VisualDhikr|

Prohibited Degrees of Marriage (Maharim)

View in graph
concept

Prohibited Degrees of Marriage (Maharim)

مَحَارِم

The concept of *mahārim*, or prohibited degrees of marriage, refers to those individuals with whom marriage is permanently forbidden in Islam due to close kinship ties. This divine guidance safeguards the sanctity of family bonds and ensures moral purity within society. These prohibitions primarily stem from three categories of relationship: kinship by blood, by marriage (affinity), and by fosterage (milk kinship). The Quran explicitly outlines many of these relationships, stating: "[P]rohibited to you [for marriage] are your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your father's sisters, your mother's sisters, your brother's daughters, your sister's daughters" [4:23]. This verse also includes relatives through fosterage, such as "[your milk] mothers who nursed you, your sisters through nursing" [4:23], and those by affinity, like "[your] wives' mothers" [4:23]. Furthermore, it prohibits marrying "[two] sisters simultaneously" [4:23]. This clear delineation fosters an environment of trust, respect, and unconditional love within the family, free from romantic or marital expectations, thereby strengthening the very fabric of Islamic community life.

Quran 2 verses

حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمْ أُمَّهَٰتُكُمْ وَبَنَاتُكُمْ وَأَخَوَٰتُكُمْ وَعَمَّٰتُكُمْ وَخَٰلَٰتُكُمْ وَبَنَاتُ ٱلْأَخِ وَبَنَاتُ ٱلْأُخْتِ وَأُمَّهَٰتُكُمُ ٱلَّٰتِىٓ أَرْضَعْنَكُمْ وَأَخَوَٰتُكُم مِّنَ ٱلرَّضَٰعَةِ وَأُمَّهَٰتُ نِسَآئِكُمْ وَرَبَٰٓئِبُكُمُ ٱلَّٰتِى فِى حُجُورِكُم مِّن نِّسَآئِكُمُ ٱلَّٰتِى دَخَلْتُم بِهِنَّ فَإِن لَّمْ تَكُونُوا۟ دَخَلْتُم بِهِنَّ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَحَلَٰٓئِلُ أَبْنَآئِكُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ مِنْ أَصْلَٰبِكُمْ وَأَن تَجْمَعُوا۟ بَيْنَ ٱلْأُخْتَيْنِ إِلَّا مَا قَدْ سَلَفَ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا

Hurrimat 'alaikum umma haatukum wa bannaatukum wa akhawaatukum wa 'ammaatukum wa khaalaatukum wa banaatul akhi wa banaatul ukhti wa ummahaatu kumul laateee arda' nakum wa akhawaatukum minarradaa'ati wa ummahaatu nisaaa'ikum wa rabaaa'i bukumul laatee fee hujoorikum min nisaaa'ikumul laatee dakhaltum bihinna Fa il lam takoonoo dakhaltum bihina falaa junaaha 'alaikum wa halaaa'ilu abnaaa'ikumul lazeena min aslaabikum wa an tajma'oo bainal ukhtaini illaa maa qad salaf; innallaaha kaana Ghafoorar Raheema

Prohibited to you [for marriage] are your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your father's sisters, your mother's sisters, your brother's daughters, your sister's daughters, your [milk] mothers who nursed you, your sisters through nursing, your wives' mothers, and your step-daughters under your guardianship [born] of your wives unto whom you have gone in. But if you have not gone in unto them, there is no sin upon you. And [also prohibited are] the wives of your sons who are from your [own] loins, and that you take [in marriage] two sisters simultaneously, except for what has already occurred. Indeed, Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful.

تم پر تمہاری مائیں اور بیٹیاں اور بہنیں اور پھوپھیاں اور خالائیں اور بھتیجیاں اور بھانجیاں اور وہ مائیں جنہوں نے تم کو دودھ پلایا ہو اور رضاعی بہنیں اور ساسیں حرام کر دی گئی ہیں اور جن عورتوں سے تم مباشرت کر چکے ہو ان کی لڑکیاں جنہیں تم پرورش کرتے (ہو وہ بھی تم پر حرام ہیں) ہاں اگر ان کے ساتھ تم نے مباشرت نہ کی ہو تو (ان کی لڑکیوں کے ساتھ نکاح کر لینے میں) تم پر کچھ گناہ نہیں اور تمہارے صلبی بیٹوں کی عورتیں بھی اور دو بہنوں کا اکٹھا کرنا بھی (حرام ہے) مگر جو ہو چکا (سو ہو چکا) بے شک خدا بخشنے والا (اور) رحم کرنے والا ہے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: If the father has fallen into illicit relations with some woman, even then it will not be permissible for the son to marry that woman. حُرِّ‌مَتْ عَلَيْكُمْ أُمَّهَاتُكُمْ (Prohibited for you are your mothers): It means that it is unlawful to marry one's own mother and the word, أُمَّهَاتُكُمُ "umma...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: Forbidden to you are your mothers in marriage and this includes the paternal and maternal grandmothers; and daughters including their children if they should lower themselves to such standards; your sisters from your fathers and mothers; your paternal aunts that is the sisters of your fathers and gr...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Degrees of Women Never Eligible for One to Marry This honorable Ayah is the Ayah that establishes the degrees of women relatives who are never eligible for one to marry, because of blood relations, relations established by suckling or marriage. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "(Allah sa...

لَّا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِنَّ فِىٓ ءَابَآئِهِنَّ وَلَآ أَبْنَآئِهِنَّ وَلَآ إِخْوَٰنِهِنَّ وَلَآ أَبْنَآءِ إِخْوَٰنِهِنَّ وَلَآ أَبْنَآءِ أَخَوَٰتِهِنَّ وَلَا نِسَآئِهِنَّ وَلَا مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُهُنَّ وَٱتَّقِينَ ٱللَّهَ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ شَهِيدًا

Laa junaaha 'alaihinna feee aabaaa'ihinna wa laaa abnaaa'ihinna wa laaa ikhwaanihinnna wa laaa abnaaa'i ikhwaanihinna wa laaa abnaaa'i akhawaatihinna wa laa nisaaa'i hinna wa laa Maa malakat aimaanuhunn; wattaqeenal laah; innal laaha kaana 'alaa kulli shai'in Shaheedaa

There is no blame upon women concerning their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their brothers' sons or their sisters' sons or their women or those their right hands possess. And fear Allah. Indeed Allah is ever, over all things, Witness.

عورتوں پر اپنے باپوں سے (پردہ نہ کرنے میں) کچھ گناہ نہیں اور نہ اپنے بیٹوں سے اور نہ اپنے بھائیوں سے اور نہ اپنے بھتیجوں سے اور نہ اپنے بھانجوں سے نہ اپنی (قسم کی) عورتوں سے اور نہ لونڈیوں سے۔ اور (اے عورتو) خدا سے ڈرتی رہو۔ بےشک خدا ہر چیز سے واقف ہے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: إِن تُبْدُوا شَيْئًا أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ فَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ كَانَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمًا (If you disclose any thing, or conceal it, Allah is All-Knowing about everything - 33:54). It has been repeated again in this verse that Allah Ta’ ala knows even the intents and thoughts hidden in the hearts. So wheth...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: They the Prophet’s wives would not be at fault with regard to socialising with their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their brothers’ sons or their sisters’ sons or their own believing women or what their right hands own of slavegirls or male servants in seeing them or conversing with them...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Relatives before Whom a Woman does not need to observe Hijab When Allah commands women to observe Hijab in front of men to whom they are not related, He explains who are the relatives before whom they do not need to observe Hijab. This is like the exceptions stated in Surat An-Nur, where Allah says:...

A detailed scholarly analysis for this topic is not yet available. Get in touch to request one.

Related Topics