Marriage, for some young people, appears last on the priority list. It is an afterthought, to be visited after the important things in life such as education, career are taken care of and financial standing is established. In fact, marriage provides a partner to share your dreams, ambitions and money with and an anchor to hold on to.

Some young people who Syedna Taher Saifuddin ^(RA) was encouraging to get married replied that they were not ready yet, but would marry as soon as they could stand on their own two feet. Syedna countered them by asking what they were standing on at that very moment.

Young people fear that they will be unable to take care of their wives and children without a loaded bank account. In fact, Rasulullah ^(SAW) has specifically mentioned that he who hesitates to marry for fear of poverty has wrongly conjectured the grace of Allah (su uz zan) when in fact Allah has warranted wealth for all people, “Allah is Razzaq”. Additionally, marriage itself is a cause of bringing wealth since Allah has said, “If they are poor, Allah will make them rich by His grace.”

Islam has encouraged marriage at a young age. Rasulullah ^(SAW) says that if a man marries in his youth his Shaitan will call out in pain and disappointment that this man has safeguarded two-thirds of his deen and has now to worry only of the remainder. Most transgressions occur for the love of women, since women are said to be the lures of the devil, but marriage is sure to protect from these.

The nafs (soul) has three names: nafs nameya, nafs hissiya and nafs nateqa and certain aspects of deen are enforced on all three. Marriage safeguards the first two of these, since marriage protects from wanton desires as it provides honor which is the greatest achievement for nafs hissiya. Now he has only to take care of his nafs nateqa by learning true ‘ilm and wisdom.