by G. A. Parwez

translated by Aboo B. Rana 

Mut'a and Ahadith

Among the shiites, is a panacea to one of the most difficult predicaments, that goes by the name of “mut’aa.” It is a nuptial agreement between a consenting male and a female for the purpose of sexual gratification – for which the female is reimbursed afterwards. Even if it is only a one time sexual indulgence, the contract is automatically abrogated after the agreed time period. The adherents of sunni sect do not believe in mut’aa.

In our ideation of sunnis or shiites, it is made explicit that formation of sects is considered shirk (belief in gods other than one God). When the Holy Messenger of Allah established the system of Islam based on pure principles of Quran, there was no existence of any sect at all. Therefore we do not belong to any sect per se. Be it known to our respected reader, we are not concerned here nor are we debating on the issue of sunni or shiite belief on this subject. Our purpose for bringing up the issue of mut’aa here is, that we said the sunnis do not believe in mut’aa as for them the difference between this contract and promiscuity is only in language. In reality, both from our point of view are indulging in illicit sex. The sunni can never even imagine that the Holy Messenger (God forgive us) would pass orders on mut’aa or that his disciples would indulge in these kinds of acts.

At the same time we want you to read what the sunni explanations of Quran and ahadith collections have to say on this issue. Shiite activist, respected Ali Naqvi authors a periodical called ‘Mut’aa and Islam.’ In that he has quoted sunni ahadith from the beginning to the end, only to prove that mut’aa was sanctioned by the Holy Messenger MuhammadPBUH himself. The cohorts of the Holy Messenger indulged in this activity along with the ‘tabaeen’; the learned scholars of Mecca have been permissive on this issue. We want to make it clear, that we do not believe in these ahadith, not because they go against the ideation of sunnis but in our erudition it goes against the teachings of Islam. As the Holy Messenger shall never act or say anything that goes against Quran, so this hadith is not tangible as far as we are concerned. Nevertheless, these parables are very much present in the sunni ahadith books which they deem as almost the last word. Let us read these, in which the Holy Messenger himself (Allah forgive us) has given permission to his august cohortsR.

The most acknowledged book among the sunnis is the respected Bukhari Hadith. It is called the most pure book after the book of Allah. It is written in the publication of Curzon Gazette Press Delhi, that:

“It is narrated by 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud that when they went with the Holy Messenger on warpaths they were not equipped with anything to gratify their concupiscence. We enquired from the Holy Messenger, would it not be better if we could castrate ourselves? But the Messenger prohibited us from doing so. Later on he permitted us to make mut’aa (nuptial contract) and reimburse with cloth afterwards.” (vol. II, page 759 and Egyptian edition vol. III,page 146)

After Bukhari Hadith, the second most known hadith is Muslim. This hadith has adopted three methods in Muslim. At the first time, it uses the words .

Meaning the Holy Messenger, for a limited time period, in lieu of cloth, permitted to enter into this nuptial contract. On another occasion, this permission was not exclusive only for war times. (Sahih Muslim, Mujtabai Delhi, vol.I)

Juma ul Fawahid, by Sheikh Muhammad bin Muhammad Sulaiman Soosy Maliki, (Merat Publication, page 222) has the same hadith. The only difference was Hazrat Ibne Masood said that when we went on wars we were not accompanied by women. Hence the Holy Messenger permitted us to enter into mut’aa for a limited time period.

{The question here comes to mind, if there were no women in the battle field or war days, then who were those women, and where did they appear from, for mut’aa in the deserts? And secondly who were those respectable wives, who were taking care of the injured, like giving them water, and other aids, during war times? How can the hadith writers say there were no women?}

This parable on the same topic will be found in Imam Abi Abdullah bin Idrees Shaafi’s, Egypt edition, page 145. And also in Sheikh ul Islam, Imam Ibe Tameema’s ‘Muntaki ul Alakhbar’ where this hadith is unanimously agreed. Kanzul Am’aal (Geem #8, page295) wrote that Imam Tibri has excluded this in ‘Tahzeeb ul Asaar.’

In Sahih Bokhari (Delhi edition, vol II, page 767 and Egypt edition vol. III page 150) it is written:

It is stated by Jaabar bin Abdullah and Salma bin Alakuu That we were in a platoon, when the Holy Messenger’s special officer came to us and informed us that we are given the permission of mut’aa (nuptial contract). (Sahih Muslim: Kitab'ul Nikah)

Sahih Muslim states the words of this tradition that the speaker of Holy Messenger came and announced that we were permitted to enter into mut’aa (nuptial contract).(page #450). In another hadith (page #451) it is written that the Holy Messenger himself came and gave his permission to enter into mut’aa. The third hadith of Bukhari (Delhi edition, vol. I, page #767 and in Egyptian edition, page #150) states as such:

“Salma bin Akku Says that the Holy Messenger said, we could make a nuptial contract upto three evenings with a female. If it is so desired, one can extend this period or revoke the agreement.” (Sahih Bukhari: Kitab'ul Nikah)

In Sahih Muslim it is written (Delhi edition, page 451) that the Holy Messenger permitted three days period for mut’aa, in the year of Autaas war. This same hadith is also in Juma ul Fuwahid, Sunun, Daar Katni and Kanzul Am’aal Let us read its explanation in Sahih Muslim wherein it is said,

“Sabra Jehny says, when the Holy Messenger granted permission for mut’aa, I went with another person Bani Amir to a woman and disclosed our desire. She enquired about her reimbursement. I told her that I am willing to give my chaddar (cloth for wrapping around the body). Bani Amir told her the same. His cloth was better than mine, but I was younger than him. When that woman looked at his cloth she advanced towards him but when she looked at me she became inclined towards me. Finally she decided that me and my cloth will be enough for her. So I stayed with her for three days." (Delhi edition, page 151).  (Sahih Muslim: Kitab'ul Nikah)

Now, you just picture in your mind, the character traits of cohorts of the Holy Messenger as are being described by Imam Nishapuri (Allah save us and keep us away from this evil).”

Subra’s tradition in Kanzul Am’aal states that on the auspicious occasion of Hajj:

“When we made our holy circulations around Ka’aba and made our runs between Suff’aa and Mur’waa, then the Holy Messenger gave us permission of mut’aa with women. We had to go back to the Messenger to let him know that women were not prepared for mut’aa until there was a time limit agreed upon. So the Holy Messenger told us to decide on a time limit before making mut’aa." (Kanz ul Am’aal: vol. 8, page #295, published Haiderabad)

It is hoped these bizarre ahadith have not corroded your thoughts. I am writing this in the hope that you are still capable of deciding on how our ahadith narrators are telling us of the teachings of MuhammadPBUH, on the occasion of his last Hajj before he passed away.

The staunch upholders of sunnah do say in their defence, that Holy Messenger did give permission for this nuptial agreement, but later on imposed a ban on it. And by saying so, they think they have removed the cancer that is eating up Islam. These naïve hearts fail to understand the simple fact, that what kind of an opinion is being formed of such a great and Holy Messenger MuhammadPBUH, who in his last days of life is permitting this kind of nuptial agreement?

This is another interesting dilemma that where we find numerous ahadith on the abandoning of mut’aa, we also see so much of an addle, of a thinking mind that is dragged deeper in this perplexed state of affairs. For example we read in Kanz ul Am’aal (vol. 8, page #295) the same narrator Subra Jehny That we have quoted above, about Holy Messenger’s permission on mut’aa, on the occasion of Last Good Friday, states three opposite ahadith. In one of these is, that the Holy Messenger imposed a ban on mut’aa on the day of Khyber. In the second hadith it says, he prohibited mut’aa on the day of victory over Mecca and in the last tradition, a ban is put on mut’aa on the Last Good Friday of Ramadan of the Holy Messenger’s life.

We also come across the Holy Messenger’s prohibition on mut’aa in Muslim Nawawi  (Vol. I, page #450) by Is’haaq bin Rashid, in the war days of Tabuuk. I hope the respected reader is noticing how this peaceful dream is being smashed to smithereens. Mut’aa that has been banned more than once and allowed one too many times, was even included by Imam Muslim in his titles such as:

(The matrimony chapter has details on the permission of mut’aa and its abrogation. Permitting again before being revoked. Finally it was revoked for all times, so as to maintain some human respect.)

At least! We should be thankful for that, when it was revoked for the last and the final time by the Holy Messenger and forever… No! Hold on! In the same Sahih Muslim (in which it is written the final abandoning of mut’aa), when we flip ahead through the pages, we read:

“At’aa has it that when Jaabar bin Abdullah came to Mecca to perform Umrah, we went to greet him. Different people put various questions to him. When there was a question put to him on mut’aa, he told us, ‘Ah Yes! During Holy Messenger’s days, Hazrat Abu Bakr’s and Hazrat Omar’s caliphate we entered into mut’aa (nuptial contracts).”  (Sahih Muslim: Kitab'ul Nikah)

The same mut’aa that was banned forever by the holy Messenger, is now being continued by his faithful cohorts even until the days of OmarR. (O Allah forgive us) In the same Muslim book there is another quote that:

“Abul Zubair explains that I have heard Jaabir bin Abdullah saying, that they made a nuptial agreement in lieu of a handful of flour, during the days of the Holy Messenger and Abu BakrR. We continued uptil the times of Hazrat OmarR when he put a ban after the incident of Omar bin Hareece.” (Sahih Muslim: Kitab'ul Nikah)

In Kanzul Amaal we find, that mut’aa was reimbursed for a cup of sut’too (substance extracted from wheat or barley). This is also confirmed in Shar e Bukhari, (vol.9, page 138). Kanzul Am’aal also gives details on this and states:

“Ummay Abdullah binnat e Fatiha has it that a man came from Syria and stayed at their residence. He said that he was having trouble without a woman and requested us to search a woman for him, with which he could enter into mut’aa. She says that she gave him an address of a woman with whom he made this nuptial contract in front of two witnesses. He stayed with her for a long time, after which he went back to Syria. Someone brought it to the notice of Hazrat OmarR. After enquiring, OmarR sent for me. I told Hazrat OmarR that this was a true incident. He said to inform him when the man comes the next time. When he arrived, I informed Hazrat OmarR about him. OmarR called for him and questioned as to what had he done? He stated that he had done mut’aa in the times of Holy Messenger, and nobody checked him from this. After Holy Messenger passed away I did the same in the days of Abu BakrR. He also did not stop me. Now, it has been going on in his times also and he was not stopped by him. Then Hazrat OmarR replied, “I swear upon that God, in whose possession is my soul, if I had imposed a ban earlier I would have stoned you to death by now. Now I order you to separate, so that a marriage contract could be distinguished from concupiscence.”

Uptil now we have been reading about the male cohorts of Messenger MuhammadPBUH. In the above ahadith, we also read a female disciple of the Messenger, and how she has proved helpful in this ‘grateful deed’ of mut’aa(O my Allah, forgive me). Before reading further, I want to ask my respectful reader to close his chaste eyes and tell his honour to go away. As we open the life of one of our jewels, who was daughter of Abu BakrR, wife of Hazrat ZubairR and sister of Hazrat Aysha SiddiqaR…. She remains Hazrat AasmaR (razi ullah tallah unha). It is written therein: (copying of blasphemy, is blasphemy itself. O Allah! forgive us for our sins)

Hazrat AasmaR says that during the times of Messenger of Allah, mut’aa was made to them.

That is the reason Hazrat Aasma’s son Arwa told Hazrat Ibne Abbas, “Do you not fear Allah, when you permit mut’aa.” And Hazrat AbbasR replied, “Why do you not ask your mother.” (Zad ul Muad Ibn Keem, vol.1, page 219)

Anyhow, whether the Holy Messenger, as we now know, had imposed a ban or not, but Hazrat OmarR did impose one finally. Hence in Zad ul Muad (Ibne Keem, vol.1, page 243) it states that Hazrat OmarR said, “There were two mut’aa that were legal during the days of the Messenger. One was of Hajj (this T’mut’aa of Hajj we could not understand. Tolu e Islam) and the other mut’aa was with women. And I am imposing a ban on both.” This must have relieved everyone that after all, as they say, better late than never, this filth has been brought to an end. We also know, that a conspiracy that is not a success cannot be called a conspiracy! So this episode had to continue, in order to succeed. In Fatih ul Bari (Shar e Bukhari, vol.9, page 138) it states:

Ibne Abdul Bar says that all followers of Ibne AbbasR were from Yemen and Mecca and consented to mut’aa. Ibne Hazim says that the whole group of ‘tabaeen’, including Ta’uus, Saeed bin Jaabar, At’aa and the elite of Mecca were in accord with mut’aa.

These are those sacred ahadith and the famous quotes are of religious scholars about (according to the ahadith quoted above) mut’aa that Caliph OmarR proclaimed was nothing short of addicitve sexual gratification. We do not want to involve ourselves in debates and petty squabbles here.

What we are reading, is that all traditions and their explanations are given in sunni ahadith books, these books which they take to be ghair multoo (unrecitable) revelations of Messenger of Allah. And these books are placed next to Quran. By the teachings of these our religious scholars are granted certified testimonials. Everyone, after prayers in the mosque, takes lessons from these books and feels privileged and proud. The Muslims keep them close to their hearts, as these books give them an aura of being righteuous and a distinct radiation of being the blessed.
What we have gone over with you, was only in ahadith books – the Quran has not yet been glanced into. Now we will discuss how, attempts are being made to wrap the Quran also into this plethora of ahadith muddle.
Imam Tibri’s explanations of Quran are taken as the ‘mother of explanations’ among the sunni. It is the first tufseer (compiled explanation) of Quran. The later explanations, nearly all of them have been copied from this. Let us read, how Imam Tibri attempted to extract the meaning of mut’aa from Quran. He writes:

“Abu Sabit states that Ibne AbbasR gave me a manuscript and told me that it belonged to the like of Abi bin Ka’ab. Yahya bin Isa who has written this hadith says that according to Naseer bin Abi al Asha’ace this manuscript belonged to him. In that it was written (meaning that you enter into mut’aa with women, for a limited time period).”

Abu Nazra says that he inquired from Ibne AbbasR about mut’aa. He asked him if he had ever recited the chapter of Nis’aa. Abu replied, “Why not?” He asked him had he come across the following words in it . To which Abu said, “No, I did not!” If I had read these words, then why would I be asking you.” He then said to Abu, “You must know that this in reality is the actual ayat.” In Abdul Allah’s hadith, that has been taken from Abu Nazra, we find the same story. He read this very ayat in front of Ibne AbbasR . Ibne AbbasR said . I said that I had not read this anywhere in the Holy Quran. He said it three times, “I swear upon Allah, this is the way it was revealed. (This has been explained further in this book, in the chapter of ‘Holy Quran and its traditions’)

Abu Is’haaq has it that Ibne AbbasR recited . The fifth tradition is of Shabay, and he has also taken from Abu Is’haaq. Qatawa also explains that the manuscript of Abu bin Ka’ab contains . Umra bin Murah has it that he heard Saeed bin Jaber reciting.

These excerpts have not been taken from any shiite book. They have been taken from the well-known, honoured and respected explanation of Imam Tibri. This hadith incident is being attributed towards the most respected and august companion of Holy Messenger, who is swearing upon Allah, that this ayat was not revealed as it is written in the Quran. In reality, he is saying, it was revealed with words that justify mut’aa. You can imagine the deep rootedness of this conspiracy.

The discussion that went above, shows us the sort of pictures painted and character descriptions of Allah, His Messenger, cohorts, ‘tabaeen’, etc, in the most honoured book of sunnis. According to these traditions they have tried to prove that:

1. What we find in the Quran are not the words that were revealed. According to the various manuscripts of Quran in possession of disciples of the Holy Messenger, this form of revelation is from somewhere else.
    

2. The Holy Messenger himself had permitted mut’aa in lieu of a handful of flour or barley. This permission continued till his last days of life.
    

3. During the days of Holy Messenger and during the times of his cohorts and disciples, we find that mut’aa was very common without any inhibitions.
    

4. Albeit the Holy Messenger had imposed a ban on mut’aa in his later days of life; inspite of his orders we see it was continued in the times of Hazrat Abu BakrR and earlier part of Hazrat Omar’s caliphate.
    

5. Hazrat OmarR had invoked a ban on mut’aa. Inspite of it we read it was exercised freely among the disciples and followers of Holy Messenger and the learned of Mecca.
    

6. Those who were reluctant to accept the ban imposed on mut’aa even they also conceded to the fact that mut’aa was an evil in disguise.

We observe that Qazi Sana’ullah Panipatti writes in his explanation of Quran (that went with the title of “Muzhari”), that:

“The hadith writer Abdul Razzaque has it from Ibne Jareej Who had it from At’aa that Ibne Abbas usually said, permission of mut’aa was a blessing from Allah. No one would have indulged in sexual acts, had OmarR put a ban on it.” (Page #572)

Are you prepared to accept by any means, if these could have been the allowances made, as stated in the ahadith, by the Messenger of Allah? It must also be clarified, that these ahadith have not been taken from any shiite source. These belong to the most honored and respected ahadith books of sunnis. Whosoever shows courage enough to refuse any one of these myths, is labelled a “non-believer in hadith,” and is thrown out of the sphere of Islam.