By Mustafa Makumba

Mut’ah or temporary marriage refers to when a man marries a woman for a specific length of time in return for a particular amount of money.   The basic principle concerning marriage is that it should be ongoing and permanent. Temporary marriage was permitted at the beginning of Islam, then it was abrogated and became Haraam until the Day of Judgement. 

Ali (Radhiyallahu Anhu) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) forbade Mut’ah marriage and the meat of domestic donkeys at the time of Khaybar. According to another report, he forbade Mut’ah marriage at the time of Khaybar and he forbade the meat of time donkeys. (Bukhari and Muslim). 

Al-Rabi ibn Sabrah al-Juhani (Radhiyallahu Anhu) narrated that his father told him that he was with the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) who said, “O people, I used to allow you to engage in Mut’ah marriages, but now Allah has forbidden that until the Day of Resurrection, so whoever has any wives in a Mut’ah marriage, he should let her go and do not take anything of the (money) you have given them.” (Muslim).

Mut’ah marriage according to the Rafidis (Shias)

The Rafidis quote invalid evidence to support their argument that Mut’ah is permissible. For example: They quote the Aayah in which Allah says: “…so with those of whom you have enjoyed sexual relations, give them their Mahr as prescribed…” [al-Nisa 4:24].

They say: this verse indicates that Mut’ah is permissible, and the word ‘their Mahr (Ujurahunna – their dues or their wages)’ is evidence that what is meant by the phrase ‘you have enjoyed sexual relations’ is Mut’ah. 

The refutation of this is the fact that prior to this Allah mentions the women whom a man is forbidden to marry, then he mentions what is permissible for him, and He commands the man to give to the woman he marries her Mahr.

The refutation here is the fact that the Rafidis are following their own whims and desires, because they regard the Companions of the Prophet (Radhiyallahu Anhum) as disbelievers, then you see them quoting their actions as permissible in this instance and in others. 

The Companions (Radhiyallahu Anhum) – including Ali ibn Abi Talib and Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr – refuted Ibn Abbas’s view that Mut’ah was permitted.