The religious beliefs and
practices of Shi'ahs differentiate and segregate them from the entire Muslim Ummah. The
Shi'ahs have specific beliefs about the attributes of Allah, the attributes of
Allah's messengers, the position and mission of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and
the reliability of the Qur'an. They even have their own unique moral codes.
Unfortunately, because of their clannish nature and secretive preaching, very
few people have proper knowledge of their beliefs and practices.
History vouches for the
fact that since its inception, Shi'ism has been shrouded in mystery. The
initial preaching and propagation of Shi'ism was only through word of mouth.
None of the Shi'ah Imams left any
documentary evidence of their teachings. It is a strange paradox
that the Shi'ahs claim to follow Imam Ja'far when, in fact, Imam Ja'far (may
Allah be pleased with him) did not even leave any evidence of having compiled a
Fiqh. And later, when the Shi'ahs started writing about their beliefs, such
writings were meant only for Shi'ahs. Sunnis did not even have access to them.
Contrary to the universal
and basic teachings of monotheistic religion, Shi'ism teaches its followers to
conceal their faith and hide their beliefs. Two of their basic doctrines, known
as kitman and taqiyyah, are primarily designed to achieve this
purpose. The belief in kitman commands the Shi'ahs to conceal their religion
from non-Shi'ahs. The following two so-called "hadiths" from the sixth Shi'ah imam, Ja'far
as-Sadiq, clearly elaborate this point:
"One
who exposes something from our religion is like one who intentionally kills us." 1
"You
belong to a religion that whosoever conceals it - Allah will honor him; whoever
reveals it Allah will disgrace and humiliate him. 2
Furthermore, the belief in taqiyyah commits
Shi'ahs to put up a hypocritical show and to act in such away that non-Shi’ahs
may never be exposed to real Shi'ism. It even allows them to tell a lie if
their intention is to hide their religion from non-Shi’ahs. The following
Shi'ah narrations testify clearly to this effect:
Imarn Ja'far
as'Sadiq said: "Associate with your opponents outwardly
and oppose them inwardly. "3
ZarSrah narrated: "I
asked a certain question of Imam Baqir, and he gave me its answer. Another
person then asked the same question, and the imam gave him a different answer.
Later, a third person asked the same question, but the imam's answer that time
was different than the previous two answers. I then asked him, 'O son of the
messenger, the two persons who just came here to ask you questions were from
Iraq and were Shi'ahs, yet you gave them contradictory answers.'
The imam then answered, 'O Zararah, this is good for me as well as for you, and
this will help us survive and prosper."4
Because of such beliefs
both the Muslim Ummah and Western scholars have very little genuine
and reliable knowledge of Shi'ah beliefs and practices. However, most of the
openly declared Shi'ah beliefs revolve around the concept of imamah, the
superiority of 'All (may Allah be pleased with him), and the so-called love of
the Prophet's family members. As a result, the intense love that Sunni Muslims
carry for the Prophet's family members combined with the magnanimous
personality of 'All has led some Sunnis to accept the Shi'ahs as part of the
Muslim Ummah.
However, the brutal fact
remains that under the pretense of 'Ali's superiority and the so-called love of
the Prophet's family members, Shi'ahs have literally evolved an entirely new
religion, grossly distorted the teachings of the Holy Qur'an, and completely
rejected the sanctity and authenticity of the Hadith. They have elevated the sayings of
their imams to the level of the Prophet's sayings and have classified them as Hadith.
For all practical purposes, they reject the most authentic sayings of the
Prophet (PBUH) and base their religion on the so-called hadiths attributed
to their imams. By doing so they have rejected one of the most fundamental principles
of
Islam: the law
can only be derived from the sayings and actions of the Prophet (PBUH), not any
other human being.
This work is the third in a
series comparing Sunni and Shi'ah beliefs. The first two booklets are Sunni and Shi' ah Perspectives on Islam and Sunni and Shi'ah
Perspectives on the Holy Qur'an. The Shi'ah belief in the sanctity and blessings of temporary marriage,
called mut’ah, is dealt with here.
The present study gives
only a glimpse of the Shi'ah belief regarding mut’ah. All quoted citations used in
support of their beliefs come from the most authentic and original source books
of the Shi'ah faith - two of the earliest Shi'ah commentaries on the Qur'an,
two of the earliest Shi'ah books of Hadith, and two of the earliest Shi'ah
books of fiqh, along with a few other references, including words from the late Shi'ah
imam, Ayatullah Khomeini.
Dr. Ahmad 'Abdullah Salamah
Sha'ban 1414 / January 1994
Mut'ah is Arabic word which means
"enjoyment." Actually, it has a deep religious connotation and draws
a line of demarcation between the Shi'ahs and the rest of the Muslim Ummah. The books
of Hadith and Fiqh written by Shi'ah scholars define mut'ah as
"a temporary marriage contracted for a fixed period in return for a
compensation." The belief in the sanctity and virtues of mut'ah is an
integral part of the Shi'ah faith. In contrast, the rest of the Muslim Ummah considers mut’ah as
prostitution.
Shi'ahs justify their
belief in mut’ah with the following verse of the Qur'an, and
they claim that this verse was revealed specifically to declare the sanctity of mut’ah:
"Also [prohibited to yon are] women already
married, except those whom your right hands possess. [This is what] Allah has ordained
upon yon. Except for these, all others are lawful, provided yon seek them [in marriage] with
gifts from your property, desiring
chastity, not lust. So for whatever yon have enjoyed
from them, give them their
compensation as an obligation. “5
The Shi'ahs also claim that
mut'ah was openly practiced during the Prophet's lifetime and that it was the
second caliph, 'Umar, who forcefully prohibited this practice. They even go to
the extent of saying:
"The believer is perfect only when he has
experienced mut’ah. "6
Sunnis acknowledge that mut’ah was a
common practice during the pro-Islamic days of ignorance (jahiliyyah) in
Arabia. It is stated in at-Tirmidhi's book of hadith in the chapter on marriage that
when a man would go to a strange village where he had no acquaintance, he would
marry a woman for as long a period as he thought that he would stay so that she
could take care of him and his property. This practice continued during the
early days of Islam until the Qur'an revealed:
"...And those who abstain from sexualintercourse except with their wives or those
[women] whom their right hands possess. "7
The Shorter Encyclopedia of Islam also
states that mut'ah was a common practice among Arab travelers and
goes back to the fourth century A.D. "When a stranger came to a village
and had no place to stay, he would marry a woman for a short time so that she
would be his partner in bed and take care of his property." Caetani also
concluded that mut’ah in the pagan period was religious prostitution
that took place during the occasion of hajj.8
Thus, mut’ah was a
loose sexual practice during the pre-Islamic days of ignorance in Arabia. Being
an old and established institution, it continued during the early days of
Islam. The Prophet (PBUH) also allowed it temporarily on two other occasions,
but only under strict, exceptional conditions during the conquest of haybar and
during the conquest of Makkah - fearing that those Muslims whose faith was not
yet strong might commit adultery during jihad. Shi'ahs widely quote hadiths in
relation to these events to support their continued belief in mut’ah. Sunnis
accept these hadiths but add that they happened before all of the
revelations of the Qur'an were revealed and the religion completed. Historians
and commentators on the Qur'an and hadith agree that Islam eradicated most
social evils in a gradual way. It is well known that practices like gambling,
drinking, and the eating of pork and blood were common during the early days
but were gradually prohibited. Likewise, it seems probable that mut’ah was first
forbidden to those at Khaybar in the year 7 A.H. and was then completely
prohibited to all upon the conquest of Makkah in 8 A.H. Several traditions of
the Prophet (PBUH) regarding mut'ah are well documented in books of. hadith, such as
the following:
'Ali reported: "On the day of the conquest of Khaybar the Prophet (PBUH)
forbade mut'ah and [eating] the flesh of a donkey. "9
Sabrah bin Ma' bad al-Jihani reported: "I went
forth with the Prophet
(PBUH) for the conquest of Makkah, and he (PBUH) allowed us mut'ah with women. But we had not even left the city [yet] when it was prohibited by the Messenger of Allah (PBUH)."10
According to al-Bayhaqi,
Ja'far as-Sadiq, the sixth Shi'ah imarn, regarded mut'ah as fornication."11 And ‘Ali is
reported by ad-Darqutni to have said that mut'ah was abrogated when the Qur'anic
verses about marriage, divorce, 'iddah.'12 and inheritance were
revealed."13 Additionally, there are four hadiths quoted in Saheeh al-Bokhan under the title "The Prophet
Finally Forbade Mutah." Three of these relate to the incidents of mut’ah during
the early period of Islam. In the fourth hadith 'Ali said to lbn 'Abbas that the
Prophet (PBUH) forbade mut’ah and the meat of domesticated donkeys on the
day of Khaybar. And in Saheeh Muslim a group of traditions, which go
back to Sabrah bin Ma’bad, substantiate that the Prophet (PBUH) permitted mut’ah in the year
of the conquest of Makkah. Sabrah went with a companion to a woman, and each
offered her a cloak in exchange for mut’ah. She chose the younger person with a
shabbier cloak (i.e., Sabrah) and slept with him for three nights. Thereafter,
the Prophet (PBUH) forbade it forever.
A Shi'ah might object to
the aforementioned information because it is from Sunni sources. The fact is,
however, that the Qur'an itself negates the Shi’ah concept of mut’ah. But
first, the verse the Shi'ahs present in support of their belief in mut’ah,
describing the classes of women with whom marriage is forbidden, should be
examined. The last part of the verse reads:
"Except for these, all others are lawful,
provided you seek them [in marriage] with gifts from your property, desiring chastity, not lust. So for whatever you have enjoyed from them, give them their compensation as an obligation. " 14
This verse clearly
emphasizes the concept of chastity through regular marriage. Mut’ah, on the
other hand, is an open license for sexual pleasure with as many women as one
can financially afford. The women who engage in mut’ah are hired women; thus, it can be
performed with all women irrespective of their age, character, conduct or
religion. It requires no witnesses, nor is there any obligation on the man's
part to provide food and shelter to the woman. The only precondition is that
the woman agrees to the price and the length of the mut'ah and that the man pays her the
compensation when he has relations with her. One can discern for himself
whether such a practice leads to sheer promiscuity or promotes chastity.
Two terms in the verse
under discussion are used by Shi'ah commentators to allow mut’ah. The
first word is "ujur" (pi.of ajr), which means "compensation";
the second is "istamta'tum" which can be translated as
"what you have enjoyed." So the end of the verse could be translated:
"But give them their compensation for what you have enjoyed of them [in
keeping with your promise]." Shi'ah commentators claim that "ajr"
refers to the price of mut'ah agreed upon by the two parties. On the
contrary, Sunnis state that it refers to the mahr (bridal money given by the husband
to the wife).
Similarly, Shi'ahs explain
the term "istamta'tum" as the physical act of consummation. However,
this is contradicted by the following Qur'anic verses:
"There
is no blame upon you if you have divorced women whom you have not touched
[i.e., the marriage has not been consummated]or specified for them a mahr. But
give them [a gift of] compensation [matti’uhunna]. The wealthy has his
capability and the poor has his capability – a provision [mata’an] according to
what is acceptable, an obligation upon the righteous.”15
“They
had their enjoyment [fastamta’u] of their portion, and you have had enjoyment
[fastamta'tum] of yours as those before you enjoyed [istamta'a] theirs.” 16
"Their
friends among men will say, 'Our Lord, we enjoyed [astamta'a] each other but
have reached our term " 17
"O
Prophet, say to your wives, if you desire the life of this world and its
glitter, then come, I will provide for you [umatti'kunna] and set you free in a
handsome manner."18
“O you who have believed, when you marry believing women and then
divorce them before you have touched them, no period of waiting have you to
count in respect to them. So give them provision [matti'uhunna] and set them
free in a handsome manner.” 19
"And
on the Day that the disbelievers will be placed before fire, [it will be said
to them], 'You used up your good things in the life of this world
and enjoyed [wastamt'tum] them.'”
20
All of the aforementioned
Qur'anic verses contain words with the root letters of the word “mut'ah”
(m-t-'a), such as “istamta'tum", which is a derivative. Yet, none of
the verses gives even a hint or connotation of the meaning interpreted by the
Shi'ahs. The Shi'ahs do not relate any of these verses to the their concept of mut'ah. One may
thus raise the question that if a word used on six different occasions in the
Qur'an does not refer to temporary marriage, then how can the same word in a
single verse refer to temporary marriage? It should be noted that the Qur'an
continues with this statement:
"So
many them with the permission of their families and give them their dowers
according to what is reasonable. " 21
Such a case is only
possible in a regular marriage since these conditions are not necessary in mut'ah. Although
the Shi'ahs present the previous verse in support of their belief in mut'ah, they
completely ignore this verse, which follows immediately thereafter. The fact is
that Shi'ahs are very selective in their quotation of both Qur'anic verses and hadiths. They
always present only those that agree with and corroborate their specific
beliefs while completely ignoring others. Thus, while quoting verse twenty-four
of Surah an-Nisa' and ignoring verse twenty-five, they also
"forget" the six other verses that use the same terminology.
The Muslim ummah
unanimously upholds that mut'ah is abrogated by all of the Qur'anic verses
that speak about marriage, divorce, inheritance, dower, the guardian's
permission, the 'iddah of divorced and widowed women, etc. And the
following verse leaves no doubt that mut'ah is completely forbidden and
unlawful:
"...And those who abstain from sexual inteicomse except with their
wives or those [women] whom their right hands possess.” 22
Explaining this verse, lbn
'Abbas said, "All other ways of sexual contact except
these two are forbidden."
23
As previously mentioned, Shi'ahs
claim that it was 'Umar who forbade the practice of mut'ah and that mut’ah was openly practiced during the
lifetimes of the Prophet (PBUH) and Abo Bakr. In fact, Sunnis acknowledge that
'Umar again24 declared mut’ah to be illegal, but they also state that he did
not make the ruling from himself. 'Umar was elected caliph just two and a half
years after the Prophet's death. Present around him were the respected family
inembers and noble companions of the Prophet (PBUH). Had 'Umar's declaration been contrary
to the Prophet's practice, a number of these noble people would have objected
to it. Yet, nowhere in Islamic history is recorded a single protest against his
announcement. Furthermore, since 'Umar was later succeeded by 'Uthman and then
'All, had 'Umal's statements been contrary to the ruling of the Prophet (PBUH),
at least one of them would have reestablished the sanctity of mut'ah. Again,
there are no records of such abrogation. Oddly enough, ‘Ali left behind a
voluminous book, Nahjil-Balaghah, wherein he presented various aspects of Islam
and the Muslim state. However, not a single word in favor of mut'ah is
mentioned in it. Had 'Umar been wrong, nothing would have prevented 'All from
condemning it in his writings. The fact is that ever since the Prophet's death
there has been a consensus among the Muslim ummah about the illegality of mut'ah. Perhaps
some people might not have been aware of its prohibition and subsequently
contracted it after the Prophet's death; however, when 'Umar found out about it,
he made another public declaration against it and enforced the ruling as the
caliph and head of the Islamic state.
The following citations
from the most authentic Shi'ahbooks, regarded as the basic sources of Shi'ah
beliefs and practices, elaborate on the concept of
mut'ah. They need to be
analyzed in order to determine if mut'ah promotes chastity, as desired by
Almighty Allah or if it, instead, leads to religious prostitution and
debauchery.
The Proceeded for
Contracting Mut’ah
When Hisham Salim asked how
one should contract mut'ah, Imam Ja'far as-Sdiq answered that one should
say, "I am marrying you for this period of time for this amount of money.
When the prescribed period is over, there will be annulment, and there will be
no 'iddah after this." 25
No Divorce or
Inheritance Involved in Mut'ah
The narrator asked Imarn
Baqir about the women of mut’ah. The imam said, “She is not among those four
[women classified as wives] because she neither needs a divorce, nor is [a
child born of her] entitled to any inheritance. She is like a hired
woman!" 26
No Need for Witnesses or
Open Declaiation
"There is no need for
witnesses or any open declaration in mut’ah.” 27
The Price of Mut’ah
The narrator asked Imam Ja'ftr
as-Sadiq, "What should be the minimum compensation for mm'ahl' The imam
said,"Anything that the two parties agree upon."28
The Inexpensiveness of
Mut’ah
The narrator asked Imam Ja'far
as-Sadiq what the minimum compensation for mut’ah could be, and he answered,
"One fistful of wheat."
The Least Costly Mut'ah
Mut’ah is a marriage that may last for a
very short time. It needs no witnesses, and it has no period of 'iddah. The
minimum compensation that could be paid to the woman for sexual relations is
one dirham (i.e., less than 25 cents)."29
The Convenience of
Mut'ah
Aban bin Tughlaq related
that he said to Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq, “Often during my travels I come across a
very beautiful woman and am not sure if she has a husband or if she is an
adulteress or if she is one of dubious character," The imam responded,
"Why should you worry about all of these things? Your duty is to believe
what she engage in mut'ah with her.” 30
Mut'ah is Allowed with
Women of Dubious Character
The narrator asked Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq,
"In al-Kufah there is a woman known for her dubious character. Can I
engage in mut'ah with her?" The imam said, "Yes, you may engage in mut'ah with
her."31
Mut'ah with Numerous
Women
Zararah said, "I asked
the imam [i.e., Ja'far as-SSdiq] with how many different girls one can contract mut’ah. He
answered, ‘with as many as one likes. These women are like hired girls.” 32
Numerous Sexual
Gratifications in Mut'ah
One my have sexual
relations with the woman contracted for mut'ah any number of times he
desires."33
An Open License with All
Women
Mut'ah is allowed with all types of women.
She may be a virgin, married, widowed or may belong to any sect, group or
religion. She may be a Christian, Jew or Muslim.34 However, mut'ah with a
Majusi (Magian) woman is permissible only when one is helpless."35
Mut'ah with One Thousand
Women
If one desires, he may have
mut'ah with one thousand women since these are like hired women."36
Mut'ah with a Young Girl
Jameel bin ad-Dari said
that he asked Imam Ja'fiar as-Sadiq if mut'ah was permissible with a virgin girl.
The imam said, "There is no harm in it if the girl is not too young.
However, all of the collectors of hadith agree that a nine-year-old girl is
not considered too young."37
The Commission of Mut’ah
'Ali asked the Prophet
(PBUH),38 What is the reward of the person who participates in the virtuous
deed of arranging the mutual meetings of a man and woman?" The Prophet
(PBUH) said, "He will receive the same reward as the two who engage in mut’ah.”
Blessings of Mut’ah
The Prophet (PBUH) said,39
"The man who contracts mut'ah once will be saved from the Hellfire. One who
contracts it twice will be in the company of vitreous men [in Paradise]. And
the one who contracts it three times will be my companion in firdaws [the
highest level of Paradise]."
Mut’ah - A Blessing from
Allah
No one can close the door
of blessings which Allah opens for His servants, Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq said, “Mut' ah is one of the
blessings of Allah."40
Mut'ah - A Security for
Paradise
If a man contracts mut'ah once in
his lifetime, Allah will grant him Paradise.41
Mut'ah - A Savior from
Shirk
One who contracts mut'ah is saved
from shirk (the greatest sin of ascribing partners to Allah).42
Mut'ah - A Pardon from
All Sins
The father of Saleem bin
'Aqabah said that he asked Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq if there was reward in agreeing
to mut’ah. The imam said, "Yes, if it is practiced for
seeking the pleasure of Allah and to oppose those who deny the sanctity of mut'ah.
Thus, when a person engages
in mut’ah, all of his private talking to the woman is recorded as virtues. When he
extends his arms towards the woman, this is also written as virtue. When he
engages in the sexual act with the woman, Allah forgives all of his sins. When
the two take a bath, Allah showers His blessings upon them and forgives their
sins equal to the amount of hair [on their bodies]." The narrator inquired
in surprise, "Equal to the amount of hair on their bodies?" The imam replied,
"Yes, for every one single hair [wet by the water]. But their reward is
reduced by the amount of hair that may not be wet."43
Mnt'ah - A Pardon of
Sins for Practicing Women
It is narrated by Imam
Baqir that the Prophet (PBUH) said, "When I was being taken to Heaven
during the Mi'raj (ascension), Jibreel met me and told me, '0
Muhammad, Allah has promised to forgive all of the sins of those women who
practice mut’ah.”44
Denying Belief in Mut'ah
One who does not believe
that we (i.e., the Shi'ah imams) will reappear and role (the world in the
future) and one who does not believe in the sanctity of
mut'ah is not from
among us.45
Punishment for Not
Performing Mut'ah
The Prophet (PBUH) said,
'The men and women who die without performing mw'ah even once in their lives will
appear on the Day of Judgment with their ears and nose cut and [their faces]
deformed.” 46
Mut’ah - A Safeguard
Against the Hellfire
Imam Ja'ftr as-Sadiq
narrated from the Prophet (PBUH) that one third of the body is saved from the
Hellfire if one contracts mut’ah once. Two thirds of the body is saved if one
contracts mut’ah twice, and the whole body is saved from Hell
if one contracts mut’ah three times. "
47
Mut'ah - A Deed of
Allah's Virtuous Servants
It is narrated that once
the Prophet (PBUH) was sitting among his companions and the discussion came to
the topic of mut'ah. The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Do
you know what is the reward of mut'ah?” The companions answered, "No," The
Prophet (PBUH) then said, "Jibreel just came to me and said, '0 Muhammad,
Allah sends His blessings to you and commands you to instruct your ummah to engage
in the practice of mut'ah since this is the practice of [Allah's]
virtuous servants.” 48
Mut'ah - A Ladder to the
Stages of Piety
One who engages in mut'ah once gets
the status of Imam al-Husayn. One who engages in it twice becomes equal in
status to Imam al-Hasan. The one who performs it three times reaches the
position of Imam 'Ali. And he who practices it four times acquires the level
and position [equal to that] of the Prophet(PBUH)."
49
Great Reward for Women Who
Donate Their Compensation
For the woman who donates
back her compensation to the person who contracts mut'ah with her and for the woman who
foregoes her dowry, Allah will reward her with 40,000 cities of light and
70,000 dresses of velvet and tfi3/(silk brocade)...And Allah will reward her
with 70,000 more dresses from Heaven for each quarter of a dirham she
donates back... And for each quarter of a diiham Allah will also assign 1,000 angels
who will continue writing virtues in her account until the Day of Judgment. 50
The Shi'ah books of fiqh carry a
separate chapter entitled "I’arat al-Furuj" This could literally be translated
as "The Loaning of Vaginas." Under this heading the Shi'ah imams have
discussed the various conditions under which a woman can be temporarily given
to another person. The books give details as to how a woman can be loaned only
for the pleasure of seeing her naked body or for the pleasure of enjoying her
lasses or for the pleasure of having sexual intercourse with her. Most of these
descriptions are very explicit and are not even worthy of being reproduced
here. The following are a few of their milder quotations:
A man asked
Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq if it was permissible to temporarily loan a woman to
another person. The imam said, "It is not permissible." Then he
hesitated for a moment and added, "There is no harm if one offers his
slave girl to one of his brothers." 51
Imam Abu
'Abdullah [Ja'far as-Sadiq] said, "If a person allows another person to
kiss his slave girl, then such a kiss is permissible, and the man should
be contented with the kisses alone; but if he offers him her vagina, then
everything is permitted. "52
A narrator
stated, 'I said to Imam Abu 'Abdullah [Ja'far as-Sadiq], 'a few of our friends
have narrated from you that if a person offers his slave girl to another
person, she is permissible to him.' The imam responded, this is correct... ' I
asked, 'a certain person has a fine, beautiful slave girl who is a virgin. He
keeps her only for himself but says to one of his brothers to enjoy the girl
except her vagina. Would sexual intercourse be lawful with her?' The imam said.
No, enjoy what is permitted to yon by your brother.' I further asked. What if
that man gets carried away by his desire and engages in sexual intercourse?'
The imam said, this would be very improper.' I then asked, Would that man be
called a fumigator?' The Imam said. The man would not be called a fomicator.
Rather, he would be called dishonest. If the girl was a virgin, he should pay
to the master one tenth of her price; otherwise, the fine will be one twentieth
of the price of the slave girl.’” 53
It must be pointed out that
these sayings of the Shi'ah imams and their interpretation of the Holy Qur'an
should not be taken as their personal views. The Shi'ahs claim that it was
Allah and His Prophet (PBUH) who made mut’ah a blessing for the Muslim ummah. The
following citations by Imam Abu 'Abdullah Ja'far s-Sadiq further explain this
Shi'ah point of view:
"The Qar'an was revealed to declare the
sanctity of mut’ah. The Prophet(PBUH) also practiced mut'ah. " 54
"Allah has prohibited'all
intoxicating drinks for the Shi'ahs, but instead He has granted them mut'ah. " 55
"The Qur'an was revealed to justify mut’ah,
and people practiced it in accordance
with the sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH) "56
Two basic points should be
made concerning the aforementioned quotations. The sayings of the Shi’ah imams in Shi'ah
doctrines are classified as 'hadith’ Technically; Shi'ahs make no distinction
between the sayings of the Prophet (PBUH) and those of their imams. The
quotations given in earlier pages thus occupy the status of 'hadith" in
their eyes and serve as the foundation of the Shi'ah faith and practice.
Furthermore, all of the citations in the preceding pages are from the most
authentic and original Shi'ah sources. Tafseer
al-Qummi and Tafseer Minhaj as-Sadiqeen are
two of the earliest and most reliable Shi'ah commentaries on the Qur'an.
Additionally,
Usul al-Kafi and Furu' al-Kafi the most fundamental and original
sources of Shi'ah hadith. The earlier editions of both "Kafis"
had an inscription on the title page, reading: According to Imam al-Mahdi, this
book is kafi [sufficient] for our Shi'ahs." The other two books quoted from are
Tahdheeb al-Ahkam and Man La Yahduruhul-Faqeeh.
These are classified
among the four, basic source books of Shi'ah beliefs called al-Kutub al-arba'ah and
are regarded as the most reliable sources of Shi'ah fiqh.Usul
al-Kafi and Furu'al-Kafi
are the other two books from these four.
All citations given in the
preceding pages thus come from the most respected Shi'ah sources of hiadth and fiqh. Consequently,
the belief in the sanctity, blessings and merits of mut’ah constitutes an integral part of the
Shi'ah faith. Thus, it is not possible for someone to consider himself a Shi'ah
and not believe in the sanctity and merits mut'ah.
Now it is left to the
reader's judgment to decide if the practices of mut’ah are in harmony with the tenets of
the Qur'an and the Prophet's teachings. Would such a practice establish a
society based upon piety, righteousness and chastity, or rather, would it open
the doors for lust, lewdness and debauchery? It is clear from the
aforementioned presentation that this type of society would necessarily be
opposed to a society based upon the Sunni interpretation of the Qur'an and hadith, in which
mut’ah is totally forbidden and regarded as fornication, adultery and
prostitution.
Unfortunately, very few
people realize the significant differences between Sunni and Shi'ah beliefs.
Most Shi'ah writings and preaching revolve around the emotional issues of love
for the Prophet's family members, the virtues of 'Ali, the martyrdom of
al-Husayn, etc. A number of people are attracted to Shi'ism because of the
sensitivity and emotional nature of these issues. They do not realize that
Shi'ahs have grossly misrepresented the Qur'an, as well as distorted and forged
hadiths. The concocted belief in the sanctity and virtues of mut'ah is a
classic example of such distortion.
Islamic history has shown
that wherever Shi'ahs have gained political power, the sanctity of mut'afi was
enforced even at the cost of human life. During the reign of Akbar (the great
Mongol emperor in India), the chief justice, Qadhi Ya'qub Manikpuri, was
sentenced to death for his verdict that mut’ah was not permissible in Islam.57
Many people coming from the Indo-Pakistan subcontinent would testily to the
fact that a number of Sunni heads of state in undivided India embraced Shi'ism
only to justify their lust for free sex, while claiming to practice mut'ah. The
brutal fact is that when prostitution was legalized by the British in undivided
India, a great many prostitutes were initially from the Shi'ahs, perhaps
practicing it as a virtuous deed.
It seems appropriate to
conclude this discussion with the following questions; If an Islamic state is
established based upon Shi'ah doctrines or if the Shi'ahs are allowed to
practice their religious beliefs, who would organize the "religious
duty" of supplying young girls with which one could engage in the practice
of mut'ah? Would the state or the Shi'ah community issue religious licenses to a
few virtuous women to take up the profession of mut'ah on a full-time basis or would
devout Shi'ahs allow their wives, mothers, sisters and daughters to participate
in the virtues of mut'ah in their free time? Moreover, how would these
girls be religiously different from the prostitutes sitting in a brothel?
Indeed, not one of the Shi'ah books of hadith or fiqh has yet answered these questions.
As previously mentioned,
none of the references cited in the previous pages come from the earliest and
original Shi'ah sources. Therefore, one could perhaps say that these sources
are obsolete and that the contemporary Shi'ah scholars and literature do not
propagate such beliefs about mut'ah. In order to dispel such misconceptions,
presented below are two citations from the work of Mullah Baqir Majlisi, whom
Ayatullah Khomeini considered to be an authority on Shi'ah beliefs.
It should be recalled that
Majlisi (d. 1111 A.H.) is one of the most respected Shi'ah scholars. He wrote
approximately sixty very comprehensive and voluminous books. In several of his
writings Khomeini has referred to Majlisi's works. As a matter of fact,
Khomeini recommended in his Kashfal-Asrar that Shi'ahs read Majli’s books.58 One of
Majli’s books deals exclusively with the virtues of mut'ah. It has been translated into Urdu by
a contemporary Shi'ah scholar named Syed Mohammad Jafar Qudsi and is entitled Ijala Hasna. The
following quotations are from these recent sources:
"The Prophet (PBUH) said, 'One who performs
mot'ah with believing woman is like the one who visits the House of God [i.e.,theKa'bah] seventy times”59
"[For the]
one who excels in this virtuous deed [of mut'ah], Allah will raise his levels [of faith and piety]... [On the Day of Judgement] he will pass on the bridge over Hell with the speed of light...
Seventy rows of angels will accompany him... and he will
enter Paradise without giving the account [of his life]. 0'Ali,
one who helps fellow Muslim brother [to contract mut'ah] will also receive these blessings and rewards. "60
To conclude this
discussion, aquotation from Ayatullah Khomeini is presented:
It is permissible to engage
in mut’ah with a fornicator woman but with a disliking in [one's] heart,
especially if she is a well-known and professional fornicator. When a person
contracts mut'ah with her, he should advise her to quit the
profession of fornication."61
In other words, a man
should first have his sexual gratification with a prostitute and then should
advise her to quit her profession. Could this be Islam? Isn’t it obvious which
belief Sunni or Shi'ah, represents the authentic religion of Islam? Should one
enjoy the "virtues" of mut'ah or accept Islam, which is free from
such corrupt practices?
For the benefit of a casual
reader, who may have been grossly mislead by the references given in earlier
sections, it must be reiterated that never did the Prophet (PBUH), 'Ali, or
Ja'far as-Sadiq declare the "sanctity and blessings" of mut'ah. The fact
is that none of the authentic books of hadith document any of these statements;
instead, in order to justify mut'ah, Shi'ahs have wrongfully attributed these
statements to such noble people and have subsequently hurt the reputations of
these magnanimous personalities of Islam.
The art of writing
bibliographies in Eastern literature is vastly different from that in Western
literature. Most Eastern bibliographies quote only the book's name, followed by
the author. Citations of publishers and the publication year are not generally
found. This is because, in the past, most books were published by the authors,
and each book had only one publication. As such, it is very difficult to write
the bibliographies of Shi'ah sources. Shi'ah publishers consistently alter the
sequence and contents of their original books. Two recent publications of the
same book often have two different sets of information. Strangely enough, when
a Shi'ah publisher reprints a book, he often changes its contents. Thus, two
editions of the same book by the same publisher may also have two different
sets of information. Consequently, a researcher may find difficulty in locating
the cited pages of Shi'ah books. All of the references given in the preceding
pages, however, are authentic and come from reliable Shi'ah and Sunni sources.
In order to help the reader to appreciate the reliability and authenticity of
the references utilized in this discussion, the bibliography presented here has
been annotated, and Shi'ah and Sunni sources have been duly classified.
Abu Isa, Muhammad bin Isa
(d.279A.) Sunan at-Tirmidhi; Cairo: Egypt, Maktabah Mustafa al-Babi, 1949. A
source book of Sunni hadith containing 2028 original collections.
Babawayh, Shaykh as-Sadiq
bin Ja’far Muhammad bin 'Ali (d. 381AH.), Man Li Yahduruhul-Faqeeh, Najaf, Iraq: Matba'ah an-Najaf,
1376 A.H. A source book considered being one of the four original collections
of Shi’ah Hadith.
Gibbs, H. A. R. and Kramer,
J. H Shorter Encyclopedia of Islam, Leiden: J. R. Brill, 1961.
Ikram,
Shaykh Muhammad, Roodh-e-Kausar, Lahore: Pakistan, Ferooz Sons, 1958. A
classical Urdu work used as a university textbook.
Kashani, Fathullah (d. 988
A.H.), TafseerMinhaj as-Sadiqeen,Tehran, Iran: Dar al-Kutub al-lslamiyyah, 1396
A.H. One of the most famous and respected Shi'ah Qmr'amc conmimlaries.
Khomeini, Ayatullah, Tahreer al-Waseelah,
Najaf, Iraq: Matba'ah al-Adab, 1390 A.H. A most voluminous work on Shi'ah fiqh by the
recent Shi’ah imam and leader of the Iranian revolution. It consists of two volumes,
consisting of 656 and 650 pages, respectively.
Kulayni, Muhammad bin
Ya'qub Abu Ja'far (d. 329 A.H.), Furu'al-Kafl, Tehran, Iran: Dar al-Kutub
al-lslamiyyah, 1374 A.H. The most famous and original collection of Shi'ah
hadith dealing with the furu (details) of Shi'ah beliefs and practices. It
contains 16.199 original collections.
Kulayni, Muhammad bin
Ya'qub Abu Ja'far (d. 329 A.H.), Usul al-Kafi, Tehran, Iran: Dar al-Kutub
al-lslamiyyah, 1374 A.H. The most famous and respected collection of Shi'ah hadith. The
earlier editions carried an inscription on the title page that read:
"According to Imam
al-Mahdi this book is kafi [sufficient] for our Shi'ahs."
Muslehuddin, M., Mut’ah, Lahore,
Pakistan: Islamic Publication Ltd., 1974, A contemporary book that discusses
the illegality of mut’ah according to the Qur’an and the sunnah.
Muslim, lbn al-Hajjaj (d.
261 A.H.)Saheeh Muslim, Delhi, India: Alsah Almatabi, 1349 A.H. A source book of Sunni hadith
containing 12,000 original collections. It is regarded to be the most reliable
work after al-Bukhari.
Qudsi, Syed M. Jafar, Ijala Hasna, Lahore,
Pakistan: Imamia General Book Agency, n.d. An Urdu translation of Mullah Biqir
Majlisi’s book on mut’ah. Several different editions of the book have
been published in India and Pakistan.
Qummi, 'Ali bin lbraheem
(d. 381 A.H.), Tafseer al-Qummi,Najaf, Iraq: Matba-ah an-Najaf, 1386
A.H. Regarded to be the oldest and most respected Shi'ah Qur'anic commentary.
Tusi, Shaykh Abu Ja'far (d.
460 A.H.), Tahtheeb al-Ahkam,Tehran, Iran: Dar al-kutub
al-lslamiyyah, n.d. A source book of Shi'ah Hadith. It is considered to be one of the
four original collections of Shi'ah hadith.