The Command to marry
These clear Ayat include a group of unambiguous rulings and firm commands.
وَأَنكِحُوا الاْأَيَامَى مِنكُمْ
And marry those among you who are single (Al-Ayama)....
This is a command to marry.
The Prophet said;
يَا مَعْشَرَ الشَّبَابِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ مِنْكُمُ الْبَاءَةَ فَلْيَتَزَوَّجْ فَإِنَّهُ أَغَضُّ لِلْبَصَرِ وَأَحْصَنُ لِلْفَرْجِ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَعَلَيْهِ بِالصَّوْمِ فَإِنَّهُ لَهُ وِجَاءٌ
O young men, whoever among you can afford to get married, let him marry, for it is more effective in lowering the gaze and protecting the private parts. Whoever cannot do that, then let him fast, for it is a protection for him.
This was recorded in the Two Sahihs from the Hadith of Ibn Mas`ud.
In the Sunan, it was recorded from more than one person that the Messenger of Allah said;
تَزَوَّجُوا تَوَالَدُوا تَنَاسَلُوا فَإِنِّي مُبَاهٍ بِكُمُ الاُْمَمَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ
Marry and have children, for I will be proud of you before the nations on the Day of Resurrection.
The word Al-Ayama, the plural form of Ayyim, is used to describe a woman who has no husband and a man who has no wife, regardless of whether they have been married and then separated, or have never been married at all. Al-Jawhari reported this from the scholars of the (Arabic) language, and the word is applied to men and women alike.
وَالصَّالِحِينَ مِنْ عِبَادِكُمْ وَإِمَايِكُمْ
and the pious of your servants and maidservants.
إِن يَكُونُوا فُقَرَاء يُغْنِهِمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ
If they be poor, Allah will enrich them out of His bounty.
Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn Abbas;
"Allah encouraged them to get married, commanded both free men and servants to get married, and He promised to enrich them."
It was recorded that Ibn Mas`ud said;
"Seek the richness through marriage, for Allah says;
وَالصَّالِحِينَ مِنْ عِبَادِكُمْ وَإِمَايِكُمْ
(If they be poor, Allah will enrich them out of His bounty)."
This was recorded by Ibn Jarir.
Al-Baghawi also recorded something similar from Umar.
وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
And Allah is All-Sufficient, All-Knowing.
It was reported from Al-Layth from Muhammad bin Ajlan from Sa`id Al-Maqburi from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah said;
ثَلَثَةٌ حَقٌّ عَلَى اللهِ عَوْنُهُمْ
النَّاكِحُ يُرِيدُ الْعَفَافَ
وَالْمُكَاتَبُ يُرِيدُ الاْاَدَاءَ
وَالْغَازِي فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ
There are three whom it is a right upon Allah to help;
one who gets married seeking chastity;
a slave who makes a contract with his master with the aim of buying his freedom; and
one who fights for the sake of Allah.
This was recorded by Imam Ahmad, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah.
The Prophet performed the marriage of a man who owned nothing but his waist wrap, and could not even buy a ring made of iron, but he still married him to that woman, making the Mahr his promise to teach her whatever he knew of the Qur'an.
And it is known from the generosity and kindness of Allah that He provided him with whatever was sufficient for her and for him.
The Command to keep Oneself Chaste if One is not able to get Married
Allah's saying