How does a woman choose a righteous husband and what are his characteristics, and how can she ascertain the truthfulness of his attributes? And does what was mentioned for women — that choosing him as a virgin (first wife) makes him love her more even if they separate and he marries another — apply to men?

Islam encourages the building of a family upon strong foundations, and calls upon spouses to choose each other based on religion and character. The qualities generally sought in a man are religiousness and good character, as stated in the Hadith: "If someone whose religion and character you approve of comes to you [to propose marriage], then marry him. If you do not do so, there will be tribulation on earth and great corruption." Competence in religion means that a disobedient person (fasiq) is not competent for a chaste woman (afifa), and the choice should be made on this basis. The availability of these qualities can be verified by asking those who know the man. There is no evidence that encourages a woman to choose a man who has not been previously married.