What Has Been Ordered Regarding Marrying A Religious Woman Sunan Abi Dawud 2047
Arabic hadith text
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ سَعِيدٍ - حَدَّثَنِي عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ "تُنْكَحُ النِّسَاءُ لأَرْبَعٍ لِمَالِهَا وَلِحَسَبِهَا وَلِجَمَالِهَا وَلِدِينِهَا فَاظْفَرْ بِذَاتِ الدِّينِ تَرِبَتْ يَدَاكَ "
Translation
Abu Hurairah reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying “Women may be married for four reasons
Women may be married for four things: for their wealth, for their family status, for their beauty, and for their religion. So marry the one who is religious, may your hands be covered in dust (i.e., prosper).
Marriage (Kitab Al-Nikah) - Sunan Abi Dawud 2047
"for her property, her ranks, her beauty and her religiosity. So get the one who is religious and prosper (lit. may your hands cleave to the dust)."
Commentary on the Hadith
This noble hadith from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) provides essential guidance for selecting a spouse. The Messenger of Allah enumerates four qualities for which women are typically sought in marriage: wealth, social status, physical beauty, and religious commitment.
The wisdom behind mentioning these four attributes lies in their common appeal to human nature. People naturally gravitate toward wealth for financial security, high lineage for social standing, beauty for physical attraction, and religion for spiritual compatibility.
The profound instruction "So get the one who is religious" indicates the paramount importance of prioritizing religious commitment above all other considerations. A religious spouse safeguards one's faith, establishes a household upon Islamic principles, and raises righteous children.
The concluding phrase "may your hands cleave to the dust" is an Arabic expression denoting success and prosperity. It signifies that choosing a religious spouse brings divine blessings and lasting benefit in both worldly and spiritual matters.
Scholars explain that while other qualities may be considered, religious commitment must remain the primary criterion, as it ensures the foundation of the marriage is pleasing to Allah and built upon righteous principles.