But when must this need be fulfilled and when must the man and woman marry?

But when must this need be fulfilled and when must the man and woman marry? This cannot be regulated inside a particular law. It does not have any specific law and regulation; its law is genetic and the Creator has gifted it inside human nature. Therefore, ‘should’ and ‘should-not’ in this connection are not correct. But one can study and research to discover its approaching time so as to be informed in advance and provide a suitable ground for welcoming it.

The Puberty Age After giving all sorts of explanations, young men still ask, “Nevertheless, when is the proper time and age to marry?” The answer is: The proper time and age of marrying is when the “sexual and mental maturity” has reached its desired completion in a person.

(Reaching completion does not mean the climax and apex of the possible completion, because reaching that stage, particularly in the case of mental puberty, is much distanced and difficult; but here it means reaching the ordinary and commonly known limit). Some say Islam has fixed the marriage age for boys at 15 years and that of girls at the age of nine years. This is not correct. Islam has not given any such order.

Islam is the religion of nature and gives an order against nature and human instinct. But Islam commands one to marry when one reaches puberty and maturity. According to the interpretation of the Prophet (peace be upon him) it is like a fruit whose ripening is its maturity and adult age. Yes! Islam’s divine legislation in this connection stressed the desirability of marriage (in the previous chapter we discussed some facts about the merits of marriage).

But whenever this need and urge stirs itself and desires revolt and rebel and make man probe and practice prohibited acts, then it becomes obligatory and postponing and delaying it becomes prohibited. So this divine legislation also reverts back to the law of genetics. That is to say, when puberty is reached, marriage becomes a desirable act and whenever it comes to the revolt and rebellion of emotions and the preludes of sin become obvious then marriage becomes obligatory.

When a person attains maturity and puberty (we have explained puberty) his time for marriage has arrived and delaying it would not be advisable in any way, just as its early execution is also not commendable, for it’s like being an unripe fruit. When the interior call of a person, which rises from one’s nature and instinct comes, it is the time for marriage.