Al-Muqaddimāt al-Mumahhidāt - Ibn Rush al-Jadd - (1/452)

Al-Muqaddimāt al-MumahhidātIbn Rush al-Jadd

so that they might reproduce until all the creatures He has decreed have come into being. He has permitted intercourse under Islamic law in two ways: [the first is through a marriage contract, and the second is through slave ownership. Sexual relations are not lawful through any other means]. Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says:

“And those who guard their chastity” [al-Mu’minūn: 5], “except with their wives or those whom their right hands possess, for then they are free from blame” [al-Mu’minūn: 6]. “But whoever seeks beyond that—those are the transgressors.” [al-Mu’minūn: 7]

Marriage, in general, is encouraged and recommended, contrary to the Zāhirīs, who hold that it is obligatory. The evidence for this comes from the Book of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, for He gives a choice between marriage and slave ownership, saying:

“But if you fear that you will not be just, then marry only one, or those whom your right hands possess.” [al-Nisā’: 3]

Slave ownership is not obligatory by consensus. There can be no choice between something obligatory and something that is not obligatory, since such a choice would remove the obligation. Allah Most High also says:

“And those who guard their chastity” [al-Mu’minūn: 5], “except with their wives or those whom their right hands possess, for then they are free from blame.” [al-Mu’minūn: 6]

His words thus indicate that marriage is not obligatory, since anyone who guards himself against unlawful intercourse, whether through slave ownership or by having no need of marriage, is included in the praise of Allah, Mighty and Majestic.

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Once these proofs establish that marriage is not obligatory, it becomes clear that the Quranic commands to marry—in His words, “Marry such women as are pleasing to you” [al-Nisā’: 3], and, “Marry off the unmarried among you and the righteous among your male and female slaves” [al-Nūr: 32]—do not convey obligation. [If they do not convey obligation], they convey recommendation, not mere permission. The evidence for this is that Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, encouraged marriage and forbade celibacy, meaning abstention from marriage. He, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

ليكون بهم النسل حتى يكمل ما قدره من الخلق. وأباحه في الشرع على وجهين: [أحدهما: عقد النكاح، والثاني: ملك اليمين، فلا يحل استباحة الفرج بما عدا هذين الوجهين]. قال الله ﷿: ﴿وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَافِظُونَ﴾ [المؤمنون: ٥] ﴿إِلا عَلَى أَزْوَاجِهِمْ أوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ﴾ [المؤمنون: ٦] ﴿فَمَنِ ابْتَغَى وَرَاءَ ذَلِكَ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْعَادُونَ﴾ [المؤمنون: ٧] فأما النكاح فإنه في الجملة مرغب فيه ومندوب إليه، خلافا لأهل الظاهر في قولهم إنه واجب. والدليل على ذلك من كتاب الله ﷿؛ لأنه خير فيه بين النكاح وملك اليمين فقال: ﴿فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلا تَعْدِلُوا فَوَاحِدَةً أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ﴾ [النساء: ٣]. وملك اليمين ليس بواجب بإجماع، ولا يصح التخيير بين واجب وما ليس بواجب؛ لأن ذلك مخرج للواجب عن الوجوب وقال تعالى: ﴿وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَافِظُونَ﴾ [المؤمنون: ٥] ﴿إِلا عَلَى أَزْوَاجِهِمْ أوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ﴾ [المؤمنون: ٦]، فدل ذلك من قوله على أن النكاح غير واجب؛ لأن من حفظ فرجه عن الزنا بملك يمينه أو باستغنائه عن النكاح توجهت المدحة إليه من الله ﷿. فصل فإذا ثبت بهذه الأدلة أن النكاح غير واجب علم أن الأوامر الواردة في القرآن بالنكاح في قوله: ﴿فَانْكِحُوا مَا طَابَ لَكُمْ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ﴾ [النساء: ٣]، وقوله: ﴿وَأَنْكِحُوا الأَيَامَى مِنْكُمْ وَالصَّالِحِينَ مِنْ عِبَادِكُمْ وَإِمَائِكُمْ﴾ [النور: ٣٢] وليست على الوجوب. [وإذا لم تكن على الوجوب] فهي على الندب لا على الإباحة. والدليل على ذلك حض رسول الله ﷺ على النكاح ونهيه عن التبتل وهو ترك النكاح. قال ﷺ: