The Ruling on Forcing a Girl into Marriage, and Advice to Guardians
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
If the coercion of a girl into marriage is a matter of importance, I would like the Honorable Dr. Salih ibn Fawzan al-Fawzan to kindly address this topic, which has come to the fore in recent times.
The Shaykh:
We have referred to this, and we said that a woman is not to be married off except with her consent. If she is a widow, this is a point of agreement among the scholars. If she is a virgin, whether young or an adult, the correct opinion among the scholars is that she is not to be forced either.
The presenter:
Yes, this is the Shari'ah ruling, Honorable Shaykh. I hope you will whisper this in the ear of the guardian as well.
The Shaykh:
Yes, it is not permissible for these guardians of girls to marry them off to these husbands except with their consent. This is because marriage is a contract of companionship and a social bond between the two spouses, involving the formation of a family and a home, and the bearing of children. If it is not established from the beginning on a sound foundation, with proper understanding and the consent of both spouses, it remains troubled and marred.
The presenter:
Yes.
The Shaykh:
Also, this is an injustice to the girl, that she is forced into marriage with someone she does not want, based on her guardian's desire for it or for some purpose of his own. The girl has the right to choose and the right to consent. Her father has the right to supervise her, ensuring that he does not marry her to anyone but one who is suitable in his religion and his trustworthiness. Yes, this is his right and his role. Yes. But that he forces her without her consent, this is a matter that is not permissible. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) warned against it and prohibited it in more than one hadith. Yes.
If the coercion of a girl into marriage is a matter of importance, I would like the Honorable Dr. Salih ibn Fawzan al-Fawzan to kindly address this topic, which has come to the fore in recent times.
The Shaykh:
We have referred to this, and we said that a woman is not to be married off except with her consent. If she is a widow, this is a point of agreement among the scholars. If she is a virgin, whether young or an adult, the correct opinion among the scholars is that she is not to be forced either.
The presenter:
Yes, this is the Shari'ah ruling, Honorable Shaykh. I hope you will whisper this in the ear of the guardian as well.
The Shaykh:
Yes, it is not permissible for these guardians of girls to marry them off to these husbands except with their consent. This is because marriage is a contract of companionship and a social bond between the two spouses, involving the formation of a family and a home, and the bearing of children. If it is not established from the beginning on a sound foundation, with proper understanding and the consent of both spouses, it remains troubled and marred.
The presenter:
Yes.
The Shaykh:
Also, this is an injustice to the girl, that she is forced into marriage with someone she does not want, based on her guardian's desire for it or for some purpose of his own. The girl has the right to choose and the right to consent. Her father has the right to supervise her, ensuring that he does not marry her to anyone but one who is suitable in his religion and his trustworthiness. Yes, this is his right and his role. Yes. But that he forces her without her consent, this is a matter that is not permissible. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) warned against it and prohibited it in more than one hadith. Yes.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، حكم إكراه الفتاة على الزواج، ونصيحة لأولياء الأمور – الشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.