Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.

ذِكْرُ الْبَيَانِ بِأَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ بِالتَّمَتُّعِ أَمْرُ رُخْصَةٍ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُصْطَفَى ﷺ لَا أَمْرُ حَتْمٍ

ibnhibban:4142ʿAbdullāh b. Muḥammad al-Azdī > Isḥāq b. Ibrāhīm > Jarīr And Wakīʿ > Ismāʿīl b. Abū Khālid > Qays b. Abū Ḥāzim > Ibn Masʿūd

We used to fight in the holy battles in the company of the Prophet ﷺ and we had no wives with us. So we said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Shall we get castrated?" The Prophet ﷺ forbade us to do so. (Using translation from Bukhārī 5071)  

ابن حبّان:٤١٤٢أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْأَزْدِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا جَرِيرٌ وَوَكِيعٌ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ أَبِي خَالِدٍ عَنْ قَيْسِ بْنِ أَبِي حَازِمٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ

كُنَّا نَغْزُو مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَلَيْسَ مَعَنَا نِسَاءٌ فَقُلْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَلَا نَسْتَخْصِي؟ «فَنَهَانَا عَنْ ذَلِكَ وَرَخَّصَ لَنَا أَنْ نَنْكِحَ الْمَرْأَةَ بِالثَّوْبِ إِلَى أَجْلٍ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُحَرِّمُوا طَيِّبَاتِ مَا أَحَلَّ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَلَا تَعْتَدُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُعْتَدِينَ} »  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Muslim, Aḥmad, Ibn Ḥibbān, Nasāʾī's Kubrá, Bayhaqī
bukhari:4615ʿAmr b. ʿAwn > Khālid > Ismāʿīl > Qays > ʿAbdullāh

We used to participate in the holy wars carried on by the Prophet ﷺ and we had no women (wives) with us. So we said (to the Prophet ﷺ ). "Shall we castrate ourselves?" But the Prophet ﷺ forbade us to do that and thenceforth he allowed us to marry a woman (temporarily) by giving her even a garment, and then he recited: "O you who believe! Do not make unlawful the good things which Allah has made lawful for you."  

البخاري:٤٦١٥حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَوْنٍ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ قَيْسٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ؓ قَالَ

كُنَّا نَغْزُو مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَلَيْسَ مَعَنَا نِسَاءٌ فَقُلْنَا أَلاَ نَخْتَصِي فَنَهَانَا عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَرَخَّصَ لَنَا بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ أَنْ نَتَزَوَّجَ الْمَرْأَةَ بِالثَّوْبِ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاَ تُحَرِّمُوا طَيِّبَاتِ مَا أَحَلَّ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ }  

bukhari:5075Qutaybah b. Saʿīd > Jarīr > Ismāʿīl > Qays

We used to participate in the holy battles led by Messenger of Allah ﷺ and we had nothing (no wives) with us. So we said, "Shall we get ourselves castrated?" He forbade us that and then allowed us to marry women with a temporary contract (2) and recited to us: -- 'O you who believe ! Make not unlawful the good things which Allah has made lawful for you, but commit no transgression.' (5.87)  

البخاري:٥٠٧٥حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ قَيْسٍ قَالَ قَالَ

عَبْدُ اللَّهِ كُنَّا نَغْزُو مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَلَيْسَ لَنَا شَىْءٌ فَقُلْنَا أَلاَ نَسْتَخْصِي فَنَهَانَا عَنْ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ رَخَّصَ لَنَا أَنْ نَنْكِحَ الْمَرْأَةَ بِالثَّوْبِ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ عَلَيْنَا {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاَ تُحَرِّمُوا طَيِّبَاتِ مَا أَحَلَّ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَلاَ تَعْتَدُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُحِبُّ الْمُعْتَدِينَ}  

muslim:1404aMuḥammad b. ʿAbdullāh b. Numayr al-Hamdānī > Abū And Wakīʿ And Ibn Bishr > Ismāʿīl > Qays > ʿAbdullāh

We were on an expedition with Messenger of Allah ﷺ and we had no women with us. We said: Should we not have ourselves castrated? He (the Holy Prophet) forbade us to do so He then granted us permission that we should contract temporary marriage for a stipulated period giving her a garment, and 'Abdullah then recited this verse: 'Those who believe do not make unlawful the good things which Allah has made lawful for you, and do not transgress. Allah does not like trangressers" (al-Qur'an, v. 87).  

مسلم:١٤٠٤aحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ الْهَمْدَانِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي وَوَكِيعٌ وَابْنُ بِشْرٍ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ قَيْسٍ قَالَ

سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ يَقُولُ كُنَّا نَغْزُو مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَيْسَ لَنَا نِسَاءٌ فَقُلْنَا أَلاَ نَسْتَخْصِي فَنَهَانَا عَنْ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ رَخَّصَ لَنَا أَنْ نَنْكِحَ الْمَرْأَةَ بِالثَّوْبِ إِلَى أَجَلٍ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ { يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاَ تُحَرِّمُوا طَيِّبَاتِ مَا أَحَلَّ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَلاَ تَعْتَدُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُحِبُّ الْمُعْتَدِينَ}  

ahmad:3986Muḥammad b. ʿUbayd > Ismāʿīl > Qays > ʿAbdullāh

We used to fight in the holy battles in the company of the Prophet ﷺ and we had no wives with us. So we said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Shall we get castrated?" The Prophet ﷺ forbade us to do so. (Using translation from Bukhārī 5071)  

أحمد:٣٩٨٦حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ عَنْ قَيْسٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ قَالَ

كُنَّا نَغْزُو مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ وَلَيْسَ لَنَا نِسَاءٌ فَقُلْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَلَا نَسْتَخْصِي ؟ فَنَهَانَا عَنْهُ ثُمَّ رُخِّصَ لَنَا بَعْدُ فِي أَنْ نَتَزَوَّجَ الْمَرْأَةَ بِالثَّوْبِ إِلَى أَجَلٍ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ عَبْدُ اللهِ {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُحَرِّمُوا طَيِّبَاتِ مَا أَحَلَّ اللهُ لَكُمْ وَلَا تَعْتَدُوا إِنَّ اللهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُعْتَدِينَ} [المائدة 87]  

ahmad:4302Yaḥyá b. Zakariyyā > Ismāʿīl > Qays > Ibn Masʿūd

[Machine] We were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , and we had no female companions. We said, "O Messenger of Allah, should we not have female companions?" He prohibited us from doing so and said, "O you who have believed, do not prohibit the good things which Allah has made lawful to you." [Quran 5:87]  

أحمد:٤٣٠٢حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ زَكَرِيَّا قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي إِسْمَاعِيلُ عَنْ قَيْسٍ عَنْ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ

كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ لَيْسَ لَنَا نِسَاءٌ قُلْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَلَا نَسْتَخْصِي؟ فَنَهَانَا عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُحَرِّمُوا طَيِّبَاتِ مَا أَحَلَّ اللهُ لَكُمْ} الْآيَةَ [المائدة 87]  

ahmad:4113Wakīʿ > Ibn Abū Khālid > Qays > ʿAbdullāh

[Machine] We were with the Prophet ﷺ, and we were young. So we said, "O Messenger of Allah, should we not castrate ourselves?" He forbade us from doing so, then he granted us permission to marry a woman by giving her a garment as a dowry, with a specified duration. Then Abdullah recited the verse, "Do not forbid the good things that Allah has made lawful to you" [Quran 5:87].  

أحمد:٤١١٣حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ عَنْ ابْنِ أَبِي خَالِدٍ عَنْ قَيْسٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ قَالَ

كُنَّا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَنَحْنُ شَبَابٌ فَقُلْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَلَا نَسْتَخْصِي؟ فَنَهَانَا ثُمَّ رَخَّصَ لَنَا فِي أَنْ نَنْكِحَ الْمَرْأَةَ بِالثَّوْبِ إِلَى الْأَجَلِ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ عَبْدُ اللهِ { لَا تُحَرِّمُوا طَيِّبَاتِ مَا أَحَلَّ اللهُ لَكُمْ} [المائدة 87]  

ibnhibban:4141Aḥmad b. ʿAlī b. al-Muthanná > Abū Khaythamah > Marwān b. Muʿāwiyah > Ismāʿīl b. Abū Khālid > Qays b. Abū Ḥāzim > Ibn Masʿūd

[Machine] I heard Ibn Mas'ud saying, "We used to go for battles with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and we did not have any women with us." So, they said, "O Messenger of Allah, should we not castrate ourselves?" He prohibited us from doing so and commanded us to marry women with a dowry. Then Abdullah recited this verse, "O you who have believed, do not prohibit the good things which Allah has made lawful to you."  

ابن حبّان:٤١٤١أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْمُثَنَّى قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو خَيْثَمَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مَرْوَانُ بْنُ مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ أَبِي خَالِدٍ عَنْ قَيْسِ بْنِ أَبِي حَازِمٍ قَالَ

سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ مَسْعُودٍ يَقُولُ كُنَّا نَغْزُو مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَيْسَ لَنَا نِسَاءٌ فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَلَا نَسْتَخْصِي فَنَهَانَا عَنْ ذَلِكَ وَأَمَرَنَا أَنْ نَنْكِحَ الْمَرْأَةَ بِالثَّوْبِ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُحَرِّمُوا طَيِّبَاتِ مَا أَحَلَّ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ}  

قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: {لَا تُحَرِّمُوا طَيِّبَاتِ مَا أَحَلَّ اللهُ لَكُمْ} [المائدة: 87]

nasai-kubra:11085Isḥāq b. Ibrāhīm > Jarīr And Wakīʿ > Ismāʿīl > Qays > ʿAbdullāh b. Masʿūd

We used to participate in the holy wars carried on by the Prophet ﷺ and we had no women (wives) with us. So we said (to the Prophet ﷺ ). "Shall we castrate ourselves?" But the Prophet ﷺ forbade us to do that and thenceforth he allowed us to marry a woman (temporarily) by giving her even a garment, and then he recited: "O you who believe! Do not make unlawful the good things which Allah has made lawful for you." (Using translation from Bukhārī 4615)   

الكبرى للنسائي:١١٠٨٥أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ أَخْبَرَنَا جَرِيرٌ وَوَكِيعٌ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ قَيْسٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ

كُنَّا نَغْزُو مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ وَلَيْسَ مَعَنَا نِسَاءٌ فَقُلْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَلَا نَسْتَخْصِي؟ فَنَهَانَا عَنْ ذَلِكَ وَرَخَّصَ لَنَا أَنْ نَنْكِحَ الْمَرْأَةَ بِالثَّوْبِ إِلَى أَجْلٍ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُحَرِّمُوا طَيِّبَاتِ مَا أَحَلَّ اللهُ لَكُمْ} [المائدة 87]  

bayhaqi:13464Abū ʿAmr al-Adīb > Abū Bakr al-Ismāʿīlī > ʿImrān > Ibn Mūsá > ʿUthmān > Ibn Abū Shaybah > Jarīr > Ismāʿīl > Qays > ʿAbdullāh

We used to participate in the holy battles led by Messenger of Allah ﷺ and we had nothing (no wives) with us. So we said, "Shall we get ourselves castrated?" He forbade us that and then allowed us to marry women with a temporary contract (2) and recited to us: -- 'O you who believe ! Make not unlawful the good things which Allah has made lawful for you, but commit no transgression.' (5.87) (Using translation from Bukhārī 5075)   

البيهقي:١٣٤٦٤أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَمْرٍو الْأَدِيبُ أنبأ أَبُو بَكْرٍ الْإِسْمَاعِيلِيُّ ثنا عِمْرَانُ هُوَ ابْنُ مُوسَى ثنا عُثْمَانُ هُوَ ابْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ ثنا جَرِيرٌ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ قَيْسٍ قَالَ

سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللهِ يَقُولُ كُنَّا نَغْزُو مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ لَيْسَ لَنَا نِسَاءٌ فَقُلْنَا أَلَا نَسْتَخْصِي فَنَهَانَا عَنْ ذَلِكَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ ثُمَّ رَخَّصَ لَنَا أَنْ نَنْكِحَ الْمَرْأَةَ بِالثَّوْبِ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ عَلَيْنَا {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُحَرِّمُوا طَيِّبَاتِ مَا أَحَلَّ اللهُ لَكُمْ وَلَا تَعْتَدُوا إِنَّ اللهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُعْتَدِينَ} [المائدة 87]  

رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ قُتَيْبَةَ عَنْ جَرِيرٍ وَرَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ
bayhaqi:14141[Chain 1] Abū ʿAbdullāh al-Ḥāfiẓ > Abū ʿAmr b. al-Sammāk > Yaḥyá b. Abū Ṭālib > Muḥammad b. ʿUbayd [Chain 2] Abū ʿUthmān Saʿīd b. Muḥammad b. Muḥammad b. ʿAbdān al-Naysābūrī > Abū ʿAbdullāh Muḥammad b. Yaʿqūb al-Ḥāfiẓ > Ibrāhīm b. ʿAbdullāh > Yazīd b. Hārūn And Muḥammad b. ʿUbayd > Ismāʿīl > Qays > ʿAbdullāh b. Masʿūd ؓ

[Machine] We used to fight alongside the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and there were no women with us. So we said, "Shouldn't we have our own share?" Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prohibited us from doing that and allowed us to marry women temporarily using a piece of cloth, as mentioned in the hadith of Abu Uthman. And in the hadith of Abu Abdullah, he further permitted us to marry women temporarily using a piece of cloth for a designated period. Then Abdullah recited the verse, "O you who have believed, do not prohibit the good things which Allah has made lawful to you" [Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:87].  

البيهقي:١٤١٤١أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ الْحَافِظُ أنبأ أَبُو عَمْرِو بْنُ السَّمَّاكِ ثنا يَحْيَى بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ أنبأ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ ح وَأَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عُثْمَانَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدَانَ النَّيْسَابُورِيُّ ثنا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ الْحَافِظُ ثنا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ ثنا يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ قَالَا ثنا إِسْمَاعِيلُ عَنْ قَيْسٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ ؓ قَالَ

كُنَّا نَغْزُو مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ وَلَيْسَ مَعَنَا نِسَاءٌ فَقُلْنَا أَلَا نَخْتَصِي؟ فَنَهَانَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ عَنْ ذَلِكَ وَرَخَّصَ لَنَا أَنْ نَنْكِحَ الْمَرْأَةَ بِالثَّوْبِ إِلَى أَجَلٍ لَفْظُ حَدِيثِ أَبِي عُثْمَانَ وَفِي حَدِيثِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ ثُمَّ رَخَّصَ لَنَا فِي أَنْ نَتَزَوَّجَ الْمَرْأَةَ بِالثَّوْبِ إِلَى أَجَلٍ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ عَبْدُ اللهِ {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُحَرِّمُوا طَيِّبَاتِ مَا أَحَلَّ اللهُ لَكُمْ} [المائدة 87] الْآيَةَ  

أَخْرَجَهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ وَمُسْلِمٌ فِي الصَّحِيحِ مِنْ أَوْجُهٍ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ أَبِي خَالِدٍ