What is the ruling on one who leaves marriage for the sake of seeking knowledge and wants to travel for jihad?
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The questioner : Peace be upon you, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The questioner : O Shaykh, a man or a student of knowledge wants to get married, but he fears that marriage will hinder him from seeking knowledge. So he told his father that he wants to get married, and his father agreed. He said, "If I do not get married, I will not be able to continue seeking knowledge, and therefore I will go to jihad!"
The Shaykh : So that he can be at ease from the worldly life?
The questioner : No, he is unable to seek knowledge unless he gets married.
The Shaykh : Well, why does he not be patient in his father's house and get married after that?
The questioner : He said to him: "I will marry you off."
The Shaykh : Well, "I will marry you off" or "I will get you married"?
The questioner : "I will marry you off."
The Shaykh : This is close! The letter is close. In any case, may Allah reward you. Marriage does not hinder seeking knowledge; rather, it may help in seeking knowledge. A person may be granted a wife who can read and write and help him. If she is not, the least that will happen is that these whispers and thoughts about marriage will be removed from him. So marriage helps in seeking knowledge. And if his father is telling him, "I will marry you off," let him hasten. Yes, the best of good deeds is that which is hastened. And perhaps Allah will guide him.
The questioner : And if he gets married, should he leave his studies and go to jihad? What do you advise him to do?
The Shaykh : I advise him to remain in his studies if he has a capacity for knowledge, because people differ. If a strong, brave man came to us, but he is not that kind of person in seeking knowledge, then we would say: the best for him is jihad. And if a person came to us who is less than that in strength and bravery, but he has a capacity for knowledge, we would say: the best is seeking knowledge. If the two are equal, then seeking knowledge is better.
The questioner : May I ask a question, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Just one, do you allow the man to ask?
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The questioner : O Shaykh, a man or a student of knowledge wants to get married, but he fears that marriage will hinder him from seeking knowledge. So he told his father that he wants to get married, and his father agreed. He said, "If I do not get married, I will not be able to continue seeking knowledge, and therefore I will go to jihad!"
The Shaykh : So that he can be at ease from the worldly life?
The questioner : No, he is unable to seek knowledge unless he gets married.
The Shaykh : Well, why does he not be patient in his father's house and get married after that?
The questioner : He said to him: "I will marry you off."
The Shaykh : Well, "I will marry you off" or "I will get you married"?
The questioner : "I will marry you off."
The Shaykh : This is close! The letter is close. In any case, may Allah reward you. Marriage does not hinder seeking knowledge; rather, it may help in seeking knowledge. A person may be granted a wife who can read and write and help him. If she is not, the least that will happen is that these whispers and thoughts about marriage will be removed from him. So marriage helps in seeking knowledge. And if his father is telling him, "I will marry you off," let him hasten. Yes, the best of good deeds is that which is hastened. And perhaps Allah will guide him.
The questioner : And if he gets married, should he leave his studies and go to jihad? What do you advise him to do?
The Shaykh : I advise him to remain in his studies if he has a capacity for knowledge, because people differ. If a strong, brave man came to us, but he is not that kind of person in seeking knowledge, then we would say: the best for him is jihad. And if a person came to us who is less than that in strength and bravery, but he has a capacity for knowledge, we would say: the best is seeking knowledge. If the two are equal, then seeking knowledge is better.
The questioner : May I ask a question, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Just one, do you allow the man to ask?