Quran Verses about Spouses and soulmates
Allah created all things in pairs, and gave people spouses of their own kind so that they find tranquillity, with love and mercy between them. The verses say that a believing slave is better to marry than a polytheist however attractive, command marrying off those who are single, and An-Nur 26, which the tafsir places in the context of the slander against Aisha, says that the wicked befit the wicked and the good befit the good. The believers pray for spouses and offspring who are a comfort to their eyes, and the righteous among them enter Paradise with their righteous spouses.
All things created in pairs
سُبۡحَٰنَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ٱلۡأَزۡوَٰجَ كُلَّهَا مِمَّا تُنۢبِتُ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ وَمِنۡ أَنفُسِهِمۡ وَمِمَّا لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ ٣٦
Subḥānal-ladhī khalaqal-azwāja kullahā mimmā tunbitul-arḍu wa min anfusihim wa mimmā lā yaʿlamūn.
Exalted is He who created all pairs1 - from what the earth grows and from themselves and from that which they do not know.
Footnotes (1)
- Or "all species."
وَمِن كُلِّ شَيۡءٍ خَلَقۡنَا زَوۡجَيۡنِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَذَكَّرُونَ ٤٩
Wa min kulli shayʾin khalaqnā zawjayni laʿallakum tadhakkarūn.
And of all things We created two mates [i.e., counterparts]; perhaps you will remember.
وَخَلَقۡنَٰكُمۡ أَزۡوَٰجٗا ٨
Wa khalaqnākum azwājā.
And We created you in pairs
Spouses of your own kind, for tranquillity
۞ هُوَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفۡسٖ وَٰحِدَةٖ وَجَعَلَ مِنۡهَا زَوۡجَهَا لِيَسۡكُنَ إِلَيۡهَاۖ فَلَمَّا تَغَشَّىٰهَا حَمَلَتۡ حَمۡلًا خَفِيفٗا فَمَرَّتۡ بِهِۦۖ فَلَمَّآ أَثۡقَلَت دَّعَوَا ٱللَّهَ رَبَّهُمَا لَئِنۡ ءَاتَيۡتَنَا صَٰلِحٗا لَّنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلشَّٰكِرِينَ ١٨٩
Huwal-ladhī khalaqakum min nafsiw wāḥidatiw wa jaʿala minhā zawjahā liyaskuna ilayhā, falammā taghashshāhā ḥamalat ḥamlan khafīfan famarrat bih, falammā athqalat daʿawallāha rabbahumā laʾin ātaytanā ṣāliḥal lanakūnanna minash-shākirīn.
It is He who created you from one soul and created from it its mate that he1 might dwell in security with her. And when he [i.e., man] covers her,2 she carries a light burden [i.e., a pregnancy] and continues therein. And when it becomes heavy, they both invoke Allāh, their Lord, "If You should give us a good3 [child], we will surely be among the grateful."
Footnotes (3)
- i.e., man or every descendent of Adam.
- An allusion to sexual intercourse.
- Physically sound or righteous.
وَٱللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنۡ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَزۡوَٰجٗا وَجَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنۡ أَزۡوَٰجِكُم بَنِينَ وَحَفَدَةٗ وَرَزَقَكُم مِّنَ ٱلطَّيِّبَٰتِۚ أَفَبِٱلۡبَٰطِلِ يُؤۡمِنُونَ وَبِنِعۡمَتِ ٱللَّهِ هُمۡ يَكۡفُرُونَ ٧٢
Wallāhu jaʿala lakum min anfusikum azwājaw wa jaʿala lakum min azwājikum banīna wa ḥafadataw wa razaqakum minaṭ-ṭayyibāt, afabil-bāṭili yuʾminūna wabiniʿmatillāhi hum yakfurūn.
And Allāh has made for you from yourselves mates and has made for you from your mates sons and grandchildren and has provided for you from the good things. Then in falsehood do they believe and in the favor of Allāh they disbelieve?
وَمِنۡ ءَايَٰتِهِۦٓ أَنۡ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنۡ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَزۡوَٰجٗا لِّتَسۡكُنُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيۡنَكُم مَّوَدَّةٗ وَرَحۡمَةًۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّقَوۡمٖ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ٢١
Wa min āyātihī an khalaqa lakum min anfusikum azwājal litaskunū ilayhā wa jaʿala baynakum mawaddataw wa raḥmah, inna fī dhālika laʾāyātil liqawmiy yatafakkarūn.
And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquility in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.
فَاطِرُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنۡ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَزۡوَٰجٗا وَمِنَ ٱلۡأَنۡعَٰمِ أَزۡوَٰجٗا يَذۡرَؤُكُمۡ فِيهِۚ لَيۡسَ كَمِثۡلِهِۦ شَيۡءٞۖ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلۡبَصِيرُ ١١
Fāṭirus-samāwāti wal-arḍ, jaʿala lakum min anfusikum azwājaw wa minal-anʿāmi azwājay yadhraʾukum fīh, laysa kamithlihī shayʾ, wa huwas-samīʿul-baṣīr.
[He is] Creator of the heavens and the earth. He has made for you from yourselves, mates, and among the cattle, mates; He multiplies you thereby. There is nothing like unto Him,1 and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.2
Footnotes (2)
- There is no similarity whatsoever between the Creator and His creation in essence, in attributes or in deed.
- See footnotes to 17:1.
Choosing a spouse: faith and goodness
وَلَا تَنكِحُواْ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكَٰتِ حَتَّىٰ يُؤۡمِنَّۚ وَلَأَمَةٞ مُّؤۡمِنَةٌ خَيۡرٞ مِّن مُّشۡرِكَةٖ وَلَوۡ أَعۡجَبَتۡكُمۡۗ وَلَا تُنكِحُواْ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ حَتَّىٰ يُؤۡمِنُواْۚ وَلَعَبۡدٞ مُّؤۡمِنٌ خَيۡرٞ مِّن مُّشۡرِكٖ وَلَوۡ أَعۡجَبَكُمۡۗ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ يَدۡعُونَ إِلَى ٱلنَّارِۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَدۡعُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱلۡجَنَّةِ وَٱلۡمَغۡفِرَةِ بِإِذۡنِهِۦۖ وَيُبَيِّنُ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ ٢٢١
Wa lā tankiḥul-mushrikāti ḥattā yuʾminn, wa laʾamatum muʾminatun khayrum mim mushrikatiw wa law aʿjabatkum, wa lā tunkiḥul-mushrikīna ḥattā yuʾminū, wa laʿabdum muʾminun khayrum mim mushrikiw wa law aʿjabakum, ulāʾika yadʿūna ilan-nār, wallāhu yadʿū ilal-jannati wal-maghfirati biʾidhnih, wa yubayyinu āyātihī lin-nāsi laʿallahum yatadhakkarūn.
And do not marry polytheistic women until they believe.1 And a believing slave woman is better than a polytheist, even though she might please you. And do not marry polytheistic men [to your women] until they believe. And a believing slave is better than a polytheist, even though he might please you. Those invite [you] to the Fire, but Allāh invites to Paradise and to forgiveness, by His permission. And He makes clear His verses [i.e., ordinances] to the people that perhaps they may remember.
Footnotes (1)
- i.e., worship and obey Allāh alone.
ٱلۡخَبِيثَٰتُ لِلۡخَبِيثِينَ وَٱلۡخَبِيثُونَ لِلۡخَبِيثَٰتِۖ وَٱلطَّيِّبَٰتُ لِلطَّيِّبِينَ وَٱلطَّيِّبُونَ لِلطَّيِّبَٰتِۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ مُبَرَّءُونَ مِمَّا يَقُولُونَۖ لَهُم مَّغۡفِرَةٞ وَرِزۡقٞ كَرِيمٞ ٢٦
Al-khabīthātu lil-khabīthīna wal-khabīthūna lil-khabīthāt, waṭ-ṭayyibātu liṭ-ṭayyibīna waṭ-ṭayyibūna liṭ-ṭayyibāt, ulāʾika mubarraʾūna mimmā yaqūlūn, lahum maghfiratuw wa rizqun karīm.
Evil words are for evil men, and evil men are [subjected] to evil words. And good words are for good men, and good men are [an object] of good words.1 Those [good people] are declared innocent of what they [i.e., slanderers] say. For them is forgiveness and noble provision.
Footnotes (1)
- Another accepted interpretation is "Evil women are for evil men, and evil men are for evil women. And good women are for good men, and good men are for good women."
Marrying off those who are single
وَأَنكِحُواْ ٱلۡأَيَٰمَىٰ مِنكُمۡ وَٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ مِنۡ عِبَادِكُمۡ وَإِمَآئِكُمۡۚ إِن يَكُونُواْ فُقَرَآءَ يُغۡنِهِمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٞ ٣٢
Wa ankiḥul-ayāmā minkum waṣ-ṣāliḥīna min ʿibādikum wa imāʾikum, iy yakūnū fuqarāʾa yughnihimullāhu min faḍlih, wallāhu wāsiʿun ʿalīm.
And marry the unmarried among you and the righteous among your male slaves and female slaves. If they should be poor, Allāh will enrich them from His bounty, and Allāh is all-Encompassing and Knowing.
Praying for spouses who comfort the eyes
وَٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا هَبۡ لَنَا مِنۡ أَزۡوَٰجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّٰتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعۡيُنٖ وَٱجۡعَلۡنَا لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا ٧٤
Wal-ladhīna yaqūlūna rabbanā hab lanā min azwājinā wa dhurriyyātinā qurrata aʿyuniw wajʿalnā lil-muttaqīna imāmā.
And those who say, "Our Lord, grant us from among our wives and offspring comfort to our eyes1 and make us a leader [i.e., example] for the righteous."
Footnotes (1)
- i.e., a source of happiness due to their righteousness.
With one's spouse in Paradise
جَنَّٰتُ عَدۡنٖ يَدۡخُلُونَهَا وَمَن صَلَحَ مِنۡ ءَابَآئِهِمۡ وَأَزۡوَٰجِهِمۡ وَذُرِّيَّٰتِهِمۡۖ وَٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ يَدۡخُلُونَ عَلَيۡهِم مِّن كُلِّ بَابٖ ٢٣
Jannātu ʿadniy yadkhulūnahā wa man ṣalaḥa min ābāʾihim wa azwājihim wa dhurriyyātihim, wal-malāʾikatu yadkhulūna ʿalayhim min kulli bāb.
Gardens of perpetual residence; they will enter them with whoever were righteous among their forefathers, their spouses and their descendants. And the angels will enter upon them from every gate, [saying],