Part 4

| went to the houses of the Prophet’s () wives and inquired about the

| Prophet's (@%) manner of worship. When the Mothers of the Believers

described that to them, they thought that he (&) did too little. Then

1 Recorded by Ahmad and Abii Dawiid. Verified to be authentic by al-Albani (/rwa’ ul-Ghalil no. 2015).

2 Recorded by Ibn Hibban, Ahmad, and at-Tabarani (in al-Kabir). Verified to be authentic by al-Albani (/rwa’ ul-Ghalil no. 2015).

Quest for Love & Mercy 9 A Blessed Bond

they argued, “How could we reach Allah’s Messenger’s (88) 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 (48) heard of that, he addressed them and the other Muslims, saying:

dndeed, 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 is not (a follower) of me. !

Advantages of Marriage for Individuals

Being ordained by Allah the Most Wise and All-Knowing, marriage is

sure to have many virtues and advantages. In what follows we list a

1, PRESERVATION OF FAITH AND RELIGION

Righteous spouses assist one another in preserving their Din by

offering help, support, and advice that enable them to obey Allah and

abstain from sinning. Anas (4%) reported that the Prophet ($) said: cde tile uw ALL Sol U1 153 gan

<When Allah grants one a righteous wife, He has

1 Recorded by al-Bukharl, Muslim, and others.

In another report from Anas (<8), the Prophet (@) said:

Anas (4) also reported that Allah’s Messenger (88) said:

2. PRESERVATION OF CHASTITY

Men have a natural desire for women, and vice versa, Satan takes advantage of that to entice men and move their lusts when a woman approaches or moves away from them. He pictures her to them in an attractive and appealing form, which may lead them to various forms of sinning in compliance with their lusts.

Usimah Bin Zayd (ts) reported that Allah’s Messenger (&) said:

CeLull yo Jed dhe Sol bizd pats S53 Lev

<I have not left after me a trial more harmful to men

1 Recorded by at-Tabarani and al-Hakim. Verified to be hasan by al-Albani (asSahihah no. 625).

2 Recorded by at-Tabarani (in al-Awsaf) and others. Verified to be hasan by al-Albant (as-Sahihah no. 625 & Sahih ul-Jami' no. 430).

3 Recofded by at-Tabarani in al-Awsat. Verified to be hasan by al-Albant (as-Sahithah no, 625 and Sabith ul-Jami no. 6148).

Quest for Love & Mercy 1 A Blessed Bond

A married person has a quick means of protection against the Devil’s whispers and seduction. Jabir (4%) reported that the Messenger of Allah (48) said:

<A woman approaches in the (tempting) form of a devil, and moves away in the (tempting) form of a devil. When any of you finds in a woman something that attracts him, he should go to his wife, because she has the same as the other woman has, and that satisfies his desire (in a lawful way). 7

3. ENJOYING LOVE, MERCY AND SECURITY

Love and mercy are important sentiments that brighten one’s life and give him a feeling of reassurance, security, and happiness. One of Allah’s (8) great favors is the love and mercy that He instills among, the married couple. They dwell into each other, just as one dwells into a house that gives him protection, security, and happiness. Allah (8%) says:

va iste Gil Ruble SU Git of atk AS 35) Libis fk Ks dass YY aad MO Gs S8 as

1 Recorded by al-Bukhar, Muslim, and others. 2 This is a combined report recorded by Muslim, Aba Dawid, and others (as-Salithah

Furthermore, there is a wonderful feel of closeness between the married couple — similar to the closeness of a garment to a person’s body. They provide for each other protection, comfort, and cover. Allah (88) says:

4. LAWFUL FULFILLMENT OF DESIRE

As is indicated above, Allah ($8) has instilled in human beings the desire for the opposite gender. This desire may be satisfied in unlawful ways that would have destructive effects on the individuals and societies — as is detailed later in this book.

Alternatively, one of Allah’s great favors on us is that he provided us with marriage as a lawful channel for venting our desires. Tbn ‘Umar and Ibn ‘Amr () reported that the Prophet (8%) said:

<This life is a temporary accommodation, and the best of its accommodations is a righteous wife *

Ibn ‘Abbas (#s) reported that a man came to the Prophet (8%) and said, “We have an orphan girl under our custody. A poor man and a rich man have both courted her. She prefers the poor man, but we prefer the rich man. (What should we do?)” The Prophet (4) responded:

2 Al-Bagarah 2:187. 3. Recorded by Muslim, Ahmad, and an-Nasai..

Quest for Love & Merey 13 A Blessed Bond

<For those who like each other, nothing has proven as good as marriage. !

5. PLEASURABLE WAY OF INCREASING Goop DEEDS

Not only is marriage a lawful means of fulfilling a person’s desire, but is also a means of increasing one’s balance of good deeds.

Abii Tharr (4) reported that some of the companions of Allah’s Messenger (88) complained to him. “O Allah’s Messenger! The wealthy people have taken away all of the rewards. They pray as we do and fast as we do, and they give charities from their extra monies.” He (88) replied:

Sly Be bgt JSyy dite Ug JSyy Bi Le 155 Jy

<But has Allah not given you that which you may

offer as charity? Verily:

= Every takbir (saying “Allahu akbar — Allah is the Greatest”) is a charity;

<> Every tahmid (saying “Al-hamdu lillah — Praise

be to Allah”) is a charity;

Commanding good is a charity;

Forbidding the evil is a charity;

And having intercourse (with your wife) is a

1 Recorded by Ibn Majah, al-Hakim, and others. Verified to be authentic by al-Albani (as-Sahihah no. 624).

The companions asked, “O Allah’s Messenger, does a person even receive a reward for fulfilling his desire?” He (@%) responded:

<Assume that he directed it toward a prohibition (zing), would that not result in a burden for him?>

They replied, “Yes, indeed.” He (8) deduced: 6d bd GIS JILL G Ugay 131 GIy

<Therefore, if he directs it toward that which is permissible (his wife), he gets a reward for it

Allah’s Messenger () then mentioned a number of other things that constitute charities, and concluded by saying:

read! GS, AIS Iie ya bgjecan

<And all of that may be covered by two rakat that one would pray in the mid-morning. '

Commenting on this, al-Albant (8) said:

“As-Suyiti said in Jthkar ul-Athkar that one’s intercourse (with his wife) is a charity, even if he did not have any intention in that regard. My opinion is that this may be true for each intercourse, but he should have a prior intention in that regard at least when he first married her. And Allah knows best.” *

In a similar hadith, Abi Tharr (#) reported that Allah’s Messenger (&B) said:

1 Recorded by Muslim, Ahmad, and others. 2 Adab uz-Zifaf p. 138.

Quest for Love & Mercy 15 A Blessed Bond

<It is required for every person, every day upon which the sun rises, to offer a charity for himself.

Abi Tharr asked, “O Allah’s Messenger! How can I give charity when I have no money?” He (4) replied:

MOL YY AY Vy cold ody alll Glow Geel Bacall Glyde BY hig o> (SN HOM Qemedy o coeM yalgis Gat ly Labbally oli! iH asl Fy pany Lyle Cake a a ale ge Jal dy ly go his us sedge as chee )3 ty QB iy ctaghtaaall Lag

<That is because among the forms of charity are:

& Takbir (saying “Allahu akbar — Allah is the Greatest’”’);

= (Saying) “Subhdn Allah — Exalted be Allah”;

=> (Saying) “Al-hamdu lillah — Praise be to Allah”;

=> (Saying) “La ildha illallah — There is no true deity except Allah”;

=> (Saying) “Astaghfir Ullah — 1 seek forgiveness

Removing thorns, bones, and rocks from the

Guiding a blind man;

Helping a deaf and dumb man hear and

= Directing a person who lost something to loss — if you know where it is;

=> Running, with the power of your legs, to help one who is desperately seeking help;

= Raising, with the power of your arms, an object

Abii Tharr (4) asked, “How could I get a reward for fulfilling my desire?” The Prophet (8) responded:

REA CaS LE ed Gyo Ha Wy D gl) Gul

<f you had a child who reached puberty, and you expect good from him, but he died, would you seek Allah’s reward for that?>