From the social gathering (Ijtima) of men and women arise relationships which pertain to their interests and the interests of the community in the midst of which both sexes live. They are different to the problems in society that arise when people come together for the purpose of selling, renting, delegating and other such matters. It may occur to some that these relationships constitute only marriage. The truth is that marriage is only one of the relationships, and they include other than marriage. Therefore, the sexual association is not the only manifestation of the procreation instinct, but rather it is one of its manifestations since there are others. Thus, motherhood, fatherhood, brotherhood, sonship and unclehood (maternal and paternal) are all manifestations of the procreation instinct. Consequently, the relationships, which result from the meeting of men and women, include motherhood and fatherhood, just as marriage. The social system includes them, just as it includes marriage. The Shar’a came with rules for sonship, fatherhood and motherhood, just as it came with rules for marriage.

However, marriage is the origin of all these relationships, and all of them branch out from it. If marriages were not to take place, then there would be no fatherhood, sonship nor motherhood etc. Accordingly, marriage is their origin and all of them branch out from it in terms of the need for organisation. Yet, the feeling of such needs erupts naturally in order to satisfy them the same way the feeling of the need for sexual association does. The instinct demands satisfaction, caused by the agitation of motherhood or sonship manifestations, just as the instinct demands satisfaction due to the agitation of the manifestations of the sexual association. This is because marriage, motherhood, fatherhood and sonship, are all manifestations of the procreation instinct. Their feelings are also feelings of the procreation instinct. The inclination towards any of these manifestations is formed by the reality of the procreation instinct linked with the concept about that manifestation, a matter that applies to all the manifestations of the procreation instinct.

Marriage is the organisation of male-female relationships i.e. organisation of the sexual association between the men and the women by a specific system. This specific system should organise the male-female relationships in a defined manner. Procreation should result according to the system only, and it should ensure the reproduction of the human species. And through it the family will come to exist and on its basis the organisation of the private life will proceed.

Islam has encouraged marriage and ordered it. Ibn Masud narrates that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “O you youngsters. Whoever amongst you who can afford to marry should marry, because it will help Him more to lower his gaze, and guard his modesty (i.e. private parts from unlawful sex). And whoever is not able to marry He should fast, because it will be protection for Him.”

Qatada narrated from al-Hasan who narrated from Samura that He said the Prophet (pbuh) forbade us from celibacy. Qatada quoted the verse:

“And indeed We sent Messengers before you (O Muhammad) and made for them wives and offspring”. [Ar- Rad: 38]

The meaning of celibacy is abstention from marriage and what follows that of retreating to worship. Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrates that the Prophet (pbuh) said: “Three (persons) have a right from Allah to be helped: the Mujahid in the way of Allah, the seeker for marriage who wishes to guard his chastity and the slave who seeks funds to free oneself.” He (pbuh) said: “There is no monasticism in Islam.” Monasticism is celibacy which is abstinence from women and abandonment of marriage due to being preoccupied with the worship of Allah (swt). The Qur'an has clearly mentioned the issue of marriage. He (swt) said:

“Marry women of your choice, two or three, or four”. [An- Nisa: 3] He (swt) said:

“And marry those among you who are single and the virtuous ones among your slaves, male and female”. [An- Nur: 32]

Islam encouraged marrying virgin women, who are able to bear children and those possessing Islamic character. Anas (ra) narrates that the Prophet (pbuh) used to order people to marry and strictly forbade them from celibacy. He (pbuh) used to say: “Get married to the tender and fertile (women), for indeed I will vie with the Prophets in your great numbers on the day of judgement”. M'aqal b. Yasar (ra) narrates: A man came to the Prophet (pbuh) and said: “I have found a woman who is beautiful and of noble descent but she cannot bear children. Shall I marry her?” He (pbuh) said: “No”. Then He came to Him again for the second time and He (pbuh) prevented Him. Then He came to Him a third time, so the Prophet  said: “Get married to the tender and fertile (women) for indeed I will vie in your great numbers”. Jabir narrates that the Prophet (pbuh) said to Him: “O Jabir, did you marry a virgin or a non-virgin (divorcee or widow)”. He replied: “a non-virgin.” So the Prophet (pbuh) said: “Why did you not marry a young girl so that you may have enjoyment with her and she with you?”. Abu Hurayrah (ra) reported that the Prophet (pbuh) said: “A woman is married for four things: her wealth, lineage, beauty and Islamic character (Deen). So gain success with the one who possesses a good character (Deen).” So it is preferred for a man to choose a virgin woman (for marriage) and someone who is known to be fertile according to the knowledge of her mother, maternal and paternal aunts. Also He should choose someone who is of good deen (character) and also beautiful in order to remain chaste. It is preferred that she is of noble descent and lineage i.e. brought up in beneficence, Taqwa (God fearing) and distinction. But that does not mean they are stipulations for marriage, rather they are recommended and preferred. Otherwise, a man has the right to choose the wife He pleases and the woman has the right to choose the husband she pleases.

As for the question of equivalence (matching) between husband and wife, it has no basis in the Shar’a. It was not mentioned except in fabricated Ahadith. The noble Qur'an contradicts it, as do the authentic Ahadith. Every Muslim woman is a match to another Muslim man and vice versa. There is no weight for the differences between men and women in terms of wealth, occupation, lineage etc. The son of a refuse collector is a match for the daughter of the Amir al-Mumineen, and the daughter of the barber is a match for the son of the Ameer as well. Thus Muslims are a match to each other. Allah (swt) said:

“Verily, the most honourable of you with Allah is that (believer) who has more Taqwa” [Al- Hujurat: 13]

The Prophet (pbuh) gave his cousin Zaynab bin Jahsh (ra), who was from the exalted people of the Quraish, in marriage to Zayd bin Haritha (ra) who was a freedman. Abdullah b. Burayda (ra) narrates on the authority of his father that a young girl came to the Messenger of Allah (swt) and said: “My father married me off to his nephew in order to raise his lowly status.” So the Prophet (pbuh) gave her the right to repudiate the marriage. She responded: “I accept what my father has done, but I wanted to inform the (other) women that fathers do not have any authority to give their daughters in marriage against their wishes.” The meaning of her statement: 'in order to raise his lowly status' is that her father wanted to raise his nephew's social standing by marrying her to Him. This means that the father gave her in marriage against her wish because she did not consider Him suitable for her, not because she thought He was not a match for her, indeed He was her cousin, but because she did not agree to the marriage. Abu Hatim al-Muzani reports that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “When someone whose character and morals are agreeable to you approaches you for marriage give your daughter to Him in marriage. If you do not then there will be tribulation and immense corruption in the earth”. They said:”O Messenger of Allah, even if He has some deficiency”?. He said: “When someone comes whose character and morals are agreeable to you and approaches you for marriage, give your daughter to Him in marriage”. He said this three times. Also Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated this Hadith. his version reads: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “When someone proposes for your daughter and his character and morals are agreeable to you, then give to Him in marriage. If you do not there will be tribulation and immense corruption in the earth”. And this Hadith has been narrated through other lines of transmission as well. Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that Abu Hind cupped the Prophet (pbuh) from the crown of his head (for treatment). The Prophet (pbuh) said: “O sons of Bayadha, marry Abu Hind (one of your women) and seek a woman for his marriage”. Hanzala b. Abu Sufyan al-Jumahi (ra) narrates that his mother said: “I saw the sister of Abdur-Rahman b. Awf as a wife to Bilal.” All of these evidences clearly show that matching between spouses has no consideration or value. Any woman who consents to a man becoming her husband, she can marry as she wishes, and any man that consents to a woman becoming his wife, He can marry without considering the issue of matching. As for what has been narrated from Ibn Umar that the Prophet (pbuh) said: “The Arabs are equal to each other. Tribe to a tribe, a family to a family and a man to a man except a tailor and or a clipper (Hajjam).” This Hadith is a lie and baseless and is not valid. Ibn Abu Hatim said: “I asked my father about this Hadith. He replied: it is rejected.” Ibn Abdel Birr said that this Hadith is fabricated. As for what Al-Bazzar has recorded of the Hadith of Mu'adh: ‘The Arabs are a match to each other and the freedmen (non-Arab patrons) are a match to each other’. The narration of this Hadith is weak. As for the Hadith of Barira, which states that the Prophet (pbuh) said to Barira: “When you had been freed, that part of you (i.e. being wife to a husband) has been freed”. This does not indicate matching because her husband was a slave and when a slave-girl who is married to a slave becomes free she can choose to remain married to the slave or annul her marriage. There is no indication in this Hadith of matching. The evidence that Barira's husband was a slave is what Al-Qasim has narrated from Aisha (ra), that Barira was married to a slave man when she (Aisha (ra)) helped to free her. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) told her: “Choose, if you wish to remain married to this slave or separate from Him”. Another evidence is what has been narrated in Muslim by Urwa on the authority of Aisha (ra) that Barira was freed whilst her husband was still a slave. So the Prophet (pbuh) allowed her to choose (either to stay married to Him or annul the marriage). If He was a free man then He would not have given her the choice. As for what has been reported from the Prophet (pbuh) that He said: “Do not marry women except those that are your match and do not marry them to men except those who are friends (Awliya)”. It is weak (Daif) and baseless.

Hence, it becomes clear that there are no texts to indicate equivalence (matching) and the texts used by the proponents of matching are all invalid or they have no indication for the matter. The stipulation of matching contradicts the saying of the Messenger (pbuh): “An Arab is not better than a non-Arab except in Taqwa (God fearing)”. And it contradicts the definite text of the Qur'an:

“Verily, the most honourable of you with Allah is that (believer) who has more Taqwa” [Al- Hujurat: 13]

As for the difference of religion, that discussion is not about matching. Rather, it is about Muslims marrying non-Muslims, which is a different subject altogether. It is evident that Allah (swt) has permitted a Muslim to marry a woman from the people of the Book, whether a Jewess or Christian, because Allah (swt) says:

“It is Made lawful to you, this day, all kinds of halal (lawful) foods, and the food of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) is lawful to you and yours is lawful to them. It is lawful to you in marriage the chaste women from the believing women and from those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) before your time, when you have given their due (bridal-dower), intending to preserve their chastity not lewdness nor taking them as lovers.” [Al- Maidah: 5]

So the Ayah is clear in that chaste women (Muhsanat) from amongst those who have received the Scripture are legal (allowed) for the Muslims, and their dues are their bridal-dowers. Acting in accordance with this verse it is permitted for a Muslim man to marry a Christian or Jewess woman. Since the verse mentioned that chaste women (Muhsanat) from amongst those who have received the Scripture are allowed for the Muslims i.e. marrying them is permitted for you. As for a Muslim woman marrying a Jew or Christian that has been prohibited by the Shar’a. It is absolutely forbidden. If the marriage takes place then it will be null and void and it will not be concluded. The prohibition of a Muslim woman marrying a Jewish or Christian man is established in the clear text of the Qur'an. Allah (swt) said:

“Oh you who believe! When believing women come to you as emigrants, examine them, Allah knows best as to their Iman (belief), then if you ascertain that they are true believers, send them back not to the disbelievers, they are not lawful (wives) for the disbelievers nor are the disbelievers lawful (husbands) for them”. [Al- Mumtahinah: 10] This text has only one meaning, that it is not permitted for Muslim women to marry disbelievers (Kuffar) and that disbelievers (Kuffar) men are not permitted to marry Muslim women. And that the disbelief (Kufr) of the husband does not allow a marriage to be concluded between Him and a Muslim woman. He (swt) said:

“Then if you ascertain that they are true believers, send them back not to the disbelievers, they are not lawful (wives) for the disbelievers nor are the disbelievers lawful (husbands) for them” [Al- Mumtahinah: 10]

He expressed it with the word al-kuffar (the disbelievers) and not with the word Al-Mushrikeen (idolaters) in order to include all disbelievers whether they be idolaters or from the people of the Book. As for the people of the Book, Jews and Christians, being disbelievers (Kuffar), that is established in the text of the Qur'an. He (swt) said:

“Neither those who disbelieve from among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) nor from the idolaters, like, that there should be sent down unto you any good from your Lord”. [Al- Baqarah: 105]

The preposition 'Min' (from) here is explanatory and not partative. And He (pbuh) said:

“Verily, those who disbelieve in Allah and his Messengers and wish to make differentiation between Allah and his Messengers saying: We believe in some but reject others, and wish to adopt a way between. They are in truth disbelievers. And We have prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating torment” [An- Nisa: 150-151]

The People of the Book do not believe in the Prophethood of Muhammad (pbuh) and therefore they are disbelievers. He (swt) said:

“Surely, they became disbelievers those who say that Allah is the Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary)”. [Al- Maidah: 17] He (swt) said:

“Surely, they became disbelievers those who said: Allah is the third of the three (in a Trinity)”. [Al-Mai’dah: 73] And He (swt) said:

 “Those who disbelieve of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) and almushrikun (idolaters) were not..”. [Al- Baiyinah: 1] The preposition 'Min' (of) here is explanatory and not partative. He (swt) said:

“Verily, those who disbelieve of the people of the Scripture and the idolaters.” [Al- Baiyinah: 6] The preposition 'min' (of) is again explanatory and not partative. He (swt) said:

“He it is Who drove out the disbelievers of the people of the Scripture (i.e. Jews of the tribe of Banu an-Nadhir) from their homes at the first gathering” [Al- Hashr: 2] He (swt) said:

“Have you (Oh Muhammad) not observed the hypocrites who say to their friends who disbelieved of the people of the Scripture ...”. [Al- Hashr: 11]

From these verses it is evident that the people of the Book are disbelievers owing to the clear text of the Qur'an. Therefore, the saying of Allah (swt):

“Then if you ascertain that they are true believers, send them back not to the disbelievers, they are not lawful (wives) for the disbelievers nor are the disbelievers lawful (husbands) for them”. [Al- Mumtahinah: 10]

It is clear Muslim women are not permitted to marry a man from the people of the Book, because the people of the Book are, without doubt, disbelievers. As for the Mushrikin (polytheists), they are not from the people of the Book such as the Magians (Majus), Sabeans (Sabia), Buddhists, idol worshippers and other such people. It is absolutely not permitted to get married from them. It is absolutely not permitted for a Muslim man to marry an idolatrous woman nor is it at all allowed for a Muslim woman to marry a idolater man. This is mentioned in the clear and definite text of the Qur'an. He (swt) said:

“And do not marry (idolatresses) till they believe. And indeed a slave woman who believes is better than a (free) idolatress, even though she pleases you. And give not (your daughters) in marriage to idolaters till they believe, and verily a believing slave is better than a free idolater, even though He pleases you” [Al- Baqarah: 221]

This verse has only one meaning, which is the unequivocal prohibition of an idolatress woman marrying a Muslim man and vice versa. If such a marriage took place it would be void and it would not be contracted. Al- Hasan b. Muhammad (ra) narrated: that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) wrote to the Magians of (Hijr) inviting them to Islam. “So whoever embraces Islam He would be accepted into the fold, and those who reject, Jizya would be imposed on them, their slaughtered animals would not be eaten and nor their woman married”.

Thus, the Shari’ah does not stop at exhorting people to get married. Rather, it goes further to clarify who the Muslim man and woman are allowed to marry and who they are forbidden to marry. It makes clear the best characteristics that should be sought in spouses for those who wish to marry. However, it stipulates that the woman should not be the wife of another man nor be in her waiting period for Him, because the condition of marriage is that she is free from marriage and the waiting period.

As for the woman who is engaged but her marriage contract has not yet been concluded, her matter should be looked into. If she or her guardian had assented to the proposing man or she had given permission to her guardian to accept engagement or to conclude the marriage, whether that was explicitly stated or by hint, then it is forbidden for others to make a proposal of marriage to her. This is due to what has been narrated by 'Uqba b. 'Amir (ra) that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “The believer is the brother of another believer”. So it is not allowed for a believer to bargain a deal already agreed upon between some other persons (by offering a greater price), nor should He propose marriage to a girl who is already engaged to his Muslim brother until He withdraws. Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrates that the Prophet (pbuh) said: “A man should not make proposal of marriage whilst she is engaged to his Muslim brother till He gets married or withdraws his proposal”. But in case the girl rejected the proposal for marriage or she had not yet answered, or has started enquiries about Him, then it is permitted for a man to propose to her. She will not be considered engaged to either of them due to what has been narrated by Fatimah b. Qays (ra) that she went to the Prophet (pbuh) and mentioned that Mu'awiya and Abu Jahm had both proposed to her. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “Mu’awiya is a miserable and He has no money. As for Abu Jahm He does not put down his staff from his shoulder for a moment (i.e. He is very busy). Marry Usama b. Zayd!” So the Prophet (pbuh) proposed to her on behalf of Usama after she had informed Him of Mu'awiya and Abu Jahm's proposal.

When a woman is asked for marriage, she has the sole right to accept the marriage or to reject it. None of her guardians (Awliya) or any body else has a right to marry her off without her permission or prevent her from marrying. It has been reported from Ibn 'Abbas that He said that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “The matron has greater right than her guardians and the virgin her permission is sought. Her permission is her silence”. Abu Hurayrah (ra) also narrated that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “A matron should not be given in marriage except after consulting her; and a virgin should not be given in marriage except after her permission is sought”. The people asked, “O Messenger of Allah, How can we know her permission”? He (pbuh) said: “To remain silent”. Ibn 'Abbas narrates that a young virgin came to the Messenger of Allah and mentioned that her father had given her in marriage against her wishes. So the Prophet (pbuh) gave her the choice of repudiating the marriage. Khansa bint Khizam al-Ansariya (ra) narrated that her father gave her in marriage when she was a matron and she disliked the marriage. So she went to Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) and He annulled her marriage. These Ahadith clearly show that if a woman does not give permission for her marriage then that marriage is not concluded. If she rejects the marriage or she was forcibly married the contract becomes void, except if she returns and consents to it.

As for the prohibition of barring a woman from marrying when somebody proposes to her, that is established in the Qur'an. He (swt) said:

“Do not prevent them from marrying their (former) husbands, if they mutually agree on a reasonable basis”. [Al- Baqarah: 232]

It is also established by the authentic Hadith of Ma'qil b. Yasar (ra). He said: “I married my sister to a man and He divorced her, and when her days of Idda (three menstrual periods) were over, the man came again to propose to her, but I said to Him, ‘I married her to you and made her your bed (your wife) and favoured you with her, but you divorced her. Now you come to ask for her hand again? No, by Allah, she will never go back to you again!’ That man was not a bad man and his wife wanted to go back to Him. So Allah (swt) revealed this verse: “Do not prevent them...” [Al- Baqarah: 232] So I said: ‘Now I will do it (let her go back to Him), O Messenger of Allah.’ So He married her to Him again”. The meaning of Adhl in the verse is to prevent a woman from marrying when she requests it. It is Haram and its perpetrator is a Fasiq (transgressor). Whoever bars a woman from marrying He will become a transgressor by this action. The jurists have stipulated that a man will become a transgressor (Fasiq) if He commits Adhl. When the woman is asked for marriage or she requests to be married, then she is the only one who has the right to act, whether she consents to or rejects the proposal.

When an agreement of marriage takes place between a man and a woman they should undertake a contract of marriage. The marriage will not be complete without a Shari’ah contract. This marriage cannot be considered a proper marriage except with a Shari’ah contract which has been concluded according to the Shari’ah rules. It then becomes permissible for them to enjoy conjugal relations with each other, and the rules that result from the marriage come into effect. If the contract is not concluded, it will not be considered a marriage, even if the man had been cohabiting with a woman for a long time. Consequently, the cohabitation of two lovers like the living together of two spouses is not considered a marriage, rather, it is considered fornication and the living together of two men with the agreement of intimate companionship is not considered marriage but is homosexuality.

As for the civil marriage it is an agreement, concluded between a man and a woman, on intimate companionship, divorce, and what results from that in terms of financial maintenance and rights of disposal, leaving the house, her obedience to Him and vice versa. It also includes terms of parental rights as to who shall have custody over the son and who shall have custody over the daughter. In additional it consists of terms of inheritance, and whatever matters that depends on the intimate association or on the termination of this association, according to certain conditions which they both agree on and adhere to. The civil marriage is not just an agreement of marriage, rather it also includes matters that result from this marriage in terms of relationships, financial maintenance, inheritance etc. It also includes cases where both or any one of the spouses can leave the other, that is, it includes divorce. Moreover, it grants each man the freedom to marry any woman and for any woman to marry any man based on the agreement to which they have mutually consented, allowing them to do whatever they desire according to the agreement. Consequently, the civil marriage is not permitted by the Shar’a. By no means is it viewed as an agreement of marriage, nor is it considered a contract of marriage, because it has no value in the view of Shar’a.

If a civil marriage contract takes place between a Muslim man and a Muslim woman, or between a Muslim man and a woman from the people of the Book, then the wording, whether verbal or written, that takes place between the man and woman must be looked into. In the event of a marriage taking place if any wording of marriage or matrimony is present between them, and the offer (Ijjab) and acceptance (Qubul) is present and satisfies what is required of the offer and acceptance by the Shari’ah, and the guardian is present together with two witnesses, it will be considered a marriage due to the wording. Because it is a contract which fulfils the features and conditions of a Shari’ah contract; it will be considered a marriage, only due to the Shari’ah contract and not because of the civil contract. If all that is required in the Shari’ah contract is not present between the two spouses, it will not be considered a marriage. As for the conditions that are contained in the civil marriage contract they have absolutely no value even if they accord with the Shar’a. This is because the obligation of abiding with the divine rules does not arise from the agreement between the man and the woman over the rules, it rather arises from the marriage contract and from the rule of the Shari’ah which determines the contract. Therefore, the conditions contained in the civil marriage contract are not given any consideration. If the conditions contradict the Shari’ah, their invalidity is obvious. If the conditions agreed upon between the spouses of those permitted by Shar’a for either of the spouses to stipulate, if they do not go against the Shari’ah or negate any requisites of the contract, then they will be accepted, if the contract of marriage between them is recognised. If what takes place between the man and the woman is not considered a marriage contract, then these conditions have absolutely no value. This is the case if the civil marriage contract is between a Muslim man and a Muslim woman or between a Muslim man and a woman from the people of the Book. As for a civil marriage contract that takes place between a Muslim and a idolatress woman, or someone considered by Shar’a as a polytheist, or a civil marriage contract that takes place between a Muslim woman and non- Muslim man, then the marriage will be null and void and not considered valid. Consequently, it becomes clear that marriage must take place according to a legitimate, correct marriage contract which satisfies all the Shari’ah conditions. If the marriage is not concluded according to that, then it will not be considered a marriage at all.

The marriage is contracted by legitimate offer and acceptance. The offer is what originates initially from the statement of one of the two contracting parties. The acceptance is what originates secondly, from the statement of the other contracting party, such as when the betrothed woman says to the suitor, I have married you. and the suitor replies I have accepted, or the suitor offers first and she accepts. Just as the offer and acceptance can take place between two fiancées it can also take place between their representatives (guardians) or between one of them and the representative (guardian) of the other. It is stipulated in the offer that the wording should be of marriage and matrimony, but that is not stipulated in the acceptance. Rather the condition is the consent of the other (contracting party) to this offer, by any wording that indicates the consent and acceptance of marriage. The offer and acceptance must be worded in the past tense such as 'I have married you' and 'I have accepted'. Or the first must be in the past tense and the second in the future tense. For marriage is a contract, and its wording must indicate that it certainly happened, that is, in the past tense. The sound contracting of marriage stipulates four conditions:

The First condition is the occurrence of the offer and acceptance in the same sitting, where the sitting in which the offer was given is the same sitting in which the acceptance took place. This is if the two contracting parties are present together. If the two parties are in two different countries and one of them writes a letter to the other with an offer of marriage and the recipient of the letter accepts, then the marriage has been contracted. However, in such a situation it is stipulated that she reads or lets someone read the letter out to two witnesses who are made to hear its wording. Or she should say to them so-and-so person has sent me a letter in which He has proposed to me and calls upon them in the same sitting to bear witness that she has given herself in marriage to Him.

The second condition for the contracting of marriage is that each of the two contracting parties should hear the statement of the other and understand it to mean that He wants to contract the marriage with this statement. If He did not know, either because He did not hear or did not understand, the marriage will not be valid. For example if a man dictated to a woman the meaning of 'I have married you to myself in French', whilst she did not understand the language, and she repeated the expression without knowing that the purpose of what she said was the contract of marriage, and the man subsequently accepted it, then the marriage will not be valid. If however she knew that the purpose of what she had said was a contract of marriage, then the marriage would be valid.

The third condition is that the acceptance should not object to the offer, whether the objection is to the whole offer or part of it.

The fourth condition is that the Shari’ah has allowed the marriage of one contracting party to the other, like if the woman is a Muslim or from the people of the Book and the man is a Muslim and nothing else.

If the contract meets these four conditions then the marriage will be valid. If any of the conditions are not met, the marriage will not come into effect. It will be void from its very basis. When the marriage is contracted, it must, in order for the marriage to be correct, satisfy the conditions of correctness which are the following three:

The First condition is that the woman should be suitable for the contract of marriage.

The Second condition is that the marriage will not be correct without a guardian since the woman does not possess the right to give herself or give others in marriage. Similarly, she does not have the right to delegate anyone other than her guardian to give her in marriage. If she does this, the marriage will not be correct.

The third condition is the presence of two sane, mature Muslim witnesses who hear the statements of the two contracting parties and understand that the purpose of the offer and acceptance statements is to contract in marriage. When the contract satisfies these conditions it will be correct. If any of these conditions are lacking, the marriage will be improper (Fasid). However, it is not stipulated that the marriage contract be in writing or be registered as a document. The mere occurrence of the offer and acceptance from a man and a woman, whether verbally or in writing, which satisfies all the conditions, will ensure that the marriage contract is correct regardless of whether it was written down or not. As for the marriage not being complete without the offer and acceptance, this is because it is a contract, by its very nature, between two parties.

The reality of the contract is that it will not be complete without the offer and acceptance, neither will it be considered to be a contract. As for the stipulation that the wording of the offer be that of marriage or matrimony, this is because the text has mentioned it. He (swt) said:

“We gave her to you in marriage” [Al- Ahzab: 37] He (swt) said:

“And marry not women from whom your fathers married” [An- Nisa: 22]

In addition the Ijma’a (consensus) of the Sahabah has taken place on this. As for the stipulation that the offer and acceptance be combined in the same sitting, this is because the ruling of the sitting is a ruling on the situation of the contract. If they part before the acceptance, the offer is void, since the acceptance has no meaning, because turning away from the offer has been expressed by departing, so it would not be considered an acceptance. The same goes if they engage themselves with something that suspends the acceptance, because He also turned away from the contract by being distracted from the acceptance. As for the condition that the contracting parties should hear each other and understand what is said i.e. know that what is meant is to contract the marriage according to this expression. This is since that is what makes the acceptance a response to the offer, because the offer is a proposal of one of the contracting parties to the other, awaiting an acceptance. If He did not understand what was said the proposal will not have taken place, and the acceptance of this proposal is also deemed not to have taken place. Therefore, its reality is that it is neither an offer nor an acceptance. As for the condition of the absence of objections in the acceptance to the offer, this is because it will not be considered a proper acceptance unless it indicated an approval of the whole offer. If the acceptance differed it will not be considered an agreement to what has been mentioned in the offer. Thus, it will not be considered a proper acceptance. As for the condition that the Shari’ah must give permission for one contracting party to marry the other, that is because prohibition of certain contracts can be found in the Shar’a and these are not allowed to be conducted.

This is with regards to concluding the contract. As for its correctness, if the contract does not contain any Shar’a prohibitions then it will be complete. However, if a prohibition over a specific matter is violated in the execution of the contract, the contract will be improper (Fasid) but it will not be void. As for the stipulation that the woman should be suitable for the contract of marriage, this is because the Shar’a prohibited the marrying of certain women and prohibited the combining of some women in one marriage. If the contract was concluded over someone who is forbidden for contracting then the contract will not be correct (Sahih). As for the marriage not being correct without a guardian (Wali) this is due to what has been narrated by Abu Musa from the Prophet's (pbuh) saying: “There can be no marriage without a guardian (Wali).” As for the woman not possessing the right to give herself or give others away in marriage, nor possessing the right to delegate anyone other than her guardian to give her in marriage, this is due to what 'Aisha reported from the Prophet (pbuh) “Any woman who gets married without the permission of her guardian (Wali), her marriage will be void, her marriage will be void, her marriage will be void.” And also due to what Abu Hurayra has reported that the Prophet (pbuh) said: “A woman shall not give another woman in marriage, nor should a woman give herself in marriage. Indeed only the fornicatress shall give herself (unilaterally) in marriage”. As for the stipulation that there be two Muslim witnesses, this is because the Qur'an has stipulated that there be two Muslim witnesses in taking back the divorcee from a revocable divorce back into wedlock. He (swt) said:

“Then when they are about to fulfil their term appointed, either take them back in good manner or part with them in a good manner. And take for witness two just persons of you” [At- Talaq: 2]

Since the return to one's wife after divorce which is a continuance of the contract of marriage is stipulated to have two Muslim witnesses, then the initiation of matrimony, that is, the initiation of the contract of marriage, by greater reason, should be required to have two witnesses. Moreover, the contract of marriage and the continuation of the contract of marriage are one issue and therefore they are like the same rule.