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English_Biography_Shefa_of_Prophet_Muhammad, page : 55
The most abstemious of the Companions had more than one wife as well as those the right-hand possesses and were sexually active with them. Many disliked the idea of meeting Allah unmarried.
The question has been raised, "How can marriage be so virtuous when Allah praised, Prophet John, son of Prophet Zachariah for being chaste? And how is it that Allah praised him for not doing something considered to be a virtue. In addition, Prophet Jesus, son of Mary also remained celibate. If it is as you say, would they have married?"
In answer to this question indeed Allah praised Prophet John for being chaste, and it was not, as someone once said that, he was weak or not masculine. This derogatory remark has been rejected by knowledgeable scholars and perceptive commentators on the grounds that it implies imperfection and fault, neither of these characteristics befit any of the prophets of Allah. What it does mean is he was protected (in his state of celibacy) from sins, as if he were unable to partake of it. It is also said that he was detached from all bodily desires and had no desire for women.
From this it is understood marriage is a desirable virtue whereas there is an imperfection in those who are able to marry but do not. The inability to marry may be counteracted with the virtue of striving. Prophet Jesus was perfect and strove. In the case of Prophet John, he was given sufficiency from Allah as marriage all too often distracts a person from the remembrance of Allah and a person remains attached to the world.
There are those who marry and fulfill the obligations of marriage without being distracted from the remembrance of Allah and these people attain a high rank.
This high rank is found in Prophet Muhammad who had several wives but was never distracted from his worshipping. Rather, it increased him in worship because he protected his wives, gave them their rights, provided for them and guided them to the worship of Allah. He said that such matters were not part of the portion of his earthly life, whereas they are part of the portion of the earthly life of others.
The Prophet said, "Allah caused me to love women and perfume in this world of yours, but the coolness of my eye (my delight) is in prayer." What he implied was, whereas other people have the love of women and perfume, for them such matters belong to worldly affairs, however his involvement with them was not for this worldly life but rather for the Everlasting Life partly because he was anxious to be wearing perfume when he met angels.
Above these worldly affairs, his passion which was distinctly for him, was the witnessing of the angelic hosts of his Lord and the closeness of conversation with Him. It is for this reason he made a distinction between the two loves by separating the two
The question has been raised, "How can marriage be so virtuous when Allah praised, Prophet John, son of Prophet Zachariah for being chaste? And how is it that Allah praised him for not doing something considered to be a virtue. In addition, Prophet Jesus, son of Mary also remained celibate. If it is as you say, would they have married?"
In answer to this question indeed Allah praised Prophet John for being chaste, and it was not, as someone once said that, he was weak or not masculine. This derogatory remark has been rejected by knowledgeable scholars and perceptive commentators on the grounds that it implies imperfection and fault, neither of these characteristics befit any of the prophets of Allah. What it does mean is he was protected (in his state of celibacy) from sins, as if he were unable to partake of it. It is also said that he was detached from all bodily desires and had no desire for women.
From this it is understood marriage is a desirable virtue whereas there is an imperfection in those who are able to marry but do not. The inability to marry may be counteracted with the virtue of striving. Prophet Jesus was perfect and strove. In the case of Prophet John, he was given sufficiency from Allah as marriage all too often distracts a person from the remembrance of Allah and a person remains attached to the world.
There are those who marry and fulfill the obligations of marriage without being distracted from the remembrance of Allah and these people attain a high rank.
This high rank is found in Prophet Muhammad who had several wives but was never distracted from his worshipping. Rather, it increased him in worship because he protected his wives, gave them their rights, provided for them and guided them to the worship of Allah. He said that such matters were not part of the portion of his earthly life, whereas they are part of the portion of the earthly life of others.
The Prophet said, "Allah caused me to love women and perfume in this world of yours, but the coolness of my eye (my delight) is in prayer." What he implied was, whereas other people have the love of women and perfume, for them such matters belong to worldly affairs, however his involvement with them was not for this worldly life but rather for the Everlasting Life partly because he was anxious to be wearing perfume when he met angels.
Above these worldly affairs, his passion which was distinctly for him, was the witnessing of the angelic hosts of his Lord and the closeness of conversation with Him. It is for this reason he made a distinction between the two loves by separating the two