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What is the meaning of the Prophet's saying, "A woman is married for four reasons: for her wealth, for her beauty, for her lineage, and for her religiosity," and must a woman be wealthy, beautiful, and of high lineage?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The noble Hadith, "A woman is married for four reasons: for her wealth, for her lineage, for her beauty, and for her religion. So, choose the one who is religious, and you will prosper (literally, 'may your hands be soiled with dust')," clarifies people's intentions in marriage, rather than commanding marriage for the sake of these matters.

People aim for one of these four characteristics when marrying, and the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, guides towards choosing the religious woman. The meaning of "may your hands be soiled with dust" is that it is a phrase commonly used by Arabs, not intended for its literal meaning, but rather said to encourage something or to express admiration for it.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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