📖Sahih Muslim 1406 d
Sabra al-Juhani reported on the authority of his father that while he was with Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) he said: O people, I had permitted you to contract temporary marriage with women, but Allah has forbidden it (now) until the Day of Resurrection. So he who has any (woman with this type of marriage contract) he should let her off, and do not take back anything you have given to them (as dower).
- There is a historical background to the practice of temporary marriage, which predates the advent of Islam in Arabia. The practice was common in pre-Islamic Arabia and was also mentioned in Jewish and Christian Bible Deuteronomy 21:10-14,When the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) first received revelation, he was faced with the task of reforming the society that was steeped in ignorance and immorality. Therefore, he took a gradual approach to reform, and some practices were allowed temporarily until the people could adjust to the new norms. Temporary marriage was initially permitted by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a means to address the needs of Muslim soldiers who were on long journeys and needed temporary companionship. This was a practical solution to a specific problem faced by the community at the time. However, later on, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) received command from Allah that this practice should be prohibited completely. The hadith as mentioned in earlier from Sahih Muslim (1406 d) confirms that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) banned the practice of temporary marriage until the Day of Resurrection. Therefore, the initial allowance of temporary marriage by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was a temporary measure to address a specific need, but later it was prohibited completely by Allah’s command. The gradual approach to reform is a well-known principle in Islamic jurisprudence, where some practices were gradually phased out as the community became more accustomed to the new norms.
