The Detestability of Marriage with Barren Women

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Once a man came to the Messenger of Allah and said, “O the Holy Prophet of Allah, I have the daughter of an uncle whose beauty, goodness and religion I like; but she is barren.’” He (the Messenger of Allah) said, ‘You must not marry her; Yusuf after meeting his brother asked him, “How did you manage to get married after me.” He replied, “Because my father said, ‘If you can have such a great number of children whose Tasbih (Allah is free of all defects) can become a heavy load for the earth then do it.”” He (the Imam) has said, that the next day another man came who said a similar thing and he (the Messenger of Allah) said, ‘Marry al-Su’a and child bearing because I will express pride for the greater number of my followers among the nations on the Day of Judgment.’ I (the narrator) then asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘What is al- Su’a? ’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It means an ugly looking woman.’”

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘You must marry virgin and child bearing women, but you must not marry good a looking but barren woman because I will express pride because of you among nations on the Day of Judgment.’”

“I once complained before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), for not having enough children and that I have no child. He (the Imam) said to me, ‘When you arrive in Iraq, marry a woman and do not mind if she is al-Su’a’.’ I then asked, ’I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, what is al- Su’a’?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is a woman who has certain degrees of ugliness because such woman bears more children.’”

“Abu al-Hassan, al-Rida’ (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, once said to a man, ‘Marry al-Su’a’ and child bearing woman but do not marry a good looking barren woman. I will express pride because of you among nations on the Day of Judgment. Have you taken notice that children under the Throne ask forgiveness for their parents? Ibrahim and Sara are the custodians of these children in a mountain of musk, ambergris and saffron.’”