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“Among His signs is that He created for you mates from among yourselves, in order to have tranquility with them and He put love and mercy between your (hearts) : verily in that are signs for those who reflect.” [30:21]
Do you know, when speaking about wives in the Qur'aan, there are two distinctly different words used by Allaah Sub-haanahu wa Ta`aalaa. Sometimes, you will see that Allaah Ta`aalaa uses the word "Imra'ah". Now, Imra'ah literally means "woman". When used as a Mudhaaf (i.e. made possessive to another word), the meaning changes to "wife". On the other hand, there are Aayaat in the Qur'aan wherein Allaah Ta`aalaa uses the word "Zawj" (spouse). There is a very wonderful reason behind this. Remember that everything in the Qur'aan contains infinite wisdom; every Soorah, every page, every Aayah, every word, and even every letter. Nothing whatsoever in the Qur'aan is redundant or without purpose. So we know that definitely there's a good reason why both Imra'ah and Zawj are used in the Qur'aan.
Look at these Aayaat:
وامرأة نوح
"The wife (Imra'ah) of Nooh..."
وامرأة لوط
"The wife (Imra'ah) of Loot..."
وامرأته حمالة الحطب
"And his (Abu Lahab's) wife (Imra'ah), the carrier of wood..."
Speaking about the wife of Nabi Zakariyyah عليه السلام, Allaah Ta`aalaa says:
امرأته
"His wife (Imra'ah)..."
إمرأة فرعون
"And the wife (Imra'ah) of Fir`own..."
Notice how the word "Imra'ah" is used in each of these Aayaat to refer to spouse? Keep that in mind. Now take a look at the literal meaning of Zawj: "Pair".
Zawj literally means a "pair". A couple. Two things that go together to make something complete or to make something greater. That is "Zawj". For example, the night and day are a "pair"; together, the two of them make up the day. The sun and the moon. Like they're married.
Question: What is the purpose behind marriage? Why do people get married? The answer is very simple. People get married, they become a "pair", for two primary reasons:
To decrease Fitnah (temptation; trials) and increase good in a society (each one is keeping himself/herself chaste with the other, thus eliminating Zinaa (adultery; fornication) and all avenues and forms of Zinaa)
To make children (if people didn't have children, very soon there would be no people left)
Is this understood? This is the primary two reasons behind why people get married. Hence, if either of these two primary reasons are not found, the word Zawj will not be used. You will use "Imra'ah" instead.
Waadhih? Is it clear? Try and remember this, and now look once again at the Aayaat we mentioned earlier:
"The wife of Nooh..." Were two reasons found? The second reason, yes, but not the first. The wife of Nooh عليه السلام was a Kaafirah who opposed Islaam. Thus, no good at all could come from that Nikaah. A Muslim and a Kaafirah cannot "complete" each other. They cannot ever become a "pair". Hence, Allaah Ta`aalaa uses the word "Imra'ah" when referring to the wife of Nooh عليه السلام.
"The wife of Loot..." Very same thing as with the wife of Nooh عليه السلام. The wife of Loot عليه السلام was a Kaafirah who openly encouraged homosexuality and, when the angels came to Loot عليه السلام in the form of young men, she ran to tell them that some "handsome young men" have visited her husband and are in the house right now, so they can come and do their thing. Could any goodness whatsoever come out of such a marriage? Obviously no. So again, you see that Allaah Ta`aalaa uses which word when referring to her? "Imra'ah". Not "Zawj".
"The wife of Fir`own..." In this case, it was the husband at fault. The husband was a Kaafir and the worst tyrant who ever lived. Could goodness come out of this marriage? Never ever. So Allaah Ta`aalaa refers to his wife as "Imra'ah" because she was not a "Zawj" to him. A Muslim and Kaafirah, or a Muslimah and a Kaafir, can never ever become a "pair".
"And his (Abu Lahab's) wife (Imra'ah), the carrier of wood..." In this case, both husband and wife were Kuffaar and no goodness could obviously come out of such a marriage. When no goodness is coming out of a marriage, then the word "Zawj" is not used. "Imra'ah" is used instead.
You might be thinking, "Okay, so Imra'ah is used if there is no goodness in the marriage. But then what about the wife of Zakariyyah عليه السلام? She was a Muslimah and a very good woman. So why then?" Simple. In their marriage, the second reason for Nikaah was not found. What is the second reason? "Making children." She was not able to have children.
But something amazing happened in the case of Zakariyyah عليه السلام. What is that? Huffaaz reading this will (or should) know right now, "Later in the Qur'aan, Allaah Ta`aalaa uses the word "Zawj" for the wife of Zakariyyah عليه السلام. So what then?"
Read the Aayah:
ووهبنا له يحيى وأصلحنا له زوجه
"We granted for him Yahyaa, and We made right for him his Zawj (wife)..."
سبحان الله
Allaah Ta`aalaa granted her the ability to have a child once again. The moment that was possible, she was now referred to as "Zawj". No longer as "Imra'ah".
Once again: Marriage has two primary reasons:
Keeping yourself pure
Making children
When each spouse is keeping the other pure and chaste, each one bringing the other closer to Allaah Sub-haanahu wa Ta`aalaa, and they have children from their marriage - which is what Rasoolullaah صلى الله عليه وسلم wanted for his Ummah. In fact, he encouraged them to have lots of children - then they will now be a "pair". Your wife will now be a "Zawj" and not just an "Imra'ah".
والله تعالى أعلم
For all of you who are not married: May Allaah Ta`aalaa grant you wonderful, pious spouses (who are beautiful as well). For those who are already married: May Allaah Ta`aalaa grant you Barakah (blessings) in your marriages and make your spouses the coolness of your eyes.
Is it the same as 3ilmun Na7w? Or is "Etymology" used for both?
Nahw is grammar. Ishtiqaaq (Etymology) is the study of the history of words. How they came to be. Where they came from. Studying the words themselves and all of their different forms. Studying why particular words are used for particular objects. For example, why is the word "Qalb" used for heart? It's because "Qalb" is derived from the verb قلب يقلب, which means "to turn; to transform; to alter". Also, the word قَلَّبَ يُقَلِّبُ تَقْلِيْباً, meaning "to turn something over", like turning a piece of meat on a braai. This word is used for heart because of how the heart of man changes constantly. "Qalb" - something which changes very frequently.
This is an example of basic Ishtiqaaq. Studying the derivatives of words. Where they come from. Why they're used.
Last edited by Huzaifah ibn Adam; 09-05-2016 at 10:15 AM.
Some beneficial words from Imaam ibn Qudaamah رحمة الله عليه:
قال ابن قدامة رحمه الله :
" والناس في النكاح على ثلاثة أضرب :
منهم من يخاف على نفسه الوقوع في المحظور أن ترك النكاح فهذا يجب عليه النكاح في قول عامة الفقهاء ، لأنه يلزمه إعفاف نفسه وصونها عن الحرام ، وطريقة النكاح .
الثاني : من يُستحب له ، وهو له شهوة يأمن معها الوقوع في المحظور ؛ فهذا الاشتغال به أولى من التخلي لنوافل العبادة ، وهو قول أصحاب الرأي ، وهو ظاهر قول الصحابة رضي الله عنهم وفعلهم .
قال ابن مسعود لو لم يبق من أجلي إلا عشرة أيام ، وأعلم أني أموت في آخرها يوما ، وليَ طَوْل النكاح فيهن [ أي : القدرة عليه ] ، لتزوجت مخافة الفتنة.
وعَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ قَالَ : قَالَ لِي ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ : هَلْ تَزَوَّجْتَ ؟
قُلْتُ : لا !!
قَالَ : فَتَزَوَّجْ ؛ فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ هَذِهِ الأُمَّةِ أَكْثَرُهَا نِسَاءً . رواه البخاري (5069)
وقال إبراهيم بن ميسرة : قال لي طاوس : لتنكحن ، أو لأقولن لك ما قال عمر لأبي الزوائد : ما يمنعك من النكاح إلا عجز أو فجور !!
القسم الثالث : من لا شهوة له ؛ إما لأنه لم يخلق له شهوة كالعنين ، أو كانت له شهوة فذهبت بِكِبَر أو مرض ونحوه ؛ ففيه وجهان : أحدهما : يستحب له النكاح لعموم ما ذكرنا . والثاني : التخلي له أفضل لأنه لا يحصل مصالح النكاح ، ويمنع زوجته من التحصين بغيره ، ويضر بها بحبسها على نفسه ، ويعرض نفسه لواجبات وحقوق لعله لا يتمكن من القيام بها ويشتغل عن العلم والعبادة بما لا فائدة فيه .. "
"Where marriage is concerned, people fall into three categories:
(The first is) a person who fears that if he does not get married, he will fall into what is prohibited (i.e. fornication). For such a person, getting married is obligatory according to the majority of the Fuqahaa (jurists). This is so because protecting his chastity is compulsory upon him, and this is done through marriage.
The second is a person for whom Nikaah is Mustahabb (recommended). This is the person who has desires yet there is no fear of him falling into what is prohibited (i.e. fornication). For him, getting married is better than remaining single and engaging in Nafl `Ibaadah. This is the Qowl (verdict) of the As-haab ar-Ra'i (the Ahnaaf), and it is the apparent Qowl (verdict) of the Sahaabah رضي الله عنهم as well as their practice. (Hadhrat `Abdullaah) ibn Mas`ood رضي الله عنه said, "If I had only ten days left to live, and I knew that I would die on the last day (i.e. the tenth day), yet I had the ability to get married, I would do so out of fear of Fitnah.
(Hadhrat) Sa`eed ibn Jubayr رضي الله عنه said, "Ibn `Abbaas رضي الله عنه asked me, 'Are you married?' I said, 'No.' He said, 'Get married, because the best of this Ummah (i.e. Rasoolullaah صلى الله عليه وسلم) had the most wives." [Narrated in Saheeh al-Bukhaari.]
Ibraaheem ibn Maysarah said, "Taawus said to me, 'Either you will get married or I will say to you what ibn `Umar رضي الله عنه had said to Abu-z Zawaa'id: 'Nothing prevents you from getting married except impotency or sinfulness! (i.e. wanting to commit Zinaa.)"
The third category is the person who has no desires, either because he has been created without desire like the impotent one, or he used to have desires but they went away because of old age, or sickness, etc. Regarding such a person, there are two views: The first is that it is Mustahabb (recommended) for him to get married due to the generality of what we have mentioned. The second is that it is preferable for such a person to remain single (and devote himself to `Ibaadah), because he will not attain the benefits of Nikaah (i.e. have children) and because he will not be able to help his wife maintain her chastity (because he is impotent), and then because she is married to him, she is prevented from preserving her chastity by someone other than him. Thus, he is causing her harm by keeping her for himself. Thus, this person (if he got married) would, instead of engaging himself in seeking `Ilm and `Ibaadah, be engaging in something wherein there is no benefit (for himself)." [Al-Mughni.]
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