An Example of Noble Character

WOMEN OF PARADISE Mu‘adh ibn Jabal says that the Prophet of Islam once said to him: “O Mu‘adh, the most beloved thing that God has created on earth is freeing a slave, and the most disliked thing that God has created on earth is divorce.” (Sunan alDaraqutni, Hadith No. 3984) These narrations reveal the Islamic perspective on marriage and divorce. In Islam, it is encouraged that one thinks carefully before entering marriage. However, after marriage, the emphasis is on making the relationship work. Generally, it is not permissible to intentionally look at a non-related woman, but an exception is made in the case of a prospective spouse. On the other hand, divorce has been described as “the most disliked of the permissible acts.” In essence, Islam permits approaching what is normally prohibited (such as looking) for the purpose of investigation before marriage, but after marriage, even taking steps toward what is legally allowed (such as divorce) is discouraged.