Mishkat al-Masabih

I was with God’s Messenger along with some people when he was saying, “I intended to prohibit suckling during pregnancy* but I considered the Greeks and the Persians and saw that they suckled their children during pregnancy without any injury being caused to their children thereby.” Then they asked him about withdrawing the penis and God’s Messenger replied, “That is the secret burying alive” and reference is made to it in the words, “When the girl buried alive will be asked (Al-Qur’an 81:8).” *(Ghila. It means either suckling during pregnancy, or intercourse with a woman while she is suckling a child. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported God's Messenger as saying, “The most serious breach of trust in God’s sight on the day of resurrection ...” A version has, “Among those who will have the worst position in God’s sight on the day of resurrection is the man who has intercourse with his wife, and she with him, and then spreads her secret.”* * i.e. talks about the subject to others, or tells people about defects or beauties he has found in her. Muslim transmitted it.

God’s Messenger received the revelation, “Your wives are a tilth to you, so come to your tilth . . .” (Al-Qur’an 2:223) that means from in front or behind, but avoid the anus and intercourse during menstruation. Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Khuzaima b. Thabit reported the Prophet as saying, “God is not ashamed of the truth. Do not have intercourse with women through the anus.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “He who has intercourse with his wife through her anus is accursed.” Ahmad and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

He reported God’s Messenger as saying, “God will not look at him who has intercourse with his wife through her anus.” It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “God will not look at a man who has intercourse with a man or a woman through the anus.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Asma’ daughter of Yazid said she heard God’s Messenger say, “Do not kill your children secretly, for the milk with which a child is suckled while his mother is pregnant overtakes the horseman and throws him from his horse.”* * It is here said that a child which is suckled while his mother is pregnant will suffer from it in later life, the tradition speaking specifically of his being thrown from his horse and killed. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Umar b. al-Khattab said God’s Messenger forbade withdrawing the penis from a free woman unless she gives permission. Ibn Majah transmitted it.

'Urwa told on' A’isha’s authority that God’s Messenger said to her concerning Barira, “Take her and set her free.” Now her husband was a slave, so God’s Messenger gave her her choice and she chose to separate from him; but if he had been free he would not have given her her choice. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Barira’s husband was a negro slave called Mughith whom I can still picture going round behind her in the streets of Medina weeping with the tears flowing on his beard. The Prophet said to al- ‘Abbas, “Are you not astonished, ‘Abbas, at Mughith’s love; of Barira and Barira’s hatred of Mughith?" The Prophet expressed a wish that she would take him back, but when she asked whether he was giving her a command and he replied that he was merely interceding, she said, “I have no need of him.” Bukhari transmitted it.

‘A’isha said she wanted to set free two slaves of hers who were married, so she consulted the Prophet and he ordered her to begin with the man before the woman. Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

She said that Barira became free when she was with Mughith and God’s Messenger gave her her choice saying, “If he has intercourse with you, you will not be allowed to exercise choice.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Sahl b. Sa'd told of a woman who came to God’s Messenger and offered herself to him. When she had stood for a long time (i.e. without receiving an answer) a man got up and said, “Messenger of God, marry her to me if you have no need of her.” He asked him if he had anything to give her as dower, and when he replied that he had nothing but the lower garment he was wearing, he said, “Look for something, even though it should be an iron ring.” Then when the man had sought and found nothing God’s Messenger asked whether he knew any of the Qur'an, and when he replied that he knew surah so and so and surah so and so, he said, “I have given you her in marriage for the part of the Qur’an which you know.” In a version he said, “Go away, for I have given you her in marriage; and teach her some of the Qur'an." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Salama said he asked ‘A’isha how much the Prophet had given as dower, and she replied that his dower to his wives was twelve uqiyas* and a nashsh. She asked whether he knew what a nashsh was, and when he replied that he did not, she said it was half an uqiya; so the total was five hundred dirhams. * The uqiya was 40 dirhams. Muslim transmitted it. Nashsh is in the nominative in Sharh as-sunna and all the sources.

Do not go to extremes in giving women their dower, for if it represented honour in this world and piety in Gods sight, the one of you most entitled to do so would have been God's Prophet. I am not aware of God’s Messenger marrying any of his wives or giving any of his daughters in marriage for more than twelve uqiyas. Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.

Jabir reported God’s Messenger as saying, "If anyone gives as a dower to his wife two handfuls of flour or dates he has made her lawful for him.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Amir b. Rabi'a said that a woman of the B. Fazara was married for a dower of two sandals. When God’s Messenger asked whether she was satisfied with two sandals regarding her person and her property and she replied that she was, he gave his approval. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

‘Alqama quoted Ibn Mas'ud as saying he was asked about a man who had married a woman without fixing any settlement on her or cohabiting with her till he died. Ibn Mas'ud said she should receive the type of dower given to women of her class with so diminution or excess, observe the ‘idda period and have her share of the inheritance. Ma'qil b. Sinan al-Ashja‘i then got up and said, "God’s Messenger gave a decision regarding Birwa’ daughter of Washiq, a woman of our tribe, to the same effect as the decision you have given; and Ibn Mas'ud was pleased about the decision. Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa'i and Darimi transmitted it.

Umm Habiba said she was married to ‘Abdallah b. Jahsh who died in Abyssinia, so the Negus married her to the Prophet, giving her on his behalf a dower of four thousand. (A version has four thousand dirhams.) He sent her to God’s Messenger with Shurahbil b. Hasana. Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.