Religiously sanctioned prostitution. A temporary arrangement whereby a man and a woman enter into a contractual arrangement to marry each other for a specified period of time. The man gives the woman something of value, and in exchange he is allowed to enter into sexual relations with her, legally, without committing fornication, since they are "married." At the end of the period specified in the contract, usually a few days at most, each party walks separate ways and neither is indebted to the other. Endorsed by Muhammad at one time; see Sahih Bukhari 6:60:139 and Sahih Bukhari 7:62:52. Shi'ites still practice Mut'ah, Sunnis believe Muhammad abrogated Mut'ah Sahih Bukhari 5:59:527.