Get married if you can afford it ; Fast if you cannot ; Respectful relationships between men & women ; Take financial stability into account when making decisions about marriage .

This hadith speaks to the importance of marriage and fasting in Islam. It was narrated from 'Alqamah that Ibn Masud met 'Uthman at 'Arafat and spoke to him in private. Uthman asked Ibn Masud if he was interested in a girl so that he could marry her to him. In response, Abdullah called Alqamah and told him that the Prophet said “Whoever among you can afford to get married, let him do so. Whoever cannot afford it, let him fast, for fasting will be a restraint (Wija) for him”. This hadith encourages marriage as an important part of life but also acknowledges that not everyone may be able to afford it financially or otherwise. For those who are unable to marry due to financial or other reasons, this hadith recommends fasting as an alternative form of restraint from sinning or engaging in inappropriate behavior.