A Woman offers Herself as a Gift to a Man

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a woman who gives herself as a gift to a man for marriage. He (the Imam) said, ‘This was only for the Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, but for others it is not proper without something in exchange before going to bed with her; a small or large amount even a cloth or dirham.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Dirham is enough.’”

“I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘A believing woman who gifts herself to the Holy Prophet. . . .’ (33:50) He (the Imam) said that such gift is not lawful except for the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, In the case of other people marriage without mahr (dower) is not proper.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘(A woman’s) gifting herself is not lawful except to the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, and in other people’s case, marriage is not proper without mahr (dower).”’

“About the case of a woman who gifts herself or her guardian gifts her to a man, abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘No, it was only for the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, and not for others unless it is in exchange for something, little or more.’”

“About the case of a woman who gifts herself to a Muslim man, abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If it is in exchange for something it then is correct.’”