Difference between Mu atat Marriage and Adultery

Mu’atat marriage is a marriage contract without the special wording in which a certain action proves the marriage takes place, while adultery is an intercourse without any contract. Mu’atat marriage means when some action which is conventionally considered as a sign of marriage serves as a base to establish the marriage. Although most Fuqaha consider the special wording only a means to a lawful marriage, they have regarded mu’atat marriage as invalid. They sometimes believe that it amounts to adultery and sometimes refer to the general consensus in this respect. However, it seems that the major reason is the lack of a publicly-accepted action which stipulates the marriage, and the consensus and caution which have caused most Fuqaha to consider the wording so crucial to marriage is just because of the fact that the explicit wording clearly indicates the will to do an action. The present study has examined and analyzed the relevant reasoning and thereby has concluded that mu’atat marriage matches the rules and differs from adultery. The principles of a lawful marriage also confirm it. Nevertheless, it needs conventionally-acceptable evidence. Conventionally, the marriage ceremony greatly contributes to the authority of the society and family and discriminates a lawful marriage from an unlawful one.