Question:
Is marriage obligatory for someone who does not fear falling into unlawful intercourse and does not have a strong urge to marry?
Answer:
Wa ‘alaykum assalam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh.
I pray you are well.
No, marriage is not obligatory for someone who does not fear falling into unlawful intercourse. Such a person can remain unmarried. However, it is a strongly emphasised sunna, even in such a case, and it has benefits for one’s deen and dunya. So it is superior to marry, but it is not a must.
Marriage is obligatory for someone who can fulfil the rights of a spouse and fears committing unlawful intercourse. [Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]
May Allah grant you the best of both worlds.
[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani