An inquirer asks, “Kindly clarify some of the teachings of Islam that encourage marriage.”

Islam encourages marriage and calls upon people to pursue it, to the extent that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) made it one of the established Sunnahs of Islam. The following are some Prophetic hadiths that encourage marriage:

- Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Marriage is part of my Sunnah” (recorded by Ahmad in his Musnad).

- ʿAbdullah ibn Masʿud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “O young people! Whoever among you can afford marriage should marry, and whoever cannot should fast, for fasting serves as a shield for him” (recorded by Bukhari and Muslim).

- The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also prescribed that the marriage contract be publicly announced and celebrated with expressions of joy and happiness. Al-Zubayr ibn al-ʿAwam (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Announce the marriage” (recorded by Ahmad in his Musnad).

- The Mother of the Believers, ʿA’isha (may Allah be pleased with her), narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Publicize the marriage and play the duff on the coccasion” (recorded by Ibn Majah in his Sunan).[1]

This permissibility extends to all expressions of joy and celebration, provided that they are not inherently prohibited.[2]

And Allah Almighty knows best.