The Reality of Rāfiḍah’s Argument for Mutʿah from the Verse
Source: Fatāwā Amunpūrī by Shaykh Ghulām Muṣṭafā Ẓahīr Amunpūrī
❖ Question:
The Rāfiḍah present the following verse as proof for the permissibility of Nikāḥ al-Mutʿah (temporary marriage):
﴿فَمَا اسْتَمْتَعْتُم بِهِ مِنْهُنَّ فَآتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةً﴾
(Sūrah al-Nisāʾ: 24)
— “So, for those women you have enjoyed (istamtaʿtum) [in marriage], give them their due dowries as an obligation.”
What is the reality of their argument?
✿ Answer:
① Correct Meaning of the Verse
❀ Imām al-Ṭabarī رحمه الله (d. 310H) explained:
The correct interpretation is that the verse refers to women whom you marry and consummate the marriage with — to them you must pay the full mahr (dowry). The prohibition of Mutʿah came through the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, which shows this verse is about valid permanent marriage.
(Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī 3/738)
❀ Ibn Khuwāiz Mandād رحمه الله (d. 390H) stated:
This verse cannot be used to justify Mutʿah, because:
- The Prophet ﷺ forbade and prohibited Mutʿah.
- The following verse commands: ﴿فَانكِحُوهُنَّ بِإِذْنِ أَهْلِهِنَّ﴾ (4:25) — “Marry them with the permission of their guardians.”
This clearly refers to regular Sharʿī marriage, not Mutʿah, which lacks the guardian and witnesses.
(Tafsīr al-Qurṭubī 5/129–130)
❀ Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله (d. 728H) said:
This verse contains no proof for the permissibility of Mutʿah at all.
(Minhāj al-Sunnah 2/155)
② Full Context of the Verse
Allah said:
﴿وَأُحِلَّ لَكُمْ مَا وَرَاءَ ذَٰلِكُمْ أَنْ تَبْتَغُوا بِأَمْوَالِكُمْ مُحْصِنِينَ غَيْرَ مُسَافِحِينَ فَمَا اسْتَمْتَعْتُم بِهِ مِنْهُنَّ فَآتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةً﴾
(Sūrah al-Nisāʾ: 24)
“And lawful for you are all women beyond those (mentioned as prohibited), that you seek them with your wealth, in marriage, not fornication. Then, for those women you have enjoyed (consummated marriage with), give them their due dowries as an obligation...”
The context shows:
- “Istimtaʿ” means consummation of permanent Sharʿī marriage.
- The dowry is obligatory after consummation, just as if a woman is divorced before consummation, she only receives half the dowry.
- This verse emphasizes the Sharʿī nikāḥ system, not temporary contracts.
③ About the Variant Reading (Ilā Ajalin Musammā)
Some narrations mention an addition: ﴿فَمَا اسْتَمْتَعْتُم بِهِ مِنْهُنَّ إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى﴾ — “...for a fixed term.”
- This is not part of the mutawātir Qurʾānic reading. At best, it is a non-mutawātir report, possibly from the time when Mutʿah was temporarily permitted.
- When Mutʿah was abrogated, this reading was no longer established in the Qurʾān.
Thus, this cannot be proof for present-day permissibility.
④ Prophetic Prohibition of Mutʿah
From ʿAlī رضي الله عنه:
«أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ نَهَى عَنِ الْمُتْعَةِ وَعَنْ لُحُومِ الْحُمُرِ الأَهْلِيَّةِ يَوْمَ خَيْبَر»
“The Prophet ﷺ forbade Mutʿah and the flesh of domesticated donkeys on the Day of Khaybar.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 5115; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1407)
And in another narration, he ﷺ said during the Conquest of Makkah:
“O people! I had permitted you Mutʿah, but now Allah has forbidden it until the Day of Judgment. Whoever has a woman through Mutʿah, let him release her, and do not take back anything you had given her.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1406/29)
⑤ Statements of Scholars
- Imām Ḥasan al-Baṣrī رحمه الله explained “istimtaʿ” here as Sharʿī marriage. (Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī 9039)
- Sabrāh al-Juhanī رضي الله عنه reported: “For us, istimtaʿ (enjoyment) means nikāḥ.” (Musnad Aḥmad 3/404, with ṣaḥīḥ isnād)
⑥ Ibn ʿAbbās’s رجوع (Reversal)
Though Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنه at one time allowed Mutʿah, authentic reports confirm he later retracted this opinion after learning of its abrogation.
(Mustakhraj Abī ʿAwānah 2/273, ḥadīth 2384, ṣaḥīḥ isnād)
Conclusion
- The verse ﴿فما استمتعتم به منهن﴾ refers to permanent Sharʿī marriage, not temporary Mutʿah.
- Mutʿah was only temporarily permitted in early Islam under specific conditions but was later permanently abrogated by the Prophet ﷺ himself.
- The Ummah has agreed by consensus (ijmāʿ) on its prohibition until the Day of Judgment.
- The Rāfiḍah’s argument from this verse is invalid and baseless, contradicted by Qurʾān, Sunnah, and ijmāʿ of the Ṣaḥābah.
