The Chapters on Marriage

It was narrated that: Alqamah bin Qais said: “I was with Abdullah bin Masud in Mina, and Uthman took him aside. I was sitting near him. Uthman said to him: 'Would you like that I marry you to a young virgin who will remind you of how you were in the past?' When Abdullah saw that he did not say anything to him apart from that, he gestured to me, so I came and he said: 'As you say that the Messenger of Allah said “O young men, whoever among you can afford it, let him get married, for it is more effective in lowering the gaze and guarding one's chastity. Whoever cannot afford it, let him fast, for it will diminish his desire.” ' ”

It was narrated from Aishah that: the Messenger of Allah said: “Marriage is part of my sunnah, and whoever does not follow my sunnah has nothing to do with me. Get married, for I will boast of your great numbers before the nations. Whoever has the means, let him get married, and whoever does not, then he should fast for it will diminish his desire.”

It was narrated from Ibn Abbas that: the Messenger of Allah said: “There is nothing like marriage, for two who love one another.”

It was narrated that: Sa'd said: “The Messenger of Allah disapproved of Uthman bin Maz'un's desire to remain celibate; if he had given him permission, we would have gotten ourselves castrated.”

It was narrated from Samurah that: the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) forbade celibacy. Zaid bin Akhzam added: “And Qatadah recited: 'And indeed We sent Messengers before you (O Muhammad (ﷺ)), and made for them wives and offspring.'”

It was narrated from Hakim bin Muawiyah, from his father, that: a man asked the Prophet(ﷺ): “What are the right of the woman over her husband?” He said: “That he should feed her as he feeds himself and clothe her as he clothes himself; he should not strike her on the face nor disfigure her, and he should not abandon her except in the house (as a form of discipline).” (Hassan)

It was narrated that: Sulaiman bin Amr bin Ahwas said: “My father told me that he was present on the Farewell pilgrimage with the Messenger of Allah. He praised and glorified Allah, and reminder and exhorted (the people). The he said: 'I enjoin good treatment of women, for they are prisoners with you, and you have no right to treat them otherwise, unless they commit clear indecency. If they do that, then forsake them in their beds and hit them, but without causing injury or leaving a mark if they obey you, then do not seek means of annoyance against them. You have rights over your women and you women have rights over you. Your rights over you women are that they are not to allow anyone whom you dislike on treat on your bedding (furniture), not allow anyone whom you dislike to enter your houses. And their right over you are that should treat them kindly with regard to their clothing and food.' ”

It was narrated from Aishah: that the messenger of Allah of said: “If I were to command anyone to prostrate to anyone else, I would have commanded women to prostrate to their husbands. If a man were to command his wife to move (something) form a red mountain to a black mountain, and from a black mountain to a red mountain, her duty is to obey to him”

It was narrated that: Abdullah bin Abu Awfa said” When Muadh bin Jabal came from Sham, he prostrated to the Prophet who said: 'What is this, O Muadh?' He said: 'I went to Sham and saw them prostrating their bishops and patricians and I wanted to do that for you.' The messenger of Allah said: 'Do not do that. If I were to command anyone to prostrate to anyone other than Allah, I would have commanded women to prostrate to their husbands. By the one in who hand is the soul of Muhammad! No woman can fulfill her duty towards Allah until she fulfills her duty towards her husband. If he asks her (for intimacy) even if she is on her camel saddle, she should not refuse.' “

It was narrated that from Musawir Al Himyari from his mother that: she heard Umm Salamah say: “I heard the Messenger of Allah say: 'Any woman who dies when her husband is pleased with her, will enter Paradise.' ”

It was narrated that from Abdullah bin Amr that: the Messenger of Allah said: “This world is but provisions, and there is no provision in this world better than a righteous wife.”

It was narrated that: Thawban said: “When the Verse concerning silver and gold was revealed, they said: 'What kind of wealth should we acquire?' Umar said: 'I will tell you about that.' So he rode on his camel and caught up with the Prophet, and I followed him. He said: 'O Messenger of Allah what kind of wealth should we acquire?' He said: 'Let one of acquire a thankful heart, a tongue that remembers Allah and a believing wife who will help him with regard to the Hereafter.' ”

It was narrated from Abu Umamah that: the Prophet used to say: “Nothing is more benefit to the believer after Taqwa of Allah than a righteous wife whom, if he commands her she obeys him, if he looks at her he is pleased, if he swears an oath concerning her she fulfills it, and when he is away from her she is sincere towards him with regard to herself and his wealth.”

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that: the Prophet said: “A woman may be married for four things: Her wealth, her lineage, her beauty or for her religion. Choose the religious, may your hands be rubbed with dust (i.e., may you prosper).”

It was narrated from Abdullah bin Amr that: the Prophet said: “Do not marry women for their beauty for it may lead to their doom. Do not marry them for their wealth, for it may lead them to fall into sin. Rather, marry them for her religion. A black slave woman with piercings who is religious is better.”

It was narrated that: Jabir bin Abdullah said: “I married a woman during the time of the Prophet and he said: 'Have you got married, O Jabir?' I said: 'Yes'. He said: 'To a virgin or to a previously-married woman?' I said: 'A previously married woman.' He said: 'Why not a virgin so you could play with her?' I said: 'I have sisters and did not want her to create trouble between them and me.' He said: 'That is better then.' ”

It was narrated from Abdur-Rahman bin Salim bin Utbah bin Salim bin Uwaim bin Sa'idah Al-Ansari, from his father that: his grandfather said: “The Messenger of Allah said: 'You should marry virgins, for their mouths are sweeter, their wombs are more prolific and they are satisfied with less.'”

It was narrated that: Anas bin Malik said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah say: 'Whoever wants to meet Allah pure and purified, let him marry free women.' ”

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that: the Messenger of Allah said: “Marry, for I will boast of your great numbers.”

It was narrated that: Muhammad bin Salamah said: “I proposed marriage to a woman, then I hid and waited to see her until I saw her among some date palm trees that belonged to her.” It was said to him: “Do you do such a thing when you are a companion of the Messenger of Allah?” He said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah saying: 'When Allah causes a man to propose to a woman, there is nothing wrong with him looking at her.' ”

It was narrated from Anas bin Malik that: Mughirah bin Shubah wanted to marry a woman. The Prophet (ﷺ) said to him: “Go and look at her, for that is more likely to create love between you.” So he did that, and married her, and mentioned how well he got along with her.

It was narrated that: Mughirah bin Shubah said: “I came to the Prophet and told him of a woman to whom I had to propose marriage. He said: 'Go and look at her, for that is more likely to create love between you.' So I went to a woman among the Ansar and proposed marriage through her parents. I told them what the Prophet had said, and it was as if they did not like that. Then I heard that woman, behind her curtain, say: 'If the Messenger of Allah has told you to do that, then do it, otherwise I adjure you by Allah (not to do so)'. And it was as if she regarded that as a serious matter. So I looked at her and married her.” And he mentioned how well he got along with her.

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that: the Messenger of Allah said: “A man should not propose to a woman to whom his brother has already proposed.”

It was narrated from Ibn Umar that: the Messenger of Allah said: “A man should not propose to a woman to whom his brother has already proposed.”

It was narrated that: Abu Bakr bin Abu Jahm bin Sukhair Al-Adawi said: “I heard Fathima bint Qais say: 'The Messenger of Allah said to me: “When you become lawful, tell me.” So I told him.' Then Muawiyah, Abu Jahm bin Sukhair and Usamah bin Zaid proposed marriage to her. The Messenger of Allah said: 'As for Muawiyah, he is a poor man who has no money. As from Abu Jahm he is a man who habitually beats woman. But Usamah (is good).' She gestured with her hand, saying: 'Usamah, Usaman!?' The Messenger of Allah said to her: 'Obedience to Allah and obedience to His Messenger is better for you.' She said: 'So I married him and I was pleased with him.' ”

It was narrated from Ibn Abbas that: the Messenger of Allah said: “A widow has more right (to decide) concerning herself than her guardian, and a virgin should be consulted”. It was said: “O Messenger of Allah, a virgin may be too shy to speak.” He said: “Her consent is her silence.”

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that: the Messenger of Allah said: “A previously-married woman should not be married until she is consulted, and a virgin should not be married until her consult is sought, and her consent is her silence.”

It was narrated from Adi bin Adi Al-Kindi that: his father said: “The Messenger of Allah said: 'A previously-married woman can speak for herself, and the consent of a virgin is her silence.' ”

Abdur Rahman bin Yazid Al-Ansari and Mujamma bin Yazid Al-Ansari said: that a man among them who was called Khidam arranged a marriage for his daughter, and she did not like the marriage arranged by her father. She went to the Messenger of Allah and told him about that, and he annulled the marriage arranged by her father. Then she married Abu Lubabah bin Abdul-Mundhir.

It was narrated from Ibn Buraidah that: his father said: “A girl came to the Prophet and said: 'My father married married me to his brother's son so that he might raise his status thereby.' The Prophet gave her the choice, and she said: 'I approve of what my father did, but I wanted to know that their fathers have no right to do that.' ”