The Book Of Marriage From The Explanation Of Bulugh Al-Maraam (Part One)

Abu Hurairah (May Allāh be pleased with him) reported, the Prophet (May Allāh raise his rank and grant him peace) said,

“A woman is married for four reasons: for her wealth, for her class, for her beauty or for her piety. Select the pious, may your hand be rubbed in the dust!”

In this Ḥadīth, this is a reference that men’s most desirable marriage purposes revolve around these four: wealth, class, beauty and piety.

There are some benefits in this Ḥadīth:

• There is no problem if anyone marries a woman for her wealth because the Prophet (May Allāh raise his rank and grant him peace) approved this but he urged to marry the religious woman.
• There is no problem if the man marries a woman for her class to upgrade himself and his children.

• The woman can be married for her beauty. So, there is no problem if she is married for her beauty. Maybe the man likes beauty and cannot stand looking at a woman who is not as men are so different in this respect.

• A woman may be married for her piety even if this is the only purpose.

• The best one of these purposes is to marry a woman for her piety as he (May Allāh raise his rank and grant him peace) said,

“Select the pious, may your hand be rubbed in the dust.”

• Everyone should follow the Prophet’s advice. However, nowadays, most people marry a woman for her beauty and others for her wealth and class. Are these the only purposes? No, the proof is in the above-mentioned Ḥadīth,

“Marry the one who is fertile and loving.”