Islam on Marital Rights — Page 7
ISLAM ON MARITAL RIGHTS 7 upon him, has said that every young man of means must marry. . Because marriage is, indeed, a sure means of preventing the eyes from looking with an evil intention and for preserving one's chastity and morality. On another occasion, the Holy Prophet (s. a. w. ) prayed for those who marry with the intention of guarding their chastity. . Another purpose of marriage pointed out by Islam is the procreation of the human race. God says in the Holy Quran: "Your wives are a sort of tilth for you; so approach your tilth as and when you like and send ahead some good for yourself. " (2:224). In this verse Allah has pointed out another important object of marriage, and likened the wives to tilth. He has exhorted the faithful to make their wives, i. e. , their tilth, fruitful and to observe all the necessary precautions in their conjugal relations so as to obtain good and healthy progeny, just as a wise farmer would act wisely in the selection and preparation of the soil and the sowing of the seed in order to obtain a good harvest. . The latter half of the verse, "Send ahead some good for yourselves," confirms the noble object of marriage which is the production of healthy progeny, not only for a person's own benefit but also for the common good of the whole community. . The Holy Prophet (s. a. w. ) has also referred to this object of marriage in his well known saying: "Marry such women as are productive and of loving nature. " (Nasaee: Kitabun Nikah). . From the above it becomes quite clear that in Islam the aim of marriage is to enjoy each other's love and tenderness; to acquire peace of mind and physical comfort, to safeguard our chastity and piety and to maintain the procreation of the human race. Incidentally, it may be noted that Islam has discouraged marrying non-Muslim women. This is because the diversity of faith and mental outlook and the clash of concepts may lead to mutual bickering and consequently deprive the couple of the true happiness of married life, thus defeating the object of Islamic marriage.