19 sourced Islamic quotes about marriage: love and mercy between spouses, how to treat each other, and choosing well. Each one names its surah and ayah, or its hadith collection and grading. Copy a quote, or make an image to share.
وَمِنْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦٓ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًۭا لِّتَسْكُنُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَكُم مَّوَدَّةًۭ وَرَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَٰتٍۢ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquillity in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.
The ayah most often read at a nikah: tranquillity, affection and mercy.
هُنَّ لِبَاسٌۭ لَّكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لِبَاسٌۭ لَّهُنَّ
They are clothing for you and you are clothing for them.
Quran 2:187, Surah Al-Baqarah, part of the ayah
Spouses cover, protect and comfort each other, as clothing does.
وَعَاشِرُوهُنَّ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ
And live with them in kindness.
Quran 4:19, Surah An-Nisa, part of the ayah
The ayah goes on: if you dislike something in your wife, Allah may have put much good in it.
هُوَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفْسٍۢ وَٰحِدَةٍۢ وَجَعَلَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا لِيَسْكُنَ إِلَيْهَا
It is He who created you from one soul and created from it its mate that he might dwell in security with her.
وَلَهُنَّ مِثْلُ ٱلَّذِى عَلَيْهِنَّ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ
And due to the wives is similar to what is expected of them, according to what is reasonable.
Quran 2:228, Surah Al-Baqarah, part of the ayah
Rights run both ways.
وَأَنكِحُوا۟ ٱلْأَيَٰمَىٰ مِنكُمْ وَٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ مِنْ عِبَادِكُمْ وَإِمَآئِكُمْ ۚ إِن يَكُونُوا۟ فُقَرَآءَ يُغْنِهِمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ
And marry the unmarried among you and the righteous among your male slaves and female slaves. If they should be poor, Allah will enrich them from His bounty.
Quran 24:32, Surah An-Nur, part of the ayah
Poverty is not a reason to put off marriage.
رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَٰجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّٰتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍۢ وَٱجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا
Our Lord, grant us from among our wives and offspring comfort to our eyes and make us an example for the righteous.
Quran 25:74, Surah Al-Furqan, part of the ayah
A dua of the servants of the Most Merciful. See the dua for a spouse.
خَيْرُكُمْ خَيْرُكُمْ لِأَهْلِهِ، وَأَنَا خَيْرُكُمْ لِأَهْلِي
The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best of you to my family.
Jami at-Tirmidhi 3895, narrated by Aishah. Graded sahih
أَكْمَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِيمَانًا أَحْسَنُهُمْ خُلُقًا، وَخِيَارُكُمْ خِيَارُكُمْ لِنِسَائِهِمْ
The believers with the most complete faith are those with the best character, and the best of you are those who are best to their wives.
Jami at-Tirmidhi 1162, narrated by Abu Hurayrah. Graded hasan sahih
الدُّنْيَا مَتَاعٌ، وَخَيْرُ مَتَاعِ الدُّنْيَا الْمَرْأَةُ الصَّالِحَةُ
This world is something to enjoy, and the best thing to enjoy in it is a righteous wife.
Sahih Muslim 1467, narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr
لَا يَفْرَكْ مُؤْمِنٌ مُؤْمِنَةً، إِنْ كَرِهَ مِنْهَا خُلُقًا رَضِيَ مِنْهَا آخَرَ
A believing man should not hate a believing woman. If he dislikes one of her qualities, he will be pleased with another.
Sahih Muslim 1469, narrated by Abu Hurayrah
لَمْ نَرَ لِلْمُتَحَابَّيْنِ مِثْلَ النِّكَاحِ
We have not seen anything better for two people who love each other than marriage.
Sunan Ibn Majah 1847, narrated by Ibn Abbas. Graded sahih by al-Albani
تُنْكَحُ الْمَرْأَةُ لِأَرْبَعٍ: لِمَالِهَا وَلِحَسَبِهَا وَجَمَالِهَا وَلِدِينِهَا، فَاظْفَرْ بِذَاتِ الدِّينِ تَرِبَتْ يَدَاكَ
A woman is married for four things: her wealth, her family, her beauty and her religion. Choose the one with religion, and you will prosper.
Sahih al-Bukhari 5090; Sahih Muslim 1466, narrated by Abu Hurayrah
إِذَا خَطَبَ إِلَيْكُمْ مَنْ تَرْضَوْنَ دِينَهُ وَخُلُقَهُ فَزَوِّجُوهُ، إِلَّا تَفْعَلُوا تَكُنْ فِتْنَةٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَفَسَادٌ عَرِيضٌ
When someone whose religion and character please you asks to marry your daughter, marry her to him. If you do not, there will be trouble on earth and widespread corruption.
Jami at-Tirmidhi 1084, narrated by Abu Hurayrah. Graded hasan by al-Albani
يَا مَعْشَرَ الشَّبَابِ، مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ الْبَاءَةَ فَلْيَتَزَوَّجْ، فَإِنَّهُ أَغَضُّ لِلْبَصَرِ وَأَحْصَنُ لِلْفَرْجِ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَعَلَيْهِ بِالصَّوْمِ فَإِنَّهُ لَهُ وِجَاءٌ
Young people, whoever of you can afford to marry should marry, for it lowers the gaze and guards chastity. Whoever cannot should fast, for it will be a shield for him.
Sahih al-Bukhari 5066, narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas'ud
إِنَّكَ لَنْ تُنْفِقَ نَفَقَةً تَبْتَغِي بِهَا وَجْهَ اللَّهِ إِلَّا أُجِرْتَ عَلَيْهَا، حَتَّى مَا تَجْعَلُ فِي فَمِ امْرَأَتِكَ
You will not spend anything seeking Allah's pleasure without being rewarded for it, even the food you put in your wife's mouth.
Sahih al-Bukhari 56, narrated by Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas
كَانَ يَكُونُ فِي مِهْنَةِ أَهْلِهِ، تَعْنِي خِدْمَةَ أَهْلِهِ، فَإِذَا حَضَرَتِ الصَّلَاةُ خَرَجَ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ
Aishah was asked what the Prophet ﷺ did at home. She said: he helped his family with their work, and when the time for prayer came, he went out to pray.
Sahih al-Bukhari 676, narrated by Aishah
بَارَكَ اللَّهُ لَكَ، وَبَارَكَ عَلَيْكَ، وَجَمَعَ بَيْنَكُمَا فِي خَيْرٍ
May Allah bless you, shower His blessings upon you, and join you both in goodness.
Sunan Abi Dawud 2130, narrated by Abu Hurayrah. Graded sahih. The Prophet's ﷺ words of congratulation to a newly married man
I love to make myself look good for my wife, just as I love her to make herself look good for me, because Allah says: "And due to the wives is similar to what is expected of them".
Abdullah ibn Abbas, reported by at-Tabari in his commentary on Quran 2:228
Tap Copy to copy a quote with its source, or Make image to download a 1080x1080 picture. Images are drawn in your browser and nothing is uploaded. Quran Arabic: Tanzil Uthmani text; English: Sahih International. Hadith and scholars' English is our translation.
Guide
The Quran describes marriage in one ayah that couples have read at their nikah for fourteen centuries: Allah created spouses "that you may find tranquillity in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy" (30:21). The hadith add the practical side. The Prophet ﷺ measured a man's goodness by how he treats his wife, helped with the work at home, and told fathers to accept a suitor whose religion and character are good.
The Quran Arabic is copied from the Uthmani text with the Sahih International translation, and part-ayat are marked. Each hadith names its collection, number and grading, and its Arabic is checked against the text of that collection. The English of the hadith is our own plain translation.
Pick one quote and do something with it this week: help at home as the Prophet ﷺ did, overlook one habit that annoys you because you love another quality, or say the newlywed dua to a couple you know. For more, see the dua for marriage, Quran verses about marriage and the rights of husband and wife.
Other themes: quotes about life, quotes about death, quotes about patience, quotes about prayer, quotes about peace, quotes about love, quotes about friendship, quotes about success, and Quran quotes in Arabic.
Questions
Many choose Quran 30:21, "He placed between you affection and mercy", and the hadith "The best of you are those who are best to their families" (Tirmidhi 3895).
It is reported by al-Bayhaqi with weak chains, and some scholars graded it hasan because of supporting reports. Its meaning, that marriage protects much of a person's religion, is accepted.
That they are clothing for each other (2:187), that Allah put affection and mercy between them (30:21), and that husbands must live with their wives in kindness (4:19).
Barakallahu laka wa baraka alayka wa jama'a baynakuma fi khayr: May Allah bless you, shower His blessings upon you and join you both in goodness (Abu Dawud 2130).
Yes. Tap Make image for a square picture with the source printed on it, or Copy for the text. Treat Quran ayat with respect on anything printed.