A lady from Kuwait wrote to Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa and asked why it was obligatory for Muslims to marry. She asked whether an unmarried person would not go to Heaven despite being very pious.
Huzooraa, in his letter dated 15 October 2021, gave the following reply to this question:
“Marriage is one of Islam’s fundamental commandments for Muslims. Allah the Exalted has commanded in the Holy Quran:
فَانۡكِحُوۡا مَا طَابَ لَكُمۡ مِّنَ النِّسَآءِ مَثۡنٰي وَثُلٰثَ وَرُبٰعَ
“…then marry of women as may be agreeable to you, two, or three, or four… (Surah an-Nisa’, Ch.4: V.4)
Likewise, marrying is the sunnah of the Holy Prophetsa, who said, a true Muslim was one who followed his sunnah. Hence, it is narrated by Hazrat Aishara:
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ النِّكَاحُ مِنْ سُنَّتِي فَمَنْ لَمْ يَعْمَلْ بِسُنَّتِي فَلَيْسَ مِنِّي وَتَزَوَّجُوا فَإِنِّي مُكَاثِرٌ بِكُمْ الْأُمَمَ وَمَنْ كَانَ ذَا طَوْلٍ فَلْيَنْكِحْ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَعَلَيْهِ بِالصِّيَامِ فَإِنَّ الصَّوْمَ لَهُ وِجَاءٌ۔
“‘Allah’s Messengersa said, ‘Marriage is part of my sunnah, and whoever does not follow my sunnah has nothing to do with me. Get married, for I will take pride in your great numbers before other nations. Whoever has the means, let him get married, and whoever does not, then he should fast, for it will diminish his desire.’’ (Sunan Ibn Majah, Kitab an-nikah, bab ma ja’a fi fadli n-nikah)
“Thus, if a good match becomes available and the individual is kufw [compatible] with you, then you should definitely get married. However, it should not be the case that you marry any disbeliever or atheist, rather, it is important to keep Islamic teachings and administrative guidelines in mind in such matters too.”