as a mursal report from al-Zuhri. Al-Shafi'i also reported it in his "Musnad" from Ibn 'Ulayya, from Ma'mar, from al-Zuhri, from Salim, from his father, except that it is not mahfuz (preserved/established); Ma'mar erred in it and disagreed with the companions of al-Zuhri. This is what the huffaz (scholars of Hadith) said, including Imam Ahmad, al-Tirmidhi, and others. Furthermore, every number for which it was permissible for him to initiate a contract, it is permissible for him to retain through a valid marriage during the state of shirk (polytheism), just as if he had married them without witnesses. As for if a woman marries two husbands, the second marriage is void because she has granted him the possession of what belongs to another. If she gathers both of them together, it is not valid, because she has not granted him total possession of her intimacy (bud'), and because this is not a widespread practice among any of the followers of religions, and because a woman does not have the option of choosing a marriage or annulling it, unlike the man.

Section: He must choose four or fewer and separate from the rest, or separate from all of them. This is because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) commanded Ghaylan and Qays to make a choice, and his command implies obligation. Also, it is not permissible for a Muslim to be confirmed in a marriage to more than four. If he refuses, he shall be compelled by imprisonment and ta'zir (discretionary punishment) until he makes a choice; because this is a right upon him that he is able to fulfill, yet he is withholding it, so he is compelled to do so, like the fulfillment of a debt. The judge does not have the authority to make the choice on his behalf, as he would divorce on behalf of the ila-bound man (mu'li) if he refuses to divorce; because the right here is not for a specific person, whereas the wives are determined by his choice and desire, and the judge does not know this, so he cannot act as a deputy on his behalf in it, unlike the mu'li, for the specific right can be fulfilled by the judge, and he can act as a deputy for the one entitled to it. If he becomes insane, he is left until his sanity returns, then he is compelled to make the choice. He is responsible for the maintenance of all of them until he makes his choice, because they are effectively bound to him, and they are in the status of wives—whichever he chooses is valid.

Section: If a disbeliever marries off his young son to more than four, then they all embrace Islam, he has no