Islamic Conditions for Marriage 1

2023-02-03

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Contents

Religion and Piety Being Matched Imam Sajjad’s View on Being Matched

In Islam, marriage is considered a sacred institution which is made up of conditions and etiquette. In this article, we shall discuss the Islamic conditions for marriage.

Religion and Piety

The Qur’an says:

Marry those among you who are single, or the virtuous ones among your slaves, male or female. (1)

The revered religion of Islam is in fact a system supplied with beliefs, morals and practical matters. Religious faith in Islam consists of joining up of the heart with God and belief in the Day of Judgment; the angels; the Prophets and the Glorious Quran.

Morality in Islam consists of humbleness; humility; etiquette; patience; submissiveness; fortitude; tolerance; perseverance; kindness; compassion; good will; having mild disposition; chastity and sincerity; justice, helpfulness; and generosity.

Action in Islam consists of prayer; fasting; the Hajj (the Holy pilgrimage to Mecca); paying alms and the one fifth levy; enjoining the good and forbidding the evil; Jihad; taking God as a friend and dissociation from evil; being good to one’s parents; and observing the rights of those whom one encounters.

Of course, the three above-mentioned matters are not all the matters of Islam, but rather examples of the perfect, comprehensive, universal religion of Islam that is responsible – in all of life’s affairs – for the welfare of people in this world and in the Hereafter.

Actually, religion is the sun and guiding light in life; the guide towards God; and the improver of man in this world and in the Hereafter. There is no worthier jewel in the treasury of God’s creation than religion: the religion propagated by all the Prophets, the Imams, the Saints.

It is the religion in which whoever becomes adorned with, puts on a semblance of God, having opened up all the doors of prosperity to himself. Whoever keeps his distance from Islam will have opened all the doors of misfortune for himself.

Religion and piety hold the same worth before God. Beautifying one’s self with God’s religion results in the best person, the most outstanding creature and an incomparable or matchless living being in Creation.

Those who have faith and do righteous deeds, they are the best of the creatures.(2)

If one adorns himself with the attributes of a believer mentioned in the Glorious Quran and religious traditions, this will result in an acceptable believer expressed in the following terms: “being humble in prayer; protesting against false and futile talk; paying the alms tax; protecting the private parts of the body from forbidden acts; protecting whatever has been entrusted to you; keeping one’s promise or oath and guarding one’s prayers.”

Those who humble themselves in their prayers; who avoid vain talk; who are active in deeds of charity; who abstain from sex except with those joined to them in the marriage bond, or (the captives) whom their right hands possess, – for (in their case) they are free from blame, but those whose desires exceed those limits are transgressors; – those who faithfully observe their trusts and their covenants; and who (strictly) guard their prayers. (3)

We may add the following: being humble on earth; encountering the ignorant with a healthy mind; spending the night in prostration and standing; praying for being saved from the Wrath not being extravagant when helping the needy; avoiding envy; being moderate; avoiding association of other gods to be partners with God; murder and fornication; avoiding false, oppressive witnessing; forgiving vain talk through nobility; taking a good look at God’s signs; praying for the wife and the children; and praying to lead the righteous.

Those who spend the night in adoration of their Lord prostrate and standing; those who say, “Our Lord! avert from us the Wrath of Hell, for its Wrath is indeed an affliction grievous, – evil indeed is it as an abode, and as a place to rest in”; those who, when they spend, are not extravagant and not niggardly, but hold a just (balance) between those (extremes); those who invoke not, with God, any other god, nor slay such life as God has made sacred, except for just cause, nor commit fornication; and any that does this (not only) meets punishment (but) the Penalty on the Day of Judgment will be doubles to him, and he will dwell therein in ignominy. Unless he repents, believes, and works righteous deeds, for God will change the evil of such persons into good, and God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful, and whoever repents and does good has truly turned to God with an (acceptable) conversion; those who witness no falsehood, and, if they pass by futility, they pass by it with honorable (avoidance); those who, when they are admonished with the Signs of their Lord, droop not down at them as if they were deaf or blind; and those who pray, Our Lord! Grant unto us wives and offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes, and give us (the grace) to lead the righteous. (4)

The Commander of the Faithful (Imam Ali) stated: Among the characteristics of a believer we can state that he is not attached to financial affairs; his efforts are mainly geared to religiousness; his nobility is in contentment; and his efforts are for the Hereafter.

His good deeds are increased; his ranks are elevated; and he is approaching deliverance and prosperity. (5)

He also said: A believer is one who is continually remembering God; thinks a lot; is thankful for all the blessings; and perseveres in the face of hardships. (6)

Imam Sadiq (Pbuh) said: A believer is one whose total income is legitimately earned; is good-tempered; is not deceitful; donates some of his extra income; and avoids excessive talk. (7)

We can see the following points in the traditions regarding the worth of the believers. Imam Sadiq (Pbuh) has been narrated as having said: A believer’s honor and respect is greater than that of the Ka’ba.(8)

The fifth Imam (Pbuh) said: A believer is well-known in the Heavens in the same manner that a man knows his wife and children. And verily a believer is closer to God than the Archangel. (9)

The Prophet (Pbuh) said: God, Majestic is His Praise, says: I swear by My Honor and Majesty that I have not created any creature among My Creation that is dearer than a believer is. (10)

Being Matched

Now that we have introduced the necessity of religion and piety, it should be noted that one of the most important conditions for marriage is that the couple should be well-matched.

What is meant by being well-matched is that the couple who wish to get married must have some outward and inward similarities. The most important similarity is in their piety.

That is according to the holy divine culture, they must both be religious. As the Holy Quran states: And women of purity are for men of purity (11). God’s Book states: Marry women of your choice (12)

The first stage of this purity of men and women is their inward purity, that is, belief in God, the Hereafter, the Prophethood, the Quran, the angels and having divine morality. Therefore, a believing Muslim man does not have the right to marry non-Muslim, unbelieving women. If such a forbidden marriage takes place, then their children are considered to be born in sin.

In the same manner a Muslim believing woman does not have the right to marry an unbelieving man, and their marriage is considered illegitimate, as are their children. Believing men or women are not matched with unbelieving men or women. Should such a forbidden marriage take place, both sides are exposed to Eternal Torture.

The Glorious Quran has seriously advised against the marriage of a believing person with an unbeliever:

Do not marry unbelieving women (idolaters), until they believe: a slave woman who believes is better than an unbelieving woman is, even though she allure you. Nor marry (your girls) to unbelievers until they believe: a man slave who believes is better than an unbeliever, even though he allures you. Unbelievers do (but) beckon you to the fire. But God beckons by His Grace to the Garden (of Bliss) and forgiveness, and makes His signs clear to mankind: that they may celebrate His praise. (13)

Therefore, you must be careful not to let your believing daughters marry with a young fellow who is ignorant and does not have faith. Likewise, do not choose a girl who denies divine principles to marry your believing noble son. The first and foremost condition for the marriage of a couple is their faith. Thus, two believing, chaste, and shining lights will join, the fruit of which will be good children.

Do not think that being handsome, wealthy or of a high status for an unbelieving man, or likewise in a woman who is not adorned with the truth can bring prosperity, health, happiness and continuity of a mutual life.

It is necessary for the families not to be too strict about finding the best match. When the two sides are nearly matched in terms of faith, morality and Islamic practices, and looks and posture, then they are considered to be a good match for each other by the Holy Shariat.

Consider the following traditions regarding being matched: Imam Sadiq (Pbuh) said: A woman who is chaste and is financially easy to live with is your best match. (14)

The Prophet (Pbuh) said: If a courter proposes to marry your daughter and you are sure about his religiousness and trustworthiness, then provide the means for such a marriage. Prohibiting marriage of a well-matched couple may lead to sedition and great corruption on the Earth. (15)

In another tradition the Prophet (Pbuh) said: Marry your daughter off to one whose morality and religiousness satisfies you. Should you prevent such a marriage, you have caused a great corruption and sedition on the Earth? (16)

Yes, in fact the cause of self-satisfaction, homosexuality, fornication, nervous problems, and psychic ailments of many young men and women is being too strict in regards to marriage; creating obstacles; insisting on wrong customs and traditions followed by imposing hard conditions; and expecting beauty, position and wealth by the families.

And in fact the end results of all this will directly affect the parents, the relatives and those families who are too strict in regards to marriage, both here and in the Hereafter.

The Prophet (Pbuh) said: Provide the means for the wedding of well-matched couples. And marry with people who are a good match for you, and prepare them to marry you to bring forth good children. (17)

The essential ingredients of a well-matched couple are faith, morality, trustworthiness and righteousness. It is the moral duty of the parents and the family to prepare the grounds for the marriage of a well-matched couple.

This can be speeded up by being more lenient, not imposing ungodly conditions and avoiding unethical traditions. In this way, the parents and the family can earn the blessings, pleasure and kindness of God.

Imam Baqir (Pbuh) said: The greatest tragedy is when a young believing man proposes marriage to your daughter and you respond in the negative because he does not have the same financial status as you do. (18)

Prejudices related to the family, city or tribe should be considered detrimental in marriage as such prejudices are rejected in the divine religion. So do not consider being poor or rich; coming from this city or that one; belonging to this tribe or that one as the criteria for marriage.

All men and women are the offspring of one couple (Adam and Eve) and no one has any special privileges over others except that due to being more pious and virtuous.

Imam Sajjad’s View on Being Matched

Hazrat Baqir (Pbuh), the fifth Imam said: In one of the way-stations during Hajj, my noble father Imam Zayn al-Abideen (Pbuh) encountered a lady whose good temper attracted him. He inquired if she was married, and was told that she was not. Then my father proposed to marry her without investigating about her family, and this proposal led to marriage.

One of the Ansar who became informed of this issue could not stand this simple marriage. He thought that she may not belong to a noble family, and this may cause problems for the fourth Imam.

He spent some time investigating about her and finally found out that she belonged to the Shayban tribe. He came to the fourth Imam and told him that thanks God she is from a well-known, noble family.

The Imam told him that he thought the man was wiser than that. He told him “Do you not know that God the Almighty removed all inferiorities and compensated for all defects by Islam. He replaced inferiority with nobility.

Now, no matter what the social status of a Muslim is, he/she is not inferior but is respectable. The inferiorities belong to the Age of Ignorance.”(19)

Therefore being of the same tribe, dwelling in the same town or having the same amount of wealth do not mean being well-matched. As decreed by Islam there exist no privileges for the Arabs over the Persians; the whites over the blacks; the Qurashy over the non-Qurashy. All that counts is piety.

If a Muslim couple have faith, piety, morality, trustworthiness, chastity, purity and health, then they are well-matched. This is true even if one is an Arab and the other one is a Persian; one lives in a city and the other one is a villager; one is rich and the other is poor; one is white and the other is black; one belongs to a noble family and the other one does not.

Ali, the son of Isbat wrote a letter to Imam Jawad (Pbuh) and stated that he had not been able to find people that match him in faith and morality to marry off his daughters to.

The Imam responded by writing: “I realized what you wrote regarding your daughters. May God bless you with His Mercy and Kindness.

You need not be so careful in regards to your daughters. The Prophet (Pbuh) has recommended us to accept a courter’s proposal to marry our daughters should his morality and religiousness be acceptable.

Else sedition and great corruption would occur on Earth.”(20) Imam Sadiq (Pbuh) told a man called Abraham: “No believer has ever gained any profit more dangerous than wealth.

The danger of wealth is worse than that of two vicious wolves that attack a flock of sheep lacking a shepherd. What do these wolves do with the sheep?” He answered:”Nothing but a great loss.” The Imam said: “That is right. The least danger of wealth is that a Muslim might come to propose to marry your daughter and you reject him for not being wealthy.”

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