1. MATE AND PARTNER

There is hardly any one who can save himself from the invasion of the commercial culture of the modern world. It commercializes every thing including human relations. Everybody takes decision after thoroughly examining the accounts of profit and loss. We are in a helpless position that we cannot do anything without going through the accounts ie. of income and expenditure, and profit and loss. We are ruled by digits, that we select our partner in life, who must be with us through thick and thin until the end of our lives, with a commercial attitude. Therefore, marriage has become almost a commercial matter.
The Holy Quran contemplates a system of knowledge based on the emotion, love, compassion, and mercy.
‘And among His signs is this, that He created for you wives from among yourselves; that you find repose in them, and He has put between you affection and mercy.  Those who think have lessons in this.’ (30: 21)
The word 'love' is very beautiful one. It creates interest in the heavens. All covet it. Even those who do not give love to others long for it. As pure water is essential for retaining life, love is indispensable for enlivening social relations.
Love is the key with which the gates of human mind can be opened. Even those who cannot be conquered by sharpest weapons can be subjugated by the force of love. Love is unfathomable; it is immeasurable.
There are several things worn out by use. But love is different. If you give love, it does not get worn out; on the other hand, it increases; its increase is disproportionate to what we give. As it increases we are bound to spend more. The result is that we get boundless love.
Everybody will be prepared to sacrifice anything (in favour of) love. All efforts made in favour of being loved do not create any imbalance in anybody. It develops unlimited pleasure and ecstatic feelings in the person who gives love. Mother never complains to anybody if she has to forgo food, sleep etc. for several nights as her child is ill. When the child recovers from the illness, she enjoys the deepest pleasure and happiness.
The lovers of football matches are not bothered about whether they watch them in the day or night. They are prepared to watch the TV even at the short hours of night. Their heart beats according to the speedy movement of the ball moving from one goal post to the other. They don't feel any tiredness even if they spend hours watching the match. They are not worried about the loss of energy or time. They are fully satisfied and enthusiastic and excited. All these show that they are ecstactic about football match.
This is applicable to compassion also. It has unlimited strength. It is a strong link which binds the human relations. It is the purest emotion of the human mind in the absence of which the mind becomes a waste land.
According to Holy Quran the basis of matrimonial life should be these emotions, love and compassion. Therefore many of the criteria of the physical world are not applicable to it. The mathematical formula is that 1 + 1 is 2. But the matrimonial life contemplated by Quran is different from this mathematical formula. It is a 'Big One' as imagined by Vaikom Mohammed Basheer, the great Malayalam writer.
Matrimonial life, in which two persons become united as one is a surprising process. This life becomes one single life as two rivers get together to become one big river. It becomes as mentioned in Quran, when this great life is formed during matrimony.
Al Quran says: 'They are attire for you and you are the same for them.' (2:187)
The terms used in our language to denote the relation of these two people are 'man' and 'wife'. But Quran doesn't call them husband and wife. It calls them 'partners' in life.
Allah declares in Sura: Al-Nisa: 'And Allah has made for you wives of your own kind and has made for you from your wives, sons and grand sons and has bestowed on you good provision' (16: 72)
‘O Man kind, Be dutiful to your Lord who created you from a simple person and from him He created his wife. From the both created many men and women.’ (4: 1)
The Holy Quran doesn't  encourage any male domination and authority. Some people think that man's function is to dominate, and the woman's is to obey blindly. He can think and say and work whatever he likes. She has to follow him always, and do whatever he commands without expressing her displeasure or opinion. This type of rough male domination is not accepted by the Holy Quran. According to Holy Quran man is not a ruler, not women the ruled. They are complementary partners who share their happiness and sorrow in life. The very concept partner indicates that one is not expected to rule over the other. The objectives of the matrimonial life can be fulfilled only by discharging one's duties and honouring each other's rights. Holy Quran says: “And they (women) have rights, similar to those of their husbands. But men have a degree (of responsibilities) over their wives.” (2:228)