(زواج اسلامي) Marriage in Islam

Concept of marriage in Islam

The most restrictive regulations of Islam are those relating to Nikah (marriage), which institution is in fact, the basic principle of human civilization. Nikah is a Contract in law that regulates a generative relationship between man and woman, and places the lineage of their progeny on a firm basis and creates civil rights and obligations between them.

What is نکاح or زواج?

The Arabic word Nikah literally means "Joining together."

Nikah in the Qur'an:

Nikah in Qur'an has been described as hasan, i.e. fort, meaning "the protection offered to the honour and modesty of the couple."

Importance of marriage in Islam:

Allah recommends for the total marriage of mankind. The Qur'an refers to this fact in 24:32-33 which reads: And marry those among you who are single and those who are fit among your male slaves and female slaves. If they be poor, Allah will grant them means out of His bounty; and Allah is Bountiful, Knower. And those who find no means of marriage should keep themselves chaste until Allah grant them means out of His bounty."

Hadith also lays equal stress upon living in a married state. The Holy Prophet Muhammad PBUH is reported to have said (Bukhari) to certain people who talked of fasting in the day time and keeping awake during the night, offering Salat and keeping away from marriage: "I keep a taste and I break it, and I offer Salat and I sleep, and I am married, so whoever inclines to any other way than my Sunnah, he is not of me."

Another saying of the Prophet in Bukhari laying stress upon marriage is worded thus: "O! assembly of the people! whoever of you has the means to support a wife, he should get married, for this (marriage) is the best means of keeping the looks cast down and guarding the chastity; and he who has not the means, let him keep fast, for this acts as castration."

Another hadith says: Celibacy (Single or unmarried life)  is severely forbidden by the Prophet.

According to another hadith: " The man who marries perfects half of his religion." Still another hadith says:

"Matrimonial alliances increase friendship more than anything else.

Muslim marriage rules:

Islam rejects free-love, birth-control, family planning, and all such other unlawful plans to lessen the number of people for fear shortage of food.

The Quran in 6:152 and 17:31 says:

"And do not kill your children for fear of poverty; it is We who provide for you and for them." And do not kill your children for fear of poverty; it is We Who give sustenance to them and yourselves, Surely the killing of them is a great sin."