This discipline is “considerateness” [ murā‛āt ]...

This discipline is “considerateness” [ murā‛āt ]; that is, the sālik , in whatever stage he is, in scholarly or in spiritual and practical austerities and strivings, must consider his conditions, treat his soul with kindness and care, and avoid burdening himself with more than it can bear, especially the young people and the inexperienced, to whom this discipline is quite important.

If the young people do not treat themselves considerately and kindly, and if they do not meet the needs of (their) nature through lawful ways, they will be subject to a great danger, which cannot be compensated. The danger is that when one is too severe with his self and pulls the reins too hard, they will break off, and then the will gets out of control, and the accumulated natural needs and the sharp fires of desire, under unlimited pressure of austerity, burn out the whole kingdom.

If a sālik 's reins break off God forbid! Or an ascetic person becomes unable to control himself, he will fall so deep in a precipice that he can never see the face of rescue, nor can he ever return to the road of happiness and righteousness. Thus, a sālik , like a clever physician, has to feel his own pulse during his progress on the journey and to treat his self according to the requirements of the conditions of the journey.

When the flames of desire, which are the vanity of youthfulness, blaze high, one is not to completely prevent his nature from getting satisfaction, but one has to resort to lawful ways to put out the flames of his desire, as gratifying the desire, according to the divine command, is a complete help along the journey to Allah.

So, he is to marry, as it is one of the great divine laws, which, besides being the base of the survival of the species, has a great effect on the journey to the Hereafter, too.

For this reason, the Messenger of Allah ( s ) said: “He who marries will keep half of his religion.” [^6] Another hadīth says: “He who desires to meet Allah pure, let him meet Him with a wife.” [^7] The Messenger of Allah ( s ) is quoted to have said: “Most of the people of Hell are singles.” [^8] A hadīth from Amīr al-Mu'minīn ('Alī) (' a ) says: “A group of the companions abstained from women (their wives), and from eating in daytime and sleeping at night.

The Messenger of Allah ( s ) was informed about them by Umm us-Salāmah (his wife). He came to them and asked them: “Do you reject women (your wives)? I do go into women (my wives), eat in daytime and sleep at night.