The One...

اختاروا لنطفكم فان الخال احد الضجيعين

Which one? Islam teaches that a man must carefully select his offspring. The wife’s brother is considered to be a good indication of what the children will turn out to be. It may not be possible to know the woman well, but what the person knows about the brother’s habits and character can say a lot about his prospective wife. Rasulullah ^(SAW) emphasizes the act of choosing. The man must actively search for an appropriate wife; he must not marry under pressure of others such as family, political connections; his decision must not be clouded by the woman’s money or beauty. It is important that the man marries the woman of his choice and out of his happiness.

Rasulullah’s ^(SAW) hadith points out that a man must look for his equal in marriage; this statement has two meanings. First, it is imperative that the man choose his equal in terms of deen and aqida; he must avoid women of other religions. The second point, though not obligatory, is preferable: the man must select his equal in social standing and culture.