The eighth book is entitled the �Book of Marriage�; one section of it also discusses divorce (al-talAq).

Muhammad forbids celibacy.  �Those among you who can support a wife should marry, for it restrains eyes from casting evil glances and preserves one from immorality� (3231).  One of his Companions wanted to live in celibacy, but Muhammad �forbade him to do so� (3239).

In fact, Muhammad discouraged self-denial in general.  One of his Companions said, �I will not marry women�; another said, �I will not eat meat�; and yet another said, �I will not lie down in bed.� Muhammad asked himself: �What has happened to these people that they say so and so, whereas I observe prayer and sleep too; I observe fast and suspend observing them; I marry women also?  And who turns away from my Sunnah, he has no relation with me� (3236).

A woman is a great safety valve, but if even that fails and a man is aroused by some other woman, he should come home and cohabit with his wife.  �Allah�s Messenger saw a woman and so he came to his wife, Zainab, as she was tanning a leather and had sexual intercourse with her.  He then went to his Companions and told them: The woman advances and returns in the shape of a devil, so when one of you see a woman, he should come to his wife, for that will repel what he feels in his heart� (3240).  We are all too ready to see the devil in others, but not in our own selves.

author: ram swarup