Sunan an-Nasa'i
Sunan an-Nasa'i 3207
أَخْبَرَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، أَنَّ عُثْمَانَ، قَالَ لاِبْنِ مَسْعُودٍ هَلْ لَكَ فِي فَتَاةٍ أُزَوِّجُكَهَا . فَدَعَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ عَلْقَمَةَ فَحَدَّثَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ الْبَاءَةَ فَلْيَتَزَوَّجْ فَإِنَّهُ أَغَضُّ لِلْبَصَرِ وَأَحْصَنُ لِلْفَرْجِ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَلْيَصُمْ فَإِنَّهُ لَهُ وِجَاءٌ " .
Bishr ibn Khalid reported to us; he said: Muhammad ibn Ja'far narrated to us, from Shu'bah, from Sulayman, from Ibrahim, from Alqamah, that Uthman said to Ibn Masud: ‘Would you like a young woman whom I could marry to you?’ Abd Allah then called Alqamah and related that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘Whoever among you is able to marry should do so, for it is more effective in lowering the gaze and guarding chastity. Whoever is unable should fast, for fasting is a restraint for him.’
Translation notes
The phrase اسْتَطَاعَ الْبَاءَةَ refers to having the capacity for marriage; fasting is described metaphorically as a restraint.
فَدَعَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ عَلْقَمَةَ فَحَدَّثَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ الْبَاءَةَ فَلْيَتَزَوَّجْ فَإِنَّهُ أَغَضُّ لِلْبَصَرِ وَأَحْصَنُ لِلْفَرْجِ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَلْيَصُمْ فَإِنَّهُ لَهُ وِجَاءٌ " .
The term الْبَاءَةَ may refer to capacity for marriage, including its financial and physical aspects.
Does “is able to marry” preserve the intended range without over-specifying it?