“He has made for you pairs from amongst yourselves.” (Quran 42:11)
As our Lord’s divine decree is fleshed out and transformed into a beautiful reality through the matrimony of a brother and sister, it becomes clear that marriage is one of Allah’s many gifts to His creation. Full of blessings and rewards, marriage bursts at the seams with opportunities to please our Creator and elevate our status in both this world and the next.
As soon as the spouses marry in the eyes of Allah, the brother and sister immediately enter a union where they are shielded from temptations, given a multitude of opportunities to earn immense reward, and blessed with a partnership of shared aspirations and values like no other.
So, let’s take a deeper dive into the immense value that marriage grants us as Muslims, by the grace of Allah, and explore how tying the knot ensures blessings upon blessings in both the dunya and the akhirah.
Marriage, Our Ultimate Protection
It’s no secret that modern-day society has become a whirlwind of chaos. As the years progress, Islamic values continue to be tossed aside, allowing fitnah and satanic temptations to firmly establish themselves as the trendsetters. The mayhem has become so rampant that not even staying in your homes can guarantee protection — evil can still reach you through devices or even by a passing glance out the window.
In a world where the Muslim is constantly bombarded from all directions with doubts and desires, life can feel overwhelming. But alhamdulillah, Allah offers us a lifeline: a shield from the chaos — marriage. Undoubtedly, marriage is one of the ultimate means of protecting oneself from zina and other sins such as a wandering gaze.
A Woman’s Ticket To Al-Firdous
Marriage can offer a woman the immense blessing of what is essentially a fast-track ticket to the highest rank of Paradise, Jannah Al-Firdous. This is evidenced by the hadith:
“If a woman prays her five prayers, fasts her month of Ramadan, guards her chastity, and obeys her husband, she will enter Paradise from any gate she wishes.” (Abu Nu’aim)
This is not to say that a single sister cannot reach the most superior station in Jannah. However, securing the most exalted abode in the akhirah would likely require an almost perfect record of deeds, sacrifice, and toil to the highest degree. In contrast, as the hadith shows, a woman can save herself the overwhelming burden of such extensive duty by getting married, being a righteous wife, and continuing to uphold the pillars of Islam.
Strengthening The Ummah
It is only through marriage that one can fulfil the great Sunnah of raising a large family. This is fundamental to the strength of the Muslim community because as our numbers grow, so too does the ummah.
“Marry those who are loving and fertile, for I will be proud of your great numbers before the other nations.” (Abu Dawood)
This hadith is not meant to disparage those who are infertile or struggling with infertility. Rather, it highlights that by utilising marriage to have children, we bring joy to our Prophet ﷺ — a goal every Muslim should strive to fulfil.
Wife And Husband, The Ultimate Team
Matrimony creates a partnership that is unmatched in durability and builds a support system like no other. Spouses uplift one another in both religious and worldly growth — whether it’s memorising the Quran or building a business together.
The dunya is a test full of hurdles, highs, lows, and unexpected turns. Having a teammate with the same ultimate goal as you — earning Allah’s pleasure and, insha’Allah, attaining Jannah — makes the immense challenge of navigating this test far more manageable.