Marriage purposes in Islam

Authored by Dr. Adnan Mohammed Al-Dayqal In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful Introduction Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions all together; and after: Marriage is a door to goodness and an entry to many gains for the individual and society. Therefore, whoever proceeds to marry in obedience to Allah and following the example of the Prophet, peace be upon him, will find Allah’s help. He said: "Three are entitled to Allah’s help: the struggler in the cause of Allah, the debtor who desires to fulfill his debt, and the married who seeks chastity" (1). Thus, marriage becomes an act of worship solely for Allah, and the one who approaches it is rewarded. Marriage is a lawful relationship that preserves rights and lineages for their owners, protects honor and sanctities, purifies the soul from corruption, and spreads virtue and morals. Allah, the Most High, said: "And those who guard their chastity except with their wives or what their right hands possess, for then they are not to be blamed. But whoever seeks beyond that, then they are the transgressors" (An-Nur: 30). Islam has been keen to ensure that every man and woman receive a share of these benefits. It encouraged marriage, urged it, and commanded the guardian of a woman to marry her. Allah, the Most High, said: "Marry the single among you, and the righteous among your servants and maids. If they are poor, Allah will enrich them from His bounty. Allah is All-Encompassing, Most Knowing" (An-Nur: 32). Islam considers those who refuse to marry off their daughter or maidservant—if a suitable spouse is found for her—as corruptors on earth. He said: "If a suitor whose religion and character you are pleased with comes to you, then marry him. Otherwise, there will be fitnah and corruption on earth" (1). I received a gracious invitation from His Eminence, the Dean of the College of Sharia at the University of Damascus, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Al-Hassan bin Mustafa Al-Baghā, to participate in the Conference on Family Empowerment in Islamic Sharia at the College of Sharia, University of Damascus, held from 9-10 / 14/ 1429 AH, corresponding to 13-20 / 7 / 2008 AD. I chose "The Objectives of Marriage in Islam" as the title for my research paper submitted to the conference, because Islamic Sharia came with the promotion of interests and the prevention of corruption, focusing on evidence from the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger, and structured the research plan as follows: 1. Introduction 2. Preface 3. First requirement: The objective of preserving offspring through marriage 4. Second requirement: The objective of preserving lineage through marriage 5. Third requirement: The objective of achieving psychological and spiritual stability through marriage 6. Fourth requirement: The objective of fulfilling human instinct and satisfying it through marriage