Marriage is prescribed when there is a need
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Question: Is there a specific age for marriage for a young man or a young woman? And is there a difference of opinion among the scholars regarding plural marriage? What is it?
Answer: There is no specific age for marriage; rather, the matter depends on the need for marriage. If a young man or a young woman needs to marry at any time, it is prescribed for them to marry, without being restricted by a specific age.For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Mishkat al-Masabih 3080 .
Question: But generally, is it after reaching puberty?
Answer: Generally, it is after reaching puberty. But if a young man marries before puberty, or a young woman is married off before puberty, there is no harm in that. There is no specific age before which marriage is not permissible. However, the need for it becomes stronger upon reaching puberty. So, marriage is prescribed when there is a need for it.
As for plural marriage: This is agreed upon as permissible among the Muslims; there is no disagreement in it.because of His saying, the Exalted: [Surat al-Nisa: 3]. So, plural marriage is agreed upon as permissible among the scholars of knowledge, but on the condition that one knows from himself that he can fulfill the requirements of the wives, such as financial maintenance, clothing, and housing. If he is able to provide for the wives, he may marry up to four women. And if he is not able to do so, and he fears for himself that he will be unjust in the division, and unjust in the financial maintenance and dealing with the wives,he restricts himself to one: [Surat al-Nisa: 3].And justice here means: Justice in dealing in terms of cohabitation, financial maintenance, housing, clothing, and other matters in which he is able to be just.
As for the inclination of the heart and the love of the heart, he cannot control these.For this reason, He, the Exalted, said: [Surat al-Nisa: 129].
Question: Is the intended meaning of inclination the inclination of the heart?
Answer: Yes, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to divide between his wives and be just, saying:
Sunan Abi Dawud 2134 ،Meaning: The inclination of the heart and the love of the heart.
So, a person is not held accountable if he loves some of his wives more than another, because this is something beyond his control. He is only held accountable if he is unjust in the division and does not be just in it. This is what he is held accountable for, and this is what makes plural marriage not permissible for him in this case.
Question: The number is four, is there no disagreement among the scholars?
Answer: The number is four, and there is no disagreement among the scholars of knowledge. There is no one who says it is less. But there is an anomalous opinion that it is permissible to have more than this number. But this is an anomalous opinion, and the consensus is against it.
Answer: There is no specific age for marriage; rather, the matter depends on the need for marriage. If a young man or a young woman needs to marry at any time, it is prescribed for them to marry, without being restricted by a specific age.For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Young man, those of you who can support a wife should marry, for it keeps you from looking at strange women and preserves you from immorality
يا معشر الشباب من استطاع منكم الباءة فليتزوج، فإنه أغض للبصر وأحصن للفرجQuestion: But generally, is it after reaching puberty?
Answer: Generally, it is after reaching puberty. But if a young man marries before puberty, or a young woman is married off before puberty, there is no harm in that. There is no specific age before which marriage is not permissible. However, the need for it becomes stronger upon reaching puberty. So, marriage is prescribed when there is a need for it.
As for plural marriage: This is agreed upon as permissible among the Muslims; there is no disagreement in it.because of His saying, the Exalted:
And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry those that please you of [other] women, two or three or four. But if you fear that you will not be just, then [marry only] one or those your right hand possesses
وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تُقْسِطُوا فِي الْيَتَامَى فَانْكِحُوا مَا طَابَ لَكُمْ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ مَثْنَى وَثُلَاثَ وَرُبَاعَ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا فَوَاحِدَةً أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْBut if you fear that you will not be just, then [marry only] one
فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا فَوَاحِدَةًAs for the inclination of the heart and the love of the heart, he cannot control these.For this reason, He, the Exalted, said:
And you will never be able to be equal [in feeling] between wives, even if you should strive [to do so]. So do not incline completely [toward one] and leave another hanging
وَلَنْ تَسْتَطِيعُوا أَنْ تَعْدِلُوا بَيْنَ النِّسَاءِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتُمْ فَلَا تَمِيلُوا كُلَّ الْمَيْلِ فَتَذَرُوهَا كَالْمُعَلَّقَةِQuestion: Is the intended meaning of inclination the inclination of the heart?
Answer: Yes, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to divide between his wives and be just, saying:
O Allah, this
اللهم هذاthis is my division concerning what I control, so do not blame me concerning what You control and I do not
قسمي فيما أملك فلا تلمني فيما تملك ولا أملكSo, a person is not held accountable if he loves some of his wives more than another, because this is something beyond his control. He is only held accountable if he is unjust in the division and does not be just in it. This is what he is held accountable for, and this is what makes plural marriage not permissible for him in this case.
Question: The number is four, is there no disagreement among the scholars?
Answer: The number is four, and there is no disagreement among the scholars of knowledge. There is no one who says it is less. But there is an anomalous opinion that it is permissible to have more than this number. But this is an anomalous opinion, and the consensus is against it.