Salam wa alaykum. In Quran 33:49, does "before ye have touched them" mean consumation, intercourse or both? If it means sex not consumation, does this allow one to consumate his marriage with a prepubescent female? What do classics tafsirs & scholars say abut this verse & it's background of revelation?
Alhamdu Lillah
This Ayah is setting one of the rules of the wives’ waiting period. It instructs that the divorcee has no waiting period if she was divorced after the conduction of the marriage contract and before the consummation of the marriage by having sexual intercourse. (Muss) literally means touching with one’s naked hand, but it could mean having sex. In the Quran, it means having sexual intercourse.
It could be deduced from the aforementioned Ayah that the couple are free to have sexual relation after the marriage contract is conducted, and regardless of holding the wedding ceremony. However, deleing that till the reception or the wedding ceremony is held is a culture, in which people are expected to comply with as it does not contradict the Islamic teachings in this regard.
