Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) — 55: Marriage: The
Right Course For Humanity
Islamic Perspectives - Muslim Journals
Arab News & Information - By Sheikh Muhammad Al-Ghazali
Islam encourages marriage making it the way to build a
solid and well-knit society. It is the only legitimate
way to satisfy the sexual desire which Islam accepts
as natural and healthy. It does not approve of
relations outside marriage. Marriage is the proper way
to build a family, which is the basic unit of society.
It urges people to choose good marriage partners,
seeking God's help in doing so. When the choice is
made and the official steps have been taken, marital
life should start with the remembrance of God.
It is recommended that when the bridegroom meets his
bride for the first time after the wedding ceremony,
he should place his hand on her forehead and say: "In
the name of God. May God bless each of us for his and
her partner." The bridegroom should then say: "My
Lord, grant me the best in her and the best that you
placed in her nature. I appeal to You to protect me
against her worst and the worst that you placed in her
nature." She should say the same prayer. No one should
wonder at such a prayer at such a time. Every one of
us has weaknesses that are better kept unexposed.
Anyone who claims to be perfect suffers from great
delusion. Even when the married couple are very close,
the continuity of their love and happiness requires
them to focus on their partners and to pray God to
help them maintain their piety.
A unique feature of Islam is that it surrounds man's
natural needs and his satisfaction with remembering
and glorifying God. When we eat or drink, we begin by
mentioning God's name. Likewise, when a married couple
have sex, they should mention God's name. The Prophet
says: "When any of you is about to have sex with his
wife, he should say: ‘Our Lord, protect us from Satan
and protect what you grant us from him. Should a child
be the result on this occasion, that child will not be
harmed by Satan."
While sex is a pleasurable pursuit, it is right that
it must be kept within marriage so as to bring about a
family, which requires steady striving. Such are the
pleasures of this life: They are always attended by
hard struggle. In this case it starts with the woman
as she struggles through her pregnancy. She then
endures the pains of childbirth and the burden of
breast-feeding. The father has then to strive hard in
order to provide for his family and bring up his
children. Hence, it is important to always seek God's
help to relieve our pain and to facilitate our
purpose. The Prophet taught us numerous prayers and
supplications to ensure that. Let us quote a few: "My
Lord, I seek Your grace. Do not leave me to my own
devices for even a twinkle of an eye; and set all my
affairs on the right course. There is no deity other
than You."
"My Lord, You are the Ever-Living, the Eternal Master
of all. I urgently appeal to You to bestow Your mercy
on me".
"My Lord, there is no deity other than You. All glory
be to You. I have been a wrongdoer."
By making marriage the rule of life and the legitimate
way to satisfy the sexual desire, Islam steers a
middle way between religions that shun the sexual
desire and urge their followers to suppress it, and
permissiveness that makes everything acceptable. To
suggest that suppression of the sexual desire is a
mark of true piety is wrong and has no foundation.
Likewise, permissiveness ushers numerous problems. It
is only through a mutually caring relationship of
marriage that man finds a happy middle way. Hence,
this is the way approved by Islam.
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