Episode 6: Marriage is obedience to Allah (1/2)

Ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “O young people! Whoever among you can marry, should marry.” Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:

A group of three men came to the houses of the wives of the Prophet (peace be upon him) asking how the Prophet (peace be upon him) worshipped (Allah), and when they were informed about that, they considered their worship insufficient and said: “Where are we from the Prophet (peace be upon him) as his past and future sins have been forgiven.” Then one of them said: “I will offer the prayer throughout the night forever.” The other said: “I will fast throughout the year and will not break my fast.” The third said: “I will keep away from the women and will not marry forever.” Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) came to them and said: “Are you the same people who said so-and-so? By Allah, I am more submissive to Allah and more afraid of Him than you; yet I fast and break my fast, I do sleep and I also marry women. So he who does not follow my tradition in religion, is not from me (not one of my followers)⁽¹⁾.”  The Hadith is a proof against those who left marriage for worship and monarchism and explaining that it is part of the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) to marry, but those who refuse to do so have abandoned the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

By marriage, chastity and self-protection are achieved and this is one of the objectives of Shari`ah. Abu Dhar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a group of the Prophet’s Companions said: O Messenger of Allah, the wealthy people will get higher grades and will have permanent enjoyment: they perform Salah as we do, they fast as we do, and they give in charity from their excess wealth. He (the Prophet peace be upon him) said: Has Allah not prescribed for you (a course) by following which you can (also) do charity? In every declaration of the glorification of Allah (i.e., saying Subhan Allah) there is a charity, and every Takbir (i.e., saying Allahu Akbar) is a charity, and every praise of His (saying Al Hamdu Lillah) is a charity and every declaration that He is One (La illha ill Allah) is a charity, and enjoining of good is a charity, and forbidding of that which is evil is a charity, and in man's sexual Intercourse (with his wife, ) there is a charity. They (the Companions) said: Messenger of Allah, is there reward for him who satisfies his sexual passion among us? He said: Tell me, if he were to devote it to something forbidden, would it not be a sin on his part? Similarly, if he were to devote it to something lawful, he should have a reward.”⁽²⁾

Al Nawawy (may Allah have mercy on his soul) said: Al Qady said: It is likely called charity because it has the same reward of charity and these acts of obedience are equal to the rewards of charities. It was also said that it is a charity for oneself. And Allah knows the best⁽³⁾.

1)   Reported by Al Bukhari, Book on marriage, Chapter on exhortation to marriage 5063-9/104 [Fathul-Bary] . Reported by Muslim, Book on marriage, Chapter on the desirability to marry for those who have desire and can afford the expenses of marriage 9 / 175 [Commentary of An-Nawawy].

2)   Reported by Muslim, Book on explanation that the word charity is given to every good deed 1006-2/697.

3)   See the commentary of An-Nawawy 7/91.

Add comment