What Are Some of the Most Important Benefits of Getting Married?
Answered by Sidi Tabraze Azam
Question: assalaamu 3laikum wa ra7matullah
Is it true that 2 rak`at of the married person is better than 70 rak`at of the unmarried person? Can you give me the sources? Also, can you please add some more detail of the kinds of benefits that are provided after getting married?
Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,
I hope you are in the best of health and spirits insha’Allah.
The narration is as follows: “Two cycles (rak`at) of the married person is better than seventy cycles (rak`at) of the unmarried person.”
The scholars of hadith have mentioned that this is forged (mawdu`) or disclaimed (munkar) report; therefore, it is falsely attributed to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace). There is another report that is of similar wording, however, this is also forged (mawdu`) and discarded (matruk).
[Ibn al-Jawzi, Al-Mawdu`at/al-Hindi, Kanz al-`Umal/ Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Nukhbat al-Fikr]
Some of the Benefits of Marriage
The benefits of marriage are many and one has to get married and realise them to fully appreciate them. However, the following are a few of the points that Imam Ghazali (May Allah be pleased with him) mentioned in his magnum opus, The Revival of the Religious Sciences (Ihya `Ulum al-Din):
[1] Having a child: thereby increasing the nation (umma) of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), receiving the supplications (du`a) of a righteous child after one passes away and receiving the intercession of the child if he passes away before one.
[2] Lowering one’s gaze, protection from evil desires, thoughts and distractions and strengthening oneself for worship.
[3] Spiritual struggle (mujahada) in upholding the rights of one’s family over one, raising pious children and earning a lawful (halal) income. All of which are extremely virtuous deeds.
[Ghazali, Book on the Etiquettes of Marriage]
For detailed information on marriage and related issues, I highly recommend the book “Initiating and Upholding an Islamic Marriage” by Ustadha Hedaya Hartford. May Allah send you, and everybody looking, a righteous spouse. Amin.
And Allah alone gives success.
wassalaam,
Tabraze Azam
Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani
Related Course:
Getting Married: Islamic Guidance on Successful Steps Towards Marriage
