One should choose a woman who possesses intelligence and avoid the foolish one, because marriage is intended for companionship, and companionship is not sound—nor is life pleasant—with a foolish woman, and this may eventually affect her children. It has been said: Avoid the foolish woman, for her children are a loss and her company is a tribulation. One should choose a woman of noble lineage so that her children will be noble, for they may resemble her family and incline toward them. It used to be said: If you intend to marry a woman, look at her father and brother. From 'A'isha, she said: The Messenger of Allah - peace and blessings of Allah be upon him - said: "Choose [the best] for your seed, marry those who are compatible, and marry into [families for your children]." (28) One should choose a foreigner (from another tribe), for her children are more noble. For this reason, it is said: Marry from outside your tribe so that you do not produce weak offspring; meaning: marry those who are strangers (from outside your kin) so that your children do not become weak. Some have said: The strangers are more noble, while the cousins are more patient. Also, because enmity in marriage is not to be ruled out, leading to divorce, and if she is a relative, it might lead to the severing of family ties, which one is commanded to maintain. And Allah knows best.
(25) In the original: "tatyibu al-'ishra" (companionship becomes pleasant). (26) In the original: "tanzuru ila" (you look at). In A and B: "tatazawwaj" (you marry). (27) In B: "ummaha wa ukhtaha" (her mother and her sister). (28) Reported by Ibn Majah, in: The Chapter on Compatibility, from the Book of Marriage. Sunan Ibn Majah 1/633. (29) In the original, there is an addition: "min" (from).
