عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ قَالَ: كُنْتُ أَمْشِي مَعَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ يَعْنِي ابْنَ مَسْعُودٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ بِمِنًى فَلَقِيَهُ عُثْمَانُ فَقَامَ مَعَهُ يُحَدِّثُهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ عُثْمَانُ: يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ! أَلَّا نُزَوِّجُكَ جَارِيَةً شَابَّةً لَعَلَّهَا أَنْ تُذَكِّرَكَ مَا مَضَى مِنْ زَمَانِكَ؟ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ: أَمَا لَئِنْ قُلْتَ ذَاكَ، لَقَدْ قَالَ لَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ((يَا مَعْشَرَ الشَّبَابِ! مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ مِنْكُمُ الْبَاءَةَ فَلْيَتَزَوَّجْ، فَإِنَّهُ أَغَضُّ لِلْبَصَرِ وَأَحْصَنُ لِلْفَرْجِ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَعَلَيْهِ بِالصَّوْمِ فَإِنَّهُ لَهُ وِجَاءٌ)).
It is narrated from Alqamah, he says: I was walking in Mina with Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him), when he met Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) and they stood and began talking. Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: O Abu Abdur Rahman! Should we not marry you to a young girl, perhaps she will refresh your past days for you? Sayyiduna Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: If you are saying this regarding marriage, then indeed the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) instructed us: O group of young men! Whoever among you has the means to marry, let him marry, for it is more effective in lowering the gaze and guarding the private parts, and whoever does not have the means, let him fast, for fasting diminishes desire.