Chapter on Agency

"Whoever appoints a man as an agent to execute a matter, the agency remains valid permanently until he informs him of its termination, just as he informed him of its initiation."

I asked Abu Abdullah (as) about a man who appointed another man as an agent to divorce his wife after she menstruates and becomes pure, but later the man changed his mind and testified that he had revoked what he had commanded and reconsidered the matter. Imam (as) said: "He should inform his wife and inform the agent."

I asked Abu Abdullah (as) about a woman who appointed a man as her agent to marry her to a man. The agent accepted the agency, and she testified to that in front of witnesses. The agent then proceeded and performed the marriage, but afterward, the woman denied the agent's authority and claimed that she had dismissed him from the agency. She produced two witnesses who testified that she had dismissed him. Imam (as) said: "What do the people around you say about this matter?" I said: "They say that if she dismissed him before he performed the marriage, then the agency is void and the marriage is invalid. However, if she dismissed him after he had already performed the marriage, then the marriage stands valid based on what the agent agreed upon with her and according to the conditions she specified in the agency, provided he did not exceed what she instructed." Then Imam (as) said: "Do they dismiss the agent from the agency without informing him of the dismissal?" I said: "Yes, they claim that if she appointed a man as an agent and testified in public, saying, 'Bear witness that I have dismissed him and revoked his agency,' without informing the agent directly of the dismissal, they annul all the agent's actions in marriage specifically. However, in other matters, they do not invalidate the agency unless the agent is informed of the dismissal. They argue that wealth can be returned to its owner as compensation, but the private parts cannot be compensated if a child results from the union." Imam (as) said: "Glory be to Allah (swt)! How unjust is this ruling!" Marriage is even more deserving of caution, as it involves intimacy and the potential for offspring. Indeed, when a woman approached Commander of the Faithful (as) seeking justice against her brother, she said: O Commander of the Faithful, I appointed my brother as my agent to marry me to a man, and I testified to that. Then, I immediately dismissed him from the agency. However, he went ahead and married me, and I have witnesses that I dismissed him before the marriage. She presented her witnesses, but the brother said: O Commander of the Faithful, she appointed me as her agent, and she did not inform me that she had dismissed me before I performed the marriage as she instructed. Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) asked her: What do you say? She replied: I informed him, O Commander of the Faithful. Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) then asked her: Do you have evidence for this? She replied: These are my witnesses who testify. Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) turned to the witnesses and asked: What do you say? They said: We testify that she said: 'Bear witness that I have dismissed my brother from acting as my agent to marry me to such-and-such, and that I have control over my affairs before he married me.' Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) asked: Did she testify to this in his presence and with his knowledge? They replied: No. Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) then asked: Do you testify that she informed him of the dismissal, just as she had informed him of the agency? They replied: No. Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) said: I find the agency valid and the marriage effective. Where is the husband? The husband came forward, and the Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) said: Take her by the hand-may Allah (swt) bless her for you. The woman said: O Commander of the Faithful, make him swear that I did not inform him of the dismissal and that he did not know of my dismissal before the marriage. Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) said: Will you swear? The brother replied: Yes, O Commander of the Faithful. He then took the oath, and the Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) upheld his agency and validated the marriage.

I asked him about a man who said to another, "Propose marriage to so-and-so on my behalf, and whatever you negotiate regarding the dowry, guarantee, or conditions will be binding on me and accepted." However, he did not bring witnesses for this agreement. The second man went ahead, proposed marriage, and committed to the dowry and other demands they requested. When he returned, the first man denied all of it. Imam (as) said: "He must pay half of the dowry on his behalf, as it was he who neglected her right by failing to have witnesses for the agreement he made. Thus, it becomes permissible for her to marry someone else, and the first man is not allowed to take her back unless he formally divorces her. This is because Allah (swt) the Exalted says: 'Retention in kindness or release in fairness' (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:229). If he does not do so, then he is sinful before Allah (swt) the Almighty. However, the apparent ruling under Islamic law allows her to marry someone else, as Allah (swt) has made it permissible for her."

"If the agent had executed the matter before being dismissed from the agency, then the action remains valid and binding, whether the principal is pleased with it or not." I asked: "What if the agent completed the action before learning of the dismissal or being informed that he had been removed from the agency?" Imam (as) replied: "Yes, the action stands as valid." I then asked: "What if the agent received notice of dismissal before carrying out the matter, but proceeded with it anyway?" Imam (as) said: "Then the action is invalid." Imam (as) added: "An agent, once appointed, retains authority as long as he is not informed of the dismissal by a trustworthy source or directly notified in person of the termination of the agency."

"The dowry is to be taken from her, and the man who married her is not held liable." He also said regarding a woman who entrusted her affairs to a man and said: "Marry me to so-and-so." The man replied: "I will not marry you until you testify that your affair is in my hands." She testified to this, and during the marriage contract, the man said to the suitor, "O so-and-so, upon you is such-and-such (as a condition)." The suitor replied: "Yes." The man then said to the witnesses, "Bear witness that this is due to her from me, and I have married her to myself." The woman then declared, "I never intended to marry you, nor do I accept such a marriage. My affair is in my own hands, and I only entrusted you out of modesty in speaking." Imam (as) said: "She is to be separated from him, and he is to be disciplined for his conduct."

"If she had authorized him to collect her dowry from her husband, then she has no right to demand it again. However, if she had not authorized him, then she has the right to claim it. In this case, the husband may seek repayment from the father's heirs-unless she was a minor under his care. In such a situation, the father's collection is valid on her behalf. If the husband divorces her before consummation, the father may waive part of the dowry and retain part, but he does not have the authority to forgo the entire amount. This is based on the verse of Allah (swt), the Exalted: 'Except when they waive it or he (the guardian) in whose hand is the marriage contract waives it.' (Surah Al-Baqarah 2: 237) This refers to the father or anyone the woman appoints and entrusts with her affairs, such as a brother, a relative, or others."