Marriage is a source of mental and spiritual peace for a person. It makes an individual responsible, and through it, the survival of human generations is ensured. Therefore, many ayat from the Quran about marriage offer guidance, emphasizing fulfilling one’s desires through marriage. In contrast, zina (fornication) is condemned. If we follow the Islamic teachings and the guidance of ayat from the Quran about marriage, as well as the Hadith, our relationship will be a great blessing. Those who are planning to marry or have already married should study the ayat from the Quran about marriage and implement them in their lives. A couple who follows the Islamic teachings will never face difficulties or discomfort. Let’s explore the ayat from the Quran about marriage to understand how to lead a fulfilling married life.
- The Quran commands Muslims to marry believers instead of polytheists.
- Offering Mehr is both a Quranic requirement and a sign of respect in Nikah.
- The Quran states that marriage is a union of love, kindness, and peace.
- In terms of comfort and security, spouses are each other’s clothes.
- A strong prayer for a happy and moral family in the Quran.
- In a marriage, men are the caregivers, in charge of providing for and guarding.
- Islam promotes marriage as a remedy for immorality and poverty.
- The Quran stresses kindness and forbids forced marriages.
- The Quran recommends family arbitration for marital conflits.
- Divorce must be fair — the dowry cannot be reclaimed unjustly.
Marriage Rules in the Quran: A Muslim Should Marry a Muslim
وَلَا تَنْكِحُوا الْمُشْرِكٰتِ حَتّٰى يُؤْمِنَّ ۚ وَلَاَمَةٌ مُّؤْمِنَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ مُّشْرِكَةٍ وَّلَوْ اَعْجَبَتْكُمْ ۚ وَلَا تُنْكِحُوا الْمُشْرِكِيْنَ حَتّٰى يُؤْمِنُوْا ۚ
“And do not marry polytheistic women until they believe. And a believing slave woman is better than a polytheist, even though she might please you. And do not marry polytheistic men [to your women] until they believe”
Hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ:
“تُنْكَحُ الْمَرْأَةُ لِأَرْبَعٍ: لِمَالِهَا، وَلِحَسَبِهَا، وَلِجَمَالِهَا، وَلِدِينِهَا، فَاظْفَرْ بِذَاتِ الدِّينِ تَرِبَتْ يَدَاكَ.”
“A woman is married for four things: for her wealth, for her lineage, for her beauty, and for her religion. So, choose the religious one, may your hands be rubbed with dust (i.e., may you prosper).”
When a person reaches the age of marriage, the question arises in their mind about whom they should marry. From the Quranic verse, it is known that a Muslim’s marriage will only be with a Muslim, not with a polytheist or disbeliever. Therefore, it is necessary to choose a believing woman or a believing man for oneself.
Quranic Verses About Marriage: Giving Mehr as a Marital Obligation
وَآتُوا النِّسَاءَ صَدُقَاتِهِنَّ نِحْلَةً ۚ فَإِنْ طِبْنَ لَكُمْ عَنْ شَيْءٍ مِّنْهُ نَفْسًا فَكُلُوْهُ هَنِيْئًا مَّرِيْئًا
“And give the women their due dower (Mehr) graciously. But if they willingly give up part of it to you, then enjoy it with pleasure and satisfaction.”
A necessary condition for marriage is giving the woman her rightful Mehr; without it, Nikah is not valid. Whether Mehr is given before or after Nikah, it must be specified. A woman should be given Mehr with a happy heart, not as a burden. As the verse clarifies, if the woman later forgives the Mehr, it is also permissible.
The Quranic Perspective on Love and Mercy in Marriage
The Quran beautifully describes the love and mercy between husband and wife in the following verse:
Surah Ar-Rum
وَمِنْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦٓ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًۭا لِّتَسْكُنُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَكُم مَّوَدَّةًۭ وَرَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَٰتٍۢ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
“And among His signs is that He created for you spouses from among yourselves so that you may find tranquility in them, and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed, in that are signs for a people who reflect.”
Allah has created a spouse for humans from their own kind so that they may attain tranquility. This marital bond is among the signs of Allah’s power. Moreover, the purpose of Nikah is to establish love, mercy, and peace between husband and wife, which creates a sense of hope and happiness in life and provides new energy to face upcoming challenges. In short, a successful marriage is the foundation of a joyful life.
Husband and Wife in the Quran: Garments for Each Other
Surah Al-Baqarah
هُنَّ لِبَاسٌۭ لَّكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لِبَاسٌۭ لَّهُنَّ
“They are clothing for you and you are clothing for them.”
In the Quran, husband and wife are declared as garments for each other. The reason for this is that just as clothing protects the body from heat and cold, man and woman are protectors of one another. Just as clothing conceals faults, they too should conceal each other’s faults. And just as clothing is an adornment for a person, man and woman are also an adornment for each other
Quranic Supplication for a Righteous Spouse and Peaceful Family Life
Surah Al-Furqan
وَٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا هَبۡ لَنَا مِنۡ أَزۡوَٰجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّـٰتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعۡيُنٖ وَٱجۡعَلۡنَا لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا
And those who say, “Our Lord, grant us from among our wives and offspring comfort to our eyes and make us an example for the righteous.”
This is a prayer taught to Muslims in which we are encouraged to ask for a righteous wife and children — a source of peace and comfort for the heart. This verse can be recited as a supplication for one’s family.
Quranic Verse on Men as Leaders: Understanding Surah An-Nisa
surah an-nisa
الرِّجَالُ قَوَّامُونَ عَلَى ٱلنِّسَآءِ بِمَا فَضَّلَ ٱللَّهُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍۢ وَبِمَآ أَنفَقُوا۟ مِنْ أَمْوَٰلِهِمْ ۚ فَٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتُ قَٰنِتَٰتٌ حَٰفِظَٰتٌۭ لِّلْغَيْبِ بِمَا حَفِظَ ٱللَّهُ
“Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they spend from their wealth. So righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in the husband’s absence what Allah would have them guard”
Protecting the honor of the wife, taking care of her, managing the living and food of one’s wife and children, fulfilling the family’s needs by using one’s resources and managing them, making important decisions about the family—all these are the responsibilities of a man as a leader. Based on a man’s intelligence and strength, he is made a leader, and due to a woman’s delicate sensitivity, the care and upbringing of children, protection of the man’s wealth and honor in his absence, are the responsibilities of the woman. Because of the woman’s delicate nature, heavy responsibilities have not been placed on her.
islamic Encouragement for Marrying the Unmarried: A Cure for Poverty and Immorality
Surah An-Nur
وَأَنكِحُوا۟ ٱلْأَيَـٰمَىٰ مِنكُمْ وَٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ مِنْ عِبَادِكُمْ وَإِمَآئِكُمْ ۚ إِن يَكُونُوا۟ فُقَرَآءَ يُغْنِهِمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌۭ
“And marry off those who are single among you and the righteous among your male and female servants. If they are poor, Allah will enrich them from His bounty. And Allah is All-Encompassing and All-Knowing.”
Those who are unmarried — whether they are single, divorced, or widowed — if they are capable of marriage and possess the means to provide the necessary maintenance (nafaqah) as prescribed in Shariah, then they should be married off. The fear of poverty should not become a hindrance in this matter. Allah, through His bounty, will make the poor rich by the blessings of marriage. Common experience also shows that after marriage, a sense of responsibility develops in a man, which results in an increase in his income. Or this may also mean that the sustenance of two people will combine. If, by acting upon this verse, the number of marriages increases, then immoral practices and evil habits like fornication (zina) will also come to an end.
“Islamic Prohibition of Forcing Women and the Importance of Kind Treatment in Marriage – Surah An-Nisa ”
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ أَن تَرِثُوا۟ ٱلنِّسَآءَ كَرْهًۭا ۖ وَلَا تَعْضُلُوهُنَّ لِتَذْهَبُوا۟ بِبَعْضِ مَآ ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ إِلَّآ أَن يَأْتِينَ بِفَـٰحِشَةٍۢ مُّبَيِّنَةٍۢ ۚ وَعَاشِرُوهُنَّ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۚ فَإِن كَرِهْتُمُوهُنَّ فَعَسَىٰٓ أَن تَكْرَهُوا۟ شَيْـًۭٔا وَيَجْعَلَ ٱللَّهُ فِيهِ خَيْرًۭا كَثِيرًۭا
“O you who believe! It is not lawful for you to inherit women against their will. And do not make difficulties for them in order to take back part of what you gave them—unless they commit a clear immorality. And live with them in kindness. If you dislike them, it may be that you dislike something in which Allah has placed much good.”
In the age of ignorance, people used to forcibly become the heirs of women and would not allow them to marry another man so that no one else could share in the inheritance, nor would they themselves marry them. Even in today’s era, some people still commit this injustice towards women by not allowing them to marry outside the family or tribe, fearing that an outsider might share in the inheritance. All of these are customs and traditions of ignorance. Islam forbids such things.
Moreover, one important aspect of this verse is that if something in the wife displeases you, then be patient — because no one is perfect. If one trait is not likable, there may be another good quality in her. In short, every effort should be made to maintain the relationship.
Quranic Guidance for Resolving Marital Disputes Through Family Arbitration
Surah An-Nisa
وَإِنۡ خِفۡتُمۡ شِقَاقَ بَيۡنِهِمَا فَٱبۡعَثُواْ حَكَمٗا مِّنۡ أَهۡلِهِۦ وَحَكَمٗا مِّنۡ أَهۡلِهَآۚ إِن يُرِيدَآ إِصۡلَٰحٗا يُوَفِّقِ ٱللَّهُ بَيۡنَهُمَآۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا خَبِيرٗا
“And if you fear dissension between the two (husband and wife), send an arbitrator from his family and an arbitrator from her family. If they both desire reconciliation, Allah will cause it between them. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Acquainted”
In this verse, it is taught that if a husband and wife have a dispute, then divorce should not be given immediately. Rather, arbitrators from both families should be appointed, and they should try to reconcile between them. If there is an intention for reconciliation, then by Allah’s command, reconciliation will take place
Islamic Guidance on Resolving Marital Conflict Through Mutual Understanding
Surah An-Nisa
وَإِنِ ٱمْرَأَةٌ خَافَتْ مِنۢ بَعْلِهَا نُشُوزًا أَوْ إِعْرَاضٗا فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِمَآ أَن يُصْلِحَا بَيْنَهُمَا صُلْحٗاۚ وَٱلصُّلْحُ خَيْرٞۗ وَأُحْضِرَتِ ٱلْأَنفُسُ ٱلشُّحَّۚ وَإِن تُحْسِنُواْ وَتَتَّقُواْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٗا
“And if a woman fears cruelty or neglect from her husband, there is no sin on both of them if they make terms of peace between themselves — and making peace is better. And greed has been made present in human souls. But if you do good and fear Allah — then surely Allah is All-Aware of what you do.”
When a wife feels hatred or indifference from her husband, the solution is not immediate divorce but rather trying to understand each other and leaning toward reconciliation. Reconciliation is considered better. The natural tendency of selfishness in both husband and wife is also mentioned. In the end, Allah advises resolving the marital gap with patience and piety, especially when the wife wishes to preserve the relationship.
Quranic Guidance on Divorce: Do Not Take Back the Dowry from Your Wife
Surah An-Nisa
وَإِنۡ أَرَدتُّمُ ٱسۡتِبۡدَالَ زَوۡجٖ مَّكَانَ زَوۡجٖ وَءَاتَيۡتُمُ إِحۡدَىٰهُنَّ قِنطَارٗا فَلَا تَأۡخُذُواْ مِنۡهُ شَيۡـًٔاۚ أَتَأۡخُذُونَهُۥ بُهۡتَٰنٗا وَإِثۡمٗا مُّبِينٗا
“And if you want to replace one wife with another and you have given one of them a great amount [in gifts], do not take back anything from it. Would you take it unjustly and in open sin?”
In this verse, both moral and legal principles are outlined — if a husband wants to leave his first wife and marry another, he is not allowed to take anything back from the dowry, even if he gave her a large amount of gold. Such an act is considered a false accusation and clear injustice, as the wife has done nothing wrong that would justify reclaiming anything. Moreover, this behavior is considered oppression, wrongdoing, and rooted in selfishness.
conclusion
In Islam,nikah is a good and clean relationship. Living together is only one aspect of it another is supporting one another’s personal development. We learn a lot about marriage from the Quran and Hadith, including how to be truthful, compassionate, loving, and considerate of one another.
Making a happy family and avoiding bad things are two benefits of marriage. A husband and wife’s life will be blessed and peaceful if they adhere to Islam and the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ. Both ought to be kind, patient, and use love to resolve conflicts. This type of marriage brings success in the next life as well as happiness in this one.