Marriage is a natural necessity for every human being. Islam has attached great importance to marriage in its social system. Nature has so arranged that man and woman are attracted to each other. This natural attraction brings them together and they lead a common life and form a family. This natural tendency, the instinct of sex, should be guided in the right direction so that it may be utilized in the service of humanity. Allah says:
وَيَا آدَمُ اسْكُنْ أَنتَ وَزَوْجُكَ الْجَنَّةَ فَكُلَا مِنْ حَيْثُ شِئْتُمَا وَلَا تَقْرَبَا هَٰذِهِ الشَّجَرَةَ فَتَكُونَا مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
“O Adam, live with your wife in Paradise and eat from wherever you will but do not approach this tree, lest you be among the wrongdoers.” (Surah Al-A’raf 7:19)
The basic objectives of marriage in Islam are, first, securing a comfortable atmosphere for a husband and wife and, second, producing a new generation of healthy, faithful and virtuous children. A faithful, pious, and harmonious partner plays a crucial role in having a respectable and honest life. A pious person would always invite his partner to goodness, just as a corrupt person would tempt his partner towards corruption. Allah says:
وَعَاشِرُوهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ فَإِن كَرِهْتُمُوهُنَّ فَعَسَىٰ أَن تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئًا وَيَجْعَلَ اللَّهُ فِيهِ خَيْرًا كَثِيرًا
Live with them in kindness, for if you dislike them, then perhaps you dislike something but Allah has placed therein much good.” (Surah An-Nisa 4:19)
Marriage serves the purpose of bringing two families together, encouraging reconciliation between them, protecting the rights of women and children, and producing righteous offspring who will be happy in this life and the Hereafter. Marriage serves the purpose of strengthening the common good through stable family relationships, reconciling Muslims with the peoples of the scripture, and emancipating slaves.
There are some reasons due to which Islam so much emphasized Marriage:
- Marriage makes an incomplete human being a complete
- Marriage is a source to experience love and happiness
- Marriage increases sustenance, love, respect, caring
- Marriage guarantees physical and spiritual chastity
- Marriage is one of the most liked Sunnah in Islam
- Marriage is a sacred bond between two persons
- Marriage is one of the commandments of Allah
- Marriage is protection against a sinful life
- Marriage is one of the classes of Allah
- Marriage Appreciating the Spouse
- Marriage is a religious command
- Marriage has righteous offspring
- Marriage is a bond of love
- Marriage extend human life
- Marriage balancing the relation
- Marriage cherishing every moment
- Marriage away from the act of adultery
- Marriage treating the wife with respect
- Marriage being thankful for little things
- Marriage a good woman for a good man
- Marriage is necessary for making a family
- Marriage Ignoring the flaws of your spouse
- Marriage finding tranquillity from the spouse
- Marriage know each other and help each other
- Marriage loving the spouse for the Sake of Allah
In Islam marriage is considered compulsory as it ensures spiritual purity and promotes a healthy family unit. Islam is a strong advocate of marriage, and the act of marriage is considered a religious duty through which the social unit, the family is established. A satisfactory and happy married life can be achieved if the partners realize the concept of human marriage. Allah says:
وَأَنكِحُوا الْأَيَامَىٰ مِنكُمْ وَالصَّالِحِينَ مِنْ عِبَادِكُمْ وَإِمَائِكُمْ إِن يَكُونُوا فُقَرَاءَ يُغْنِهِمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
Marry the unmarried among you and the righteous among your male slaves and female slaves. If they should be poor, Allah will enrich them from His bounty, for Allah is All-Encompassing and Knowing.” (Surah An-Nur 24:32)
Marriage is a vital part of a Muslim’s life. In fact, marriage is so important in the religion of Islam that it is declared to be one half of one’s faith. Allah Almighty created men and women as company for one another, and so that they can become parents and live in peace and calmness. In Islam marriage being an obligatory act is so important that it is declared to be one half of a single Muslim’s faith. Allah says:
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا
O mankind, verily, We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another.” (Surah Al-Hujurat 49:13)
The purpose of obedience in the relationship is to keep the family unit running as smoothly as possible. The man has been given the right to be obeyed because he is the leader and not because he is superior. If a leader is not obeyed, his leadership will become invalid -Imagine a king or a teacher or a parent without the necessary authority which has been entrusted to them.
Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran:
- “Your wives are a garment for you, and you are a garment for them.” (Qur’an 2:187)
- “and they have taken a strong pledge (Mithaqun Ghalithun) from you?” (Quran 4:21)
- “And of all things, We created two mates; perhaps you will remember.” (Quran, 51:49)
- “And those who guard their chastity (i.e. private parts, from illegal sexual acts).” (Al-Muminun 23:5)
- “Live with them in kindness; even if you dislike them, perhaps you dislike something in which Allah has placed much good.” (Quran, 4:19)
- “Exalted is He who created all pairs – from what the earth grows and from themselves and from that which they do not know.” (Quran, 36:36)
- “And indeed We sent Messengers before you (O Muhammad SAW), and made for them wives and offspring.” (Ar-Rad 13:38).
- “Allah created male and female from a single soul in order that man might live with her in serenity.” (Quran, 7:189)
- “We indeed sent messengers before you (O Muhammad), and We assigned them wives and children” (Quran 13:38)
- “Marry those among you who are single and (marry) your slaves, male and female, that are righteous” (Quran 24:32)
- “And Allah has made for you your mates of your own nature, and made for you, out of them, sons and daughters and grandchildren, and provided for you sustenance of the best.” (Quran 16:72)
- “Then marry (other) women of your choice, two or three, or four; but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one or (slaves) what your right hands possess.”(An-Nisa 4:3)
Marriage in Islam plays a major role in protecting a Muslim from the sins of adultery, masturbation, and homosexuality. Marriage takes away the possibility of all evils and sins because after marriage a Muslim is supposed to engage himself with a life sharing partner he has married and vice versa. Marriage linguistically means to unite and to bring together. Allah says:
وَالَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَاجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّاتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ وَاجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا
The believers say: Our Lord, grant us from among our wives and offspring joy to our eyes and make us an example for the righteous.” (Surah Al-Furqan 25:74)
Husband and wife, by uniting together, cover the natural shortcomings of each other, and this union protects them from hardships and difficulties which one faces by living alone; the sun of happiness and prosperity shines on the horizon of life; and both, by their joint efforts, discharge all the duties laid upon them by human nature. Allah says:
سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْأَزْوَاجَ كُلَّهَا مِمَّا تُنبِتُ الْأَرْضُ وَمِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَمِمَّا لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
“Exalted is He who created all pairs – from what the earth grows and from themselves and from that which they do not know.” (Surah Ya-Seen 36:36)
Islam teaches the human being to be responsible for all his decisions and actions. The Holy Quran and the saying of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) continuously remind Muslims of their duties and obligation to one another. The application of these teachings begins in the home, among members of the family.
