The possibility of combining the pursuit of knowledge with marriage
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His Eminence the Shaykh: There is a student of religious knowledge who wants to get married, but he fears that if he marries, he will be distracted and preoccupied from the pursuit of knowledge. What is your advice to him? And what do you suggest if he wants to leave his studies for jihad?
Marriage does not hinder the pursuit of knowledge; rather, it may even help in the pursuit of knowledge. A person may be blessed with a wife who can read and write and assist him. If she is not, the least that will happen is that the whispers and thoughts about marriage will be removed from him. So, marriage helps in the pursuit of knowledge. And if his father wants to marry him off, he should not refuse, for the best of dutifulness to parents is that which is done promptly, and perhaps Allah will guide him.
As for leaving studies for jihad, what I advise him to do is to remain in his studies if he has the aptitude for knowledge. Because people differ. If a strong, brave man came to us, but he is not that kind of man in the pursuit of knowledge, then we say: the best for him is jihad. And if a man came to us who is less than that in strength and bravery, but he is a vessel of knowledge, we say: the best is the pursuit of knowledge. If the two are equal, then the pursuit of knowledge is better.
Marriage does not hinder the pursuit of knowledge; rather, it may even help in the pursuit of knowledge. A person may be blessed with a wife who can read and write and assist him. If she is not, the least that will happen is that the whispers and thoughts about marriage will be removed from him. So, marriage helps in the pursuit of knowledge. And if his father wants to marry him off, he should not refuse, for the best of dutifulness to parents is that which is done promptly, and perhaps Allah will guide him.
As for leaving studies for jihad, what I advise him to do is to remain in his studies if he has the aptitude for knowledge. Because people differ. If a strong, brave man came to us, but he is not that kind of man in the pursuit of knowledge, then we say: the best for him is jihad. And if a man came to us who is less than that in strength and bravery, but he is a vessel of knowledge, we say: the best is the pursuit of knowledge. If the two are equal, then the pursuit of knowledge is better.