Hadith – Sahih Bukhari Volume 7, Book 62, No. 1, Narrated Anas bin Malik ) Razi Allahu Anhu) A group of three men came to the houses of the wives of the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) asking how the Prophet worshipped (Allah), and when they were informed about that, they considered their worship insufficient and said, “Where are we from the Prophet as his past and future sins have been forgiven.” Then one of them said, “I will offer the prayer throughout the night forever.” The other said, “I will fast throughout the year and not break my fast.” The third said, “I will keep away from the women and will not marry forever.” Allah’s Apostle came to them and said, “Are you the same people who said so-and-so? By Allah, I am more submissive to Allah and more afraid of Him than you; yet I fast and break my fast, I do sleep and I also marry women. So he who does not follow my tradition in religion, is not from me (not one of my followers).”

Hadith – Sahih Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 62, Number 4, Narrated ‘Abdullah ) Razi Allahu Anhu) We were with the Prophet while we were young and had no wealth whatsoever. So Allah’s Apostle said, “O young people! Whoever among you can marry, should marry, because it helps him lower his gaze and guard his modesty ( i.e. his private parts from committing illegal sexual intercourse, etc.), and whoever is not able to marry, should fast, as fasting diminishes his sexual power.”

Saying of Salaf – Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah
Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah (rahimahullah) said, “The most nimble of creatures still have need of a voice. The cleverest women still need to have a husband, and the cleverest man still needs to consult wise men.”

Al-Mahr (The Dowry)
The Noble Qur’an 4:4: And give to the women (whom you marry) their Mahr (obligatory bridal money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage) with a good heart, but if they, of their own good pleasure, remit any part of it to you, take it, and enjoy it without fear of any harm (as Allâh has made it lawful).

The Limit of What Can Be Seen of the Woman Whom One Seeks to Marry
There is no harm (in the man seeing her), however it is not obligatory. Rather, it is recommended that he sees her and she sees him because the Prophet (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) commanded the one who proposed marriage to look at the woman. This is because that is better for causing agreement and harmony between them. So if she uncovers her face for him, and her hands and her head, there is no harm in that according to the correct opinion. Some of the people of knowledge have said that it is sufficient for her to uncover the face and the two hands. However, the correct opinion is that there is no harm in him seeing her head, face, hands, and feet

However, this is not permissible for him to be alone with her. Rather, her father, or brother, or someone else must be with them. This is because the Prophet (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, “A man must never be alone with a woman unless there is someone who is a Mahram with them.” (Agreed upon in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim.) He (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) also said, “A man must never be alone with a woman, for verily the Satan is their third.” (At-Tirmithee and Ahmad)

Rights over one another
Hadith – Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 50, Number 882. Narrated Uqba bin Amir ) Razi Allahu Anhu) Allah’s Apostle (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, “From among all the conditions which you have to fulfill, the conditions which make it legal for you to have sexual relations ( i.e. the marriage contract) have the greatest right to be fulfilled.”

The following examples of behavior of a husband are haram (prohibited) and can lead to disobedience (to Allah) in the wife.

Al-Bahuti al-Hanbali, Kishaaf al-Qinaa’ an Matn al-Iqnaa’, vol. 5, pp. 184, 290, 213; Ibn Abideen, Radd al-Mukhtar ala al-Darr al-Mukhtar wa Hashiyah, vol. 3, p. 190; Tafseer al-Manaar, vol. 5, p. 76.
“He [the husband] may cause his wife different forms of harm, such as cursing her or her family, reviling her, verbally abusing her for the tiniest of reasons. He may insult her because of her family if it is less prestigious or honorable than his. Or he may try to bring harm to her by divorcing her and then, before the waiting period is finished, bring her back as his wife and then divorce her again. All this is done without the intention of returning to a real married life but simply to harm her and transgress her rights. Or he may avoid having sexual intercourse with her for no reason or legal sanction. This may lead the woman to lose her chastity and do something forbidden.”

The Noble Qur’an Al-Baqarah 2:228
…And they (women) have rights (over their husbands as regards living expenses, etc.) similar (to those of their husbands) over them (as regards obedience and respect, etc.) to what is reasonable, but men have a degree (of responsibility) over them. And Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.

Hadith – Al-Tirmidhi, Narrated Amr ibn al-Ahwas al-Jushami ) Razi Allahu Anhu) The Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, “…Listen! You have your rights upon your wives and they have their rights upon you. Your right is that they shall not allow anyone you dislike, to trample your bed and do not permit those whom you dislike to enter your home. Their right is that you should treat them well in the matter of food and clothing.”

Hadith – Sahih Al-Bukhari 3.189, Narrated Abu Juhaifa )Razi Allahu Anhu) Salman told Abu Ad-Darda’, “Your Lord has a right on you, your soul has a right on you, and your family has a right on you; so you should give the rights of all those who have a right on you.” Abu Ad-Darda’ came to the Prophet and narrated the whole story. The Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, “Salman has spoken the truth.”

Hadith – Sahih Al-Bukhari 3.501, Narrated Abu Huraira )Razi Allahu Anhu) …The Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, “The best amongst you is the one who pays the rights of others generously.”

Hadith – Al-Tirmidhi #276, Narrated Amr ibn al-Ahwas al-Jushami ) Razi Allahu Anhu) Amr heard the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) say in his farewell address on the eve of his Last Pilgrimage, after he had glorified and praised Allah, he cautioned his followers: ‘Listen! Treat women kindly; they are like prisoners in your hands. Beyond this, you do not owe anything to them. Should they be guilty of flagrant misbehavior, you may remove them from your beds and beat them but do not inflict upon them any severe punishment. Then if they obey you, do not have recourse to anything else against them. Listen! You have your rights upon your wives and they have their rights upon you. Your right is that they shall not allow anyone you dislike, to trample your bed and do not permit those whom you dislike to enter your home. Their right is that you should treat them well in the matter of food and clothing.’ [Transmitted by Tirmidhi]

The Noble Qur’an 5:1 O you who believe! Fulfill (your) obligations. …

Some Marriage Conditions That Must Not Exist
The Noble Qur’an 24:3: The adulterer marries not but an adulteress or a Mushrikah and the adulteress none marries her except an adulterer or a Muskrik [and that means that the man who agrees to marry (have a sexual relation with) a Mushrikah (female polytheist, pagan or idolatress) or a prostitute, then surely he is either an adulterer or a Mushrik (polytheist, pagan or idolater, etc.) And the woman who agrees to marry (have a sexual relation with) a Mushrik (polytheist, pagan or idolater) or an adulterer, then she is either a prostitute or a Mushrikah (female polytheist, pagan, or idolatress, etc.)]. Such a thing is forbidden to the believers (of Islâmic Monotheism).

The Noble Qur’an 5:5: (Lawful to you in marriage) are chaste women from the believers and chaste women from those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) before your time, when you have given their due Mahr (bridal money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage), desiring chastity ( i.e. taking them in legal wedlock) not committing illegal sexual intercourse, nor taking them as girl-friends.

The Noble Qur’an Al-Mumtahinah 60:10: O you who believe! When believing women come to you as emigrants, examine them, Allâh knows best as to their Faith, then if you ascertain that they are true believers, send them not back to the disbelievers, they are not lawful (wives) for the disbelievers nor are the disbelievers lawful (husbands) for them. But give the disbelievers that (amount of money) which they have spent [as their Mahr] to them. And there will be no sin on you to marry them if you have paid their Mahr to them. Likewise hold not the disbelieving women as wives, and ask for (the return of) that which you have spent (as Mahr), and let them (the disbelievers, etc.) ask back for that which they have spent. That is the Judgement of Allâh. He judges between you. And Allâh is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

Hadith – Malik’s Muwatta Book 28, Number 28.8.21: Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said that Said ibn al-Musayyab said, “It is forbidden to be married to a woman and her paternal or maternal aunt at the same time, and for a man to have intercourse with a female slave who is carrying another man’s child.”

Hadith – Muwatta 28.54: Yahya related to me from Malik from Rabia ibn Abi Abd ar-Rahman that al-Qasim ibn Muhammad and Urwa ibn az-Zubayr said that a man who had four wives and then divorced one of them irrevocably, could marry straightaway if he wished, and he did not have to wait for the completion of her idda.

Hadith – Malik’s Muwatta Book 28, Number 28.11.26: Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu’z-Zubayr al-Makki that a case was brought to Umar about a marriage that had only been witnessed by one man and one woman. He said, “This is a secret marriage and I do not permit it. Had I been the first to come upon it, I would have ordered them to be stoned.”

Hadith – Sahih Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 48, Number 813, Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas: The Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said about Hamza’s daughter, “I am not legally permitted to marry her, as [Islamic] foster relations are treated like blood relations (in marital affairs). She is the daughter of my foster brother.”

Temporary Marriage
Hadith – Malik’s Muwatta Book 28, Number 28.18.41: Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Abdullah and Hasan, the sons of Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib from their father, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) forbade temporary marriage with women and the flesh of domestic donkeys on the Day of Khaybar.

Hadith – Malik’s Muwatta Book 28, Number 28.18.42: Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Urwa ibn az-Zubayr that Khawla ibn Hakim came to Umar ibn al-Khattab and said, ”Rabia ibn Umayya made a temporary marriage with a woman and she is pregnant by him.” Umar ibn al-Khattab went out in dismay dragging his cloak, saying, “This temporary marriage, had I come across it, I would have ordered stoning and done away with it! ”

How to Approach a Woman for Marriage
Hadith – Muwatta 28.1: Yahya related to me from Malik from Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn Habban from al-Araj from Abu Hurayra (Razi Allahu Anhu) that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, ” Do not ask for a woman in marriage when another Muslim has already done so.”

A Pious Poor Pious Man is a Better Marriage Suitor than a Rich Man Who is Not Pious
Hadith – Bukhari 7.28, Narrated Sahl: A man passed by Allah’s Apostle and Allah’s Apostle asked (his companions) “What do you say about this (man)?” They replied, “If he asks for a lady’s hand, he ought to be given her in marriage; and if he intercedes (for someone) his intercessor should be accepted; and if he speaks, he should be listened to.” Allah’s Apostle kept silent, and then a man from among the poor Muslims passed by, and Allah’s Apostle asked (them) “What do you say about this man?” They replied, “If he asks for a lady’s hand in marriage he does not deserve to be married, and he intercedes (for someone), his intercession should not be accepted; And if he speaks, he should not be listened to.” Allah’s Apostle (saaws) said, “This poor man is better than so many of the first as filling the earth.”

Hadith – Al-Tirmidhi #3090, Narrated Abu Hurairah, (Razi Allahu Anhu): Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said, ‘When someone with whose religion and character you are satisfied asks your daughter in marriage, accede to his request. If you do not do so, there will be temptation on Earth and extensive corruption.’ [Tirmidhi, Nasa’i, and Ibn Majah transmitted it.]