In the name of Allah our creator , god of Abraham , Moses , Jacob , Jesus and all Prophets



Question


What is the normal age for a Muslim to marry?


Answer




Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.
The preferred age for marriage for a young man is when he is fit to get married, can provide for his wife and can fulfill marital requirements. The Prophet () advised the youth to get married and illustrated its benefits, like lowering the gaze and protecting the private parts from illegal sexual relationship.
Bukhari and Muslim reported that the Prophet () 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." [Al- Bukhari]
Therefore, young people should put this Hadith into practice. Poverty should not be a hindrance to getting married.
Allaah promised the person who wants to get married in order to guard his chastity to make him rich. Allaah says interpretation of meaning): "The Prophet () said: "Allaah promises to help three types of people: 'The Mujahid (a person who strives in the path of Allaah), the slave who signs a contract with his master to be freed in return for some money, and the person who gets married in order to guard his chastity." (Ahmed, Nasa'i, Al-Thirmidhi and Ibn Majah).


As regards the age of getting married for a girl, it is when she becomes physically fit for sexual intercourse. However, she can get married before this time, but the husband should not consummate the marriage with her unless she becomes physically fit.
It is confirmed in Sahih Al Bukhari that the Prophet () married Aisha, when she was 6 years of age, and consummated the marriage with her when she was 9 years of age.
The guardian of a girl should take the initiative to marry her off if he finds a suitable person who has the required characteristics that the Prophet () illustrated when he said: If any man whose religion and character are satisfactory proposes to marry one of your women, marry him, otherwise there will be great mischief and corruption on earth”. (Al-Thirmidhi and others).
Allah knows best.




http://www.islamweb.net/