It is narrated from Sayyiduna Sabrah that we set out from Madinah Munawwarah with the Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) on the occasion of the Farewell Pilgrimage. When we reached the place of Ghassan, the Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) said: ‘Umrah has entered into Hajj.’ Upon this, Sayyiduna Suraqah bin Malik submitted: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Teach us as you would teach those who have just been born today. Is this ruling for this ‘Umrah of ours only, or is it forever?’ The Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) said: ‘No, rather this ruling is forever.’

Then, when we reached Makkah Mukarramah, we performed Tawaf of the House of Allah and Sa’i between Safa and Marwah. Then the Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) permitted us to go to our women. We returned to the Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Women are not pleased except at a fixed time and in no other way.’ The Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) said: ‘Do as you wish.’

So, my companion and I set out. I had a sheet and he had a sheet. We went to a woman and presented ourselves to her. When she looked at my companion’s sheet, she found it better than mine, and when she looked at me, she found me younger than my companion. Eventually, she said: ‘The sheet will be exchanged for a sheet,’ and with that, she chose me. I married her for ten days in exchange for my sheet. I spent the night with her, and when morning came, I set out for the mosque. When I arrived, I heard the Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) delivering a sermon, saying: ‘Whoever among you has married a woman for a fixed period, let him give her what he agreed upon, and do not take back anything you have given her, and separate from her, for Allah has now made this act forbidden for you until the Day of Resurrection.’