Has mu'tah been forbidden via the Quran? (Sunni view)

Question

I understand that the Sunni view regarding mu'tah is that it is no longer permissible:

It was narrated from al-Rabee’ ibn Sabrah al-Juhani that his father told him that he was with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) who said, “O people, I used to allow you to engage in mut'ah marriages, but now Allaah 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.”

Narrated by Muslim, 1406.

What interests me about this hadith is the following part highlighted below:

but now Allaah has forbidden that until the Day of Resurrection

This bit makes me think that this particular order: but now Allaah has forbidden that until the Day of Resurrection was received by the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) as a revelation from Allah. Doesn't the Quran contain all the revelations received by the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)?

So my question is, where in the Quran has mu'tah been forbidden? Sunni view please.

Answer 1

Firstly, the Sunnah is a revelation from Allah like the Quran, so what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has said, is from Allah. Now to answer the question, the Quran does not directly forbid Mut'ah, but Mut'ah is forbidden according to the Quran. In Mut'ah the women is not a wife, and every women who is not a wife or what the right hand possess then she is haram on the man:

وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَـٰفِظُونَ * إِلاَّ عَلَىٰ أَزْوَٰجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ * فَمَنِ ٱبْتَغَىٰ وَرَآءَ ذٰلِكَ فَأُوْلَـٰئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْعَادُونَ

And they who guard their private parts

Except from their wives or those their right hands possess, for indeed, they will not be blamed

But whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors

Suratul Mu'minoon Ayah 5-7

Answer 2

Beside Quran the Prophet, also received other revelations as can be easily understood from Surah Tahreem ayat 3. As The Prophet''s life was an example of exemplary behavior and is treated as explanatory of Quranic injunctions and requirements of Islam this Mut ah matter can be seen under the Light of his life. Among all sunnies except maybe new thinkers.

Answer 3

Yes, according to one view Mut'ah was abrogated by the Quran. This is implied in what has been narrated from some of the sahaba including Ali, Ibn Abbas, Ayesha, Ibn Mas'ud, Abu Hurairah etc.

والذين هم لفروجهم حافظون إلا على أزواجهم أو ما ملكت أيمانهم فإنهم غير ملومين فمن ابتغى وراء ذلك فأولئك هم العادون

And they who guard their private parts. Except from their wives or those their right hands possess, for indeed, they will not be blamed - But whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors.

^{— Quran 23:5-7}

A woman with whom mut'ah is done is neither a wife nor a slave, so such a relationship is among those which are "beyond that" and are haram.

If one is to argue that such a woman is a type of wife, then the Quran prescribes laws applicable to a wife such as:

• divorce - 65:1-2, 2:227-237
• iddah - 2:228, 2:234, 65:4
• inheritance - 4:12
• maintenance and accommodation - 65:6-7, 2:233

These are not applicable to a woman with whom mut'ah is done.

So either a woman with whom mut'ah is done is not a wife or it is obligatory to apply the above verses to her - which makes the contract not mut'ah but a regular marriage.

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^{Note: The English translations below are my own, so treat with caution as may contain paraphrasing etc.}

Ali

عن علي بن أبي طالب رضي الله عنه قال: نهى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن المتعة قال: وإنما كانت لمن لم يجد، فلما أنزل النكاح والطلاق والعدة والميراث بين الزوج والمرأة نسخت

Ali ibn Abi Talib said: The Messenger of Allah forbade mut'ah and he said: it was for a person who could not find (means of marriage), then the revelation on nikah, divorce, iddah, inheritance between the husband and wife abrogated it

^{— Sunan al-Kubra al-Bayhaqi}

Ibn Abbas

عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما قال: كانت المتعة في أول الإسلام ... فنسخ الله عز وجل الأولى فحرمت المتعة , وتصديقها من القرآن {إلا على أزواجهم أو ما ملكت أيمانهم} [المؤمنون: 6] وما سوى هذا الفرج فهو حرام

Ibn Abbas said: Mut'ah was in the beginning of Islam ... then Allah abrogated it and forbade mut'ah and confirmed that in the Quran:

"Except from their wives or those their right hands possess"

And so every private part other than these two is haram

^{— Sunan al-Kubra al-Bayhaqi}

Ayesha

سئلت عائشة رضي الله عنها §عن متعة النساء فقالت: بيني وبينهم كتاب الله عز وجل , وقرأت هذه الآية: {والذين هم لفروجهم حافظون إلا على أزواجهم أو ما ملكت أيمانهم فإنهم غير ملومين فمن ابتغى وراء ذلك فأولئك هم العادون} [المؤمنون: 6] فمن ابتغى وراء ما زوجه الله أو ملكه فقد عدا

Aisha was asked about mut'ah with women she said: Between you and me is the book of Allah, and she recited:

"And they who guard their private parts. Except from their wives or those their right hands possess, for indeed, they will not be blamed - But whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors."

So whoever seeks other than what Allah has given him in marriage or possession is transgressing

^{— Sunan al-Kubra al-Bayhaqi}

Abdullah ibn Mas'ud

عن عبد الله بن مسعود قال: نسختها العدة والطلاق والميراث

Abdullah ibn Masud said: (Mut'ah) is abrogated by iddah, divorce and inheritance

^{— Sunan al-Kubra al-Bayhaqi}

Abu Hurairah

عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: ... فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: حرم أو هدم المتعة النكاح والطلاق والعدة والميراث

Abu Hurairah said: ... The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Mut'ah has been forbidden and destroyed by nikah, divorce, iddah and inheritance.

^{— Sunan al-Kubra al-Bayhaqi}

Answer 4

There is no Ayah which direct us to Mut'ah but the following Hadith say Mut'ah is now forbidden.

Ibn Abbas said: "Mut'ah was only during the beginning of Islam. A man would arrive in a land that he was not familiar with so he would marry a woman for the extent of time that he thought he would remain there. So his Mut'ah was upheld and his case was fine until the (following) Ayah was revealed: Except their wives or what their right hands possess. Then every private part other than those became unlawful." Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1122 - Book 11, Hadith 44 - Vol. 2, Book 6, Hadith 1122 source

This hadith refer us to following ayah.

Except from their wives or those their right hands possess, for indeed, they will not be blamed - Surat Al-Mu'minūn - 6 source