Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Ṣāliḥ al-‘Uthaymīn (raḥimahullāh) said:

[Marriage Takes Precedence Over Other Non-Obligatory Acts of Worship]

Getting married, for one who has libido, is superior to supererogatory acts of worship. If a person finds themselves capable of arousal, and they have sufficient wealth to support the basic needs of a marriage, then doing so is actually better and of greater reward than carrying out non-obligatory acts of worship.

As for obligatory acts of worship, they take precedence over marriage, because Allāh says in the Hadīth qudsī:

وما تقرَّب إليَّ عبدي بشيء أحب إلي مما افترضته عليه

“These is no action my slave does, seeking nearness to me, that is more beloved to me than the acts of worship I have made obligatory upon him”. (al-Bukhārī)

So if a person were to ask: what’s better? For me to stay in the mosque worshipping Allāh, praying, doing tasbīḥ, and reciting Qurān; or for me to get married?

We say to him: if you are a person who gets aroused, and you possess that which is sufficient to fulfil your obligations in a marriage, then it’s better for you to get married than to stay in the masjid worshipping Allāh. This is because there are, in marriage, tremendous benefits to be reaped, and these benefits outweigh supererogatory acts.

If a person fears for themselves zinā (fornication), due to the intensity of their sexual desire and the open avenues to fornication in their country, then it is not just better, but obligatory upon them to get married.

This is unlike a person who lives in a country where the avenues to zinā are closed off, and it’s difficult to fornicate. Even if their sexual appetite were to become intense, there’s no outlet for them to fornicate. As for a person who lives in a place where fornication is easy, if his sexual desire overpowers him there’s nothing to prevent him from falling into zinā.

So if one fears zinā due to its preponderous causes and scant preventative measures, then marriage in his case becomes wājib (obligatory), as it safeguards him from falling into such calamity. This is because avoiding zinā is an obligation (wājib), and that which is required in order to uphold an obligation, becomes in of itself an obligation.

[What Should my Intention be in Seeking to Marry?]

When getting married, one shouldn’t only intend to expend their sexual desire, as is the case with the majority of people these days. Instead, they should intend the following:

Firstly: to obey the command of the Prophet ﷺ when he said:

يا معشر الشباب من استطاع منكم الباءة فليتزوج

“Oh youth, whomsoever of you is capable of supporting a wife then get married…”. (al-Bukhārī & Muslim)

Secondly: to increase the population of the ummah. Increasing the ummah’s population is one of the affairs which is beloved to the Prophet ﷺ, and increasing in numbers is a cause for strength and pride. See how Shu‘ayb said to his people:

﴾ وَاذْكُرُوا إِذْ كُنتُمْ قَلِيلًا فَكَثَّرَكُمْ ﴿

“And remember when you were few in number and then He (Allāh) increased you in numbers.” [al-A‘rāf 7:86]

And see how Allāh reminded the children of Israel about His favour upon them by saying:

﴾ وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ أَكْثَرَ نَفِيرًا ﴿

“And We made you more numerous in man-power.” [al-Isrā 17:6]

Thirdly: to shield his private parts and his wife’s private parts, and to lower his gaze and the gaze of his wife, and finally after that: to expend his sexual desire [and that of his wife’s].

Source: Summarised from ‘al-Sharḥ al-Mumti’ (12/7-10)