What Does “Nikah Al-Mut’ah’’ Mean, What Is The Ruling Of It?

What does “nikah al-mut’ah’’ mean, what is the ruling of it?

Mut’a marriage means the agreement between a man and a woman, who have no impediment to marry in religious terms, as to live as spouses for a certain period in exchange for a compensation.

Mut’a existed in the period before Islam as a practice that was made from time to time. Prophet Muhammad (saw) also could not prevent people from this practice in the first periods of Islam as a requirement of the principle of gradualism (making legal arrangements by spreading them into a certain period). However, this practice method, which could damage the fabric of family and society, was prohibited afterwards (Tirmidhi, Nikah, 28).

Abdullah Ibn Abbas expressed that mut’a was prohibited with revalation of the verses of, “And they who guard their private parts, except from their wives or those their right hands possess, for indeed, they will not be blamed - But whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors”(Mu’minun 23/5-7; Tirmidhi, Nikah, 28).

Ali (ra) also notified that Prophet Muhammad (saw) prohibited mut’a during the Battle of Khaybar (Bukhari, Maghazi, 39; Muslim, Nikah 29; Tirmidhi, Nikah, 28; Nasa’i, Nikah, 71).

Based on the mentioned verses and related narratives, the ahl al-sunnah scholars have agreed throughout history that practice of mut’a is haram and there has been a consensus (ijma) on this matter.

When the purpose and objective of nikah and family for individuals and society in religion of Islam are taken into consideration essentially, it is seen that this opinion that is adopted by the ahl al-sunnah is also consistent with and appropriate to the values of this age.

Source: Presidency Of Religious Affairs The Turkey, High Board of Religious Affairs FATWA