The Sacredness of the Institution of Marriage

By the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan | Last updated: May 6, 2004 - 8:12:00 AM

In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful.

In all of the three monotheistic religions, which claim Abraham as a Father—Judaism, Christianity and Islam—the institution of marriage is considered sacred because, according to the scripture, it is instituted by Allah (God). Anything originated or instituted by Allah (God) must be considered by us as Divine or Sacred, and must be respected accordingly.

Sacred:

Dedicated to, or set apart for, the worship of a deity. Worthy of religious veneration. Made or declared holy. Dedicated or devoted exclusively to a single use, purpose, or person. Worthy of respect.

If we do not give due respect to that which is of Allah (God), we offend Him and, from this offense, a series of offenses take place. Therefore, we must look again at what Allah (God) intended when He instituted marriage among the original parents of the human family.

The present view of marriage is so distorted that the relationships and the offspring from such a distorted view becomes a distortion or an aberration.

Distort:

To twist awry or out of shape; make crooked or deformed. To pervert; misrepresent.

Aberration:

The act of straying from the right, normal, or usual course. Deviation from truth or moral rectitude.

According to the scriptures, when Allah (God) created the man, He created for him a helper that was fit for him.

Fit:

Adapted or suited. Proper or becoming. Qualified or competent. Worthy or deserving.

This teaches us that the woman was made suitable to the requirements Allah (God) had put upon the male as his duty in service to Allah (God). So, the female was made, prepared and qualified to help this man do the job that Allah (God) had given him. In the nature of the man, and from the Divine Instruction given to him, and from the mate given to him, this teaches us something about the selection process for marriage.

Every male and female, when they reach the age of puberty or adolescence may have a physical desire to experiment with sex; however, they may not yet have matured into the knowledge of what work they are to do in life that fits into Allah’s (God’s) plan for them. Consequently, the male may not know what female is fit for him as a helper in the work of Allah (God). Unfortunately, we allow the nature of attraction and our natural desire for the opposite sex to be the basis for choosing our mates. In doing this, we have violated the very principle upon which marriage should be based. The predicate for marriage has to be a mature knowledge of self and what the self requires as a helper or mate to fulfill a Divine Obligation.

Predicate:

To base or establish. To state or affirm as an attribute or quality of something. To proclaim; assert.

The Bible teaches that Allah (God) made the woman and brought her unto the man. In this case, Allah (God) was the Perfect Matchmaker, for He made the man; He knew what He put in the man; and He knew what the man would need to complete his make. So, Allah (God) joined these two in marriage and declared that a man should leave his mother and father and cleave unto his wife and they shall be one flesh. This indicates that, if man and woman in marriage are to become one flesh, in them shall also be one mind and spirit. This is what presents the difficulty—making the two of one mind.

We begin the language of mathematics with the number one. We begin our journey into the knowledge of Allah (God) by declaring that He, Allah (God) is One.

We begin the real journey of life through the institution of marriage when we declare our desire to become as one.

Since Allah (God) is One, the universe is one, the only way that marriage can be successful is for the man and woman to strive to become as one. For the man to see the woman as an object of pleasure or to further him in procreation is only partially seeing the purpose of Allah’s (God’s) creation of the female.

The strengthening of the union of the male and the female in the institution of marriage is the best preparation for the production of family. Prophet Muhammad, Peace be upon him (PBUH), said, "Marriage is one half of faith." The journey of faith begins when sperm is mixed with ovum. The journey of faith does not end until we become one with Allah (God), well pleased with Him and well pleasing in His sight.

Since none comes to Allah (God), except as an honored servant, Allah (God) has always tried all of His Prophets, Messengers and people severely in their journey toward Him. It is these trials and afflictions that are part and parcel of the journey of faith that makes the reward of that journey so soul satisfying. After completing these trials, we become a soul well pleased with Allah (God) and well pleasing in His sight.

Since the institution of marriage is one half of faith, then similar trials that are experienced in the journey of faith are also visited on those two souls that desire to become as one. After completion of many trials, the two become well pleased in the eyes of each other and well pleasing in the eyes of Allah (God).

How does the female help the male to do the work of Allah (God)?

The role of every male is to do the work of Allah (God). In the Qur’an, the man is made to stand in the place of Allah (God). This means that the work of the man is really the work of Allah (God). That work entails the building of a world that manifests the characteristics or attributes of Allah (God). This world includes a nation, a government, systems of education, economics, judicial, trade, commerce, research, development, science, industry, agriculture and agribusiness. This is the work of Allah (God) to supply the needs of the human being as He has supplied the needs for all of His creatures.

When man assumes the posture of Vicegerent or Khalifah, or one who stands in the place of Allah (God) acting on the Will of Allah (God), then the scripture in the Book of Psalms is fulfilled, wherein it reads "Ye are all gods, children of the Most High God."

In all of the work that man is to do in the place of Allah (God), the woman is his helper in forming the nation, the government, the systems; exploiting the gifts, skills and talents of the people in their service to Allah (God).

Each gifted man needs a gifted woman to help him to fulfill the objective of standing in the place of Allah (God). The male and the female should be of one mind in doing the work of Allah (God).

All of this can and will be done when we adopt Allah’s (God’s) view and purpose for the sacred institution of marriage.

The Final Call