Understanding Islam

Explaining Islam in Light of the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ‎)

  • Home
  • Q & A
    • Cleansing and Purification
    • Customs and Symbols
    • Economic Issues
    • Halal and Haram
    • History
    • Islamic Beliefs
    • Jihad
    • Morality and Goodness
    • Muslim Sects
    • Overview of Islam
    • Other Religions
    • Penal Law
    • Personalities
    • Politics
    • Propagation
    • Social Issues
    • Sources of Islam
    • Worship and Fasting
  • Discussions
    • Cleansing and Purification
    • Customs and Symbols
    • Economic Issues
    • Halal and Haram
    • History
    • Social Issues
  • Quran
    • 68. Al-Qalam (القلم)
    • 72. Al-Jinn (الجن)
    • 75. Al-Qiyamah (القيامة)
  • Hadith
    • Cleansing and Purification
    • Customs and Symbols
    • Economic Issues
    • Halal and Haram
    • History
  • Articles
    • Cleansing and Purification
    • Customs and Symbols
    • Economic Issues
    • Halal and Haram
    • History
    • Islamic Beliefs
  • About Us
    • Brief History
    • The Team
    • Contributing Writers

Further Explanation Regarding Relations Prohibited for Marriage

January 24, 2004

Question

According to my understanding of your reply, the relations you listed as prohibited for marriage are derived from Al-Nisaa: 23 -24 obviously. I need further explanation of your reply in this regard.

  1. Are there any other Ayahs of Quran that mention the relation prohibited for marriage.

  2. I need further explanation how it is prohibited, as a corollary, to combine in marriage a woman with her maternal or paternal aunt (sister of her father or her mother). I have difficulty understanding how on the basis of combining two sisters in marriage we can derive that ruling about wife’s aunts.

  3. Is it an express commandment of shari’ah or does it depend on persons own understanding of directives of Quran and Sunnah.

Regards

Answer

The other verses related to any sort of prohibition of marriage are those in Al Baqarah 2:221, Al Ma’idah 5:5, Al Mumtahina 60:10.  Nevertheless, these verses are not relevant to the scope of prohibitions regarding family ties.  As it regards marriage of a woman and her aunts the Qur’an establishes the principles to follow.  Being wed to two sisters is obviously prohibited due to the fact that it violates the construct of the relationship.  Therefore, the Qur’an has clearly stated this type of marriage, between one man and two women who are sisters, as invalid and illegal.  Also, it should be appreciated that the Qur’an has prohibited marriage to nephews.  If considered, one should understand that the prohibitions of these types of marriages deal with the family structure and its preservation.  Any marriage that infringes upon the sanctity of family ties desecrates the very social structure that “family” enjoys.  Hence, by the very nature of the relationship the Shari’ah eliminated certain people from any sort of matrimony.

When interpreted on the foregoing grounds, the prohibition of marrying a woman and her maternal or paternal aunt would be an obvious extension of the prohibition mentioned in the Qur’an and, therefore, part of the Shari`ah.

I hope I have clarified the issue.

God knows best.

Filed Under: Discussions, Halal and Haram, Social Issues

Archives

Copyright © 2017