47/25. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 3177 — Marthad and the Marriage Warning
Regarding Surat An-Nur
Hadith About Marthad, 'Anaq, and Marriage After Zina
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 3177
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 3177
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا رَوْحُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الأَخْنَسِ، أَخْبَرَنِي عَمْرُو بْنُ شُعَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ، قَالَ كَانَ رَجُلٌ يُقَالُ لَهُ مَرْثَدُ بْنُ أَبِي مَرْثَدٍ وَكَانَ رَجُلاً يَحْمِلُ الأَسْرَى مِنْ مَكَّةَ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ بِهِمُ الْمَدِينَةَ قَالَ وَكَانَتِ امْرَأَةٌ بَغِيٌّ بِمَكَّةَ يُقَالُ لَهَا عَنَاقُ وَكَانَتْ صَدِيقَةً لَهُ وَإِنَّهُ كَانَ وَعَدَ رَجُلاً مِنْ أُسَارَى مَكَّةَ يَحْمِلُهُ قَالَ فَجِئْتُ حَتَّى انْتَهَيْتُ إِلَى ظِلِّ حَائِطٍ مِنْ حَوَائِطِ مَكَّةَ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُقْمِرَةٍ . قَالَ فَجَاءَتْ عَنَاقُ فَأَبْصَرَتْ سَوَادَ ظِلِّي بِجَنْبِ الْحَائِطِ فَلَمَّا انْتَهَتْ إِلَىَّ عَرَفَتْهُ فَقَالَتْ مَرْثَدُ فَقُلْتُ مَرْثَدُ . فَقَالَتْ مَرْحَبًا وَأَهْلاً هَلُمَّ فَبِتْ عِنْدَنَا اللَّيْلَةَ . قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا عَنَاقُ حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ الزِّنَا . قَالَتْ يَا أَهْلَ الْخِيَامِ هَذَا الرَّجُلُ يَحْمِلُ أَسْرَاكُمْ . قَالَ فَتَبِعَنِي ثَمَانِيَةٌ وَسَلَكْتُ الْخَنْدَمَةَ فَانْتَهَيْتُ إِلَى كَهْفٍ أَوْ غَارٍ فَدَخَلْتُ فَجَاءُوا حَتَّى قَامُوا عَلَى رَأْسِي فَبَالُوا فَطَلَّ بَوْلُهُمْ عَلَى رَأْسِي وَأَعْمَاهُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِّي . قَالَ ثُمَّ رَجَعُوا وَرَجَعْتُ إِلَى صَاحِبِي فَحَمَلْتُهُ وَكَانَ رَجُلاً ثَقِيلاً حَتَّى انْتَهَيْتُ إِلَى الإِذْخِرِ فَفَكَكْتُ عَنْهُ كَبْلَهُ فَجَعَلْتُ أَحْمِلُهُ وَيُعِينُنِي حَتَّى قَدِمْتُ الْمَدِينَةَ فَأَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَنْكِحُ عَنَاقًا مَرَّتَيْنِ فَأَمْسَكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَلَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَىَّ شَيْئًا حَتَّى نَزَلَتِ : (الزَّانِي لاَ يَنْكِحُ إِلاَّ زَانِيَةً أَوْ مُشْرِكَةً وَالزَّانِيَةُ لاَ يَنْكِحُهَا إِلاَّ زَانٍ أَوْ مُشْرِكٌ وَحُرِّمَ ذَلِكَ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ) فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يَا مَرْثَدُ الزَّانِي لاَ يَنْكِحُ إِلاَّ زَانِيَةً أَوْ مُشْرِكَةً وَالزَّانِيَةُ لاَ يَنْكِحُهَا إِلاَّ زَانٍ أَوْ مُشْرِكٌ فَلاَ تَنْكِحْهَا " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ لاَ نَعْرِفُهُ إِلاَّ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ .
'Amr bin Shu'aib Narrated from:
There Was A Man Named Marthad Bin Abi Marthad, And He Was A Man Who Would Carry Captives From Makkah To Al-Madinah." He Said: "And There Was A Prostitute Woman In Makkah Called 'Anaq, Who Was A Friend Of His. He Had Promised A Man From The Captives Of Makkah That He Would Transport Him, And He Said: 'So I Came Until I Reached One Of The Walls Of Makkah On A Moon-Lit Night.'He Said "'Anaq Came Along And She Saw The Darkness Of My Shadow Next To The Wall. When She Reached Me She Recognized Me And Said: "Marthad?" So I Replied: "(Yes It Is) Marthad." She Said: "Welcome, Come And Spend The Night With Us." I Said: "O 'Anaq! Allah Has Made Illicit Sexual Relations Unlawful." So She Said: "O People Of The Tents! That Is The Man Who Takes Your Captives Away!" He Said: "Eight People Followed Me, And I Went Through The Passes Of Al-Khandamah. I Stopped At A Cave And Entered It. They Came Until They Stood Over My Head, And They Began Urinating, Their Urine Falling On My Head. Yet Allah Made Them Unable To See Me.He Said: 'Then I Went Back. I Returned To My Companion To Transport Him - And He Was A Heavy Man - Until I Reached Al-Idhkir. There I Removed His Shackles To Make Him Easier To Carry, Since He Was Exhausting Me, Until I Arrived At Al-Madinah. I Went To The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) And I Said "O Messenger Of Allah! May I Marry 'Anaq? [I Said This, Two Times] But The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Was Silent, And He Did Not Reply To Me At All Until (The Following) Was Revealed:The Zani Marries Not But A Zaniyah Or A Mushrikah; And The Zaniyah, None Marries Her Except A Zani Or A Mushrik (24:3). So Do Not Marry Her.'"
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3177In-book reference : Book 47, Hadith 229English translation : Vol. 5, Book 44, Hadith 3177
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 3177
This hadith about Marthad and 'Anaq tells a detailed story. Marthad used to carry captives from Makkah to Madinah. He met 'Anaq, a woman in Makkah described in the narration as a prostitute and an old friend of his. She invited him to spend the night, but he refused and said that Allah had made illicit sexual relations unlawful. She then called out to people that he was the man taking captives away, and he escaped while Allah made them unable to see him. Later, after carrying the captive to Madinah, Marthad asked the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) if he could marry 'Anaq. The Prophet remained silent until the verse about the zani and zaniyah was revealed, then told him not to marry her.
What we learn from this hadith
- Marthad refused zina by saying Allah had made it unlawful.
- He continued his mission of transporting the captive despite danger.
- The Prophet waited until revelation came before answering the marriage question.
- The final instruction in the hadith was that Marthad should not marry 'Anaq.
