Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (12/105)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

evidence permits anyone to seek the annulment of the marriage. This is an issue that escapes many judges’ attention. Hence they are often asked about a husband who drinks wine: should the contract be annulled or not? Some hesitate over the matter, while others say that there is no annulment, because uprightness is not a condition either for the continuation or the inception of a marriage. But the truth is that if

there is no evidence. Accordingly, we say: if a father from one of the well-known noble tribes marries his daughter to a non-tribal man, the marriage is valid, and none of her guardians has the right to annul it. All of this is from the pre-Islamic period of ignorance; taking pride in lineages is one of the practices of that period.

Question: If the husband is openly sinful, though not through sodomy or fornication—for example, by drinking wine, shaving his beard, and the like—do the remaining guardians have the right to annul the marriage?

According to the madhhab, they do have the right to annul it. Yet, were this door opened, it would lead to much evil. Someone may marry a woman to a man who shaves his beard, then a distant cousin comes and seeks the annulment of the marriage. According to the madhhab, he has the right to annul it. Likewise, if the husband smokes, deals in usury, or the like, he has the right to annul it. The discussion of the jurists on this issue requires reconsideration; it is unacceptable both to sound judgment and to the Sacred Law. The correct view, without doubt, is that compatibility is neither a condition for validity nor for binding force. According to the author’s view, compatibility is a condition for the marriage to become binding, not for its validity; meaning that any guardian who is not content may annul the marriage. The correct view is otherwise.

Still, their position has some merit if the deficiency lies in drinking wine. In reality, the harm of drinking wine is not confined to the drinker; rather, it extends to his wife and family. At times, he may come to his wife with a knife to kill her; and at times—may Allah protect us—he may come to her demanding to commit fornication with her daughters. Thus, in truth, the madhhab’s position would have some basis in this case. If it is known that this husband drinks wine, then even a distant guardian has the right

دليل، وعلى هذا فنقول: إذا زوج الأب الذي هو من القبائل الشريفة المعروفة بمن ليس بقبيلي، فالنكاح صحيح وليس لأحد من أوليائها أن يفسخ النكاح، وهذا كله من الجاهلية، فالفخر بالأحساب من أمر الجاهلية. مسألة: إذا كان الزوج فاسقاً، لكن بغير اللواط أو الزنا؛ كشرب الخمر وحلق اللحية وما أشبه ذلك، فهل لبقية الأولياء أن يفسخوا؟ المذهب لهم أن يفسخوا، وهذه المسألة لو فتح فيها الباب حصل في ذلك شر كثير، يأتي إنسان يزوج هذا الرجل الذي يحلق لحيته، ويأتي ابن عم بعيد ويطالب بفسخ النكاح، فعلى المذهب له فسخ النكاح، كذلك ـ أيضاً ـ لو كان يشرب الدخان أو يتعامل بالربا أو ما أشبه ذلك فله الفسخ، وفي كلام الفقهاء نظر في هذه المسألة، فهذا لا يقبل ذوقاً ولا شرعاً، فالصواب بلا شك أن الكفاءة ليست شرطاً للصحة ولا للزوم، وعلى كلام المؤلف الكفاءة شرط للزوم لا للصحة، بمعنى أن من لم يرضَ من الأولياء فله فسخ النكاح، والصواب خلاف ذلك. لكن يكون كلامهم له حظ من النظر، لو كان الخلل بشرب خمر، فإن شرب الخمر في الحقيقة لا يقتصر ضرره على الشارب، بل يتعدي إلى زوجته وأهله، فأحياناً يدخل على زوجته بالسكين ليقتلها، وأحياناً ـ والعياذ بالله ـ يأتي إليها يطلب أن يزني ببناته، ففي الحقيقة لو قيل بالمذهب في هذه المسألة لكان له وجه، فإذا عُرِف أن هذا الزوج يشرب الخمر فللبعيد من الأولياء