The Detestability of Living Single

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Two Rak’at Salat (prayer) performed by a married person is more virtuous than seventy Rak’at Salat (prayer) performed by a non-married person.’” “A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Ash’ariy from ibn al-Qaddah from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), a similar Hadith.”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah (sw) said, ‘By getting married one secures one-half of his religion.’ In another Hadith it is said that one must thereafter maintain piety before Allah about the other one-half.”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘The worthless dead among you are the unmarried ones.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When Yusuf met his brother, he asked, “How did you marry women after me?” He replied, “My father commanded me to do so and said, ‘If you can have so many children who will load the earth heavily with Tasbih (Allah is free of all defects), then you must do so.”””

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), has said, ‘You must become married because the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, “Whoever wants to follow my Sunnah, must take notice that of my Sunnah is marriage.’””

“Once, a man came to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and he (the Imam) asked, ‘Are you married?’ The man replied, ‘No, I am not married.’ My father said, ‘I do not like to have the whole world but spend one night without wife.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘Two Rak’at Salat (prayer) performed by a married man is better than an unmarried man’s performing Salat (prayer) the whole night and fasting during the day.’ My father gave him seven dinars and said, ‘You must get married with this.’ My father then said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘Find a wife because it is helpful to increase your sustenance.’”

“‘Abd Allah ibn al-Mughirah has narrated from abu al-Hassan (a.s.), a similar Hadith and added the following: Muhammad ibn ‘Ubayd said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, I am not married.’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘Do you not have slave-girls’ or that he (the Imam) asked, ‘Do you not have mothers of your children?’ He replied, ‘Yes, I have.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘You then are not an unmarried man.’”