Quranic Sciences

Adopted from the book: "The Light of the Holy Qur'an - Interpretation of Sura an-Nur" by: "Sayyid Kamal Faghih Imani & a Group of Muslim Scholars"

32. "And marry those among you who are single and the righteous among your servants, male or female. If they are poor, Allah will enrich them out of His grace, and surely Allah is Ail-Embracing, All-Knowing."

Commentary

Marriage is venerated and emphasized in Islam. Islamic society is responsible for marrying off those who are celibate. Parents who do not marry their offspring are partner in sin that their issues commit.

Thus, from the beginning of the Sura up to here various calculated ways have been brought up for preventing sexual defilements, the ways each of which are playing an influential role in preventing or struggling against these defilements.

In this verse, one of the most important ways of struggling against wickedness that is simple, easy, sincere, friendly marriage, is mentioned. Because it is obvious that in order to wind up the issue of sin the approach of satisfying and gratifying the instincts is applied. In other words, no 'negative struggling' is successful without 'positive struggling'.

Therefore, in this verse the Qur'an says:

"And marry those among you who are single and the righteous among your servants, male or female...."

The Arabic word /'ayama/ is the plural form of /'ayyim/, which originally means a woman who has no husband. Then it has also been applied to man who has no wife. Thus, the totality of all unmarried men and women, whether they are virgin or widower or widow, are included in this verse.

Although marriage is an optional affair and depends on the will of two parties, the general idea that is derived from the word /'ankihu/ (marry) is to prepare preliminaries of marriage by giving financial aids if necessary, finding a proper spouse, encouraging others to get married, and finally mediating for solving problems that will not be settled without intercession of others. Summarily the concept of the verse is so extensive that it includes every word or action which is for this sake.

Without doubt, the principle of Islamic cooperation necessitates Muslims to help each other in all cases and fields, but emphasizing on this matter which is specified in marriage is for the reason that marriage is specially important.

This is so important that Imam Ali (a.s.) in a tradition said: "The best intercession is to mediate between two persons for the sake of marriage so that they get married." 56

In a tradition by Imam Kazem masa Ibn Ja'far (a.s.) we read: "There are three groups who are under protection of Allah's Throne in the Day of Resurrection, the day in which no protection exists save Allah's: the man who prepares the preliminaries of his Muslim bother's marriage; those who help another Muslim who needs help; those who hide other Muslim brother's secrets." 57

The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: "For each step one takes and each word one says in this way the reward of one year worshiping that in its nights the one establishes prayers and in its days he fasts, will be recorded in one's book of deeds." 58

Since an almost public pretext for escaping marriage is poverty and not being financially supported, the holy Qur'an answers them and implies that you should not be afraid of their poverty; because, as the verse says:

"... If they are poor, Allah will enrich them out of His grace, and surely Allah is All-Embracing, All-Knowing."

And Allah is powerful to do such a thing, because He is so omnipotent that His power covers the entire universe and He is so omniscient that He is aware of every one's intentions; especially He is aware of the intention of those who decide to get married in order to save chastity and virginity. He blesses and favours all such ones.

Therefore, Imam Sadiq(a.s.) said: "Life will be prosperous by getting married."

Again Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said: "One who does not get married for fear of poverty is suspicious of Allah."

And the same Imam (a.s.) said: "Two unit (rak'at) prayers performed by a person who is married is better than 70 unit (rak'at) prayers which is performed by a person who is not married." 59

There is a famous tradition by the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) who said: "Get married so that generations will be increased, because in the Day of Resurrection I will be glorified before other nations with increase of your population even with aborted children." 60

In another tradition by the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) we read: "One who gets married has saved one half of his religion and must protect the other half." 61

The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: "The worst of you is the one who is unmarried." 62

The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: "After Islam no favour and blessing is better than having a Muslim wife and spouse, because when he looks at her he will be happy and when he enjoins her she obeys and when he is absent she protects his property and reputation." 63

The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) in a tradition said: "Marry virgin girls because their mouth is sweet and charming and their uterus is more proper and they learn soon and their kindness is more stable." 64

Notes:

56. Wasa'il-ush-Shi'ah, Vol. 14, p. 27

57. Ibid

58. Ibid

59. Nur-uth-Thaqalyn

60. Safanah-tul-Bihar, Vol. 1, p. 561

61. Ibid

62. Majam'ul-Bayan, under the verse

63. Man la Yahduruh ul-Faqih, Vol. 3, p 255

64. Bihar ul-Anwar, Vol. 103, p. 237