and abandoning it to prohibition. If abandoning it were better, the matter would be reversed. Furthermore, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) married and was excessive in the number of his wives, and his companions did the same. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his companions would not occupy themselves except with what is better, nor would the Companions unite upon abandoning what is better and occupying themselves with the inferior. It is a matter of wonder that those who prefer abandoning it do not practice it themselves; how then did they unite upon marriage in their actions while disagreeing with it in their preference? Was there no one among them who would follow what he considered better and act upon what is more appropriate? Also, the benefits of marriage are greater, for it comprises the safeguarding of religion and its protection, the protection of the woman and her maintenance, the undertaking of her needs, the creation of offspring, the increasing of the community, and the fulfillment of the Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) boast, along with other benefits, any one of which outweighs a supererogatory act of worship, so their totality is more appropriate. We have narrated in the stories of the predecessors that some people mentioned the virtue of an ascetic among them to a prophet of theirs, and he said: "He is a neglecter of a portion of the Sunnah." When this reached the ascetic, he came to the prophet and asked him about it. He said: "You have neglected marriage." He said: "O Prophet of Allah, is it only this?" When the prophet saw his belittling of it, he said: "What do you think if all people were to abandon marriage? Who would then undertake Jihad, repel the enemy, and uphold the obligations and boundaries of Allah Almighty?" As for what was mentioned about Yahya, that was his law, while our law has come with the opposite, so it (our law) is more appropriate. Trade does not comprise the benefits of marriage, nor does it approach them. The third category is one who has no desire, either because he was not created with desire, such as the impotent, or he had desire and it vanished due to old age, sickness, or the like. Regarding him, there are two views: one is that marriage is recommended for him due to the generality of what we have mentioned. The second is that abandoning it is better for him, because he does not achieve the benefits of marriage, he prevents his wife from seeking protection through another, he harms her, he restrains her to himself, and he exposes himself to obligations and rights he may not be able to fulfill, and he occupies himself with that which has no benefit away from knowledge and worship.