Is this statement attributed to Imam Malik, regarding the annulment of marriage based on the woman's social status, authentic, and what is its interpretation?
The summary of the answer:
Imam Malik is one of the mujtahid imams, and his reported statement about the "despicable woman" is well-known and its meaning is clear. It revolves around differentiating between a woman who has no guardian, wealth, or beauty, such as a recent convert to Islam or black women who come from Africa and Egypt, and a woman who has guardians, wealth, or beauty. Naming the former "despicable" means so in the eyes of people, and it is a report of the reality according to their custom. Jurists are concerned with establishing rulings that result from causes and conditions, not with judging the cause itself. The intention is not that every black woman or recent convert is despicable, as the matter relates to the absence of a guardian, wealth, and beauty. Scholars have interpreted 'hasab' (lineage/nobility) as referring to character, and that a chaste woman is honorable even if she lacks lineage, wealth, or beauty. The statements of the imams should be interpreted in the best possible light.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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