Marriage in Islam is described as the life of a man and woman in togetherness, love, peace, harmony and understanding. As a result the institution and contract of marriage requires just a simple marriage ceremony that is known as Nikah in which the man and woman express their wish and intention to live with each other in front of witnesses. Once that is done, the woman is to move out of her present house and live with her husband, who now has the responsibility to provide for her and his future family as a result of the reunion of marriage.
The change of the lives of the Muslim man and woman are inevitable after marriage. Most people do not want to accept change in their lives which is why they hold off marriage to a later date, eventually in some cases not even marrying. For such people it has been reported that The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said,
‘A person who possesses the means to marry (i.e. he is able to work etc. to support a wife and children) and does not marry then he is not from amongst us (i.e. the believers).’
The importance of marriage is such that it completes half your faith, as mentioned by the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). Why then refrain from such a change? Indeed it is the best change ever! Allah loves His creation more than anything else. For this reason he has ordained the marriage, albeit it comes with a lifetime of change. This is because marriage saves his creation (Muslims) from the sins that they may commit as a result of not being married; the sins of polygamy and straying off the right path. Getting married brings organization in your life. Being loyal to one person for the rest of your life arranges it for the better. Yes, it changes, but who would want to refrain from this change?
Many people argue that marriage in Islam means there is change only for the girl as she has to leave her house and move to a completely strange environment and new family. However, this is a myth. The life of the man changes too. He now has the responsibility to provide for his family. He is liable to give his wife the best he can in terms of material and emotional support. Allah says in the Quran:
‘And wed the single among you’. (chapter 24, verse 32).
Allah has also proclaimed that he has given the responsibility to the man of the house to support his family because:
“Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means.”
This responsibility in itself is a huge change for the man, who will be answerable TO Allah on the Day of Judgment. If the woman has to adjust into the new surroundings of her husband’s house, then the man too has to adjust to a new member of the family in his house. Hence marriage in Islam is considered a change for both the husband and the wife, equally. Allah has meant marriage to be a long term relationship with each other, sharing in the happiness and making sacrifices for each other. Sure, you life changes after marriage and it’s not always a blissful honeymoon but the purpose of the relationship is to bring out the spirit of love and sacrifice for each other and remember that life is constantly changing anyway. So accept the change that completes half your faith, accept the change that makes Allah happy.
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