Women Whom Allah, Most Majestic, Most Glorious, Made Lawful for Marriage

سَأَلَ ابْنُ أَبِي الْعَوْجَاءِ هِشَامَ بْنَ الْحَكَمِ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَ لَيْسَ اللَّهُ حَكِيماً قَالَ بَلَى وَ هُوَ أَحْكَمُ الْحَاكِمِينَ قَالَ فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ قَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- فَانْكِحُوا ما طابَ لَكُمْ مِنَ النِّساءِ مَثْنى‌ وَ ثُلاثَ وَ رُباعَ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا فَواحِدَةً[1] أَ لَيْسَ هَذَا فَرْضاً قَالَ بَلَى قَالَ فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ قَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- وَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعُوا أَنْ ت

“Once, ibn abu al-‘Awja’ asked Hisham ibn al-Hakam, ’Is not Allah wise?’ Hisham ibn al-Hakam replied, ’Yes, He is. He is the most firm of the judges.’ He (ibn abu al-’Awja’) then asked, ’Tell me about the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, “Marry whomever of women you like, two, three or four and if you fear

إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى أَحَلَّ الْفَرْجَ لِعِلَلِ مَقْدُرَةِ الْعِبَادِ فِي الْقُوَّةِ عَلَى الْمَهْرِ وَ الْقُدْرَةِ عَلَى الْإِمْسَاكِ فَقَالَ‌ فَانْكِحُوا ما طابَ لَكُمْ مِنَ النِّساءِ مَثْنى‌ وَ ثُلاثَ وَ رُباعَ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا فَواحِدَةً أَوْ ما مَلَكَتْ أَيْمانُكُمْ‌[1] وَ قَالَ‌ وَ مَنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ مِنْكُمْ طَوْلًا أَنْ يَنْكِحَ الْمُحْصَناتِ الْمُؤْمِناتِ فَمِنْ ما مَلَكَتْ أَيْمانُكُمْ

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus from Hisham ibn al-Hakam who has said the following: “He (the Imam) (a.s.), has said, ‘Allah, most High has made marriage lawful on the basis of His servants’ ability to pay mahr (dower) and their ability to provide maintenance, so He has said, “Marry wh