Does Studying Islam to Become Better Suited for Marriage to Pious Women Reduce One’s Reward?

Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch

Question

Does studying Islam to become better suited for marriage to pious women reduce one’s reward?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

When it comes to understanding the rewards of an action one must first understand their true intention.

The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Actions are based on their intentions…” [Bukhari and Muslim]

Intention is defined as the catalyst that drives one to perform an action or the goal for which they are performing the action. [Haddad, Book of Assistance]

Sometimes, to know one’s true intention, one must continue to ask the question, “Why?” In your case, why do you want a pious spouse? If the answer is that you want a pious spouse so they can help you draw nearer to Allah (Most High) – this means your intention for studying is, in reality, for the sake of Allah (Most High), and your reward is not decreased.

If, however, you want a pious spouse to be seen as a well-respected man, then the intention to seek knowledge is not for Allah’s sake.

In this way, you can reflect deeply on your intentions.

Hope this helps
Allah knows best
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch teaches Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he completed four years at the Darul Uloom Seminary in New York, where he studied Arabic and the traditional sciences.

He then traveled to Tarim, Yemen, where he studied for three years in Dar al-Mustafa under some of the most outstanding scholars of our time, including Habib Umar Bin Hafiz, Habib Kadhim al-Saqqaf, and Shaykh Umar al-Khatib.

In Tarim, Shaykh Yusuf completed the memorization of the Quran and studied beliefs, legal methodology, hadith methodology, Quranic exegesis, Islamic history, and several texts on spirituality. He joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.