Interpretation of the Hadith regarding marriage in exchange for teaching the Quran.
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Dowry (Mahr)
Primary text
The narration permitting marriage based on the Quran is understood to mean that the Prophet married the woman to the man because he was qualified as a person of the Quran, similar to how Abu Talha was married based on his Islam. This interpretation suggests the Hadith is specific to that individual case. Another potential interpretation of the permission is that the man was married to her because he possessed the Quran, analogous to how Abu Talha married Umm Sulaym based on his conversion to Islam.
Supporting text
The prohibitionist view argues that the general rule against this practice was established immediately following the incident by the Prophet’s subsequent statement, "Let no one have this as *mahr* after you." Furthermore, the narration regarding the woman who offered herself to the Prophet implies that the transaction required a material exchange, as the Prophet inquired about something to offer as *sadaqah* (dower/gift).