Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (12/479)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

whether little or much. Thus, it is general in respect of what she gives as ransom—its type, kind, amount, and manner.

Others said: He may not take more than he gave her, because His saying, “There is no blame upon either of them concerning that by which she ransoms herself,” refers back to what preceded it. For He says: “It is not lawful for you to take back anything of what you have given them, unless both fear that they cannot keep within the bounds set by Allah. But if you fear that they cannot keep within the bounds set by Allah, then there is no blame upon either of them concerning that by which she ransoms herself” [al-Baqarah 2:229]—that is, only from what you had given them. Also, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, forbade Thabit ibn Qays, may Allah be pleased with him, from taking more in his khulʿ, saying to him: “Take back the garden, but do not take more.” (1)

Moreover, any amount beyond what he gave her is wrongful consumption of wealth, since it is not received in exchange for anything. Yes, whatever she took from him, he has the right to recover; but as for what exceeds that, what is it in exchange for?

Those who held it permissible replied to the hadith by saying that it is weak, and, as is well known, a weak hadith cannot serve as proof. Even assuming it to be authentic, it is by way of guidance and counsel, for there is no doubt that it is unseemly for a husband to demand more than he gave her. The man made her intimacy lawful for himself, enjoyed her, and occupied her; then, in the end, he says, “I want more than the dowry.” Decency does not permit this.

They also replied to the claim that taking more than he gave her is taking wealth without right, saying: Rather, he takes it by right, because this man owns this woman

(1) Reported by Ibn Majah in Kitab al-Talaq (The Book of Divorce), chapter: “The woman seeking khul' returns what her husband gave her” (2056), on the authority of Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, with the wording: “The Messenger of Allah commanded him to take back his garden from her and not take anything more.” See al-Irwa' (2037).

من قليل وكثير، فهو عام لما تفتدي به نوعاً، وجنساً، وكمية، وكيفية. وقال آخرون: لا يزيد على ما أعطاها؛ لأن قوله: ﴿فِيمَا افْتَدَتْ بِهِ﴾ عائد على ما سبق؛ لأنه قال: ﴿وَلَا يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ أَنْ تَأْخُذُوا مِمَّا آتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ شَيْئًا إِلاَّ أَنْ يَخَافَا أَلَاَّ يُقِيمَا حُدُودَ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَاَّ يُقِيمَا حُدُودَ اللَّهِ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِمَا فِيمَا افْتَدَتْ بِهِ﴾ أي: مما آتيتموهن فقط، ولأن الرسول ﷺ نهى ثابت بن قيس ﵁ أن يزيد في خلعه فقال له: «خذ الحديقة ولا تزدد» (١). ولأن هذا الزائد عما أعطاها أكل للمال بالباطل؛ لأنه ليس في مقابلة شيء، نعم ما أُخذ منه له أن يسترجعه لكن ما زاد ففي أي مقابل؟! وأجاب القائلون بالجواز عن الحديث بأنه ضعيف، والحديث الضعيف لا تقوم به حجة كما هو معلوم، وعلى فرض صحته فهو من باب الإرشاد والتوجيه؛ لأنه لا شك أن كون الزوج يطلب أكثر مما أعطاها أمر غير مستساغ، فالرجل استحل فرجها واستمتع بها وشغلها، ثم في النهاية يقول: أريد أكثر من المهر، فالمروءة لا تسوِّغ هذا. وأجابوا عن قولهم بأن أخذه أكثر مما أعطى أخذ بغير حق، قالوا: بل هو أخذ بحق؛ لأن هذا الرجل يملك هذه المرأة

(١) أخرجه ابن ماجه في الطلاق/ باب المختلعة تأخذ ما أعطاها (٢٠٥٦) عن ابن عباس ﵄، بلفظ: «فأمره رسول الله ﷺ أن يأخذ منها حديقته ولا يزداد»، انظر: الإرواء (٢٠٣٧).