Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (12/199)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

entitle the husband to annul the marriage, except where freedom from the defect was stipulated. Defects which do not render the marriage subject to annulment include blindness, deafness, muteness, inability to speak, ugliness, loss of teeth, severed ears, and chronic disability. Thus, if he consummates the marriage and finds that she is an old woman with every defect that does not render the marriage subject to annulment, we say to him: You have no option to annul the marriage, unless freedom from these defects had been stipulated at the time of the contract.

Accordingly, no one can escape this predicament, according to this view, unless he stipulates at the time of the contract that she is able to hear, able to see, not disfigured, has not lost her teeth, is not chronically disabled, and does not have a severed ear. The point is that, according to the madhhab, if he wishes to protect himself against such matters, he must stipulate their absence. If he does not do so, he has no option to annul the marriage. Yet, as is well known, this is a weak view; the correct view is that he does have that option.

His statement, “or that she be stipulated to be a virgin … and so on”: its apparent meaning is that this stipulation pertains to the husband, and that if the woman stipulates the same concerning the husband, it carries no weight. Thus, if she stipulates that he be a virgin and he proves not to be one, this does not affect the contract. But if she stipulates that he be young and he proves to be an old man, then she has that right. This is the correct view, whereas the madhhab holds otherwise. Likewise, if she stipulates that he be handsome and he proves unattractive, she has no option to annul the marriage according to the madhhab. That is because beauty is sought in a woman, as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “A woman is married for four reasons: for her wealth, her lineage, her beauty, and her religion. So seek the one of religious commitment.” (1) Regarding a man, he said: “If there comes to you one whose religion and character please you, then marry him [to your women].” (2) He did not

(1) Its source has been cited previously on p. 13. (2) Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, in The Book of Marriage, chapter: “What Has Been Reported Regarding One Whose Religion You Approve, So Marry Him Off” (1084); and by Ibn Majah, in The Book of Marriage, chapter: “Compatibility” (1967), on the authority of Abu Hurayrah. Al-Albani graded it hasan (sound) in al-Irwa' (1868).

يملك الفسخ، إلا بشرط نفي العيب، فالذي لا ينفسخ به النكاح العمى، والصمم، والبكم، والخرس، والقبح، وسقوط الأسنان، وقطع الأذنين، والزمانة، فلما دخل عليها وإذا هي عجوز فيها كل العيوب التي لا ينفسخ بها النكاح، نقول له: لا خيار لك إلا إن كانت شارطاً عند العقد انتفاء هذه العيوب، وعلى هذا فلا يسلم من هذا البلاء إلا من شرط عند العقد أنها سميعة، بصيرة، غير مشوهة، ولا ساقطة أسنانها، ولا زمناء، ولا مقطوعة الأذن، المهم أنه على المذهب إذا أراد أن يسلم من هذه الأشياء يشترط انتفاءها، فإن لم يشترط الانتفاء فإنه لا خيار له، لكن هذا كما هو معلوم قول ضعيف، والصحيح أن له الخيار. وقوله: «أو شرطها بكراً … إلخ» ظاهره أن هذا الشرط للزوج، وأن المرأة لو شرطت ذلك على الزوج فلا عبرة به، فلو شرطته بكراً فبان غير بكر فلا يضر، لكن إن شرطته شاباً فبان شيخاً فلها ذلك، وهذا هو الصحيح، والمذهب لا، وإذا شرطته جميلاً فبان قبيحاً فلا خيار لها على المذهب؛ وذلك لأن الجمال إنما يراد في المرأة، كما قال النبي ﷺ: «تنكح المرأة لأربع: لمالها، وحسبها، وجمالها، ودينها، فاظفر بذات الدين» (١)، وقال في الرجل: «إذا أتاكم من ترضون دينه وخلقه فزوجوه» (٢)، ولم

(١) سبق تخريجه ص (١٣). (٢) أخرجه الترمذي في النكاح/ باب ما جاء فيمن ترضون دينه فزوجوه (١٠٨٤)؛ وابن ماجه في النكاح/ باب الأكفاء (١٩٦٧) عن أبي هريرة ﵁، وحسنه الألباني في الإرواء (١٨٦٨).