the Messenger of Allah said: 'O Prophet! Say to your wives: If you desire the life of this world, and its glitter, then come! I will make a provision for you and set you free in a handsome manner.' "I said: 'Do I need to consult my parents about this? I choose Allah and His Messenger, and the abode of the Hereafter.'"
It was narrated that 'Ata' said: "Aishah said: 'The Messenger of Allah did not die until women had been made lawful to him.'"
Chapter 3: Encouragement To Marry
It was narrated from 'Alqamah and Al-Aswad that 'Abdullah said: "The Messenger of Allah said to us: 'Whoever among you can afford it, let him get married, and whoever cannot then he should fast, for it will be a restraint (wija') for him.'" Abu Abdur-Rahman said: (The mention of) Al-Aswad in this hadith is not preserved.
It was narrated that 'Abdullah said: "The Messenger of Allah said to us: 'O young men, whoever among you can afford it, let him get married, for it is more effective in lowering the gaze and guarding chastity, and whoever cannot then he should fast, for it will be a restraint (wija') for him.'"
It was narrated that 'Abdullah said: "The Messenger of Allah said to us: 'O young men, whoever among you can afford it, let him get married,'" and he quoted the same hadith.
Chapter 4: Prohibition of Celibacy
It was narrated that Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas said: "The Messenger of Allah forbade 'Uthman to be celibate. If he had given him permission we would have castrated ourselves."
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 6: Marrying Virgins
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 8: A Freed Slave Marrying An Arab Woman
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.'"
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.
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 12: Marrying An Adulteress
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 17: It Is Permissible To Look Before Marriage
It was narrated that Al-Mughirah bin Shu'bah said: "I proposed marriage to a woman during the time of the Messenger of Allah, and the Prophet said: 'Have you seen her?' I said: 'No.' He said: 'Look at her, for that is more likely to create love between you.'"
Chapter 18: Getting Married In Shawwal
It was narrated from 'Urwah, that 'Aishah said: "The Messenger of Allah married me in Shawwal and my marriage was consummated in Shawwal." --'Aishah liked for her women's marriages to be consummated in Shawwal --"and which of his wives was more beloved to him than me?"