16/4. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1408c — Aunt and Niece Rule
The prohibition of being married to a woman and her paternal aunt or maternal aunt at the same time
Hadith on Combining an Aunt and Niece in Marriage
Sahih Muslim : 1408c
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1408c
وَحَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ بْنِ قَعْنَبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ، - قَالَ ابْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ مَدَنِيٌّ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ مِنْ وَلَدِ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ بْنِ سَهْلِ بْنِ حُنَيْفٍ - عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ قَبِيصَةَ بْنِ ذُؤَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " لاَ تُنْكَحُ الْعَمَّةُ عَلَى بِنْتِ الأَخِ وَلاَ ابْنَةُ الأُخْتِ عَلَى الْخَالَةِ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) say: Father's sister should not be combined with her brother's daughter, nor the daughter of a sister with her mother's sister.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1408cIn-book reference : Book 16, Hadith 41USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 8, Hadith 3270
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1408c
This hadith reports Abu Huraira saying that he heard Allah's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم speak about marriage pairings involving an aunt and niece. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that a father's sister should not be combined with her brother's daughter, and the daughter of a sister should not be combined with her mother's sister. In simple words, the narration names two close family pairings that should not be joined in marriage. The hadith is useful for searches like aunt and niece marriage hadith because it states the relationship from both sides. The explanation should remain limited to what is said: these pairings are not to be combined.
What we learn from this hadith
- A paternal aunt should not be combined in marriage with her brother's daughter.
- A sister's daughter should not be combined with her maternal aunt.
- The hadith protects clear family boundaries in marriage.
- The wording names the relationships carefully, so the ruling should be explained carefully.
