Marriage should be easy! In Islam it can be

HIGH DIVORCE RATE
In some countries the divorce rate has gone beyond the 50 per cent mark. What has happened?
What should have been living happily ever after has turned into a complete disaster.

PEOPLE ARE RUNNING SCARED
Droves of people are now too scared to marry and adultery and fornication have become widespread and socially normal.

IS MARRIAGE THAT COMPLICATED? THAT DIFFICULT?
Is marriage as complicated as modern society makes it seem?

CONCEPTION OF MARRIAGE
If someone thinks about marriage what comes to mind is all the stress, hassle and the responsibilities. Many people share a common view that first they have to complete all their studies, then save money, buy a house and only then can they get married. However, by then he is about 30 years old and he finds out that it is hard to find a wife. As a result he gets stressed.

THE HASSLE OF MARRIAGE
Significant numbers would not want to get married because they have come to the conclusion that marriage is such a big hassle. Owing to traditions such as dowries, lavish wedding receptions and five-star honeymoons, plus a lack of knowledge, marriage seems to be complicated, difficult and a rigmarole.

MARRIAGE IS SIMPLE
The reality is that marriage is extremely simple.

THE BLESSING OF MARRIAGE
Marriage is such a blessed act, is the solution to fornication and is the means to producing an educated, civilized community.

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN MARRIAGE COULD BE SIMPLE
In Islam marriage is encouraged and praised. In addition, there is no celibacy in Islam.

The Quran says: “And the monasticism which they invented (knew) for themselves, we did not prescribe that for them.” (Surah 57, Ayat 27)

My Sunnah (my way of life)
Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) made it clear that marriage was his way of life. Sunnah means way of life and Nikah means marriage.  “Nikah is from my Sunnah. Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not from me.” (Bukhari)

In one narration, the Prophet (Peace be Upon Him) said, “Whoever amongst you has the means should get married… Whoever does not have the means should fast, because that breaks the temptation.”

Looking at all these narrations, the scholars differ concerning the ruling of marriage. Imam Ahmed and Dawood Zahiry say that it is compulsory in all circumstances except when one does not posses the potential for marriage.

However the majority of the scholars agree that if one has the necessary financial means and he is in need of marriage due to having a strong sexual urge, then it is compulsory, and if he doesn't have the urge then it is a Sunnah and a virtue.

Imam Shafee says that it is better to be occupied with worship or learning the Deen for one who is not in need of marriage.  Deen in this context means learning and doing everything that one  should as a Muslim.

Imam Abu Hanifah Rahmatullahi Alayh says that it is better to get married than staying single for worship. Imam Abu Hanifah Rahmatullahi Alayhi's view is more accepted by the scholars especially in this day and age.

MODERN MINDSET
The mentality people have today is that one has to be financially stable with a job and a house. How can anybody be sure about their stability when life itself is not stable? Nobody knows what is just round the corner. There are many who were rich yesterday and today they are poor. There are many who were able yesterday and today they are unable and vice versa.

WEALTH SHOULD NOT BE A FACTOR
However Imam Abu Hanifah doesn't consider wealth because it is not stable, as the word 'Zahab' in Arabic means gold which is derived from the root word 'Zahaba' meaning to go.

THE TIME WHEN PROPHET MUHAMMAD LIVED
During this time many people didn’t have the money for the dowry so the Prophet (Peace be Upon Him) let them go and find even a copper ring.

Some people did not even have any money so they would get married in exchange for teaching their wife a chapter of the Qur’an.

A rich leader such as Abu Hind married his daughter to a slave.

“Marry off those amongst you who are not married and those who are capable of marrying from your male and female slaves. If they are poor (then don't worry) Allah will enrich them out of His grace, Allah is ample giving and All-knowing.” (Chapter 24, Verse 32)

We understand from this verse that it is the responsibility of the community to make sure that everyone gets married and how simple Islamic marriage actually is.

Text credit: Haroon Chaudhry

Modern marriage can be so expensive