to endure the mentioned condition; b.

to endure the mentioned condition; b. to fall in the quagmire of corruption and perdition; c. to marry a woman with whom it is permissible for a man to make a temporary marriage contract for a certain period. Regarding the first alternative, in most cases, it ends in failure. Although a few individuals can abstain from any type of sex and exercise patience and fortitude, this method is not applicable to all.

The second option also ends in corruption and desperation, and according to Islam it is forbidden { haram } and to prescribe it under the pretext of necessity is but a kind of mental deviation and perversion. Therefore, the third alternative is the only practical way recommended by Islam and it was practiced in the lifetime of the Prophet (S) and the dispute over this issue started after that.

At this juncture, we have to point to something and that is, those who have a sense of anxiety about mut‘ah and regard it as illegitimate should know that all Muslim jurists { fuqaha } and scholars have accepted something which is similar to that of a permanent (marriage) contract. They agree on the idea that the two sides can conclude a permanent contract with the intention that they separate through divorce after one year, or more or less.

It is clear that such an agreement is apparently “permanent” but in reality it is temporary. The difference between this type of “permanent” marriage and that of mut‘ah is that the latter is, exoterically and esoterically, limited and temporary while the former is exoterically “permanent” but esoterically temporary.

Why do those who declare as permissible this type of permanent marriage, on which all Muslim jurists agree, entertain fear and anxiety when it comes to prescribing and recommending mut‘ah ? Now that we have understood what mut‘ah is, let us see why mut‘ah is regarded as religiously lawful and why it has been decreed.

It is appropriate that the discussion will be at two levels: The legitimacy of mut‘ah during the early period of Islam, and The non-abrogation of this religious law in the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (S).

The following verse is an explicit proof of the legitimacy of mut‘ah : "فما استمتعتم به منهم فئاتوهنّ أجورهنّ فريضة." “For the enjoyment you have had from them thereby, give them their dowries, by way of settlement.” [^1] The wording { alfaz } of this verse testifies that something has been revealed about mut‘ah because: First: The word “ istimta‘ ”apparently refers to “temporary marriage”.