Also, "And those who preserve their hastity Save with their...

Also, "And those who preserve their hastity Save with their wives and those whom their right hands possess, for thus they are not blameworthy; But whoso seeketh more than that, those are they who are transgressors" (Quran, LXX, 29-31). These verses were revealed in Mecca and from the time of their revelation until the Hijrah, it is well known that mut'ah marriage was practiced by Muslims.

If mut'ah marriage had not been a true marriage and women who had married according to it had not been legitimate wives. certainly according to these Quranic verses they would have been considered to be transgressors of the law and would have been forbidden to practice mut'ah. It is thus clear that since temporary marriage was not forbidden by the Prophet it was a legitimate marriage and not a form of adultery.

The legitimacy of the mut'ah marriage contin ed from the time of the hijrah until the death of the Holy Prophet as this verse, revealed after the hijrah, proves, "And those of whom ye seek content[istamta'tum. from the same root as mut'ah](by marrying them), give unto them their portions as a dut (Quran, IV, 24). Those opposed to Shi'ism contend that this verse from the "Chap ter on Women!' was later abrogated, but the Shi'ah do not accept this view. In fact.

the words of the second caliph cited above are the best proof that up to the time of his ban such marriages were still practiced. It is inconceivable that if mut'ah had been abro gated and forbidden it would have continued to be commonly practiced by Muslims during the lifetime of the Holy Prophet and after his death until the time of the second caliph; that ifmut'ah had been abrogated no action would,have been taken to forbid it.

We cannot accept the claim that the only thing that the second caliph did was to put into action an order of prohibition and abrogation of mut'ah given by the Holy Prophet, for such a possibility is negated by the clear words of the second caliph, 'There are two mut ahs which existed in the time of the Prophet of God and Abu Bakr which I have banned, and I will punish those who disobey my orders." From the point of view of legislation and the preservation of public interest also we must consider the legitimacy of temporary marriage, like that of divorce, one of the noteworthy features of Islam.

It is obvious that laws and regulations are executed with the aim of preserving the vital interests of the people in a society and providing for their needs.