It is known that some great persons of Muslim history never married. Imam Ibn Taymiyyah and Imam Bukhārī are two examples. Did not they disobey the Prophet (sws) who has directed his followers to marry?
Like all directives of Islam, the directive to marry also has common sense exceptions. In normal circumstances marriage is something which a person must undertake because it sprouts from his very instincts. Consequently, Prophets prior to Muhammad (sws) also directed their believers to marry and refrain from celibacy. However, if in certain exceptional circumstances a person is not able to do so, he should have a genuine plea. In other words, a person who does not marry should not idealize celibacy or some similar ideology. He or she should remain a bachelor or a spinster because of some genuine reason.