Chapter on What Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Almighty, Has Made Permissible and Prohibited in Marriage

It is narrated by Dawood bin Sirhan from Zurarah, who said that Abu Abdullah عليه السلام, was asked about the saying of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Almighty and Majestic: "The adulterer does not marry except an adulteress or a polytheist, and the adulteress does not marry except an adulterer or a polytheist." (Surah An-Nur 24:3) Imam عليه السلام said: "They are women known for adultery and men known for adultery, who have been publicly infamous for committing adultery and are recognized for it. Today, people in such a situation, whether the prescribed punishment for adultery has been carried out on them or they are publicly known for adultery, should not be married until their repentance is established."

Imam عليه السلام said: "Beware of marrying women who have been divorced three times in a single sitting, for they are still considered to have spouses."

Hafs ibn Al-Bakhtari narrated from Ishaq ibn Ammar, from Abu Abdullah عليه السلام, regarding a man who wishes to marry a woman who has been divorced three times. Imam عليه السلام said: "He should leave her until she experiences a menstrual period and becomes pure. Then he should go to her husband along with two men and ask him, 'Have you divorced so-and-so?' If he says yes, he should leave her for three months and then propose marriage to her himself."

And in another narration, Imam عليه السلام said: "Indeed, your triple divorce does not become permissible for others, but their divorce becomes permissible for you because you do not consider the triple divorce as binding, whereas they deem it obligatory."

And Imam عليه السلام said: "Whoever follows the religion of a people is bound by their rulings."

And Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub narrated from Muawiyah ibn Wahb and others of our companions, from Abu Abdullah عليه السلام. He said: I asked Imam عليه السلام about a believing man marrying a Jewish or Christian woman. Imam عليه السلام replied: "If he has access to a Muslim woman, what need does he have for a Jewish or Christian woman?" I said: "He may have affection for her." Imam عليه السلام said: "If he does so, then he must prevent her from drinking wine and eating pork, and know that there is a deficiency in his religion for marrying her."

Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub narrated from Al-Ala ibn Razin, from Muhammad ibn Muslim, from Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام. He said: I asked Imam عليه السلام about a Muslim man marrying a Magian (Zoroastrian) woman. Imam عليه السلام replied: "No, but if he has a Magian bondwoman, then there is no harm in having relations with her while practicing withdrawal, and he should not seek to have a child with her."

Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub narrated from Sulayman al-Hammar, from Abu Abdullah عليه السلام, who said: "It is not appropriate for a Muslim man among you to marry a Nasibi woman, nor to give his daughter in marriage to a Nasibi man, nor to leave her with him."

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, said: "Two groups from my nation have no share in Islam: those who harbor enmity against my household and declare war against them, and those who are extreme in religion and deviate from it."

Safwan narrated from Zurara, who reported from Abu Abdullah عليه السلام, that he said: "Marry among those who are doubtful (in faith), but do not give them your daughters in marriage, for the woman adopts the manners of her husband and he compels her to follow his religion."

Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub narrated from Yunus ibn Yaqub, who reported from Humran ibn Ayan: Some of his family members were seeking to marry, but they could not find a woman they deemed suitable. This matter was mentioned to Abu Abdullah عليه السلام, who said: "Where are you regarding the simple and innocent women, those who know nothing?" I said: "But people say that humanity is divided into two types: believer and disbeliever." Imam عليه السلام replied: "Then where are those about whom Allah سبحانه وتعالى said: 'They mixed a righteous deed with another that was evil.' (Surah At-Tawbah, 9:102) and where are those who are 'deferred until Allah's سبحانه وتعالى command,' (Surah At-Tawbah, 9:106), awaiting for Allah's سبحانه وتعالى pardon?"

Yaqub ibn Yazid narrated from Al-Husayn ibn Bashshar Al-Wasiti, who said: I wrote to Abu Al-Hasan Imam Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha عليه السلام saying: "I have a relative who has proposed to my daughter, but he has bad character." Imam عليه السلام replied: "Do not marry her to him if he has bad character."

Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub narrated from Jamil ibn Salih, from Zurara, who said: I heard Abu Jafar Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام say: "I do not like for a Muslim man to marry a woman who would be a co-wife to his mother, with someone other than his father."

Muhammad ibn Ismail ibn Bazi reported that he asked Imam Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha عليه السلام, about a woman who had been afflicted with drinking wine and became intoxicated, then married herself to a man while in her intoxicated state. When she sobered up, she denied it but then assumed that the marriage might be binding, so she remained with the man out of caution based on that marriage. He asked whether this was lawful for her or if the marriage was invalid due to the intoxication, and whether the man had any claim over her. Imam عليه السلام said: "If she remained with him after she sobered up, then that is her consent." He then asked: "Does such a marriage become valid for her?" Imam عليه السلام replied: "Yes."

Amr ibn Shimr reported from Jabir, who said: I asked Abu Jafar Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام, about the midwife, whether it is permissible for the child she delivered to marry her. Imam عليه السلام replied: "No, nor her daughter. She is like one of his mothers."

It is narrated from Mu'awiyah ibn 'Ammar that Abu Abdullah عليه السلام said: "If she only received (the child) and then left, then midwives are more common than that. But if she received and raised (the child), then she becomes prohibited for him."

It is narrated from Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub, from Yunus ibn Ya'qub, who said: I asked Abu Abdullah عليه السلام about a person in the state of ihram getting married. Imam عليه السلام said: "No, and one in the state of ihram cannot perform the marriage of someone who is not in ihram."

And in another narration: "If he marries or gets married while in the state of ihram, his marriage is invalid."

And it is narrated from Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub, from Abdullah ibn Sinan, from Abu Abdullah عليه السلام regarding a man who has a female slave, strips her, and looks at her body with lustful intent, whether she becomes unlawful for his father, and if the father does the same, whether she becomes unlawful for his son. Imam عليه السلام said: "If he looks at her with lustful intent and sees from her what is unlawful for others to see, she becomes unlawful for his son. And if the son does the same, she becomes unlawful for the father."

And it is narrated from Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub, from Ali ibn Ri'ab, from Abu Ubaydah Al-Hadhdha' that he said: I heard Abu Abdullah عليه السلام say: "A woman cannot be married alongside her paternal aunt, nor alongside her maternal aunt, nor alongside her sister through breastfeeding." Imam عليه السلام also said: "Indeed, Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام mentioned the daughter of Hamza to the Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى (peace be upon him and his family). The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said: 'Do you not know that she is the daughter of my brother through breastfeeding?' And the Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى (peace be upon him and his family) and Hamza had both been nursed from the milk of the same woman."

And it is narrated from Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub, from Malik ibn Atiyyah, from Abu Abdullah عليه السلام who said: "A woman cannot be married alongside her maternal aunt, but the maternal aunt can be married alongside the daughter of her sister."

And in a narration from Muhammad ibn Muslim, from Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام, who said: "The daughter of a brother and the daughter of a sister cannot be married alongside their paternal or maternal aunt except with their permission. However, the paternal and maternal aunt can be married alongside the daughter of a brother or the daughter of a sister without requiring their permission."

And Abdullah ibn Sinan asked Abu Abdullah عليه السلام about a man who intends to marry a woman, can he look at her hair? Imam عليه السلام said: "Yes, because he desires to acquire her for the highest price."

And Musa ibn Bakr narrated from Zurara, from Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام, who said: "A girl should not be consummated with until she reaches nine or ten years of age."

And it is narrated: "Whoever has intercourse with a woman before she reaches nine years of age, and she suffers harm, he is liable (for compensation)."

Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub narrated from Abdullah ibn Sinan, who said: I asked Abu Abdullah عليه السلام about a man who freed his female slave and made her emancipation her dowry, then divorced her before consummating the marriage. Imam عليه السلام said: "Her emancipation has taken effect, and her master reclaims half of her value, which she must work to pay off. She has no waiting period ('iddah) upon him."

Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub narrated from Yunus ibn Yaqub, who narrated from Abu Abdullah عليه السلام regarding a man who freed his female slave and made her emancipation her dowry, then divorced her before consummating the marriage. Imam عليه السلام said: "He makes her work to pay off half of her value. If she refuses, then she serves him one day and herself one day." Imam عليه السلام further said: "If she has a child and he has wealth, he pays on her behalf half of her value, and she becomes fully free."

Ali ibn Jafar narrated from his brother Imam Musa ibn Jafar Al-Kadhim عليه السلام that he said: I asked him about a man who said to his female slave, "I have freed you and made your emancipation your dowry." Imam عليه السلام replied: "She is freed, and she has the choice, if she wishes, she may marry him, and if she wishes, she may not. If she marries him, then he should give her something. However, if he said: 'I have married you and made your dowry your emancipation,' then the marriage is valid, and he does not have to give her anything."

Ibn Abi Umair narrated from Abdullah ibn Sinan, who narrated from Abu Abdullah عليه السلام: I asked him about a woman who gives birth, does it become permissible for her to marry before she purifies (from postnatal bleeding)? Imam عليه السلام replied: "Yes, it is permissible. However, her husband must not consummate the marriage with her until she purifies."

Muhammad ibn Qays narrated from Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام regarding a man who married a woman under the assumption that she was free, but then another man came forward and presented evidence proving that she was his slave, what is the ruling? Imam عليه السلام said: "He (the rightful owner) takes her back and also takes the value of her child."

In a narration by Jamil ibn Darraj: Abu Abdillah عليه السلام was asked about a man who married a woman and then divorced her before consummating the marriage. Is it permissible for him to marry her daughter? Imam عليه السلام said: "The mother and the daughter are equal in this matter. If he did not consummate the marriage with one of them, the other is permissible for him."

Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام said: "Stepdaughters are prohibited for you, whether they were raised in your household or not."

Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub narrated from Abu Ayyub, from Muhammad ibn Muslim, from Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام, regarding a man who married a woman based on her terms or his terms, and then he or she died before consummation. Imam عليه السلام said: "She is entitled to a gift (mut'ah) and inheritance, but there is no dowry for her." Imam عليه السلام also said: "If he divorced her after marrying her based on her terms, the amount of her terms cannot exceed five hundred dirhams, the dowry of the wives of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family)."

Safwan ibn Yahya narrated from Abu Ja'far with reference to Mird'ah: I said to Abu Abdullah عليه السلام about a man who married a woman based on her terms but then died before she made her decision (regarding the terms). Imam عليه السلام said: "She is not entitled to a dowry (sadaq), but she inherits from him."

Ali ibn Ja'far narrated from his brother Imam Musa ibn Jafar Al-Kadhim عليه السلام: I asked Imam عليه السلام about a man who married a woman but did not consummate the marriage and then committed adultery. Imam عليه السلام said: "He shall be lashed with the prescribed punishment (hadd), his head shall be shaved, he shall be separated from his wife, and he shall be exiled for one year."

Talhah ibn Zayd narrated from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام from his father, Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام (peace be upon them), who said: "I read in the book of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام: 'If a man marries a woman and commits adultery before consummating the marriage, she does not remain lawful for him because he is an adulterer. They shall be separated, and he must give her half of the dowry.'"

In a narration from Isma'il ibn Abi Ziyad, from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام from his father, Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام, peace be upon them, who said: Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام said regarding a woman who commits adultery before her husband consummates the marriage: "They shall be separated, and she is not entitled to a dowry because the offense originated from her."

In a narration from Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub, from Al-Fadl ibn Yunus, he said: I asked Abu al-Hasan Imam Musa ibn Jafar Al-Kadhim عليه السلام about a man who married a woman but did not consummate the marriage, and then she committed adultery. Imam عليه السلام said: "They shall be separated, she shall receive the prescribed punishment, and she is not entitled to a dowry."

Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub narrated from Abdullah ibn Sinan, who said: I asked Abu Abdullah عليه السلام about a man who commits a forbidden act with his wife's sister. Does this make his wife forbidden to him? Imam عليه السلام said: "Indeed, the forbidden does not invalidate the lawful, and the lawful rectifies the forbidden."

Musa ibn Bakr narrated from Zurara ibn Ayan, who reported from Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام: He was asked about a man who had a wife and then committed fornication with her mother, her daughter, or her sister. Imam عليه السلام said: "No unlawful act has ever rendered lawful acts unlawful. His wife remains lawful to him." And Imam عليه السلام further said: "There is no harm if a man commits fornication with a woman and then marries her afterward. He compared this to a man who steals a date from a palm tree and then buys it later-there is no harm in doing so. It is also permissible for him to marry her mother, daughter, or sister afterward. If he is already married to the woman and then marries her mother, daughter, or sister and consummates the marriage, but later finds out the relationship, he should separate from the latter, while his first wife remains lawful to him. However, he should not approach his first wife until the womb of the woman he separated from has been cleared. If a man commits fornication with his son's wife, his father's wife, his son's concubine, or his father's concubine, this does not make them unlawful for their husbands or owners. However, if he commits such an act with a concubine while she is lawfully his, she becomes forever unlawful to his son or his father. Similarly, if a man lawfully marries a woman, she becomes forever unlawful to his son or his father."

Abu al-Maghra narrated from Abu Basir, who said: I asked Imam عليه السلام about a man who committed fornication with a woman and then later wanted to marry her. Imam عليه السلام said: "If she repents, she becomes lawful for him." I asked: "And how can her repentance be known?" Imam عليه السلام replied: "He should invite her to engage in the same unlawful act they previously committed. If she refuses and seeks forgiveness from her Lord عز وجل, then her repentance is known."

Ali ibn Ri'ab narrated from Zurara, who said: I asked Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام about a man who married a woman in Iraq, then traveled to Syria and married another woman, only to later discover that she was the sister of his wife in Iraq. Imam عليه السلام said: "He must separate from the one he married in Syria, and he cannot approach the one in Iraq until the waiting period ('iddah) of the one in Syria is completed." I asked: "What if he married a woman and then married her mother, not knowing that she was her mother?" Imam عليه السلام said: "Allah سبحانه وتعالى excuses his ignorance in this matter." Then Imam عليه السلام continued: "When he learns that she is the mother, he must not approach her, nor approach the daughter until the waiting period of the mother is completed. After the mother's waiting period ends, it becomes lawful for him to marry the daughter." I asked: "What if the mother bears a child?" Imam عليه السلام said: "The child is his, inherits from him, and is both his son and the brother of his wife."

Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub narrated from Malik ibn Atiyyah, from Abu Ubaydah, who reported from Abu Abdullah عليه السلام: Regarding a man who instructed another man to marry him to a woman from the people of Basra, from the tribe of Banu Tamim, but the intermediary instead married him to a woman from the people of Kufa, also from the tribe of Banu Tamim. Imam عليه السلام said: "He has disobeyed his command. The intermediary is responsible for half the dowry to the woman's family. There is no waiting period ('iddah) for her, and there is no inheritance between them." Someone present then asked: "What if he instructed him to marry a woman without specifying the land or tribe, and later the man who gave the order denied ever instructing him after the marriage had been performed?" Imam عليه السلام said: "If the intermediary has proof that he was instructed to arrange the marriage, then the dowry is the responsibility of the one who gave the order. However, if the intermediary has no proof, then the dowry falls upon the intermediary to pay to the woman's family. There is no inheritance between them, and there is no waiting period ('iddah) for her. She is entitled to half the dowry if a specific dowry was stipulated. If no dowry was specified, then she is entitled to nothing."

Ibn Abi Umayr narrated from Jamil ibn Darraj, who reported from Abu Abdullah عليه السلام regarding a man who married two sisters in a single contract. Imam عليه السلام said: "He should keep whichever one he wishes and release the other." And regarding a man who married five women in a single contract. Imam عليه السلام said: "He should release whichever ones he wishes."

Muhammad ibn Qays narrated from Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام: Regarding a man who had four wives and divorced one of them, then married another woman before the divorced wife had completed her waiting period. Imam عليه السلام ruled: "The latter wife must return to her family until the divorced wife completes her waiting period. After that, the latter wife must observe a new waiting period. If he had consummated the marriage with her, she is entitled to her dowry. However, if he had not consummated the marriage, she has no dowry and no waiting period required for her. After her waiting period ends, if her family wishes, they may give her back in marriage to him, and if they wish, they may refuse."

Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub narrated from Sa'd ibn Abi Khalaf al-Zam and Sinan ibn Tarif, who narrated from Abu Abdullah عليه السلام: Imam عليه السلام was asked about a man who had three wives, then married another woman but did not consummate the marriage with her. Later, he wanted to emancipate a bondwoman and marry her. Imam عليه السلام said: "If he divorces the woman with whom he had not consummated the marriage, then there is no harm in him marrying another woman on that same day. However, if he divorces one of the three wives with whom he had consummated the marriage, he cannot marry another woman until the waiting period of the divorced wife is completed."

Muhammad ibn Abi Umayr narrated from Anbasa ibn Mus'ab, who said: I asked Abu Abdullah عليه السلام about a man who had three wives and then married two more women in a single contract. He consummated the marriage with one of them and then died. Imam عليه السلام said: "If he consummated the marriage with the woman whose name was mentioned first during the marriage contract, then his marriage is valid, and she must observe the waiting period ('iddah), and she is entitled to inheritance. However, if he consummated the marriage with the woman whose name was mentioned after the first woman, then his marriage is invalid, she is not entitled to inheritance, but she must observe the waiting period ('iddah).

Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub narrated from Abu Ayyub, from Abu Ubaydah, from Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام: He was asked about a man who married a free woman and two bondwomen in a single contract. Imam عليه السلام said: "As for the free woman, her marriage is valid, and if he specified a dowry for her, it belongs to her. However, as for the two bondwomen, their marriage in the same contract with the free woman is invalid. He must separate from them."

Talhah ibn Zayd narrated from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام from his father, Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام that Ali عليه السلام said: "If a bondwoman is raped and her virginity is taken, the perpetrator must pay one-tenth of her value. However, if she is a free woman, he must pay the dowry."

Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام said regarding a man who confessed that he had forcibly taken another man's bondwoman, and the bondwoman had given birth to a child by the usurper: "The bondwoman and her child must be returned to the rightful owner if the usurper has confessed to this or if there is evidence against him."

Al-'Ala' narrated from Muhammad ibn Muslim, who reported from Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام: I asked Imam عليه السلام about two men who married two women, but each man was mistakenly given the wife of the other. Imam عليه السلام said: "Each woman must observe the waiting period (iddah) from the other man, and then they may return to their rightful husbands."

Jamil ibn Salih narrated from Abu 'Ubaydah, who said: I asked Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام about a man who had three unmarried daughters. He married one of them to a man but did not specify which daughter to the husband or the witnesses. The husband had already agreed upon a dowry for her. When the time came for the husband to consummate the marriage, he was informed that the bride was the eldest daughter. However, the husband said to the father, "I only intended to marry your youngest daughter." Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام replied: "If the husband had seen all the daughters and had not specified one of them, then the decision is based on the father's word. However, the father must, before Allah سبحانه وتعالى (Glorified and Exalted), give the husband the daughter he intended to marry off at the time of the marriage contract. But if the husband had not seen all the daughters and no specific one was identified during the marriage contract, then the marriage is invalid."

Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub narrated from Jamil ibn Salih that Abu Abdullah عليه السلام said regarding two sisters who were given in marriage to two brothers, but each was mistakenly sent to the other brother. Abu Abdullah عليه السلام said: "Each woman is entitled to the dowry due to consummation. If their guardian deliberately caused this mix-up, he must pay the dowry. Neither man may approach his wife until her waiting period ('iddah) ends. Once the waiting period is over, each woman returns to her original husband based on the first marriage contract." It was asked: "What if the women die before the waiting period ends?" Imam عليه السلام said: "The husbands may reclaim half of the dowry from their heirs, and the two husbands inherit from them." It was further asked: "What if the husbands die while the wives are still in the waiting period?" Imam عليه السلام said: "The wives inherit from their husbands and are entitled to half of the dowry. After completing the waiting period for the first incident, they must observe another waiting period as widows of their deceased husbands."

Muhammad ibn Abd al-Hamid narrated from Muhammad ibn Shuayb who said: I wrote to Imam عليه السلام regarding a man who proposed marriage to his uncle's daughter. The uncle instructed one of his brothers to marry his daughter to the man. However, during the marriage contract, the man mistakenly mentioned a different name instead of the daughter's actual name, which was Fatimah. The man did not have any daughter by the name he mentioned during the contract. The Imam عليه السلام responded: "There is no harm in it."

Ismail ibn Abi Ziyad narrated from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام from his father, Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام that Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام said: "Marriage through employment is not permissible in Islam today, such as when someone says, 'I will work for you for such and such a year in exchange for marrying your sister or daughter.' Such an arrangement is forbidden because it reduces her to a price, whereas she is entitled to her dowry."

Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub narrated from Jamil ibn Salih from Abu Ubaydah al-Hadhdha' that Abu Jafar Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام was asked about a eunuch who married a woman, and she was aware that he was a eunuch. Imam عليه السلام said: "It is permissible." It was then asked: "If he remained with her as long as Allah سبحانه وتعالى willed and then divorced her, is she required to observe a waiting period (iddah)?" Imam عليه السلام replied: "Yes, did he not experience pleasure with her, and did she not experience pleasure with him?" Imam عليه السلام was further asked: "Is she required to perform ritual purification (ghusl) due to their intimacy?" Ima عليه السلام replied: "If she experiences sexual discharge during their intimacy, then she is required to perform ghusl." Finally, Imam عليه السلام was asked: "Does he have the right to reclaim any part of the dowry (mahr) if he divorces her?" Imam عليه السلام said: "No."

Ali ibn Ri'ab narrated from Abdullah ibn Bukayr from his father, from one of the Imams عليه السلام, regarding a eunuch who deceived a Muslim woman and married her. Imam عليه السلام said: "They shall be separated if the woman so desires, and his head shall be struck as a punishment. However, if she accepts him and decides to stay with him after learning the truth, she will no longer have the right to reject him later."

Safwan ibn Yahya narrated from Abi Jarir Al-Qummi, who said: I asked Abu Al-Hasan عليه السلام: "Can I marry my maternal brother to my paternal sister?" Abu Al-Hasan عليه السلام replied: 'Marry her to him, or marry him to her.'"

Muhammad ibn Qays narrated from Abu Ja'far Imam Al-Baqir عليه السلام: Imam عليه السلام ruled regarding a man who married a woman, and she gave him the dowry herself and stipulated that she would have the authority over intimacy and divorce. Imam عليه السلام said: "She has opposed the Sunnah and has been given a right she is not entitled to." Then Imam عليه السلام ruled: "The dowry is obligatory upon him, and the consummation and divorce are in his hands, as this is the Sunnah."

Commander of the Faithful عليه السلام ruled concerning two sisters: A man married one of them and then divorced her while she was pregnant. He then proposed to and married her sister before the divorced sister gave birth. Imam عليه السلام ordered him to divorce the second sister until the first sister gave birth. After that, he could propose to the second sister again and pay her dowry twice.

Commander of the Faithful عليه السلام ruled: "A free woman may be married before a bondwoman, but a bondwoman may not be married before a free woman." If a man marries a free woman along with a bondwoman, he must allocate to the free woman twice as much from his wealth and time as he allocates to the bondwoman, and the bondwoman is entitled to one-third of his wealth and time."

Imam Abu Abdullah عليه السلام was asked about a man who married a Dhimmi woman (non-Muslim under Muslim protection) while already married to a Muslim woman. Imam عليه السلام said: "They should be separated, and he should be given one-eighth of the prescribed punishment, which amounts to twelve and a half lashes. However, if the Muslim woman consents to it, he should still receive one-eighth of the punishment, but they should not be separated." I asked: "How is half a lash administered?" Imam عليه السلام replied: "The whip is held by its middle, and he is struck with it."

Imam Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام said: "An Arab man should not marry a Muhajira woman (a woman who migrated for the sake of faith) and then take her out of the land of migration to the land of the Arabs."

Muhammad ibn Muslim reported: I asked Imam Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام about a man who already has a wife and then marries another woman. I asked: "Is it permissible for him to give preference to her (the new wife)?" Imam عليه السلام replied: "Yes, if she is a virgin, then seven days; and if she is previously married (a widow or divorced), then three days."

Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub narrated from Ibrahim al-Karkhi, who said: I asked Abu Abdillah عليه السلام about a man who has four wives and spends the night with three of them during their respective nights, and he has relations with them. However, when he spends the night with the fourth one on her night, he does not have relations with her. Is there any sin upon him in this matter? Imam عليه السلام said: "It is only obligatory upon him to spend the night with her on her night and to remain with her until the morning. There is no obligation upon him to have relations with her if he does not wish to do so."

Al-Alaa narrated from Muhammad ibn Muslim, who said: I asked him about a man who has two wives, one of whom is more beloved to him than the other. Imam عليه السلام said: "He may spend three nights with her and one night with the other. However, if he wishes to marry four wives, then each wife is entitled to one night. Therefore, it is permissible for him to prefer some of them over others as long as they are not four."

Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام said: "Marry a bondwoman alongside another bondwoman, but do not marry a bondwoman alongside a free woman. However, you may marry a free woman alongside a bondwoman. If you marry a free woman alongside a bondwoman, then the free woman is entitled to two-thirds, and the bondwoman to one-third, of both your wealth and your time, two nights for the free woman and one night for the bondwoman."

Musa ibn Bakr narrated from Zurara, who said: Durais had married the daughter of Humran, and he made a condition for her that he would neither marry another wife nor take a concubine over her, neither during her lifetime nor after her death. In return, she made a condition that she would not marry anyone after him. They also pledged that if either of them failed to fulfill their commitment, all their wealth, possessions, and slaves would be given as charity to the poor, and their slaves would be set free. Then, Durais went to Abu Abdillah عليه السلام and mentioned this matter to him. Imam عليه السلام said: "The daughter of Humran has her rights, but that will not prevent us from speaking the truth. Go and marry and take concubines, for this agreement has no binding effect." After that, Durais married and took a concubine, and children were born to him afterward.

Thalabah ibn Maymun narrated from Abdullah ibn Hilal, who said: I asked Abu Abdillah عليه السلام about a man who marries a child born of fornication. He عليه السلام said: "There is no harm in it. It is only disliked due to the fear of disgrace. Indeed, the child belongs to the father, and the woman is merely a vessel." I said: What about a man who buys a bondwoman born of fornication and has relations with her? He عليه السلام said: "There is no harm in it."

Al-Bazanti narrated from Al-Mashriqi, who said: I asked Abu Al-Hasan عليه السلام: What do you say about a man who claimed that he proposed to a woman, and jokingly, she married herself to him while also joking? Then the woman was asked about this, and she said: "Yes." Imam عليه السلام said: "It is nothing." I asked: Is it permissible for the man to marry her? Imam عليه السلام said: "Yes."

Hammad ibn Isa asked Abu Abdillah عليه السلام about how many wives can a slave marry? He عليه السلام said: My father عليه السلام said that Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام said: "He may not marry more than two wives."

And in another narration: "A slave may marry two free women, or four bondwomen, or two bondwomen and one free woman."

Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub narrated from Abu Walad al-Hannat, who said: Abu Abdillah عليه السلام was asked about a man who instructed another man to marry a woman for him in Medina, specifying her by name, while the one giving the instruction was in Iraq. The one instructed went and married her to him. Then he returned to Iraq and found that the one who had given the instruction had died. Imam عليه السلام said: "It should be examined. If the instructed person married her to him before the one who gave the instruction died, and then the one who gave the instruction died afterward, then the dowry in all such cases will be considered part of the inheritance, like a debt. But if he married her to him after the one who gave the instruction had died, then there is no obligation on the one who gave the instruction nor on the one who carried it out, and the marriage is invalid."

Safwan ibn Yahya narrated from Zayd ibn al-Jahm al-Hilali, who said: I asked Abu Abdillah عليه السلام about a man who marries a woman, and she has a daughter from another man. Can he marry his son to her daughter? Imam عليه السلام said: "If the daughter is from a husband she had before he married her, then there is no harm. But if the daughter is from a husband she had after he married her, then no, it is not permissible."

Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub narrated from Hammad al-Nab, from Abu Basir, who said: I asked Abu Abdillah عليه السلام about a man who married a woman with the condition of giving her a well-known orchard that had abundant produce. Then, after remaining for years without consummating the marriage, he divorced her. Imam عليه السلام said: "He must look at what the orchard has yielded in produce from the day he married her, and he should give her half of it, along with half of the orchard itself, unless she pardons him and agrees to settle for something that pleases her from him, for that is closer to piety."

Ishaq ibn Ammar narrated from Abu al-Hasan Imam Musa ibn Jafar Al-Kadhim عليه السلام, who said: I asked him about a man who married a woman on the basis of giving her his slave and the slave's wife, and he delivered them to her. Then the slave's wife died while in the possession of the woman, and afterward, he divorced her before consummating the marriage. Imam عليه السلام said: "If he had evaluated their worth for her at the time of the marriage, then the second (the slave) should also be evaluated. After that, the remaining value of the original dowry at the time of the marriage should be assessed, and the woman must return it to the husband. Then the husband must give her half of what remains from that value."

Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub narrated from Abu Ayyub, from Humran, who said: Abu Abdillah عليه السلام was asked about a man who married a young bondwoman who was a virgin and had not yet reached maturity. When he consummated the marriage, he deflowered her and caused her to lose her virginity completely. Imam عليه السلام said: "If he consummated the marriage with her when she was nine years old, then there is no liability upon him. However, if she had not yet reached nine years of age, or was slightly younger than that at the time he consummated the marriage and deflowered her, then he has caused her harm and rendered her unfit for other marriages. In such a case, it is upon the Imam to impose upon him the payment of her full dowry. But if he keeps her and does not divorce her until she dies, then there is no liability upon him."

Muhammad ibn Muslim asked Abu Jafar Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام about withdrawal (coitus interruptus). Imam عليه السلام said: "The semen belongs to the man; he may direct it wherever he wishes."