Should
She Delay Marriage So That She Can Complete Memorising The
Qur'aan And Strive Hard In Seeking Knowledge?
Islamic Rulings -
Living Shariah Verdicts
Islamic Questions & Answers
Is it permissible for me to refuse any offers of
marriage until Allah makes it easy for me to finish
memorising the Holy Qur'aan and seeking obligatory
knowledge only? I cannot be certain that the one who
proposes to me will be pious and pure and teach me
what I do not know of my religion, and even if he is
like that, he may not have enough time to teach me. In
addition to the fact that marriage takes up a lot of
time, I am worried that I may go astray and not be
able to be fully devoted to Islam if I get married in
this state of ignorance.
Praise be to Allaah.
Hastening to get married is something that is required
in Islam for the one who is able to do that, and this
injunction applies particularly to the young, because
the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
said: "O young men, whoever among you can afford it,
let him get married, for it is more effective in
lowering the gaze and guarding one's chastity. And
whoever cannot afford it, let him fast, for it will be
a shield for him." Narrated by al-Bukhari (1905) and
Muslim (1400).
Al-Nawawi said: In this hadeeth there is the command
to get married for the one who can afford it and feels
inclined towards it. There is consensus on this point.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
My advice to all young men and women is to hasten to
get married if they are able to, because the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "O
young people, whoever among you can afford to get
married, let him do so…" (Agreed upon). And he
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "If
there comes to you one whose religious commitment and
attitude pleases you, then marry [your female relative
who is under your care] to him, for if you do not do
that, there will be tribulation on earth and much
corruption." Narrated by al-Tirmidhi with a hasan
isnaad. And he (blessings and peace of Allah on him)
said: "Marry the one who is loving and fertile, for I
will feel proud of your large numbers before the other
Prophets on the Day of Resurrection." Narrated by Imam
Ahmad; classed as saheeh by Ibn Hibbaan. And because
there are many benefits in that, as the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) pointed
out, such as lowering the gaze, guarding chastity,
increasing the numbers of the Muslim ummah, keeping
safe from tribulation and trouble. End quote. --
Fataawa Islamiyyah, 3/141
Indeed, marriage may distract one from seeking
knowledge, but that is not necessarily the case. It
may be the opposite. There are women who memorised the
Qur'aan after marriage, and who learned and gained a
great deal of understanding of Islam after marriage.
What you have to do is to make a good choice: choose a
man who is religiously committed and of good
character, and is keen to learn and understand more
about Islam, so that you can help one another to obey
Allah, may He be exalted.
The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked:
I am married and marriage is Sunnah, but seeking
knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim, male or
female. Can I divorce my wife so that I can go and
seek knowledge?
They replied: Marriage is the Sunnah of the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and with
it a man completes his religion, as it helps him to
lower his gaze and guard his chastity. You should not
divorce your wife, and marriage should not prevent you
from seeking knowledge if you are determined. End
quote. -- Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 20/5
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him)
was asked:
There is a seeker of shar‘i knowledge who wants to get
married but he is afraid that if he gets married he
will be distracted from seeking knowledge. What is
your advice to him? What do you suggest if he wants to
give up studying for jihad?
He (may Allah have mercy on him) replied:
Marriage does not get in the way of seeking knowledge;
rather it may help in seeking knowledge. A person may
be blessed with a wife who reads and writes and helps
him; even if that is not the case, then at least he
will no longer have to deal with waswaas and thinking
about marriage, so marriage will help him to seek
knowledge. End quote. -- Liqa' al-Baab al-Maftooh,
48/18
Moreover, you should know that the amount of knowledge
that one is required to attain does not need one to
delay getting married, because this amount of
knowledge does not require years to attain it; rather
a Muslim may acquire it in a very short length of
time. And after marriage, in sha Allah, you will find
enough time to acquire shar‘i knowledge.
Our advice to you is: if you receive a proposal from
someone whose religious commitment and character are
good, then accept him.
We ask Allah to make things easy for you and to bless
you with beneficial knowledge and righteous deeds.
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