Marriage (Kitab Al-Nikah)

AbulAjfa' as-Sulami said: Umar (Allah be pleased with him) delivered a speech to us and said: Do not go to extremes in giving women their dower, for if it represented honour in this world and piety in Allah's sight, the one of you most entitled to do so would have been the Prophet (ﷺ). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not marry any of his wives or gave any of his daughters in marriage for more than twelve uqiyahs.

Urwah reported on the authority of Umm Habibah that she was married to Abdullah ibn Jahsh who died in Abyssinia, so the Negus married her to the Prophet (ﷺ) giving her on his behalf a dower of four thousand (dirhams). He sent her to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) with Shurahbil ibn Hasanah. AbuDawud said: Hasanah is his mother.

Az-Zuhri said: The Negus married Umm Habibah daughter of Abu Sufyan to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) for a dower of four thousand dirhams. He wrote it to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) who accepted it.

Narrated Anas: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saw the trace of yellow on 'Abd al-Rahman b. 'Awf. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: What is this ? He replied: Messenger of Allah, I have married a woman. He asked: How much dower did you give her ? He said: A nawat weight of gold. He said: Hold a wedding feast, even if only with a sheep.

Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: If anyone gives as a dower to his wife two handfuls of flour or dates he has made her lawful for him. AbuDawud said: This tradition has been narrated by Abdur Rahman ibn Mahdi, from Salih ibn Ruman, from Abu al-Zubayr on the authority of Jabir as his own statement (not going back to the Prophet). It has also been transmitted by AbuAsim from Salih ibn Ruman , from AbuzZubayr on the authority of Jabir who said: During the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) we used to contract temporary marriage for a handful of grain.Abu Dawud said: This tradition has also been transmitted by Ibn Juraij from Abu al-Zubair on the authority of Jabir similar to the one narrated by Abu 'Asim.

Narrated Sahl b. Sa'd al-Sa'idi : A woman came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said: Messenger of Allah, I have offered myself to you. When she stood for a long time, a man got up and said: Messenger of Allah, marry her to me if you have no need for her. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) asked: Have you anything to give her as dower ? He replied: I have nothing by this lower garment of mine. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: If you give your lower garment, you will sit while you have no lower garment. So look for something else. He said: I do not find anything. He said: Look for something, even though it should be an iron ring. The man sought it but found nothing. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Do you know anything from the Qur'an ? He said: Yes, I know surah so and so, which he named. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: I have given you her in marriage for the part of the Qur'an which you know.

A tradition similar to the one narrated above has also been transmitted by Abu Hurairah through a different chain of narrators. This version does not mention the lower garment and iron ring. He (the Prophet) said: How much do you memorize from Qur'an? He said: Surat al-Baqarah or the one that follows it. He said: Stand up and teach her twenty verses: she is your wife.

Makhul has also transmitted a tradition like the one narrated by Sahl (b. Sa'd al-Sa'idi). Makhul used to say: This is not lawful for anyone after the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).

Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas'ud: Masruq said on the authority of Abdullah ibn Mas'ud: Abdullah (ibn Mas'ud ) was asked about a man who had married a woman without cohabiting with her or fixing any dower for her till he died. Ibn Mas'ud said: She should receive the full dower (as given to women of her class), observe the waiting period ('Iddah), and have her share of inheritance. Thereupon Ma'qil ibn Sinan said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) giving the same decision regarding Birwa' daughter of Washiq (as the decision you have given).

The aforesaid tradition has also been transmitted by 'Alqamah on the authority of 'Abd Allah. 'Uthman (b. Abi Shaibah) narrated a similar tradition.

Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas'ud: Abdullah ibn Utbah ibn Mas'ud said: Abdullah ibn Mas'ud was informed of this story of a man. The people continued to visit him for a month or visited him many times (the narrator was not sure). He said: In this matter I hold the opinion that she should receive the type of dower given to women of her class with no diminution or excess, observe the waiting period ('iddah) and have her share of inheritance. If it is erroneous, that is from me and from Satan. Allah and His Apostle are free from its responsibility. Some people from Ashja' got up; among them were al-Jarrah and AbuSinan. They said: Ibn Mas'ud, we bear witness that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) gave a decision for us regarding Birwa', daughter of Washiq, to the same effect as the decision you have given. Her husband was Hilal ibn Murrah al-Ashja'i. Thereupon Abdullah ibn Mas'ud was very pleased when his decision agreed with the decision of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).

Narrated Uqbah ibn Amir: The Prophet (ﷺ) said to a man: Would you like me to marry you to so-and-so? He said: Yes. He also said to the woman: Would you like me to marry you to so-and-so? She said: Yes. He then married one to the other. The man had sexual intercourse with her, but he did not fix any dower for her, nor did he give anything to her. He was one of those who participated in the expedition to al-Hudaybiyyah. One part of the expedition to al-Hudaybiyyah had a share in Khaybar. When he was nearing his death, he said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) married me to so-and-so, and I did not fix a dower for her, nor did I give anything to her. I call upon you as witness that I have given my share in Khaybar as her dower. So she took the share and sold it for one lakh (of dirhams).Abu Dawud said: The version of 'Umar b. al-Khattab added in the beginning of this tradition, and his version is more perfect. He reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: The best marriage is the one that is most easy. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to the man. The narrator then transmitted the rest of the tradition to the same effect.Abu Dawud said: I am afraid this tradition has been added later on, for the matter is otherwise.

Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas'ud: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) taught us the address in case of some need: Praise be to Allah from Whom we ask help and pardon, and in Whom we take refuge from the evils within ourselves. He whom Allah guides has no one who can lead him astray, and he whom He leads astray has no one to guide him. I testify that there is no god but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Apostle. "You who believe,...fear Allah by Whom you ask your mutual rights, and reverence the wombs. Allah has been watching you." ..."you who believe, fear Allah as He should be feared, and die only as Muslims" ...."you who believe, fear Allah as He should be feared, and die only as Muslims"....."you who believe, fear Allah and say what is true. He will make your deeds sound, and forgive your sins. He who obeys Allah and His Apostle has achieved a mighty success." The narrator, Muhammad ibn Sulayman, did mention the word "inna" (verily).

Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas'ud: When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) recited the tashahhud....He then narrated the same tradition. In this version after the word "and His Apostle" he added the words: "He has sent him in truth as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner before the Hour. He who obeys Allah and His Prophet is on the right path, and he who disobeys them does not harm anyone except himself, and he does not harm Allah to the least.

Narrated Isma'il bin Ibrahim: On the authority of a man from Banu Sulaim: I asked the Prophet (ﷺ) to marry Umamah daughter of 'Abd al-Muttalib to me. So he married her to me without reciting the tashahhud (i.e. the sermon for marriage).

Narrated 'Aishah: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) married me when I was seven years old. The narrator Sulaiman said: or Six years. He had intercourse with me when I was nine years old.

'Abd al-Malik b. Abi Bakr reported from his father on the authority of Umm Salamah: When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) married Umm Salamah, he stayed with her three night, and said: Your people (i.e. clan) are not being humbled for you in my estimation. If you wish I shall stay with you seven nights ; and if I stay you seven nights, I shall stay with my other wives seven nights.

Narrated Anas bin Malik: When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) married Safiyyah, he stayed with her three nights. The narrator 'Uthman added: She was non virgin (previously married). He said: This tradition has been narrated to me by Hushaim, reported by Humaid, and transmitted by Anas.

Narrated Anas b. Malik : When a man who has a wife married a virgin he should stay with her seven nights ; if he marries to a woman who has been previously married he should stay with her three nights. (The narrator said:) If I say that he (Anas) narrated this tradition from the Prophet (ﷺ) I shall be true. But he said: The Sunnah is so-and-so.

Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas: When Ali married Fatimah, the Prophet (ﷺ) said to him: Give her something. He said: I have nothing with me. He said: Where is your Hutamiyyah (coat of mail).

Muhammad ibn Abdur Rahman ibn Thawban reported on the authority of a man from the Companions of the Prophet (ﷺ): When Ali married Fatimah, daughter of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), he intended to have intercourse with her. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prohibited him to do so until he gave her something. Ali said: I have nothing with me, Messenger of Allah. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Give her your coat of mail. So he gave her his coat of mail, and then cohabited with her.

A similar tradition has also been transmitted by Ibn 'Abbas through a different chain of narrators.

Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) commanded me to send a woman to her husband before he gave something to her.Abu Dawud said: The narrator Khaithamah did not hear (any tradition) from 'Aishah.

'Amr b. Shu'aib on his father's authority said that his grandfather reported The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: A woman who marries on a dower or a reward or a promise before the solemnisation of marriage is entitled to it; and whatever is fixed for her after solemnisation of marriage belongs to whom it is given. A man is more entitled to receive a thing given as a gift on account of his daughter or sister (than other kinds of gifts).

Narrated AbuHurayrah: When the Prophet (ﷺ) congratulated a man on his marriage, he said: May Allah bless for you, and may He bless on you, and combine both of you in good (works).

A man from the Ansar called Basrah said: I married a virgin woman in her veil. When I entered upon her, I found her pregnant. (I mentioned this to the Prophet). The Prophet (ﷺ) said: She will get the dower, for you made her vagina lawful for you. The child will be your slave. When she has begotten (a child), flog her (according to the version of al-Hasan). The version of Ibn AbusSari has: You people, flog her, or said: inflict hard punishment on him.Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been transmitted by Qatadah from Sa'd b. Yazid on the authority of Ibn al-Musayyab in a similar way. This tradition has been narrated by Yahya b. Abi Kathir from Yazid b. Nu'aim from Sa'id b. al-Musayyab, and 'Ata al-Khurasani narrated it from Sa'id b. al-Musayyab ; they all narrated this tradition from the Prophet (ﷺ) omitting the link of the Companion (i.e. a mursal tradition). The version of Yahya b. Abi Kathir has: Basrah b. Aktham married a woman. The agreed version has: He made the child his servant.

Sa'id b. al-Musayyab said: A man called Basrah b. Akhtam married a woman. The narrator then reported the rest of the tradition to the same effect. This version added: And he separated them. The tradition narrated by Ibn Juraij is perfect.

Narrated AbuHurayrah: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: When a man has two wives and he is inclined to one of them, he will come on the Day of resurrection with a side hanging down.

Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to divide his time equally and said: O Allah, this is my division concerning what I control, so do not blame me concerning what You control and I do not.Abu Dawud said: By it meant the heart.

Narrated Hisham b. 'Urwah: On the authority of his father that 'Aishah said: O my nephew, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not prefer one of us to the other in respect of his division of the time of his staying with us. It was very rare that he did not visit us any day (i.e. he visited all of us every day). He would come near each of his wives without having intercourse with her until he reached the one who had her day and passed his night with her. When Saudah daughter of Zam'ah became old and feared that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would divorce her, she said: Messenger of Allah, I give to 'Aishah the day you visit me. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) accepted it from her. She said: We thing that Allah, the Exalted, revealed about this or similar matter the Qur'anic verse: "If a wife fears cruelty or desertion on her husband's part...." [4:128]