Is Marriage In Islam Compulsory?

This is a common question many ask and in shaa Allah today we will learn all about this base on Quran and Sunnah of the prophet Muhammad peace be upon him_. 

To summarize what the fuqaha[/b]or [b]scholars have mentioned, we can divide the ruling on marrying into six categories:

1) obligatory (fard) This is when an individual has an overwhelming level of sexual desire in a way that he/she is certain of committing fornication (zina), and there is nothing besides marriage to prevent him/her, provided one (the male) has the financial means to marry, and that one does not fear being unjust or oppressive to the spouse. For this person marriage is compulsory upon him or her. 

2) Necessary (wajib). This is when an individual has an overwhelming level of sexual desire in a way that one fears committing fornication, or one cannot prevent himself from looking at the unlawful or from masturbation, provided one has the financial means to marry, and that one does not fear being unjust or oppressive to the spouse.

3) Emphasized and confirmed Sunnah (sunnah al-Muakkadah) If anyone intentionally decides not to marry is sinful and may loose been among the ummah of the Prophet Peace be upon him. This is for an individual who is in a moderate state, in that the sexual desire is not overwhelming as in the above two categories, and one is capable of having sexual intercourse, paying the dowry (mahr) and maintaining a wife. Also, one does not fear being unjust to the spouse and being neglectful of other obligatory acts. 

4) Prohibitively disliked (makruh tahriman) This is for an individual who fears being unjust or oppressive to the spouse, even if there is an overwhelming level of sexual desire, for the rights of servants are given precedence over the right of Allah. This means it's a bad habit or sinful to treat your wife or husband unjustly. 

5) Unlawful (haram) This is when one is certain of being unjust or oppressive to the spouse, even if there is an overwhelming level of sexual desire. This means if you are aggressive nature with bad attitude and knows you will end up oppressing the wife the marriage is haraam for you. It also applies to men who cannot cater for first wife but decides to marry a second wife. Big NO chance my brother, second wife is haraam for you. Marriage is not only for fun but with responsibities. 

6) Permissible (mubah) Imam Ibn Abidin (Allah have mercy on him) adds this category quoting from Bahr al-Ra’iq. This is when one’s desire is not overwhelming; neither does one fear being unjust to the spouse. However, one marries solely to fulfil one’s needs and does not have an intention of implementing the Sunnah, for the reward of Sunnah will only be gained when one has the intention of following it or being chaste. If one marries with the intention of saving one’s self from sinning, it will be regarded as an act of Ibadah.

The above is the summary of what Imam al-Haskafi, Allama Ibn Abidin and other Hanafi Fuqaha (Allah have mercy on them all) have explained in their respective works. As such, each individual would qualify to be included in one of the above mentioned five categories.

Thus, if a man was capable of maintaining his wife and did not fear being unjust or oppressive, then it would be obligatory (fard), necessary (wajib) or Sunnah al-Muakkadah for him to marry. If he abstained from marrying, he would be sinful, as Imam al-Haskafi explains that, even in the situation when marriage is Sunnah, one would be sinful for not implementing this great act of worship.

If a man fears that he will be unjust or oppressive to his wife, and cannot cater for a wife needs especially sexual, economic and social relations then it will be either unlawful (haram) or prohibitively disliked (makruh tahriman) for him to marry.

If he does not fear being unjust but is not capable to maintain a wife financially, then marriage will not be obligatory or necessary upon him. 

However, if one is not capable to maintain a wife, then it will not be unlawful or disliked to marry, for one is capable to take a loan or acquire wealth from some other means. (Radd al-Muhtar). 

Finally,based on the mentioned points above, if you regard yourself to be included in the first two categories (i.e. fard and wajib), then it would be necessary for you to marry even without the permission of your parents. 

The reason being is that, obedience to parents is not unconditional and absolute. If one's parents forbid one from one's fard, wajib or confirmed sunnah duties, one may not listen to them, as is the case if they order one to do something unlawful (haram) or prohibitively disliked (makruh tahriman). 

That's for brothers. But for sisters all efforts should be made to get parents to support your marriage if all efforts fails then you can involve local imams or learned elders to mediate with your parents. 

Financial support will be necessary even if she (the wife) was in her father's house bcs support is necessary (wajib) from the time of contracting a valid marriage nikah, even if the woman has not as yet moved into her husband's home. 

May Almighty Allah aid us to be able to marry and cater for our partners needs and happiness Aameen.

Credit: Sheikh AbdRazak.

Share: