Jabir?" He said: I said, "Yes." He said, "A virgin or a matron?" He said: I said, "Rather, a matron." He said, "Why not a virgin, so that you may fondle her and she may fondle you?" Muttafaq 'alayh. And it is reported from 'Ata' from the Prophet - peace and blessings of Allah be upon him - that he said: "You must marry virgins, for they are sweeter of mouth, purer of womb." Reported by Imam Ahmad. And in a [different] narration: "And more fertile of womb, and more pleased with the little." And it is recommended that she be from women who are known for fertility, due to what was narrated from Anas, who said: The Messenger of Allah - peace and blessings of Allah be upon him - used to...
= Also reported by Abu Dawud, in: The Chapter on What Is Commanded Regarding Marrying the Religious Woman, from the Book of Marriage. Sunan Abi Dawud 1/472. Al-Tirmidhi, in: The Chapter on What Has Been Reported That a Woman Is Married for Three Qualities, from the Chapters on Marriage. 'Aridat al-Ahwadhi 4/306. Al-Nasa'i, in: The Chapter on What a Woman Is Married For, and the Chapter on the Dislike of Marrying Adulteresses, from the Book of Marriage. Al-Mujtaba 6/54, 56. Ibn Majah, in: The Chapter on Marrying the Religious Woman, from the Book of Marriage. Sunan Ibn Majah 1/597. Al-Darimi, in: The Chapter on a Woman Being Married for Four [Qualities], from the Book of Marriage. Sunan al-Darimi 2/134. And Imam Ahmad, in: Al-Musnad 2/428, 3/80, 81, 6/152. (10) Reported by al-Bukhari, in: The Chapter on Purchasing Animals and Donkeys... from the Book of Sales; and in: The Chapter on If One Appoints a Man to Give Something... from the Book of Agency; and in: The Chapter on Intercession Regarding the Remission of Debt, from the Book of Loans; and in: The Chapter on a Man Seeking Permission from the Imam... from the Book of Jihad; and in: The Chapter on If Two Parties Among You Intended to Fail... from the Book of Military Expeditions; and in: The Chapter on Matrons, the Chapter on Seeking Offspring, and the Chapter on the Woman Whose Husband Is Away Cutting Her Pubic Hair and Combing Her Hair, from the Book of Marriage; and in: The Chapter on the Woman Helping Her Husband with His Children, from the Book of Maintenance; and in: The Chapter on Supplication for the Newlywed, from the Book of Supplications. Sahih al-Bukhari 3/81, 132, 157, 4/63, 5/123, 7/6, 50, 51, 85, 8/102. And Muslim, in: The Chapter on the Recommendation of Marrying the Religious Woman, and the Chapter on the Recommendation of Marrying a Virgin, from the Book of Nursing; and in: The Chapter on Selling a Camel and Excluding Its Riding, from the Book of Transactions. Sahih Muslim 3/1221, 1222. Also reported by Abu Dawud, in: The Chapter on Marrying Virgins, from the Book of Marriage. Sunan Abi Dawud 1/472. Al-Tirmidhi, in the same chapter. 'Aridat al-Ahwadhi 5/111. Ibn Majah, in the same chapter. Sunan Ibn Majah 1/598. Al-Darimi, in the same chapter. Sunan al-Darimi 2/146. And Imam Ahmad, in: Al-Musnad 3/294, 302, 308, 314, 362, 374, 376. (11) In [copies] B and M: "fi" (in). (12) Antaq arhaman (more fertile of womb): having more children. (13) Reported by Ibn Majah, in: The Chapter on Marrying Virgins, from the Book of Marriage. Sunan Ibn Majah 1/598. And al-Bayhaqi, in: The Chapter on the Recommendation of Marrying Virgins, from the Book of Marriage. Al-Sunan al-Kubra 7/81. (14) In [copies] A and B: "al-awlad" (the children).
