Life and Conditions of the People of Hindustan (1200–1550 A.D.) c7.s1.56

c7.s1.56

Muslim marriage similarly was originally designed as essentially a civil contract between the parties to a marriage. Beyond a few specified degrees of prohibition, namely consanguinity and affinity, fosterage and some other special cases, the Qur’an gave perfect liberty in choosing a husband or a wife. Persons within these prohibited degrees are called *Mahram* or ‘Forbidden’ to one another. All others are called *Na-mahrams* or those with whom marriage is not forbidden. We have referred to what was known as the doctrine of *Kafu’* or ‘status’ which made it compulsory to marry persons of the same social status, even of the same school of religious thought. Similar ideas and customs soon began to circumscribe the sphere of liberty.