The Quran says, “And among His Signs is this, that He created for you mates from amongst yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquility with them, and He has put love and mercy between your (hearts): Verily in this are Signs for those who reflect (Surah Rum, v. 21).”

As seen in this verse, one of the primary objectives of marriage is to seek comfort in one’s spouse.

The Prophet sallallaahu alayhi wasallam said that a woman is usually married for one of four reasons: her wealth, her family status, her beauty, and her deen (commitment to religion). He went on to say that “a man cannot acquire anything better in this world after the taqwa of Allah than a pious wife.”

It is clear from the Quran and Sunnah that choosing a spouse must have some tangible value, and not simply as a means to fulfill one’s bestial desires. Though nikaah ensures that both husband and wife can fulfill their biological desires in a halal manner, this physical aspect solely in and of itself does not define the real purpose of marriage. Marriage symbolizes something much larger, something holistic. The physical aspect of marriage, crucial as it is, is simply the lowest step in the sanctified ladder that constitutes marriage. Comfort in marriage comes in many other forms: emotional, psychological, spiritual, etc.

The real reason for marriage, pure and simple, is companionship. By seeking a spouse you are essentially seeking a life companion, a life partner. As such, you are not only getting married in life, but for life. The purpose of marriage in Islam is to find comfort, peace and security in a live companion. Companionship should be the fundamental principal, reason, and objective in the minds of both men and women when thinking about marriage. With companionship come all its byproducts, i.e. the physical aspect, dialogues, romantic outings, social events, having children, etc. Thus the Prophet said if you want to summarize the reason for marriage, then it must be deen, since deen is a comprehensive and complete way of life. Your spouse is your live companion that will assist you through this holistic way of life. Life is a journey; you must view your spouse as a wing of the airplane (and yourself as the other) that you travel the path of life with.

With that said, the essential question you should ask yourself when marrying is, “Who will be my best companion?”