Significance of Marriage in Muslim Tradition

Marriage in Islam is one of mutual respect, love and compassion. The husband is there as a friend and partner to share the wife's concerns, he is to cherish and protect her while a man has in his wife a companion and helper who can give him peace and comfort. They both will help each other through life's problems and struggles.
All Muslims are expected to marry because the Prophet Muhammad was married and Muslims regard Muhammad as the perfect example of how to live. “Whoever gets married has completed half of his faith”. (Hadith) The Islamic banning of social contact between Muslims after puberty means that most couples meet through introductions from their parents (arranged marriages). It is felt that these are more likely to work out because the parents choose carefully to make sure the couples are compatible. However, Muslim magazines and newspapers have personal columns where young Muslims advertise for partners. Muslims tend to be married young because this is the best way to prevent sex before marriage.
All Muslims agree that marriage is a contract which is ideally for life, but there are some differences among Muslims. The religious nature of marriage is shown by the fact that Muslim women may only marry Muslim men and Muslims men may only marry Muslim, Jewish or Christian women (as these worship Allah and it is hoped that Jews and Christians will adopt the faith of their husband).
“Those who show the most perfect faith are those who possess the best disposition and are kindest to their families.” (Hadith) Islam teaches that children should be brought up in a family with a mother and a father. The main purpose of marriage in Islam is to have children and bring them up in a good Muslim family. Children are a gift from God and Muslims will be judged by God, at the end of the world, on how they have brought up their children. Islam sees the family as the basis of society and believes that without the family, society would collapse. The family is also