Nikah mut'ah

Nikah mut'ah (Arabic: نكاح المتعة, romanized: nikāḥ al-mutʿah, "pleasure marriage"; temporary marriage) or sigheh (Persian: صیغه) is a private and verbal temporary marriage contract that is practiced in Twelver Shia Islam in which the duration of the marriage and the mahr must be specified and agreed upon in advance. It is a private contract made in a verbal or written format. A declaration of the intent to marry and an acceptance of the terms are required as in other forms of marriage in Islam. The Zaidi Shia reject Mutah marriage. The length of a temporary marriage varies and can be as brief as an hour or stipulated to be as long as ninety-nine years. Traditionally, a temporary marriage does not require witnesses or registration, though taking witnesses is recommended. The Oxford Dictionary of Islam indicates the minimum duration of the marriage is debatable and periods of at least three days, three months, or one year have been suggested. Some present this relationship as a more regular kind of trial marriage compared to the free relationship between men and women in the West. Sunnis and Shiites agree that this marriage is a pre-Islamic Arabic tradition and is not prohibited by the Quran. According to Shiites, the tradition was approved by Muhammad and continued among Muslims during his lifetime. According to Sunnis, although the practice was initially approved by Muhammad, it was later banned by him. Both sides emphasize the sharp role of Caliph Omar in the ban. Quran 4:24, which is referenced on the subject, is given with translations that highlight different understandings. (see: Hadith of Mut'ah and Imran ibn Husain) Some Muslims and Western scholars have stated that both Nikah mut'ah and Nikah misyar are Islamically void attempts to religiously sanction prostitution which is otherwise forbidden.