The Importance Of Marriage In Islam; And The Laws Of Marriage
Islam encourages marriage;
1) Allah (SWT) said:
“And Allah has given you wives of your own kind, and has given you, from your wives, sons and grandsons…” (V. 16: 72)
2) And He (SWT) said:
“And marry those among you who are single (i.e. a man who has no wife and the woman who has no husband) and (also marry) the Salihun (pious, fit and capable ones) of your (male) slaves and maid-servants (female slaves). If they be poor, Allah will enrich them out of His Bounty. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All-Knowing (about the state of the people)”. (V. 24 : 32)
3) The Prophet (SAW) said:
“This worldly life is Mata ‘ (a provision of temporary comfort) and the best Mata’ in it is a pious woman.” (Muslim)
4) And He (SAW) said:
“By Allah, I am the most in awe of Allah amongst you and the one having most Taqwa for Allah, but I fast and I (also) eat, and I offer Salat and I (also ) sleep I marry women, and whoever has a distaste for my Sunnah, he is not of me.” (Agreed upon)
The wisdom in the institution of marriage:
Marriage benefits the individual and the society, as well as all the humanity;
1. Marriage is the best format for slaking one’s innate sexual drive and satisfying it in a way which will allow it to subside so that one is not drawn to prohibited means (which harm the self and the society).
Allah (SWT) said:
“And among His signs is this, that He created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them, and He has put between you affection and mercy. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who reflect.”
(V. 30: 21)
2. Marriage is the best format for having children and raising them, and increasing one’s progeny, and receiving reward.
The Prophet (SAW) said:
“Get married, for I would like you to be the largest of all the Ummah, and don’t be like the monks (and priests) of the Christians.” ( Baihaqi)
3. The sense of responsibility in being married and caring for the children spurs one towards activity and work and taking care of his obligations.
4. Marriage induces a certain order in life, the woman takes care of the home and the man works outside.
5. Marriage promotes relationships between distant families, which promote cohesion and harmony in the society as a whole.
The rule about getting married:
Marriage is obligatory in one who has the ability to do so and has the craving for
It and fears that he might commit fornication (if he doesn’t marry). However, if one
hankers after marriage, but doesn’t have the material means, he should act
according to Allah’s Statement:
“And let those who find not the financial means for marriage keep themselves
chaste, until Allah enriches them of His Bounty… “ (V.24: 33)
And the Statement of the Prophet (SAW):
“O you assemblage of young men! Whoever among you is capable of marriage
(financially and physically), he should marry, for it is more helpful in lowering ones
gaze and guarding one’s private parts (from prohibited sex); and whoever is not
able, he should fast, for it will be a shield for him.’ (Agreed upon)
As for one who desires it and has the ability to marry, yet he doesn’t fear committing
fornication, it is recommended for him to marry, and it is better than his
single-minded concentration on devotional worship because monasticism is not part
of Islam.
Precedence of marriage over Hajj:
If a Muslim fears committing fornication, he should give precedence to marriage over Hajj; and if he doesn’t fear, he should give precedence to Hajj.
Turning away from marriage:
Many Muslims have made marriage a difficult process and placed many obstacles in its path; they ask for expensive dowries and lavish weddings resulting in huge expenses, until many young men give up on trying to marry and have had to suffer the pains of bachelorhood, along with the young women whom they are unable to marry. And the responsibility for that lies on the parents’ shoulders, the fathers, and the mothers.
Picking a pious wife:
A wife should be a source of tranquility and repose for her husband, so it is imperative to choose one who is religious. The Prophet (SAW) said:
“A woman is married for four (reasons); for her wealth, for her lineage, for her beauty and for her religion, so triumph (by choosing) a religious woman; may your hands be coated with dust.” (Agreed upon)
(The last part of the Hadith is a Du’a for poverty of one, who does not make the religion one of his goals)
Choosing a right husband:
The guardian of the girl should choose for her a husband, who is religious and of good character. The Prophet (SAW) said:
“When one comes to you (asking for your daughter) and you are pleased with his religion and his character, marry her to him. If you don’t, there will be a trial on the earth, and widespread corruption (will prevail).” (Trimidhi)