Chapter: Women Forbidden in Marriage

Women who are unlawful to marry fall into two groups:

1. Those whose prohibition is permanent; and
2. Those whose prohibition is temporary.

I. The permanently forbidden are seven by lineage:

1. Mothers, however far back the line ascends;
2. Daughters, however far it descends;
3. Sisters—whether full, paternal, or maternal;
4. Their daughters;
5. The daughters of one’s brothers;
6. Paternal aunts; and
7. Maternal aunts.

The proof for this is the verse, “Forbidden to you are your mothers…” etc. (Qur’an 4:23).

Their counterparts through breastfeeding are likewise forbidden, for the Prophet ﷺ said, “What is unlawful by lineage is also unlawful through nursing.”

Four women are forbidden by affinity (marriage ties):

1. The mothers of one’s wives, however far up the line;
2. Their daughters, however far down, provided the marriage with their mothers has been consummated;
3. The wives of one’s fathers and grandfathers, however far up; and
4. The wives of one’s sons and grandsons, however far down.

Those equivalent through breastfeeding are also forbidden. The evidence is the verse, “And [forbidden to you are] the mothers of your wives…” etc. (Qur’an 4:23).

II. The temporarily forbidden are: the wife’s sister, her paternal aunt, and her maternal aunt; a fifth wife for a free man who already has four; a fornicator until she repents; a thrice-divorced woman until she marries another husband; a muḥrimah (woman in a state of pilgrimage consecration) until she exits that state; and a woman observing ʿidda (waiting period) for another man, until her ʿidda is complete.

Apart from these, marriage is lawful, for Allah—after listing the prohibited women—said, “And lawful for you are all others beyond these” (Qur’an 4:24).

The two hadiths that follow in this chapter touch on some of what has just been mentioned.

Hadith 1
Umm Ḥabībah bint Abū Sufyān (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “O Messenger of Allah, marry my sister, the daughter of Abū Sufyān.” He replied, “Would you like that?” I said, “Yes. I am not your only wife, and I love for my sister to share with me in this good.”

The Prophet ﷺ said, “That is not lawful for me.”

She continued, “We hear that you wish to marry the daughter of Abū Salamah.” He asked, “The daughter of Umm Salamah?” I said: