As explained above, a woman contracted in temporary marriage is either considered a “wife”, in which case she is one of the four wives and is entitled to their rights and duties, or she is not considered a “wife”, in which case it is not permissible to touch her; because God Almighty has clearly said in His Book: ﴿وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَافِظُونَ ۝ إِلَّا عَلَى أَزْوَاجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ ۝ فَمَنِ ابْتَغَى وَرَاءَ ذَلِكَ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْعَادُونَ﴾[1]; “And those who guard their private parts, except from their wives or those (bondwomen) in their possession, for they are free from blame. So whoever seeks beyond that, they are transgressors,” while a woman contracted in temporary marriage is not a bondwoman, and therefore, if she is not one of the wives either, then she is inevitably from ﴿وَرَاءَ ذَلِكَ﴾; “beyond that,” which is forbidden to seek in the Book of God.

Yes, it may be said that a woman contracted in temporary marriage is considered one of the “wives”, but what comes to the mind from the word “wives” in the Book of God is a woman contracted in permanent marriage, and for this reason, it is not proven that a woman contracted in temporary marriage has all their rights and duties, and therefore, a specific reason is needed to prove each one of them for her, while this statement is against the rule; because the diversion of the mind to women contracted in permanent marriage when hearing the word “wives” is only due to the dominance of their existence or more completeness of their nature, which is a primitive diversion and does not harm the generality of the word, and accordingly, the rule is that a woman contracted in temporary marriage has all their rights and duties, except for what is excluded due to a reason from the Book of God or a legitimate agreement between the spouses.

Therefore, a woman contracted in temporary marriage is undoubtedly one of the four wives; because God has not excluded her from them, but rather He has explicitly said: ﴿فَانْكِحُوا مَا طَابَ لَكُمْ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ مَثْنَى وَثُلَاثَ وَرُبَاعَ ۖ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا فَوَاحِدَةً أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ ۚ ذَلِكَ أَدْنَى أَلَّا تَعُولُوا﴾[2]; “Then marry women who seem good to you, two, three, and four, and if you fear that you will not do justice (between them), then only one or those (bondwomen) in your possession. That is more likely to keep you from committing an injustice,” and said: ﴿وَمَنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ مِنْكُمْ طَوْلًا أَنْ يَنْكِحَ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ فَمِنْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ مِنْ فَتَيَاتِكُمُ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ﴾[3]; “And whoever of you cannot afford to marry free believing women, then (he shall marry) those of your believing bondwomen in your possession,” and this explicitly states that marriage is not permissible except to four free women or to bondwomen, and there is no third case, and therefore, a woman contracted in temporary marriage is either one of the four free women or one of the bondwomen, while she is clearly not one of the bondwomen; because she is a free woman and has got married through a marriage contract, and therefore, it is not possible to have her join the bondwomen, even by citing the narrations from the Ahl al-Bayt that say: «هُنَّ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الْإِمَاءِ»[4]; “they are of the same status as bondwomen”; because they are ahad narrations and contradict the principle and what is apparent, but rather they contradict the Book of God and conflict with the narrations from the Ahl al-Bayt that say: «هِيَ مِنَ الْأَرْبَعِ»[5]; “She is of the same status as the four women.”

As a result, it is not permissible to have more than four wives, whether they are permanent or temporary, and this is a statement in agreement with precaution and the saying of Allamah Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani, may God protect him; as one of our companions informed us, he said:

«سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَنِ الْمُتْعَةِ، أَهِيَ مِنَ الْأَرْبَعِ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ، قُلْتُ: إِنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ لَيْسَتْ مِنَ الْأَرْبَعِ، وَلَا مِنَ السَّبْعِينَ! قَالَ: مَنْ لَا يُغْنِيهِ الْأَرْبَعُ فَلَا يُغْنِيهِ السَّبْعُونَ»[6]; “I asked Mansoor about temporary marriage, is it one of the four? He said: ‘Yes.’ I said: ‘They say it is not one of the four, but rather of the seventy!’ He said: ‘One for whom four is not sufficient, seventy is not sufficient for him either!’”

Please pay attention to the following points:

1. The spouses in temporary marriage divorce each other with the expiration of its term; because it is the requirement of it being temporary, but does divorce occur in it? Not after the expiration of its term; because divorce means freeing the wife from the bond of marriage, and after the expiration of its term, there is no marriage left so that it would be possible to free the wife from its bond, but before the expiration of its term, yes; because it is possible to free the wife from the bond of marriage in this case; in this way that the husband gives up the remaining term for the wife and frees her from the bond of marriage with an explicit word. Therefore, divorce occurs in temporary marriage before the expiration of its term; because its occurrence, in this case, is possible and included in the generalities and absolute indications of the Quran and the Sunnah regarding the divorce of the wife; considering that the wife in temporary marriage is no different from the wife in permanent marriage in terms of being a wife, and therefore, her divorce will occur whenever possible, but rather it can be said that whoever whose marriage is valid, her divorce is valid as well, except in cases where her divorce is considered as achieving what is already achieved; such as li‘an between the spouses and the apostasy of one of them, which is legitimately sufficient for their divorce. Yes, it has been claimed that those who say temporary marriage is permissible have a consensus that divorce does not occur in it before the expiration of its term, and in the opinion of people like Sharif al-Murtada[1], this is a sufficient reason that divorce does not occur in it before the expiration of its term, but in the opinion of Allamah Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani[2], consensus does not lead to knowledge because it is based on incomplete induction, and for this reason, it cannot specify the generalities and absolute indications of the Quran and the Sunnah, and therefore, divorce occurs in temporary marriage before the expiration of its term; as one of our companions informed us, he said:

«سَمِعْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ يَقُولُ: فِي الْمُتْعَةِ طَلَاقٌ مَا لَمْ يَنْقَضِ الْأَجَلُ، فَإِذَا انْقَضَى الْأَجَلُ فَفُرْقَةٌ بِغَيْرِ طَلَاقٍ»[3]; “I heard Mansoor say: ‘There is divorce in temporary marriage as long as its term does not expire, so when its term expires, the separation is without divorce.’”

Then, just as divorce can occur in it, khul‘ can also occur in it, in this way that the wife gives up some or all of her marriage portion or other wealth due to her dislike of the husband on the condition that he divorces her. Therefore, in temporary marriage, before the expiration of its term, if the wife dislikes the husband, she can convince him to divorce her by spending wealth; as God Almighty has said: ﴿وَلَا يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ أَنْ تَأْخُذُوا مِمَّا آتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ شَيْئًا إِلَّا أَنْ يَخَافَا أَلَّا يُقِيمَا حُدُودَ اللَّهِ ۖ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا يُقِيمَا حُدُودَ اللَّهِ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِمَا فِيمَا افْتَدَتْ بِهِ ۗ تِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللَّهِ فَلَا تَعْتَدُوهَا ۚ وَمَنْ يَتَعَدَّ حُدُودَ اللَّهِ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ﴾[4]; “And it is not lawful for you to take any part of what you have given the wives unless they (the wife and the husband) fear that they will not keep within the limits of God, so if you fear that they will not keep within the limits of God, there is no blame on either of them if the wife gives something as ransom (for the husband to divorce her). These are the limits of God, so do not transgress them, and whoever transgresses the limits of God, they are indeed the wrongdoers.”

2. Iddah in temporary marriage before the expiration of its term, like the iddah in permanent marriage, is three menstrual periods; because the verse ﴿وَالْمُطَلَّقَاتُ يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِأَنْفُسِهِنَّ ثَلَاثَةَ قُرُوءٍ﴾[5]; “And divorced women must wait for three menstrual periods,”is general and includes both, and iddah of the divorce for a woman who does not menstruate is three months in both; because the verse ﴿وَاللَّائِي يَئِسْنَ مِنَ الْمَحِيضِ مِنْ نِسَائِكُمْ إِنِ ارْتَبْتُمْ فَعِدَّتُهُنَّ ثَلَاثَةُ أَشْهُرٍ وَاللَّائِي لَمْ يَحِضْنَ﴾[6]; “As for those of your women who have despaired of menstruation, if you doubt, their waiting period is three months, and those who have not menstruated,”is general and includes both, and iddah of the divorce for pregnant women is the delivery in both; because the verse ﴿وَأُولَاتُ الْأَحْمَالِ أَجَلُهُنَّ أَنْ يَضَعْنَ حَمْلَهُنَّ﴾[7]; “As for the pregnant women, their waiting period is until they deliver their burden,” is general and includes both, and iddah of death is four months and ten days in both; because the verse ﴿وَالَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنْكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَاجًا يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِأَنْفُسِهِنَّ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرًا﴾[8]; “As for men of you who die and leave wives behind, their wives must wait for four months and ten days,” is general and includes both, but iddah of separation in temporary marriage with the expiration of its term is a matter of consideration, and the well-known have considered it to be iddah of a bondwoman, which is two menstrual periods; because separation in it with the expiration of its term is not considered a divorce to include the wife in the verse, whereas although she is not included in the verse, she is not a bondwoman either to be included in the ruling of bondwomen, and comparing her with a bondwoman is a false analogy. Therefore, there is no reason to consider specific iddah for her; because God has determined only the iddah of the divorce and iddah of death and has not determined the iddah of separation with the expiration of the term, and therefore, iddah of separation with the expiration of the term is for the purpose of establishing that there is no pregnancy so that religious knowledge about non-pregnancy will be achieved, and it is one menstrual period and, according to precaution, two menstrual periods; as one of our companions informed us, he said:

«سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَنْ عِدَّةِ الْمُتَمَتَّعِ بِهَا، فَقَالَ: حَيْضَةٌ تَسْتَبْرِئُ بِهَا رَحِمَهَا، وَالْأَفْضَلُ أَنْ تَعْتَدَّ بِحَيْضَتَيْنِ، لِكَيْلَا تُشْبِهَ الزَّانِيَةَ»[9]; “I asked Mansoor about iddah of a woman contracted in temporary marriage, so he said: ‘One menstrual period with which she establishes that there is no pregnancy, and it is better for her to wait for two menstrual periods so that she will not be compared with an adulteress.’”

This is an abhorrent and hideous act that the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt have forbidden; as it has been narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Nasr that he said: «سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَتَزَوَّجُ الْمَرْأَةَ مُتْعَةً، أَيَحِلُّ لَهُ أَنْ يَتَزَوَّجَ ابْنَتَهَا؟ قَالَ: لَا»[1]; “I asked Abu al-Hasan (Ali ibn Musa al-Rida), peace be upon him, about a man who temporarily marries a woman, is it lawful for him to marry her daughter? He said: ‘No,’” and from Muhammad ibn Muslim that he said: «سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ تَزَوَّجَ امْرَأَةً، فَنَظَرَ إِلَى رَأْسِهَا وَإِلَى بَعْضِ جَسَدِهَا، أَيَتَزَوَّجُ ابْنَتَهَا؟ فَقَالَ: لَا، إِذَا رَأَى مِنْهَا مَا يَحْرُمُ عَلَى غَيْرِهِ فَلَيْسَ لَهُ أَنْ يَتَزَوَّجُ ابْنَتَهَا»[2]; “I asked him (i.e., Muhammad ibn Ali ibn al-Husain or Ja‘far ibn Muhammad, peace be upon them) about a man who marries a woman, then he looks at her hair and body, can he marry her daughter? He said: ‘No, if he sees something from her that is forbidden for others, he cannot marry her daughter,’” and from Abu Rabi‘ that he said: «سُئِلَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ تَزَوَّجَ امْرَأَةً، فَمَكَثَ أَيَّامًا مَعَهَا، وَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ يُجَامِعَهَا غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ قَدْ رَأَى مِنْهَا مَا يَحْرُمُ عَلَى غَيْرِهِ، ثُمَّ يُطَلِّقُهَا، أَيَصْلُحُ لَهُ أَنْ يَتَزَوَّجَ ابْنَتَهَا؟ فَقَالَ: أَيَصْلُحُ لَهُ وَقَدْ رَأَى مِنْ أُمِّهَا مَا قَدْ رَأَى؟!»[3]; “Ja‘far ibn Muhammad, peace be upon him, was asked about a man who married a woman and spent a few days with her, but he could not have sexual intercourse with her and only saw from her something that is not lawful for others, then he divorced her, can he marry her daughter? He said: ‘How can he do so, when he saw what he saw from her mother?!’”

In addition, engagement of a man in temporary marriage to the extent that he goes from one woman to another is not appropriate and speaks of the weakness of his piety; as it has been narrated from the Messenger of God, peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family, that he said: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الذَّوَّاقِينَ وَلَا الذَّوَّاقَاتِ»[4]; “God does not like male tasters and female tasters (in marriage and sexual activities).” Rather, getting married temporarily without the need for it is considered an abhorrent act and is done only by people of heedlessness and sin; as it has been narrated from Ja‘far ibn Muhammad, peace be upon them, that he said: «لَا تُدَنِّسْ نَفْسَكَ بِهَا»[5]; “Do not pollute yourself with it,” and said: «دَعُوهَا، أَمَا يَسْتَحْيِي أَحَدُكُمْ أَنْ يُرَى فِي مَوْضِعِ الْعَوْرَةِ، فَيُحْمَلَ ذَلِكَ عَلَى صَالِحِي إِخْوَانِهِ وَأَصْحَابِهِ؟!»[6]; “Abandon it. Is one of you not ashamed to be seen with a woman and then cause infamy for his righteous brothers and friends?!” and said: «مَا تَفْعَلُهَا عِنْدَنَا إِلَّا الْفَوَاجِرُ»[7]; “In our community, none but adulteresses do that,” and it has been narrated from Musa ibn Ja‘far, peace be upon them, that he said: «مَا أَنْتَ وَذَاكَ؟! وَقَدْ أَغْنَاكَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا»[8]; “What do you have to do with it when God has made you free of need for it?!” and from Ali ibn Musa al-Rida, peace be upon them, that he said: «هِيَ حَلَالٌ مُبَاحٌ مُطْلَقٌ لِمَنْ لَمْ يُغْنِهِ اللَّهُ بِالتَّزْوِيجِ، فَلْيَسْتَعْفِفْ بِالْمُتْعَةِ»[9]; “It is lawful and permissible for one whom God has not made free of need by permanent marriage, so he maintains chastity by means of temporary marriage,” and said: «لَا تُلِحُّوا عَلَى الْمُتْعَةِ، إِنَّمَا عَلَيْكُمْ إِقَامَةُ السُّنَّةِ، فَلَا تَشْتَغِلُوا بِهَا عَنْ فُرُشِكُمْ وَحَرَائِرِكُمْ، فَيَكْفُرْنَ وَيَتَبَرَّيْنَ وَيَدْعِينَ عَلَى الْآمِرِ بِذَلِكَ وَيَلْعَنُونَا»[10]; “Do not insist on temporary marriage. You must only maintain the Sunnah, so do not be distracted from your wives with it to cause them to deny, feel aversion, revile the one who commands it, and curse us.”