The Book of Marriage
كتاب النكاح
Read the English translation first, with the original Arabic directly underneath.
Prohibition of Proposing Marriage To A Woman When Someone Else Has Already Proposed To Her
Narrated Abu Salamah:
It was narrated from Abu Salamah that Abu Hurairah said: "I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I am a young man and I fear hardship for myself, but I cannot afford to marry; should I castrate myself?'" The Prophet (ﷺ) turned away from him until he said it three times. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "O Abu Hurairah, the pen is dried concerning what you are going to face, so (it is up to you whether) you castrate yourself or not." Abu Abdur-Rahman (An-Nasai) said: Al-Awzai did not hear this narration from Az-Zuhri, and this hadith is sahih, Yunus reported it from Az-Zuhri.
يَا أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ جَفَّ الْقَلَمُ بِمَا أَنْتَ لاَقٍ فَاخْتَصِ عَلَى ذَلِكَ أَوْ دَعْ