Nikah
- philhoraia
- Nov 15, 2021
- 6 min read
Nikah is the Arabic f- word, noun; Form I verb: nakaha. There is also the Form IV verb ankaha, to give in nikah, and the Form X verb istankaha, to ask/seek to f- or to ask/seek to marry, all derived from the root n-k-h. I have rendered it in my translation as futter, a 19th Century neologism, probably coined by the Orientalist Sir Richard Burton.
Nikah:
S 2:235 And there is no misdemeanour upon you in what you have hinted at of the engagement of women or you have concealed in yourselves. Allah has known that you will mention them but do not promise them secretly except to say kind speech. And do not decide on the nikah knot until the book reaches its term. And know that Allah knows what is in yourselves so watch out for him. And know that Allah is a forgiver, clement.
S 2:237 And if you divorce them before you touch them while you have specified an obligation for them, then half of what you have imposed except that they pardon or the one in whose hand is the nikah knot pardons. And that you pardon is closer to taqwa. And do not forget the favour between you. Allah is a seer of what you do.
S 4:6 And test the orphans until when they have reached nikah. Then if you perceive maturity in them then deliver to them their money and do not consume it with profligacy and bidar lest they grow up. And whoever was rich let him show restraint. And whoever was poor let him consume with kindness. So when you deliver to them their money make them testify. And Allah was sufficient as a hasib.
S 24:33 And let those who do not find nikah refrain until Allah enriches them from his favour. And those who seek the contract of those whom their right hands have possessed, give them the contract if you know good in them and give them from Allah’s money which he has given you. And do not compel your maids to prostitution if they want fortification, that you may seek goods of the dunya life. And he who compels them, Allah after their compulsion is a forgiver, merciful.
S 24:60 And the rank and file of the women who do not hope for nikah, there is no misdemeanour upon them to take off their clothes, not adorning with adornment. And that they abstain is better for them. And Allah is a hearer, learned.
N-k-h:
S 2:221 And do not futter [tankihu] the mushrikat until they believe. And a believing maid is better than a mushrikah even if she has pleased you. And do not give to the mushrikun in nikah [tunkihu] until they believe, and a believing slave is better than a mushrik even if he has pleased you. Those call to the fire and Allah calls to the Jannah and forgiveness with his permission. And he clarifies his verses for people; perhaps they will remember.
S 2:230 Then if he divorces her she is not permissible for him afterwards until she futters [tankiha] a husband other than he. Then if he divorces her there is no misdemeanour upon them to return to each other if they think that they perform Allah’s hudud. And those are Allah’s hudud. He clarifies them for people who know.
S 2:232 And when you have divorced the women and they have reached their term, do not support them to futter [yankihna] their husbands when they have mutually consented between them with kindness. That is advised therewith he who was among you believing in Allah and the last day. That is chaster for you and purer. And Allah knows and you do not know.
S 4:3 And if you fear not being equitable to the orphans then futter [inkihu] what was agreeable to you of the women--two and three and four. But if you fear not acting justly then one or what your right hands have possessed. That is more appropriate that you may not oppress.
S 4:22 And do not futter [tankihu] what your father futtered [nakaha] of women except what has preceded. It was fahishah and detestation and evil was the way.
S 4:25 And he among you who could not afford to futter [yankiha] the muhsanat, the believers, then what your right hands have possessed of your maids, the believers. And Allah knows your faith. You are of one another. So futter them [inkihuhunna] with the permission of their family and give them their wages with kindness. Muhsanat, not musafihat nor takers of paramours. Then when they have been fortified and if they commit fahishah, then upon them is half of what is upon the muhsanat of torture. That is for him among you who has feared sin, and that you be patient is better for you. And Allah is a forgiver, merciful.
S 4:127 And they consult you concerning women. Say: Allah advises you concerning them and what is read to them in the book concerning the orphans of the women whom you do not give what has been written for them and you seek to futter them [tankihuhunna] and the needy of the boys and to stand for orphans with equity. And what you do of good Allah was learned in it.
S 24:3 The fornicator does not futter [yankihu] but a fornicatress or a mushrikah, and the fornicatress--none but a fornicator or a mushrik futters her [yankihuha]. And that has been forbidden to the believers.
S 24:32 And give the single among you and the righteous of your slaves and your maids in nikah [ankihu]. If they are poor, Allah enriches them from his favour. And Allah is wide, learned.
S 28:27 He said: I want you to nikah [unkihaka] one of these my two daughters that you should work for me for eight years. But if you have completed ten, then it is from you. And I do not want to make things difficult for you. You will find me, if Allah wills, of the righteous.
S 33:49 Those who have believed, when you futter [nakahtum] the believers then divorce them before you touch them, you have no ‘iddah upon them to count for them. So enjoy them and give them a beautiful discharge.
S 33:50 Prophet, we have made lawful for you your husbands whom you have given their wages to and what your right hand possesses from what Allah has given you as booty and the daughters of your paternal uncles and the daughters of your paternal aunts and the daughters of your maternal uncles and the daughters of your maternal aunts who emigrated with you and a believing woman who has given herself to the prophet if the prophet wants to futter her [yastankihaha]--exclusively for you, excluding the believers. We knew what we made obligatory upon them concerning their husbands and what their right hands have possessed, that here should be no difficulty upon you. And Allah was a forgiver, merciful.
S 33:53 Those who have believed, do not enter the prophet’s houses except when permission is given you for food, without waiting for its preparation. But when you are invited, enter, and when you have tasted, disperse and do not seek to remain for hadith. That was harming the prophet and he is shy of you. And Allah is not shy of the truth. And when you ask them for gain, ask them from behind a screen. That is purer for your hearts and their hearts. And it was not for you to harm Allah’s messenger nor to futter [tankihu] his husbands after him ever. That was a horrible thing with Allah.
S 60:10 Those who have believed, when the believing women have come to you as emigrants, examine them. Allah is a knower of their faith. And if you know them to be believers, do not return them to the kuffar. They are not lawful for them and they are not lawful for them. And give them what they have spent. And there is no misdemeanour upon you to futter them [tankihuhunna] when you have given them their wages. And do not grab matrimony with the kawafir, and ask for what you have spent and let them ask for what they have spent. That is Allah’s judgment. He judges between you. And Allah is learned, wise.
In hadith we read:
Narrated Ibn `Abbas:
When Ma'iz bin Malik came to the Prophet (in order to confess), the Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, "Probably you have only kissed (the lady), or winked, or looked at her?" He said, "No, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)!" The Prophet said, using no euphemism, "Did you have sexual intercourse with her?" [a-niktaha, did you futter her?] The narrator added: At that, (i.e. after his confession) the Prophet (ﷺ) ordered that he be stoned (to death).
Note: Naka, a synonym of nakaha.
In Arabic masturbation can be called nikah al-yad, futtering of the hand. https://bit.ly/3qDvhwx
In Al-Qurtubi we read, as translated by Dimitrius:
"Yas-tan-kih" comes from the word "Yan’kah." For it is said in different forms "Nakaha" and "Istan-kaha" just as it is said "Ajab" and "Ista-jab"… It is permissible to use the word, "Istan-kaha," to mean one whom requests marriage or one who requests sexual intercourse.
Arabic: " أَنْ يَسْتَنْكِحهَا " أَيْ يَنْكِحهَا , يُقَال : نَكَحَ وَاسْتَنْكَحَ , مِثْل عَجِبَ وَاسْتَعْجَبَ , وَعَجِلَ وَاسْتَعْجَلَ . وَيَجُوز أَنْ يَرِد الِاسْتِنْكَاح بِمَعْنَى طَلَب النِّكَاح , أَوْ طَلَب الْوَطْء .
The correct word in Arabic for 'marriage' is zawaj, related to the word zawj, a pair. 'To marry' is the Form V verb tazawwaja (+ bi).
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