Mukhtasar Muslim

Qais said: I heard Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) say: We used to participate in jihad with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and we had no women with us, so we said, "Should we not castrate ourselves?" But the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade us from doing so. Then he permitted us to contract marriage with a woman for a specified period in exchange for a garment (i.e., temporary marriage, mut'ah). Then Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) recited this verse: "O you who believe! Do not make unlawful the good things which Allah has made lawful for you, and do not transgress. Verily, Allah does not love the transgressors." (Al-Ma'idah: 87)

Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) says: We used to contract temporary marriage (mut'ah) during the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) by giving a handful of dates and flour (as dowry) to women for several days, until Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) forbade it in the case of Amr bin Harith.