Quran's View on Temporary Marrige
by Kashif Ahmed Shehzada

QUESTION # 40

I have found your website very interesting, and I will read everything there when I find some time. I am also very interested in approaching Islam with only the Quran as the guidance as it should be. I want to ask what the Quranic Islam view is on 'muta' or temporary marriage. I have heard arguments from Sunnis who say it is not allowed, and from Shias who say that it is; and that the Prophet allowed it. What is the answer to this "temporary marriage" question, according to only the Quran; not the writings of scholars and hadith collectors and other men? What are the verses and what are the causes for disagreement or misconception on this issue?

Thank you very much,

Can Subaykan

ANSWER # 40

The Qur'an does not permit that sexual urges should be fulfilled by temporary means. It says that people who do not posses the means to get married should remain chaste, as indicated by the following verse:

"And let those who do not find the means to marry keep chaste until Allah makes them free from want out of His grace." (24:33)

Sex is a controllable urge as it is triggered off through our thoughts. Unlike food which no matter how less you try to think about, will over come you as it is a vital need, but sex on the other hand is not like food that if we do not have it we may then acquire a physical deficiency.

People are ordered to keep themselves chaste until marriage. There is no other temporary means to fulfill this urge, says the Quran, while on the other hand we see that incase of food, when the situation is of a grievous nature and there is no access to Halaal (Permissible) food, then the Quran says in such a situation, even Haraam (prohibited) food can be consumed (see 6:145 etc). The purpose of sex according to Quran is not fulfillment of lust or satisfaction of desires only but it goes far beyond that. Sex, like food is not an end in itself, but it is a means to an end, i.e. procreation. Just like food is not consumed only for the sake of taste but acquisition of energy is the principle aim for its consumption, similarly sex is not an end in itself but is a means for another higher purpose. The Qur'an enjoins that believers who posses resources to support a family, should establish a long-term relationship of marriage, and no passage of the Qur'an gives the slightest indication of a temporary bond between couples. On the contrary, the above passage clearly refutes this concept. The practice of Muta may be advocated by those who uphold fabrications instead of the Qur'anic directives, as we can see that the Qur'an does not sanction this practice. If a person can get married temporarily, then why does the Qur'an call someone who does not have the means to support a family to keep chaste until he possesses enough resources? The advocates of 'Muta' should answer this question.