Benefits of the Hadith: (O young men, whoever among you can afford the marriage expenses, let him get married . . .) .
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The Shaykh : Several benefits are derived from this hadith. First: the excellence of the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) address, in that he directs his speech to those who are most in need of it, to those who are most in need of it.
Among its benefits is that a young man who is able to marry must marry, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): The letter lam indicates a command, and the default ruling for a command is obligation. Many scholars have held this view, that a man who is able to marry must marry, because the default ruling for commands is obligation, and because of the great benefits involved.
Some scholars said: The command here is for recommendation, and they reasoned this by saying that marriage is a matter whose benefit returns to the doer, and it is a physical benefit related to desire, so the command is merely for guidance, meaning for recommendation. However, the correct view is that the command is for obligation, because marriage is an act of worship; marriage is an act of worship because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded it, and because it is among the traditions of the messengers, as Allah the Exalted said:[Ar-Ra'd 13:38] And because of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), speaking of his own state: Sahih Muslim 1401.
However, the jurists (may Allah have mercy on them) divided marriage into several categories, saying: It is obligatory, forbidden, disliked, permissible, and recommended, depending on the circumstances. The default ruling for marriage among the jurists is that it is recommended, and it is not obligatory except for a reason. So what is obligatory? They said: Marriage is obligatory for one who fears committing zina if he leaves it off. So the one who fears zina if he leaves it off must marry, and the reason is that it provides protection from falling into what is forbidden, and what is forbidden must be avoided, and whatever is necessary for the completion of an obligation is itself obligatory. So if he fears zina for himself, he must marry. This is part of the view we mentioned earlier, which is the obligation of marriage for one who is able to do it, because those who say it is obligatory say: It is obligatory even if he does not fear zina, as long as he has desire, then he must marry even if he does not fear zina.
It becomes forbidden if one is in the abode of war. - May Allah have mercy on you - It is forbidden in the abode of war, meaning, for example, if we are fighting the disbelievers and we are currently in the lands of the disbelievers fighting them, then marriage is forbidden here, because there is a fear of the enslavement of the child; perhaps the disbelievers will take control of the Muslims and capture their offspring, enslaving their children. And whatever is necessary for the removal of what is forbidden is obligatory. So avoiding marriage is obligatory. Yes, but they said: If there is a dire necessity, such as fearing zina if he leaves it off, then it is permissible at that time.
It is disliked for a poor man who has no desire. The poor man who has no desire, it is disliked for him to marry. Why? Because this marriage brings him nothing but exhaustion; he exhausts himself by spending on his wife and caring for her. This is undoubtedly difficult and has no reason for it, as long as the man has no desire, then there is no need to marry.
Now, what do we have left?
The student: The recommended.
The Shaykh : The recommended. We will leave the recommended for last.
The permissible, for a man who has desire but has no money. So here we say: It is permissible for you, and that is because you are not able to afford the marriage expenses. So if you marry and borrow for the marriage, this is permissible, but it is not recommended; rather, it is in the category of the permissible. Likewise, the man who has money but has no desire, marriage for him is in the category of the permissible, in the category of the permissible, because there is nothing in him that calls for marriage, but if he marries, there is benefit in it; the wife serves him, and he also chastes the wife, and benefits are realized for her.
The recommended is the default. The recommended is the default. And so we find that the other four rulings all need what? A reason that changes them from recommendation to obligation, or prohibition, or dislike, or permissibility.
Among the benefits of this hadith is the excellence of the Messenger’s (peace and blessings be upon him) teaching and his clarification to his ummah, which is that when he mentions the ruling, he mentions its reason. Because mentioning the reason has three benefits:
The first benefit: It clarifies the nobility and elevation of the Shari'ah, and that all its rulings are built upon the care of benefits.
The second benefit: It increases the reassurance of the one addressed, because when the one addressed knows the wisdom, he is more reassured by the ruling, and in that there is also - 'Abd al-Majid - there is also an increase in encouragement for him, for whom? For the one addressed, because when he knows the wisdom and is reassured, that increases his desire for this ruling. For this reason, his saying (peace and blessings be upon him) here:Sunan an-Nasa'i 2242Sahih (Darussalam) undoubtedly makes a person desire marriage.
What is the third benefit? Analogizing what shares in the meaning with this, analogizing what shares in the meaning of the ruling or the ruled-upon matter. So if we find this reason in something else, we say: Its ruling is the ruling of this one which was reasoned with this reason. And the way of that is: The Islamic Shari'ah, due to its perfection and consistency, does not distinguish between what? Between two similar things, just as it does not combine two different things. So if this reason, which is the reason for the mentioned ruling, is established in another place, the ruling of this mentioned thing is transferred to that other place, because we know that the Islamic Shari'ah does not distinguish between similar things.
Now, among the benefits of this hadith is that lowering the gaze is required; that a person lowering his gaze is required, because if he was commanded to marry for the sake of lowering the gaze, then the cause of the ruling is more deserving of the ruling than the effect. So if he is commanded to marry for lowering the gaze, then lowering the gaze is commanded. This is apart from the saying of Allah the Exalted:[An-Nur 24:30] [An-Nur 24:31] But we want to take the ruling from this hadith.
Among the benefits of the hadith is also the prescription of protecting the private parts, based on his saying:.
Among the benefits of the hadith is avoiding everything that leads to the release of the gaze or the falling of the private parts into what is forbidden. The way of that is: If he was commanded to marry for the benefit of lowering the gaze and protecting the private parts, then what leads to the opposite of that is forbidden. And branching from this principle is: If a person finds in himself temptation to look at some newspapers that contain images, then he must avoid that, because this may lead him to the release of the gaze or to committing a sin. We ask Allah for safety.
Among the benefits of the hadith is the permissibility of limiting oneself to some of the wisdom if the occasion requires it. Where is this taken from? From the fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) reasoned the command to marry by sayingSunan an-Nasa'i 2242Sahih (Darussalam) even though there is another reason to which the Lawgiver looks with importance, and what is it?
The student: The increase of offspring.
The Shaykh : The increase of offspring and children. But because he was addressing the youth, and the youth do not care in the beginning except for what is related to desire, protecting the private parts, and lowering the gaze, he reasoned with the reason appropriate to the one addressed, who are the youth.
Among the benefits of this hadith is the wisdom of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in that if something is impossible sensually or legally, then he (peace and blessings be upon him) mentions the alternative for it. Where is this taken from?
The student: .
The Shaykh :Sunan an-Nasa'i 3208Sahih (Darussalam) So if you are not able to perform marriage by capacity because you are in straitened circumstances, then you must fast.
Now, among the benefits of this hadith is that it is not befitting for a person to borrow in order to marry; it is not befitting for him to borrow in order to marry. The indication is: He said:Sunan an-Nasa'i 3208Sahih (Darussalam), and he did not say: Let him borrow, or let him take a loan. Now, and also indicating this is the saying of Allah the Exalted: [An-Nur 24:33] meaning without an intermediary. He did not say: Until Allah enriches them by any means. He said: [An-Nur 24:33] And this does not happen except with wealth. And also indicating this is the hadith of Sahl ibn Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) in the story of the woman who offered herself to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), so he did not accept her. So some of the people said: If you have no need of her, then marry me to her. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked him: Do you have a bridal gift? He said: My izar, and he has no rida'. The man had an izar covering his body from the waist up, and the rest of his body was naked. He said: Your izar, if you give it to her, you will remain without an izar, and if you enjoy it, it will be of no benefit to her. So it is not suitable. So he said: Seek. So the man went and sought what he found, and not even an iron ring. He said: , and he did not say to him (peace and blessings be upon him): Borrow or take a loan. So this indicates that it is not befitting for one who does not have the expenses of marriage to borrow.
Now, what is the wisdom if someone says: What is the wisdom in that he does not borrow? Is this not among the benefits of the person?
Yes, we say: Yes, but borrowing is humiliation; it brings a person humiliation and brokenness, especially if he sees the one who lent to him, for he sees him and imagines that he is his slave. That is why the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not advise one who finds no means to borrow.
And among the benefits of the hadith is the prohibition of masturbation, which they call the secret habit. The reason is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not advise it when one is unable to afford marriage. If it had been permissible, he would have advised it, because it is undoubtedly easier than fasting, and because a person finds pleasure in it, whereas in fasting he finds nothing but the pain of hunger and thirst, unlike this act. And since it was the custom of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that whenever he was given a choice between two things, he would choose the easier of them, unless it was a sin, this serves as evidence that there is sin in masturbation, because it is the easier of the two matters: fasting or masturbation. So when he did not choose it, it is known that it is a sin. Yes.
Among its benefits is that a young man who is able to marry must marry, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Let him marry
فليتزوجSome scholars said: The command here is for recommendation, and they reasoned this by saying that marriage is a matter whose benefit returns to the doer, and it is a physical benefit related to desire, so the command is merely for guidance, meaning for recommendation. However, the correct view is that the command is for obligation, because marriage is an act of worship; marriage is an act of worship because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded it, and because it is among the traditions of the messengers, as Allah the Exalted said:
And We have already sent messengers before you and assigned to them wives and descendants
وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلًا مِّن قَبْلِكَ وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُمْ أَزْوَاجًا وَذُرِّيَّةًI marry women also? And he who turns away from my Sunnah, he has no relation with Me
وأتزوج النساء فمن رغب عن سنتي فليس منيHowever, the jurists (may Allah have mercy on them) divided marriage into several categories, saying: It is obligatory, forbidden, disliked, permissible, and recommended, depending on the circumstances. The default ruling for marriage among the jurists is that it is recommended, and it is not obligatory except for a reason. So what is obligatory? They said: Marriage is obligatory for one who fears committing zina if he leaves it off. So the one who fears zina if he leaves it off must marry, and the reason is that it provides protection from falling into what is forbidden, and what is forbidden must be avoided, and whatever is necessary for the completion of an obligation is itself obligatory. So if he fears zina for himself, he must marry. This is part of the view we mentioned earlier, which is the obligation of marriage for one who is able to do it, because those who say it is obligatory say: It is obligatory even if he does not fear zina, as long as he has desire, then he must marry even if he does not fear zina.
It becomes forbidden if one is in the abode of war. - May Allah have mercy on you - It is forbidden in the abode of war, meaning, for example, if we are fighting the disbelievers and we are currently in the lands of the disbelievers fighting them, then marriage is forbidden here, because there is a fear of the enslavement of the child; perhaps the disbelievers will take control of the Muslims and capture their offspring, enslaving their children. And whatever is necessary for the removal of what is forbidden is obligatory. So avoiding marriage is obligatory. Yes, but they said: If there is a dire necessity, such as fearing zina if he leaves it off, then it is permissible at that time.
It is disliked for a poor man who has no desire. The poor man who has no desire, it is disliked for him to marry. Why? Because this marriage brings him nothing but exhaustion; he exhausts himself by spending on his wife and caring for her. This is undoubtedly difficult and has no reason for it, as long as the man has no desire, then there is no need to marry.
Now, what do we have left?
The student: The recommended.
The Shaykh : The recommended. We will leave the recommended for last.
The permissible, for a man who has desire but has no money. So here we say: It is permissible for you, and that is because you are not able to afford the marriage expenses. So if you marry and borrow for the marriage, this is permissible, but it is not recommended; rather, it is in the category of the permissible. Likewise, the man who has money but has no desire, marriage for him is in the category of the permissible, in the category of the permissible, because there is nothing in him that calls for marriage, but if he marries, there is benefit in it; the wife serves him, and he also chastes the wife, and benefits are realized for her.
The recommended is the default. The recommended is the default. And so we find that the other four rulings all need what? A reason that changes them from recommendation to obligation, or prohibition, or dislike, or permissibility.
Among the benefits of this hadith is the excellence of the Messenger’s (peace and blessings be upon him) teaching and his clarification to his ummah, which is that when he mentions the ruling, he mentions its reason. Because mentioning the reason has three benefits:
The first benefit: It clarifies the nobility and elevation of the Shari'ah, and that all its rulings are built upon the care of benefits.
The second benefit: It increases the reassurance of the one addressed, because when the one addressed knows the wisdom, he is more reassured by the ruling, and in that there is also - 'Abd al-Majid - there is also an increase in encouragement for him, for whom? For the one addressed, because when he knows the wisdom and is reassured, that increases his desire for this ruling. For this reason, his saying (peace and blessings be upon him) here:
for it is more effective in lowering the gaze and guarding one's chastity
فإنه أغض للبصر وأحصن للفرجWhat is the third benefit? Analogizing what shares in the meaning with this, analogizing what shares in the meaning of the ruling or the ruled-upon matter. So if we find this reason in something else, we say: Its ruling is the ruling of this one which was reasoned with this reason. And the way of that is: The Islamic Shari'ah, due to its perfection and consistency, does not distinguish between what? Between two similar things, just as it does not combine two different things. So if this reason, which is the reason for the mentioned ruling, is established in another place, the ruling of this mentioned thing is transferred to that other place, because we know that the Islamic Shari'ah does not distinguish between similar things.
Now, among the benefits of this hadith is that lowering the gaze is required; that a person lowering his gaze is required, because if he was commanded to marry for the sake of lowering the gaze, then the cause of the ruling is more deserving of the ruling than the effect. So if he is commanded to marry for lowering the gaze, then lowering the gaze is commanded. This is apart from the saying of Allah the Exalted:
Tell the believing men to reduce [some] of their vision
قل للمؤمنين يغضوا من أبصارهمAnd tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision
وقل للمؤمنات يغضضن من أبصارهنAmong the benefits of the hadith is also the prescription of protecting the private parts, based on his saying:
And it is more protective for the private parts
وأحصن للفرجAmong the benefits of the hadith is avoiding everything that leads to the release of the gaze or the falling of the private parts into what is forbidden. The way of that is: If he was commanded to marry for the benefit of lowering the gaze and protecting the private parts, then what leads to the opposite of that is forbidden. And branching from this principle is: If a person finds in himself temptation to look at some newspapers that contain images, then he must avoid that, because this may lead him to the release of the gaze or to committing a sin. We ask Allah for safety.
Among the benefits of the hadith is the permissibility of limiting oneself to some of the wisdom if the occasion requires it. Where is this taken from? From the fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) reasoned the command to marry by saying
for it is more effective in lowering the gaze and guarding one's chastity
أغض للبصر وأحصن للفرجThe student: The increase of offspring.
The Shaykh : The increase of offspring and children. But because he was addressing the youth, and the youth do not care in the beginning except for what is related to desire, protecting the private parts, and lowering the gaze, he reasoned with the reason appropriate to the one addressed, who are the youth.
Among the benefits of this hadith is the wisdom of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in that if something is impossible sensually or legally, then he (peace and blessings be upon him) mentions the alternative for it. Where is this taken from?
The student:
And whoever cannot afford it
ومن لم يستطعThe Shaykh :
and whoever cannot then he should fast
ومن لم يستطع فعليه بالصومNow, among the benefits of this hadith is that it is not befitting for a person to borrow in order to marry; it is not befitting for him to borrow in order to marry. The indication is: He said:
and whoever cannot then he should fast
من لم يستطع فعليه بالصومBut let them who find not [the means for] marriage abstain [from sexual relations] until Allah enriches them from His bounty.
وليستعفف الذين لا يجدون نكاحاً حتى يغنيهم الله من فضلهuntil Allah enriches them from His bounty
حتى يغنيهم الله من فضلهDo you have any of the Qur'an with you? He said: Yes, such and such. He said: I give her to you in marriage for what you have of the Qur'an
معك شيء من القرآن؟ قال: نعم كذا وكذا، فقال: ملكتكها بما معك من القرآنNow, what is the wisdom if someone says: What is the wisdom in that he does not borrow? Is this not among the benefits of the person?
Yes, we say: Yes, but borrowing is humiliation; it brings a person humiliation and brokenness, especially if he sees the one who lent to him, for he sees him and imagines that he is his slave. That is why the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not advise one who finds no means to borrow.
And among the benefits of the hadith is the prohibition of masturbation, which they call the secret habit. The reason is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not advise it when one is unable to afford marriage. If it had been permissible, he would have advised it, because it is undoubtedly easier than fasting, and because a person finds pleasure in it, whereas in fasting he finds nothing but the pain of hunger and thirst, unlike this act. And since it was the custom of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that whenever he was given a choice between two things, he would choose the easier of them, unless it was a sin, this serves as evidence that there is sin in masturbation, because it is the easier of the two matters: fasting or masturbation. So when he did not choose it, it is known that it is a sin. Yes.