al-Saada wa al-Falah fi Fahm Maqasid al-Nikah
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- al-Saada wa al-Falah fi Fahm Maqasid al-Nikah
al-Saada wa al-Falah fi Fahm Maqasid al-Nikah (Happiness and Success in Understanding the Objectives of Marriage) is an Islamic treatise on the objectives of marriage and marital relations by Amin al-Shaqawi (Dr. Amin ibn Abd Allah al-Shaqawi) . The text was also included as a series of instructional lessons within the author's multi-volume work al-Durar al-Muntaqat min al-Kalimat al-Mulqat .
Background and Purpose
The treatise was written as an educational response to the growing phenomenon of marital instability and family breakdown . Grounding the stability of Muslim society in the integrity of the family unit, the author intended the work to assist spouses, parents, and the broader community by elucidating the foundational objectives of marriage in Islamic teachings .
Themes and Structure
The work outlines the overarching purposes of marriage and practical guidance for marital life:
- Primary Objectives of Marriage: The author identifies three primary objectives sought by people in marriage: offspring (الذرية), domestic support and service (الخدمة), and mutual companionship and enjoyment (المتعة) . In addressing the burdens and obligations that accompany married life, he notes that while individuals vary in resolve, high-minded souls find fulfillment in carrying out these responsibilities .
- Mutual Enjoyment and Moral Conduct: Beyond legal rights and obligations, the work emphasizes noble character, emotional solace, and mutual embellishment across all facets of daily life . This is expounded through Quranic passages—such as هُنَّ لِبَاسٌ لَكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ لِبَاسٌ لَهُنَّ (They are clothing for you and you are clothing for them) and وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا لِتَسْكُنُوا إِلَيْهَا (And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquility in them)—and prophetic traditions, including the statement: الدُّنْيَا مَتَاعٌ، وَخَيْرُ مَتَاعِ الدُّنْيَا الْمَرْأَةُ الصَّالِحَةُ (The world is enjoyment, and the best enjoyment of the world is a righteous woman) .
- Pillars of Cohabitation: The text states that marital cohabitation rests on three fundamental pillars: affection (المودة), mercy (الرحمة), and upholding the limits established by God (إقامة حدود الله) .
- Communication and Practical Conduct: The treatise highlights everyday marital etiquette, such as engaging in meaningful dialogue and recounting beneficial stories, drawing upon the interactions of the Prophet ﷺ with his wives .
- Financial Maintenance: It addresses financial maintenance (النفقة) as an essential practical issue impacting marital harmony, drawing lessons from events in the prophetic household as a model for handling domestic challenges .
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