The Ruling on Shighar Marriage and What Has Occurred of It

The questioner:
He says: My question, Honorable Shaykh, is that in our village the matter of shighar marriage has become widespread and has spread on a large scale. When I advise some of my brothers in this matter and inform them that this marriage was prohibited by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and that it is forbidden, they reply: What do we do now that the marriage has taken place? What are we to do now that it has happened? They then ask how their situation will be and how the situation of the children will be. May Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh:
There is no doubt that shighar marriage is prohibited. It is an invalid marriage if it is established to be shighar, as came in the hadiths. It is an invalid marriage, and one should warn against it, explain its meaning to people, and advise them to abandon it. As for the marriages that have already taken place, the courts must review them. What was valid remains, and what was not valid must either have the contract renewed or the spouses separated. The important thing is that existing marriages must be referred to the courts.

The presenter:
May Allah bless you. He asks about the method that distances them from the image of buying?

The Shaykh:
The method is to marry the woman to a suitable match that you approve of, and this is to be done with a mahr (bridal gift). Her marriage must not be in exchange for marrying another woman, and her marriage must not be conditioned on the marriage of another. This is the easiest way. Yes.