Chapter on the Ruling Regarding an Impotent Husband

قُلْتُ لَهُ أَوْ سَأَلَهُ رَجُلٌ عَنْ رَجُلٍ ادَّعَتْ‌ عَلَيْهِ امْرَأَتُهُ أَنَّهُ عِنِّينٌ وَ يُنْكِرُ ذَلِكَ الرَّجُلُ قَالَ تَحْشُوهَا الْقَابِلَةُ بِالْخَلُوقِ وَ لَا يَعْلَمُ الرَّجُلُ وَ يَدْخُلُ عَلَيْهَا فَإِنْ خَرَجَ وَ عَلَى ذَكَرِهِ الْخَلُوقُ صَدَقَ وَ كَذَبَتْ وَ إِلَّا صَدَقَتْ وَ كَذَبَ‌[1].

I asked Imam (as), or a man asked Imam (as), about a man whose wife accused him of being impotent while the man denied it. Imam (as) replied: "The midwife should apply khaluq (a type of perfume) to her without the man's knowledge. Then the man should enter upon her. If he comes out and khaluq is found on his private pa

فِي خَبَرٍ آخَرَ قَالَ الصَّادِقُ ع‌ إِذَا ادَّعَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ عَلَى زَوْجِهَا أَنَّهُ عِنِّينٌ وَ أَنْكَرَ الرَّجُلُ أَنْ يَكُونَ كَذَلِكَ فَالْحُكْمُ فِيهِ أَنْ يَقْعُدَ الرَّجُلُ فِي مَاءٍ بَارِدٍ فَإِنِ اسْتَرْخَى ذَكَرُهُ فَهُوَ عِنِّينٌ وَ إِنْ تَشَنَّجَ فَلَيْسَ بِعِنِّينٍ‌[2].

Hadith.4892 - In another narration, Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) said: "If a woman accuses her husband of being impotent (ʿinnin) and the man denies it, the ruling in this case is that the man should sit in cold water. If his private part becomes relaxed, then he is indeed impotent. But if it becomes tense, th

رُوِيَ فِي خَبَرٍ آخَرَ أَنَّهُ يُطْعَمُ السَّمَكَ الطَّرِيَّ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ يُقَالُ لَهُ بُلْ عَلَى الرَّمَادِ فَإِنْ ثَقَبَ بَوْلُهُ الرَّمَادَ فَلَيْسَ بِعِنِّينٍ وَ إِنْ لَمْ يَثْقُبْ بَوْلُهُ الرَّمَادَ فَهُوَ عِنِّينٌ‌[3].

Hadith.4893 - In another narration, it is reported: "The man is to be fed fresh fish for three days, and then he is instructed to urinate on ashes. If his urine penetrates through the ashes, he is not impotent. However, if his urine does not penetrate the ashes, then he is indeed impotent."

فِي الْعِنِّينِ إِذَا عُلِمَ أَنَّهُ عِنِّينٌ لَا يَأْتِي النِّسَاءَ فُرِّقَ بَيْنَهُمَا وَ إِذَا وَقَعَ عَلَيْهَا وَقْعَةً وَاحِدَةً لَمْ يُفَرَّقْ بَيْنَهُمَا وَ الرَّجُلُ لَا يُرَدُّ مِنْ عَيْبٍ‌[5].

"In the case of an impotent man, if it is confirmed that he is indeed impotent and unable to approach women, they are to be separated. However, if he engages in intercourse with her even once, they are not to be separated. Moreover, a man cannot be rejected due to any physical defect."

سُئِلَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ رَجُلٍ تَزَوَّجَ امْرَأَةً فَمَكَثَ أَيَّاماً مَعَهَا وَ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ يُجَامِعَهَا غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ قَدْ رَأَى مِنْهَا مَا يَحْرُمُ عَلَى غَيْرِهِ ثُمَّ طَلَّقَهَا أَ يَصْلُحُ لَهُ‌ أَنْ يَتَزَوَّجَ ابْنَتَهَا قَالَ لَا يَصْلُحُ لَهُ وَ قَدْ رَأَى مِنْ أُمِّهَا مَا رَأَى‌[1].

Abu Abdullah (as) was asked about a man who married a woman and stayed with her for several days but was unable to consummate the marriage. However, he had seen from her what would make it forbidden for anyone else. Then he divorced her. He was asked whether it would be permissible for him to marry her daughter. Imam (

فِي رِوَايَةِ السَّكُونِيِّ قَالَ قَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع‌ مَنْ أَتَى امْرَأَةً مَرَّةً وَاحِدَةً ثُمَّ أُخِّذَ عَنْهَا فَلَا خِيَارَ لَهَا[2].

Hadith.4896 - In the narration of Al-Sakooni, it is reported that Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) said: "Whoever engages in intercourse with a woman even once and then is separated from her, she has no option (of annulment or separation) thereafter."

إِنْ كَانَ لَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَى إِتْيَانِ غَيْرِهَا مِنَ النِّسَاءِ فَلَا يُمْسِكُهَا إِلَّا أَنْ تَرْضَى بِذَلِكَ وَ إِنْ كَانَ يَقْدِرُ عَلَى إِتْيَانِ غَيْرِهَا فَلَا بَأْسَ بِإِمْسَاكِهَا.

Hadith.4897 - Ammar Al-Sabati asked Imam Abu Abdullah (as) about a man who becomes unable to have intercourse with his wife. Imam (as) replied: "If he is also unable to have intercourse with any other woman, then he should not keep her unless she is content with that. However, if he is able to have intercourse with oth

رُوِيَ فِي خَبَرٍ آخَرَ أَنَّهُ مَتَى أَقَامَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ مَعَ زَوْجِهَا بَعْدَ مَا عَلِمَتْ أَنَّهُ عِنِّينٌ وَ رَضِيَتْ بِهِ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهَا خِيَارٌ بَعْدَ الرِّضَا[5].

Hadith.4898 - It is narrated in another report: "Whenever a woman continues to live with her husband after knowing that he is impotent and she accepts him in that condition, she no longer has the option to separate from him after her acceptance."