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'''Forced marriage''' is the compelled marriage of an individual (usually female) against their will. The individual is usually forced by family members and in countries with primitive women's rights. Forcing a female who has reached the age of puberty to marry someone against her explicit wishes is forbidden in [[Islam]]. Nevertheless, [[Islamic law|Shari'ah]] fails to protect the most vulnerable - children.  
'''Forced marriage''' is the compelled marriage of an individual (usually female) against their will. The individual is usually forced by family members and in countries with primitive women's rights. Forcing a female who had reached the age of puberty into a marriage contract with someone against her explicit wishes was forbidden by most schools of Islamic jurisprudence. However, there was a legal consensus that virgin minors could be entered into marriage contracts by their fathers by compulsion, despite hadith evidence which seems to mandate a female virgin's consent (or at least a lack of protest).


Most (but not all) Muslim majority countries have made child marriage and forced marriage illegal. Nevertheless, such marriages still occur to a significant extent despite legal protections (and are not limited to Muslim communities). Many Muslim charities and campaign groups are working to prevent contemporary cases of forced marriage and to help those who seek their help.<ref>For example [https://www.mwnuk.co.uk/Forced_Marriage_7_factsheets.php Muslim Women's Network UK] and [https://preventforcedmarriage.org/forced-marriage-overseas-pakistan/ Tahirih Justice Center Forced Marriage Initiative]</ref> There are also government agencies who can and should be contacted when someone is at risk of forced marriage. Some charities advise those who realise too late that they are being taken overseas for a forced marriage to hide a spoon underneath their clothing so that when passing through the airport metal detector there will be an opportunity to explain the situation privately to the security team. Contacting the relevant national embassy is usually advised if already abroad.
Most (but not all) modern Muslim majority countries have made child marriage and forced marriage illegal. Nevertheless, such marriages still occur to a significant extent despite legal protections (and also occur in some non-Muslim communities). Many Muslim charities and campaign groups are working to prevent contemporary cases of forced marriage and to help those who seek their help.<ref>For example [https://www.mwnuk.co.uk/Forced_Marriage_7_factsheets.php Muslim Women's Network UK] and [https://preventforcedmarriage.org/forced-marriage-overseas-pakistan/ Tahirih Justice Center Forced Marriage Initiative]</ref> There are also government agencies who can and should be contacted when someone is at risk of forced marriage. Some charities advise those who realise too late that they are being taken overseas for a forced marriage to hide a spoon underneath their clothing so that when passing through the airport metal detector there will be an opportunity to explain the situation privately to the security team. Contacting the relevant national embassy is usually advised if already abroad.


==Child marriage==
==Child marriage==
{{Main|Child Marriage in Islamic Law}}
{{Main|Child Marriage in Islamic Law}}


As detailed below, Muhammad's marriage to six-year-old Aisha was cited in jurisprudence ruling that a child can be betrothed by her father without her explicit consent.<ref>{{Bukhari|7|62|18}}</ref><ref>{{Muwatta|28|2|7}}</ref> Consummation of the marriage takes place when the father and husband believe she is ready for it. The tradition that Muhammad consummated his marriage to Aisha when she was nine<ref>{{Bukhari|7|62|64}}</ref> has also featured in such judgements. A number of Quranic verses played a prominent role both in Quranic exegesis and legal disgussions about the consummation of marriage with pre-pubescent girls.<ref>Most noteably {{Quran|65|4}}, though also {{Quran|4|3}}, {{Quran|4|6}} and {{Quran|24|32}}</ref>  
As detailed below, Muhammad's marriage to six-year-old Aisha was cited in jurisprudence ruling that a child can be betrothed by her father without her explicit consent.<ref>{{Bukhari|7|62|18}}</ref><ref>{{Muwatta|28|2|7}}</ref> Consummation of the marriage takes place when the father and husband believe she is ready for it. The tradition that Muhammad consummated his marriage to Aisha when she was nine<ref>{{Bukhari|7|62|64}}</ref> also featured in the opinion of some jurists. A number of Quranic verses played a prominent role both in Quranic exegesis and legal discussions about marriage with pre-pubescent girls, most noteably {{Quran|65|4}}, though also {{Quran|4|3}}, {{Quran|4|6}} and {{Quran|24|32}}.  


A father or guardian must ask the consent of his virgin daughter before offering her in marriage according to a well known sahih hadith. However, according to that same hadith, if she remains silent when asked, offering no explicit acceptance, this counts as consent.<ref>{{Bukhari|7|62|68}}</ref>
A father or guardian must ask the consent of his virgin daughter before offering her in marriage according to a well known sahih hadith. However, according to that same hadith, if she remains silent when asked, offering no explicit acceptance, this counts as consent to the marriage.<ref>{{Bukhari|7|62|68}}</ref> As detailed below, if a girl was both a virgin and a minor, Islamic jurists nevertheless were agreed that a father could compel her marriage contract without her consent.


A girl was thus expected to make a life changing decision on marriage while still a child, with very limited experience and utterly dependent on her parents. Child marriages occur [[Child Marriage in the Muslim World|all over the world]], but especially in Muslim countries that practice the relevant part of the Shari'a. [http://www.un.org/youthenvoy/2016/03/new-un-initiative-aims-to-protect-millions-of-girls-from-child-marriage The UN] regards child marriage as a human rights violation and aims to eradicate it by 2030. The girl is vulnerable to spousal abuse and childhood pregnancy which greatly jeopardizes her health and future.  
Even if consulted, a girl would have to make a life changing decision on marriage while still a young child, with very limited experience and utterly dependent on her parents. Child marriages occur [[Child Marriage in the Muslim World|all over the world]], but especially in Muslim countries that practice the relevant part of the Shari'a. [http://www.un.org/youthenvoy/2016/03/new-un-initiative-aims-to-protect-millions-of-girls-from-child-marriage The UN] regards child marriage as a human rights violation and aims to eradicate it by 2030. A girl is vulnerable to spousal abuse and childhood pregnancy which greatly jeopardizes her health and future.  


==Islamic law==
==Islamic law==
===Compulsion of minors and virgins===
===Compulsion of minors and virgins===
According to Professor Kecia Ali, Islamic jurists considered that the Quranic concept of "''Bulugh'', majority, was usually constituted by puberty, normally menarche for a girl and first nocturnal emission for a boy, though other signs of physical maturation could be taken into account." Quran verses that mention bulugh were taken into account in jurist discussions on marriage compulsion and there was also much discussion centred around the following hadith:  
Two books by academic authors are particularly notable on this topic: ''Slavery and Marriage in Islam'' by Professor Kecia Ali,<ref>Kecia Ali, "Marriage and Slavery in Early Islam", Massachussets: Harvard University Press, 2010, p. 33 - 36</ref> and ''Minor Marriage in Islamic Law'' by Professor Caroline Baugh.<ref>Caroline Baugh,''Minor Marriage in Islamic Law'', Leiden: Brill, 2017</ref> A large set of translated quotes from various well known exegetical and jurist texts relating to these matters is also available online.<ref>[https://theislamissue.wordpress.com/2021/09/19/q65-4-the-verse-of-child-marriage/ Q65.4: The verse of child marriage]</ref>
 
Kecia Ali gives the following overview on the areas of juristic agreement and disagreement regarding compulsion (more detail is given below):
 
{{Quote|Kecia Ali, ''Marriage and Slavery in Early Islam'', p. 32|For free females, both virginity and majority were of concern. Fathers could compel marriage of daughters who were both virgins and minors. On the flip side, those who were neither virgins nor minors could not be compelled but had to give their spoken assent to any proposed marriage. The intermediate categories - daughters who were either virgins or minors but not both - were the subject of disagreement.}}
 
Caroline Baugh similarly explains that there were some situations in which according to different schools of jurisprudence, consent to be given in marriage might or might not be required: the virgin pubescent (al-bikr al-bāligha), and non-virgin prepubescent (al-thayyib al ṣaghīra). Baugh questions later statements of consensus relating to this topic given disagreements such as these, though like Kecia Ali she states that there was agreement that consent was not required for a father to give his daughter in marriage if she was virgin prepubescent (al-bikr al-ṣaghīra).<ref>Caroline Baugh, ''Minor Marriage in Islamic Law'', pp. 21, 56</ref>
 
The disagreement on the intermediate scenarios depended on whether the jurist believed that the legal rationale for compulsion was due to not having reached the age of majority, or because of virginity (regardless of age and development).
 
In his book ''The Distinguished Jurist's Primer'' (which is available in English), Ibn Rushd (d. 1198 CE; known in Europe as Averroes) wrote a detailed description of the points of agreement and difference between the schools of jurisprudence regarding the right of marital consent for girls who have reached majority (bulugh) or are still minors, and for girls who are virgins or non-virgins. He states:
 
{{Quote|1=[https://archive.org/details/BidayatAl-mujtahidTheDistinguishedJuristsPrimerVol2/page/n7/mode/2up The Distinguished Jurist's Primer: Volume II] by Ibn Rashd (transl. Imran Ahsan Khan Nyazee) p. 5|2=They arrived at the consensus that the father can force a non-bāligh virgin and that he cannot force a divorced bāligh woman, except for isolated instances of disagreement in this, as we have indicated."
 
According to Professor Kecia Ali, Islamic jurists considered that the Quranic concept of "''Bulugh'', majority, was usually constituted by puberty, normally menarche for a girl and first nocturnal emission for a boy, though other signs of physical maturation could be taken into account."<ref>Kecia Ali, ''Marriage and Slavery in Early Islam'', p. 32</ref> Quran verses that mention bulugh were taken into account in jurist discussions on marriage compulsion and there was also much discussion centred around the following hadith:  


{{Quote|{{Muslim|8|3307}}|Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:
{{Quote|{{Muslim|8|3307}}|Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:
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A woman who has been previously married (Thayyib) has more right to her person than her guardian. And a virgin should also be consulted, and her silence implies her consent.}}
A woman who has been previously married (Thayyib) has more right to her person than her guardian. And a virgin should also be consulted, and her silence implies her consent.}}


This appears to rule out a father forcing his virgin daughter into marriage without consulting her and obtaining her agreement, or at least her silence (though this is obviously open to abuse for the reasons mentioned above). However, Kecia Ali explains that the jurists were nevertheless in agreement that "a father's power of compulsion over his virgin daughter is unquestioned so long as she is a minor." Two founders of major schools of Sunni jurisprudence, Malik and Shafi'i, employed different strategies to get around the apparent implications of the above hadith.
This appears to rule out a father forcing his virgin daughter into marriage without consulting her and obtaining her agreement, or at least her silence (though this is obviously open to abuse for the reasons mentioned above). However, Kecia Ali explains that the jurists were nevertheless in agreement that "a father's power of compulsion over his virgin daughter is unquestioned so long as she is a minor." The founders of two of the four major schools of Sunni jurisprudence, Malik and Shafi'i, employed different strategies to get around the apparent implications of the above hadith.


Malik's legal methodology considered the custom of the people of Medina as more authoritative than this hadith. For Malik, either virginity or minority allowed compulsion.  
Malik's legal methodology considered the custom of the people of Medina as more authoritative than this hadith. Ali notes that "For Malik, either virginity ''or'' minority allowed compulsion, so a non-minor virgin could be compelled. A previous marriage, if unconsummated, did not remove a father's power of compulsion".<ref>Kecia Ali, "Marriage and Slavery in Early Islam", pp. 33</ref>


For Abu Hanifa, there is no compulsion after majority. Later Hanafis ruled that even a non-virgin minor can be compelled into marriage.
Shafi'i claimed that the word for guardian in the hadith does not include a female whose guardian is her father, so a father could still compell his virgin daughter into a marriage contract. As for the rarer case of non-virgin minors, according to Shafi'i such girls were forbidden to be married again at all until they reached majority since a non-virgin could not be married off without her consent, but a minor could not give valid consent. For both Malik and Shafi'i, the father's power to compell his virgin daughter to marry continued even after the age of majority. Ali notes that for Shafi'i, "there was no real difference between a minor and a bāligh female so long as she remained a virgin", though he recommended that daughters who have reached the age of majority are consulted.<ref>Kecia Ali, "Marriage and Slavery in Early Islam", pp. 35 - 36</ref> Baugh similarly says that Maliki and Shafi'i jurists believed that a female could never reach majority if she remained a virgin.<ref>Caroline Baugh, ''Minor Marriage in Islamic Law'', p. 56</ref>


Shafi'i claimed that the word for guardian in the hadith does not include a female whose guardian is her father, so a father could still compell his virgin daughter to marry. The rarer case of non-virgin minors were forbidden to be married again at all until they reached majority. For both Malik and Shafi'i, the father's power to compell his virgin daughter to marry continued even after the age of majority, though Shafi'i recommended that daughters over the age of majority are consulted.<ref>Kecia Ali, "Marriage and Slavery in Early Islam", Massachussets: Harvard University Press, 2010, p. 33 - 36</ref>
Kecia Ali says regarding another of the four major jurists, "Abū Ḥanīfa rejects compulsion at majority for all females, both virgin and non-virgin". There is no record of his ruling in the case of non-virgin minors, though later Hanafi texts are explicit that majority is determinative: "a ''bāligh'' female could not be coerced even if she was a non-virgin, but a minor could be, even if she was a ''thayyib''".<ref>Kecia Ali, "Marriage and Slavery in Early Islam", pp. 33</ref>


Ibn Hanbal considered that a girl must be consulted if married at the age of nine years or older.<ref>Ibid. p. 208, footnote 21</ref>
According to Ali, Ibn Hanbal considered that a girl must be consulted if married at the age of nine years or older.<ref>Kecia Ali, "Marriage and Slavery in Early Islam", p. 208, footnote 21</ref> Baugh describes his legacy on this issue as equivocal. In one mention of the topic, he stated that a virgin must be consulted, though "In another rescension of his opinions, he was asked if a man could marry off his virgin daughter without consulting her; he conceded that it was possible, but that he preferred she be consulted."<ref>Caroline Baugh,''Minor Marriage in Islamic Law'', p. 9</ref>


Kecia Ali further states that the example of Muhammad and his companions featured in these discussions. "Though the ''Muwatta'' and ''Mudawwana'' presented anecdotes about Companions and the Prophet marrying off their daughters, the ''Umm'' focused on the Prophet's marriage to 'A'isha". She further notes, "In Shafi'i's view, she was still a minor when consummation occurred. The binding nature of Muhammad and 'A'isha's union establishes fathers' power to contract binding marriages for their minor virgin daughters: 'Abu Bakr's marrying 'A'isha to the Prophet, may God's blessings and peace be upon him, when she was a girl of six and [the Prophet's] having sex with her when she was a girl of nine indicates that the father has more right over a virgin than she has over herself.'"<ref>Ibid. p. 35</ref>
Kecia Ali further states that the example of Muhammad and his companions featured in jurist discussions: "Though the ''Muwatta'' and ''Mudawwana'' presented anecdotes about Companions and the Prophet marrying off their daughters, the ''Umm'' focused on the Prophet's marriage to 'A'isha". Elaborating on the latter text, she notes that "In Shafi'i's view, she was still a minor when consummation occurred. The binding nature of Muhammad and 'A'isha's union establishes fathers' power to contract binding marriages for their minor virgin daughters: 'Abu Bakr's marrying 'A'isha to the Prophet, may God's blessings and peace be upon him, when she was a girl of six and [the Prophet's] having sex with her when she was a girl of nine indicates that the father has more right over a virgin than she has over herself.'"<ref>Kecia Ali, "Marriage and Slavery in Early Islam", p. 35</ref>


As well as the hadith quoted above, Muslim advocates of reform to laws on marriage highlight the following hadiths:
As well as the hadith quoted above, Muslim advocates of reform to laws on marriage highlight the following hadiths:
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that a man among them who was called Khidam arranged a marriage for his daughter, and she did not like the marriage arranged by her father. She went to the Messenger of Allah and told him about that, and he annulled the marriage arranged by her father. Then she married Abu Lubabah bin Abdul-Mundhir.}}
that a man among them who was called Khidam arranged a marriage for his daughter, and she did not like the marriage arranged by her father. She went to the Messenger of Allah and told him about that, and he annulled the marriage arranged by her father. Then she married Abu Lubabah bin Abdul-Mundhir.}}
Baugh discusses these and similar reports. Jurists claimed that Khidam's daughter was not a virgin but had been previously married, and this was the reason why Muhammad allowed her request, though Baugh argues that the jurists' assumption about her is questionable.<ref>Caroline Baugh,''Minor Marriage in Islamic Law'', pp. 62-66</ref>


===Option of puberty to annul the marriage===
===Option of puberty to annul the marriage===
In all schools of classical Islamic law, a father was allowed to enter his pre-pubescent child into a marriage contract without consent. When the child reached the age of puberty he or she could exercise the "option of puberty" (khiyar al-bulugh) to repudiate the marriage, but only if it was entered into negligently, fraudulently or by someone other than the father or grandfather. The option was also lost to a virgin female who has reached puberty and who had taken no action or remained silent for what is considered a reasonable time after being informed of the contract. A male child retained his option in the same circumstances until he actively approved of the marriage <ref>Esposito, John L. (2001) "Women in Muslim Family Law (2nd Edition)", New York: Syracuse University Press, pp.16-17</ref><ref>Ali, S. M. (2004) "The Position of Women in Islam: A Progressive View", New York: State University of New York Press, pp.40-41</ref>
In all schools of classical Islamic law, a father was allowed to enter his pre-pubescent virgin child into a marriage contract without consent. When the child reached the age of puberty he or she could exercise the "option of puberty" (khiyar al-bulugh) to repudiate the marriage, but only if it was entered into negligently, fraudulently or by someone other than the father or grandfather. The option was also lost to a virgin female who has reached puberty and who had taken no action or remained silent for what is considered a reasonable time after being informed of the contract. A male child retained his option in the same circumstances until he actively approved of the marriage <ref>Esposito, John L. (2001) "Women in Muslim Family Law (2nd Edition)", New York: Syracuse University Press, pp.16-17</ref><ref>Ali, S. M. (2004) "The Position of Women in Islam: A Progressive View", New York: State University of New York Press, pp.40-41</ref>


===Marital rape===
===Marital rape===
{{Main|Rape in Islamic Law}}
{{Main|Rape in Islamic Law}}
The problem of marital rape is particularly likely to occur in cases of forced marriage. Islamic law obliges a woman to have sex with her husband whenever he asks for it unless she is menstruating or severely ill.<ref>{{Muslim|8|3368}}</ref><ref>Mishkat al-Masabih Book I, Section 'Duties of husband and wife', Hadith No. 61</ref><ref>Al Tirmidhi Hadith No. 1160 & Ibn Ma’jah Hadith No. 4165</ref>  In Iran, for example, ''tamkin'' is the word used to describe a woman's obligation to be sexually available at her husband's whim.<ref>Ilkkaracan, Pinar. (2008). [http://books.google.com/books?id=pnGwP9-FhxYC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false ''Deconstructing Sexuality in the Middle East'']. (p. 129). Burlington, VT: Ashgate Publishing Company.</ref>  There is no law in Islam that protects a woman from rape by her husband.  In fact, a wife is a man's tilth, and he is permitted to approach her however and whenever he feels like it.<ref>{{Quran|2|223}}</ref><ref>[http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/cleric-rape-beating-ok-for-wives/story-e6freuy9-1111118629144 Cleric: Rape, beating OK for wives] - Mark Dunns - The Daily Telegraph, January 22, 2009</ref>  If she feels that she is being mistreated, she must seek a divorce from an Islamic court and prove the mistreatment.  If her husband divorces her, but changes his mind before the mandatory 'idda is over, he may take his wife back whether she desires to remain married to him or not.<ref>{{Quran|2|228}}</ref><ref>[http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/75027/permission%20second%20wife The wife’s consent is not a condition of taking her back after divorce] - Islam Q&A, Fatwa No. 75027</ref>
The problem of marital rape is particularly likely to occur in cases of forced marriage. A sahih hadith obliges a woman to have sex with her husband whenever he asks for it, as does Islamic law unless she is menstruating, fasting or severely ill.<ref>{{Muslim|8|3368}}</ref><ref>Mishkat al-Masabih Book I, Section 'Duties of husband and wife', Hadith No. 61</ref><ref>Al Tirmidhi Hadith No. 1160 & Ibn Ma’jah Hadith No. 4165</ref>  In Iran, for example, ''tamkin'' is the word used to describe a woman's obligation to be sexually available at her husband's whim.<ref>Ilkkaracan, Pinar. (2008). [http://books.google.com/books?id=pnGwP9-FhxYC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false ''Deconstructing Sexuality in the Middle East'']. (p. 129). Burlington, VT: Ashgate Publishing Company.</ref>  There is no law in Islam that protects a woman from rape by her husband.  In fact, a wife is a man's tilth, and he is permitted to approach her however and whenever he feels like it.<ref>{{Quran|2|223}}</ref> If she feels that she is being mistreated, she must seek a divorce from an Islamic court and prove the mistreatment.  If her husband divorces her, but changes his mind before the mandatory 'idda is over, he may take his wife back whether she desires to remain married to him or not.<ref>{{Quran|2|228}}</ref><ref>[http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/75027/permission%20second%20wife The wife’s consent is not a condition of taking her back after divorce] - Islam Q&A, Fatwa No. 75027</ref>


==Slaves and Captives==
==Slaves and Captives==
In recent decades there has more or less been a consensus of scholars that slavery is no longer permitted. Historically however, and still in a few places today, slavery persisted for many centuries. Slaves lose control of their lives to those known as ''owners''. Although Islam promotes the freeing of slaves by promising divine rewards in the afterlife, it also institutionalizes the practice by sanctioning the capture and enslavement of enemy ([[Non-Muslims|kuffar]]) noncombatants as well as promoting an [[w:Indulgence|indulgence]]-style requirement of manumitting a slave for the compensation of sins committed.<ref>{{Quran|4|92}}</ref> The buying and selling of human beings like livestock is permitted in Islam, and there is no limit to the number of slaves a Muslim can own so long as he (or she) can afford to feed, clothe, and shelter them. Slaves have no right over their own persons. A slave may not get married without his or her master's permission, and a slave can redeem his or herself only if the master allows it.
In recent decades there has more or less been a consensus of scholars that slavery is no longer permitted. Historically however, and still in a few places today, slavery persisted for many centuries. Slaves lose control of their lives to those known as ''owners''. Although Islam promotes the freeing of slaves by promising divine rewards in the afterlife, it also institutionalizes the practice by sanctioning the capture and enslavement of enemy ([[Non-Muslims|kuffar]]) noncombatants as well as promoting an [[w:Indulgence|indulgence]]-style requirement of manumitting a slave for the compensation of sins committed.<ref>{{Quran|4|92}}</ref> The buying and selling of human beings like livestock is permitted in Islam, and there is no limit to the number of slaves a Muslim can own so long as he (or she) can afford to feed, clothe, and shelter them. Slaves have no right over their own persons. A slave may not get married without his or her master's permission, and a slave can redeem his or herself only if the master allows it.
 
Kecia Ali states regarding the marriage of slaves:
{{Quote|Kecia Ali, ''Marriage and Slavery in Islam'' p. 32|Legal texts seldom discuss a female slave's virginity in the context of marriage, whether because of the presumption that she was unlikely to have remained a virgin until such time as she might be married off or because it was entirely irrelevant to her legal standing: she never had a say in her own marriage arrangements.}}


A female slave may be used for sex by her master. He does not need her permission to practice [[Al-'Azl|al-'azl]], and after having sex with her he may sell her to another man or ransom her back to her family (if she had been captured during a battle or raid). If he desires her as a wife, he may marry her and does not have to pay her a bride price. Her freedom is considered her [[Mahr (Marital Price)|mahr]]. This can come in handy when a man is poor and yet desires to have a wife. A captured woman costs nothing, and he does not have to pay any money to marry her. A man may have sex with his captives and slaves without the permission of his wife (or wives).
A female slave may be used for sex by her master. He does not need her permission to practice [[Al-'Azl|al-'azl]], and after having sex with her he may sell her to another man or ransom her back to her family (if she had been captured during a battle or raid). If he desires her as a wife, he may marry her and does not have to pay her a bride price. Her freedom is considered her [[Mahr (Marital Price)|mahr]]. This can come in handy when a man is poor and yet desires to have a wife. A captured woman costs nothing, and he does not have to pay any money to marry her. A man may have sex with his captives and slaves without the permission of his wife (or wives).


The woman, of course, has no say in the matter. However, it would probably be in her best interest to get married seeing as though she might never experience freedom otherwise. Mandatory freeing of a female slave only occurs upon her master's death if she has given him a child. Whatever the scenario, a female slave has absolutely no control over her life. Her master can have sex with her if he wants ([[rape]]), sell her to another man, or give her in marriage to another man. Her wishes are meaningless and her compliance unnecessary. The only thing her master cannot do is earn money by prostituting her to other men.<ref>{{Quran|24|33}}</ref>
The woman, of course, has no say in the matter. However, it would probably be in her best interest to get married seeing as though she might never experience freedom otherwise. Mandatory freeing of a female slave only occurs upon her master's death if she has given him a child. Whatever the scenario, a female slave has absolutely no control over her life. Her master can have sex with her if he wants (see [[Rape in Islamic Law]]), sell her to another man, or give her in marriage to another man. Her wishes are meaningless and her compliance unnecessary. The only thing her master cannot do is earn money by prostituting her to other men.<ref>{{Quran|24|33}}</ref>


===Muhammad's slave girls and captives===
===Muhammad's slave girls and captives===
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