Is it true that whoever gets married has completed half of his religion? What is the evidence for that?
Summary of answer
Whomever Allah blesses with a righteous wife, He has helped him with half of his religion, so let him fear Allah with regard to the other half.
Answer
Praise be to Allah, and blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah:
The Sunnah indicates that it is prescribed to get married , and that it is one of the Sunnahs of the Messengers . By getting married a person can, with the help of Allah, overcome many of the traps of evil, for marriage helps him to lower his gaze and guard his chastity.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said in the Hadith, “O young men, whoever among you can afford it, let him get married , for it is more effective in lowering the gaze and guarding chastity…” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Al-Hakim (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated in Al-Mustadrak from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whomever Allah blesses with a righteous wife, He has helped him with half of his religion, so let him fear Allah with regard to the other half.”
Al-Bayhaqi (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated in Shu`ab Al-Iman from Al-Raqashi (may Allah have mercy on him): “When a person gets married he has completed half of his religion, so let him fear Allah with regard to the other half.” Al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) said of these two Hadiths in Sahih At-Targhib wat-Tarhib (1916): “(They are) sound.”
And Allah is the Source of strength.
Reference: Al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah li’l-Buhooth al-‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Ifta, 18/31