Beautified for men is the love of things they covet...

[poly_blessings]

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زُيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ حُبُّ الشَّهَوَاتِ مِنَ النِّسَاء وَالْبَنِينَ وَالْقَنَاطِيرِ الْمُقَنطَرَةِ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ وَالْفِضَّةِ وَالْخَيْلِ الْمُسَوَّمَةِ وَالأَنْعَامِ وَالْحَرْثِ ذَلِكَ مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَاللّهُ عِندَهُ حُسْنُ الْمَآبِ


Beautified for men is the love of things they covet; women, children, much of gold and silver (wealth), branded beautiful horses, cattle and well-tilled land. This is the pleasure of the present world's life; but Allâh has the excellent return (Paradise with flowing rivers, etc.) with Him. (Aali Imran 3:14)


Tafseer Ibn Katheer:


<i>The True Value of This Earthly Life</i>


Allah mentions the delights that He put in this life for people, such as women and children, and He started with women, because the test with them is more tempting. For instance, the Sahih recorded that the Messenger said,


«مَا تَرَكْتُ بَعْدِي فِتْنَةً أَضَرَّ عَلَى الرِّجَالِ مِنَ النِّسَاء»


(I did not leave behind me a fitnah more tempting to men than women.){1}


When one enjoys women for the purpose of having children and preserving his chastity, then he is encouraged to do so. There are many Hadiths that encourage getting married, such as,


«وَإِنَّ خَيْرَ هذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ مَنْ كَانَ أَكْثَرَهَا نِسَاء»


(Verily, the best members of this Ummah are those who have the most wives){2} He also said,


«الدُّنْيَا مَتَاعٌ، وَخَيْرُ مَتَاعِهَا الْمَرْأَةُ الصَّالِحَة»


(This life is a delight, and the best of its delight is a righteous wife){3}


The Prophet said in another Hadith,


«حُبِّبَ إِلَيَّ النِّسَاءُ وَالطِّيبُ، وَجُعِلَتْ قُرَّةُ عَيْنِي فِي الصَّلَاة»


(I was made to like women and perfume, and the comfort of my eye is the prayer.){4)


`A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, "Nothing was more beloved to the Messenger of Allah than women, except horses,'' and in another narration, "...than horses except women.''{5)


Footnotes:


1. Fath Al-Baari 9:41


2. Fath Al-Baari 9:15. That is, a maximum of four at the same time.


3. Muslim 2:1090


4. An-Nasaa'ee in Al-Kubraa 5:280


5. An-Nasee'ee 6:217, 7:61