Marriage is basically a religious-cum-social contract between people of opposite genders. The purpose of marriage is to :
1 Over come sexual deviation and corruption
2 Continue human generations
3 Get a life partner for sharing and satisfaction
All these targets can be achieved if marriage is done with the consent of bride and families involved in this religious-cum-social contract.
Some people are keen to know stance of Islam about age of bride and bride groom.There is no restriction in Islam about age of marriage .Any person who has reached the age of puberty is allowed to marry in Islam provided that he/she is mentally and physically mature to fulfil the liabilities of marriage.
Many people have objections on early age marriages and they feel it is against human rights however on the other hand they are full supporters of free sex and are ready to accommodate even gays and lesbians under the banner of freedom, liberty and human rights.
Islam is against every kind of moral corruption and strongly condemns free mixing of genders . It is unlucky that many religious Muslims also become victims of propaganda done by secular and liberal people and start raising voice against early age marriages.
Reliable data shows that a large number of both genders is involved in moral corruption in early teens or even before and a majority of teenagers are involved in unethical activities especially masturbation which is not even taken unethical by many secular circles. This curse of masturbation causes mental distortion and many times leads to frigidity, impotence and acute depression.
All this observation strengthens the Islamic stance that a person male or female should be married as soon as possible if they are able to fulfil their liabilities with or without assistance of their family this can save them from all kinds of moral corruption.Allah swt says:
And marry those among you who are single (i.e. a man who has no wife and the woman who has no husband) and (also marry) the Sâlihûn (pious, fit and capable ones) of your (male) slaves and maid-servants (female slaves). If they be poor, Allâh will enrich them out of His Bounty. And Allâh is All-Sufficent for His creatures' needs, All-Knowing (about the state of the people). (An-Nur 24:32)
This verse indicates that Islam wants that single men/women should be married even if they are not financially stable because character is more important is Islam than carrier.
The first generation of Islam ie many sahabas practiced early age marriages and the result is quiet obvious that society was saved from all kind of moral corruptions.
Some of the prominent sahabias married at early ages are
1 Ummul momineen Ayesha radi Allahu anha
2 Ummul momineen Safiyya bint e Hayy radi Allahu anha
3 Hazrat Fatimah tuz Zahra radi Allahu anhu
It is however not obligatory to marry at early ages and according to surah Noor people can wait till they are financially stable.
Allah swt says:
And let those who find not the financial means for marriage keep themselves chaste, until Allâh enriches them of His Bounty. And such of your slaves as seek a writing (of emancipation), give them such writing, if you know that they are good and trustworthy. And give them something yourselves out of the wealth of Allâh which He has bestowed upon you (An-Nur 24:33)
This verse clearly indicates that there is no compulsion on a person to marry at early age and he/she can wait if they can save them from corruption but no one should criticize the early age marriages because it is one of the major ways to over come moral corruption and one thing should be kept in mind that early age marriage does not mean that a girl is being married without her consent .The consent of bride must be taken because without consent of guardian and bride a marriage is not legal in Islam.
By Engineer Ibtisam Elahi Zaheer www.quran-o-sunnah.com
