Marriage in Islam: Importance and Conditions

July 31, 2022

By Eman Abdallah Kamel

Eman is a writer and an engineer. She also studied at Zad Scientific Academy (an online academy) for Islamic Studies (Shariah) and the Arabic language.

This article discusses the importance of marriage, the conditions of the marriage contract in Islam, and the elements of a happy family.

Marriage is the greatest blessing given by God to humanity. Source of image: etsy.com

In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.

And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves spouses that you may find tranquility in them, and He placed between you affection and mercy. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who give thought.
Noble Quran, Surah Ar-Rum (The Romans): 21

What is marriage?

Marriage is the act of making a relationship public, official, and permanent between a man and a woman.

The meaning of marriage in Arabic is annexation and overlapping. Marriage and mating are the laws of God Almighty in His creation. This law applies to all living beings, including plants and animals.

Allah favored man above all other creatures. He preserved human respect through legal marriage. Marriage is based on respect and consent between a man and a woman. By doing so, the natural needs of the man are fulfilled in a way that preserves posterity and protects the woman from becoming a common thing.

For someone who has lust and is afraid of committing adultery, marriage is a must.

Islam places a strong emphasis on mutual love and respect between husband and wife. Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said:

The most perfect believer in his faith is the one who has the most excellent manners, and the best of you are those who are best to their wives.
(Hadith Hasan, At-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood, Ahmad, and Ad-Daarimi)

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Importance of Marriage

Marriage is the reason for the reproduction and maintenance of the family.
Marriage fulfills sexual needs free from related diseases.
The marriage relationship provides a healthy environment for family cohesion and mutual love.
In marriage, the husband and woman share a feeling of contentment, security, and chastity.

How Do You Choose a Wife and Husband?

How to Choose a Wife:

It is preferable to marry a religious woman, a fertile virgin. The principle in choosing a wife is that she be religious to raise children with good morals.

Abu Huraira reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah upon him) said,

A woman is married for four things: her wealth, her family status, her beauty, and her religion. Choose the religious woman.
(Sahih al-Bukhari 5090, In-book reference: Book 67, Hadith 28, English reference: Vol. 7, Book 62, Hadith 27)

How to Choose a Husband:

Women have the right to choose and marry a moral and virtuous person.

Surah An-Noor (The Light): 32. Image Source: surahquran.org

Allah Almighty says, {Marry the unmarried among you and the righteous among your male slaves and female slaves. If they are poor, Allah will enrich them out of His Bounty. And Allah is All-Bountiful, All-Knowing}
Noble Quran, An-Noor (The Light): 32

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The Marriage Contract

A marriage cannot be valid without the consent of both spouses. Marriage takes place in any language and any word that indicates it.

Conditions for the Validity of the Marriage Contract:

For a marriage to be valid, the following conditions must be met:

Designating,
Consent,
Guardian,
and Witnesses.

1. Designating

The spouses should be designated.

2. Consent

The consent of the spouses. Neither of them should be forced into marriage. Virgins and non-virgins must agree before marriage. Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allah said:

A previously married woman should not be married until her verbal consent has been sought, and a virgin should not be married until her permission has been sought.” They said, “O Messenger of Allah, what is her permission?” He said, “If she remains silent,
(Sunan an-Nasa’i 3267, In-book reference: Book 26, Hadith 72, English translation: Vol. 4, Book 26, Hadith 3269)

3. Guardian

The presence of a guardian who is male, adult, and trusted. Abu Mūsa al-Ash’ari narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said:

There is no marriage without a guardian.
(Sahih/Authentic) (Ahmad, Ibn Maajah, At-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood, Ad-Daarimi)

Also, the wife of the Prophet, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), reported that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah upon him) said:

If any woman marries without her guardian’s permission (wali), her marriage is invalid. He repeated it three times.
(Hadith Sahih) (Ahmad, Ibn Maajah, At-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood, Ad-Daarimi)

The woman is given in marriage by her father or grandfather, regardless of how far up his lineage they may be. Or by her son, regardless of how far down his lineage they may be. Following that, her first brother, half-brother, or their sons; her first uncle, or second uncle, or their sons. Then her closest relative, or the governor.

4. The Witnesses

A marriage is considered invalid without the presence of two male witnesses.

Is Dowry (Mahr) a Condition for the Completion of Marriage?

Dowry is the amount of money the wife is entitled to from her husband at the time of the marriage contract. Its legal basis is its moral and symbolic value, not its material value.

According to fatwa n° 104779 on islamweb.net, scholars unanimously agree that the husband’s dowry is obligatory for his wife. Allah says: {Give women ˹upon marriage˺ their due dowries graciously} (An-Nisa (The women): 4)

However, it is not required to pay all or part of the dowry in advance for the permissibility of consummating the marriage.

Rather, the husband may consummate the marriage with his wife, even if he does not specify her exact dowry. In this case, the wife is entitled to the dowry of women of the same social status if he had intercourse with her without specifying her dowry.

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Elements of a Happy Family Life

Husband and wife complement each other; there must be mutual respect between them.
If the husband succeeds in bringing happiness to his wife, he will be happiest. A woman is a sensitive creature who refuses to take without giving because she is naturally inclined to give and sacrifice for the sake of those she loves.
The family is the foundation of society. Parents must be involved in the care of the children.
Children are a great responsibility, and raising them is not easy. Parents should be patient and compassionate in raising their children.
Parents should raise their children to obey Allah Almighty from an early age.
Family happiness depends heavily on cleanliness. Both spouses should take care of personal hygiene, the cleanliness of the house, and the cleanliness of the children.

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