What are the valid utterances for establishing marriage via manumission as dower?

General Chapter

Al-Mughni

Book of Marriage

Book 35 · Issue 3 · Bab 1

Open in Qurani

Primary text

The marriage contract is established by the utterance, "I have freed you and made your freedom your dower," or simply, "I have made your freedom your dower," or "I have made your dower your freedom." This is valid whether the manumission precedes or follows the mention of the dower, provided there is no significant break between the statements. Imam Ahmad affirmed the validity of all these forms.

Supporting text

The contract is established even if the utterance lacks the explicit phrase "and I have married you," as demonstrated in the narration concerning Anas.