The answer is that Abu Qatadah, may Allah be pleased with him, hunted it primarily for himself and only secondarily for his companions—unless we go so far as to say that Abu Qatadah, may Allah be pleased with him, was upset with them because they withheld the spear from him, and so hunted it for himself. Yet this is unlikely, for they did not refuse him out of stinginess in offering their assistance; rather, they refused for a religious reason, saying, “We are in ihram, so we cannot give it to you.” Thus, I do not think Abu Qatadah, may Allah be pleased with him, harboured any resentment toward them such that he wished to keep the game exclusively for himself. Rather, he intended to hunt it for himself while also feeding his companions from it. This differs from the one who hunted the wild ass solely for the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. There is a great difference between the two intentions, and this is how the evidence may be reconciled.

“It is forbidden to conclude a marriage contract, and it is invalid, …”

His statement, “It is forbidden to conclude a marriage contract,” applies to both men and women. This is the seventh prohibition of ihram.

The evidence for this is the Prophet’s saying, peace and blessings be upon him: “A person in ihram may neither marry, nor be given in marriage, nor propose marriage.” (1)

Whether the person in ihram is the guardian, the husband, or the wife, the ruling pertains to all three.

As for the two witnesses, their being in ihram has no effect. However, it is disliked for them to attend the marriage contract while they are in ihram, for concluding a marriage contract is forbidden for any person among them who is in ihram. The categories are as follows:

First: a man not in ihram concludes a marriage contract with a woman in ihram; the marriage is forbidden.

Second: a man in ihram concludes a marriage contract with a woman not in ihram; the marriage is forbidden.