|
The Quest For Love & Mercy : Part 1(a)
Category: All Articles
» Marriage
 As salaamu alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh Respected Brothers and sisters, Al HAmdulillah its my pleasure to share with you this series of mails on marriage and everything related to it. Marriage is a subject of everyday's concern. It plays a most central role in the human life, and has been largely discussed by scholars of Islam through ages.This series of mails shall cover the following....... ~Importance and advantages of Marriage~ ~Selecting a spouse~ ~The courting process~ ~The Marriage contract~ ~Celebrating the Wedding~ ~Consummating The Marriage~ ~The Waleemah~ ~Forbidden Marriages~ So do not miss any of them. We Start with the first of this series "The Quest For Love And Mercy"  The Quest For Love & Mercy : Part 1(a) A BLESSED BOND Shaykh Muhammad Al Jibaly  Marriage Is One of Allah's Laws Allah ( Subhanahu Wa ta‘ala) created our world and the laws that govern it. Among Allah's laws is that we need food to survive, air to breathe and revive our blood, rain to grow plants, and so on. One of Allah's important laws is that things are created in pairs. Those pairs must get together in certain ways in order for reproduction to occur. Allah says: «We have created all things in pairs, that perhaps you may remember.» [1] This applies to human beings who are made of male-female pairs as well. Humankind started with our father Adam and our mother Hawwa' (Eve). From that pair, Allah ( Subhanahu Wa ta‘ala) created all of the other people, as He ( Subhanahu Wa ta‘ala) says: «O people! Revere your Lord who has created you from a single soul, created from it its mate, and dispersed from both of them many men and women.»[2] And He ( Subhanahu Wa ta‘ala) says: «O people! We have created you from one male and one female, and have made you nations and tribes that you may know one another. The noblest among you in the sight of Allah is the most pious. Verily, Allah is All-Knowing and All-Aware.»[3] This continues to be the way of reproduction for the humans, as Allah ( Subhanahu Wa ta‘ala) says: «Allah has given you spouses from yourselves, and has given you, from your spouses, children and grandchildren, and has provided you with good things for your sustenance.»[4] Islam Urges the Muslims to Marry DEFINITION The word commonly used in Islamic texts for marriage is nikah. In the original Arabic language, it means "intercourse". But it was then applied to the marriage agreement because it is a means to intercourse.[5] Thus the statement, "He performed nikah on the daughter of so and so," normally means that he executed an agreement for marriage. On the other hand, the statement, "He performed nikah on his wife," means intercourse. We will replace the word "nikah" with its English equivalents to avoid confusion. A COMMAND FROM ALLAH AND HIS MESSENGER Allah ( Subhanahu Wa ta‘ala) commands the believers to marry and help those under their charge to marry as well. He says: «Marry the unmarried among you and the righteous of your male and female slaves. If they should be poor, Allah will enrich them from His favors. Allah is Bountiful and Knowing.» [6] Also, Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) commanded the young people to marry, and advised those of them who could not afford it to fast as a means of controlling their sexual desire. Ibn Mas'ud (Radhi Allahu Anhu) reported, "We were with the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) while we were young and had no wealth whatsoever. So Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: <Young men, let him who can afford marriage marry, for it helps lower the gaze and guard the private parts (i.e. chastity); and let him who cannot afford it fast, for fasting is a repression (of desire) for him.>" [7] Similarly, Anas (Radhi Allahu Anhu) reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: <Get married. And whoever cannot afford it should fast, because it is a restraint (of desire) for him.> [8] And 'Uthman (Radhi Allahu Anhu) reported that Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: <Anyone among you who has resources should get married, because it helps lower the (lustful) look and guard the private parts (i.e. chastity); and whoever does not (have wealth) should fast, because fasting is a restraint (of desire) for him.> [9] ALLAH'S PROMISED HELP Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) indicates that Allah promises to help any person who aspires to marry in order to avoid sinning. Abu Hurayrah (Radhi Allahu Anhu) reported that Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: <There are three individuals that it is a right upon Allah to help them: a fighter for Allah's cause, a mukatib [10] who wants to pay himself off, and one who seeks marriage for the purpose of preserving his chastity.> [11] In another report, Abu Hurayrah (Radhi Allahu Anhu) said that Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: <It is a right upon Allah to help one who seeks to marry for the purpose of avoiding what Allah has prohibited.> [12] DANGER OF BACHELORSHIP A strange phenomenon is occurring within the Islamic Ummah. It is not confined to one country or nationality. And its consequences, brought on by the Muslims themselves, can prove to have the most devastating effects on the Muslim community. This phenomenon is the alarming number of unmarried Muslim men and women. On an individual level, it may appear that bachelorship poses a very insignificant threat to the Islamic world. However in Islam, unlike other religions, matters are weighed in light of their benefits or harms to the community as a whole. So, what is the effect of single unmarried men and women on the community? To find the answer to this question, all one has to do is look at the non-Muslim communities. Every day we are confronted by the perversion and sinful ways that the kuffar find acceptable in their societies. This occurs because of their unnatural decision to abstain from marriage. No Muslim in his right mind would want the Muslim Ummah to fall into lifestyles like those of Pompeii or Sodom and Gomorrah - towns that Allah totally destroyed because of their perversion and disobedience. Protection' against a fate similar to that can only be through lawful marriage. Marriage Is a Practice Of the Previous Prophets THE PREVIOUS PROPHETS The previous prophets of Allah have married women, and none of them was known to be ascetic in regard to marriage. Allah (Azz’ wa Jal) says: «And We have surely sent messengers before you (O Muhammad) and granted them wives and offspring.» [13] OUR PROPHET The Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) indicated that marriage is part of his Sunnah, and that whoever neglects it is not of his true followers. Even though he derived the greatest pleasure and highest satisfaction from the prayer, Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) expressed that he still had the desire for worldly pleasures such as women and perfume. This is only natural for a human messenger. Anas (Radhi Allahu Anhu) reported that Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: <Of your worldly life, I have been made to desire women and perfume. But the satisfaction of my eye (or heart) has been made in the Salaah.> [14] Marriage is the only permissible means of fulfilling the desire for women. 'A'ishah (Radhi Allahu Anha) reported that Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: <Marriage is a sunnah (way) of mine; and whoever does not follow my Sunnah is not of my followers. Get married because I will display your outnumbering the other nations on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever has wealth should get married, and whoever does not should fast, because fasting is a restraint (of desire) for him.> [15] Ibn 'Abbas (Radhi Allahu Anhu) said to Said Bin Jubayr (Radhi Allahu Anhu): "Marry; indeed, the best of this Ummah (the Prophet) had the most wives." [16] NO MONASTlCISM IN ISLAM Some of the followers of the earlier prophets tried monasticism as a self discipline that could possibly bring them closer to Allah. However, they were not able to fulfill it as well as they had hoped. The reason is simply that it contradicts human nature, and that is why it is not permitted in Islam. 'Aishah (Radhi Allahu Anha) reported that Khuwaylah, daughter of Hakim Bin Umayyah Bin Harithah Bin a1-Awqas as-Sulami (from the tribe of Sulam) visited her. Khuwaylah was married to 'Uthman Bin Maz’un. Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) saw her and noticed her messy appearance; so he asked 'A'ishah, <O 'A'ishah! What makes Khuwaylah appear so messy?> 'A'ishah (Radhi Allahu Anha) replied, "O Allah's Messenger! This woman's husband fasts during the day and prays during the night. So it is as if she does not have a husband, and thus she neglected her appearance." Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) then summoned 'Uthman Bin Maz’un and said to him, <O 'Uthman! Are you doing that because you dislike my Sunnah?> He replied, "By Allah, no, O Allah's Messenger! Rather, my whole interest is to follow your Sunnah." Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) then said: <Verily, I sleep and pray, fast and break fast, and marry women. Thus fear and revere Allah O 'Uthman, because your family has a right upon you, your guests have a right upon you, and your self (body) has a right upon you. So, fast and break fast, and pray and sleep.> [17] In another report by 'A'ishah (Radhi Allahu Anha), Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said to him: <O 'Uthman! Monasticism has not been enjoined upon us. Do you not have an example in me? By Allah, verily I fear Allah and safeguard His boundaries more than any of you.> [18] DISLIKING THE SUNNAH? As we have seen above, fulfilling a natural desire in a lawful way is not wrong, and it does not represent a lack of piety. Rather, that is the way of the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) who is the most pious of all people. To the same meaning, Anas (Radhi Allahu Anhu) reported that a number of men went to the houses of the Prophet's (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) wives and inquired about the Prophet's (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) manner of worship. When the Mothers of the Believers described that to them, they thought that he (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) did too little. Then they argued, "How could we reach Allah's Messenger's (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) level, when all of his previous and later sins have been forgiven?" So one of them pledged, "I will always pray the whole night without sleeping." One said, "I will fast every single day." One said, "I will abstain from women and never marry." One said, "I will never sleep on a mattress." And one said, "I will never eat meat." When the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) heard of that, he addressed them and others saying: <Verily, by Allah, I fear Allah and revere Him better than any of you; yet I fast (some days) and break my fast (on others), I pray (part of the night) and sleep (the other part), and I marry women. So, anyone who dislikes my Sunnah (Way) is not (a follower) of me. > [19] Comming next in this series ~ The Advantages Of Marriage~ For those who are married Its Time for you to assess your marriage. Is your marriage rocking? Or is it on the rocks??? Join Group "The Quest for Love & Mercy" Footnotes: 1. Ath-Thariyat 51:49. 2. An-Nisa' 4: 1. 3. Al-Hujurat 49: 13. 4. An-Nahl 16:72. 5. Lisan ul-'Arab. 6. An-Nur 24:32. 7. Recorded by al-Bukhari, Muslim, and others. 8. Recorded by at-Tabarani (in al-Awsat) and ad-Diya'ul-Maqdisi. Verified to be authentic by al-Albani (Sahih ul-Jami' no. 4058). 9. Recorded by an-Nasa'i Verified to be authentic by al-Albani (Sahih ul-Jami' no. 6498). 10. A slave who makes a contract with his master to purchase his freedom. 11. Recorded by Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'i, and others. Verified to be hasan by al-Albani (Sahih ul -jami' no. 3050). 12. Recorded by Ibn 'Adiyy. Verified to be Hasan by al-Albani (Sahih ul -jami' no. 3152). 13. Ar-Ra’d 13:38. 14. Recorded by Ahmad, an-Nasai', and others. Verified to be authentic by al- Albani (Sahih ul-Jami' no. 3124). 15. Recorded by Ibn Majah. Verified to be authentic by al-Albani (As sahihah no.2383). 16. Recorded by al-Bukhari and Ahmad. 17. Recorded by Ahmad and Abu Dawud. Verified to be authentic by al-Albani (Irwa’ul-Ghalil no. 2015). 18. Recorded by Ibn Hibban, Ahmad, and at-Tabarani (in al-Kabir). Verified to be authentic by al-Albani (Irwa’ul-Ghalil no. 2015). 19. Recorded by al-Bukhari, Muslim, and others.
|
 |
Views: 136 views
;){kind=spacer}
Report Inappropriate Content
Copyright © 2010