I want to marry a girl, but my father does not agree and wants me to marry a girl from among his relatives, knowing that she does not pray. What should I do?
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The questioner : He wants to marry a girl he has chosen for himself, but his father says he does not agree and wants to marry him to a girl from among his relatives, knowing that she does not pray. What should I do? Guide us and advise us, may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment. Our answer to this, and our guidance to the brother questioner, is to say: First, it is not permissible for a father to prevent his son from marrying a woman he has chosen for himself, nor to force him to marry a woman he does not want, even if she is a relative of the father. This is because these matters are personal to the individual himself, and he has authority over himself in them. Therefore, it is not permissible to force him to do what he does not want, or to prevent him from what he wants. This is with regard to the father of this questioner. I advise him to leave his son alone regarding what he wants.
As for the son, he is not obligated to obey his father in this case. That is, he is not obligated to obey his father in marrying a woman he does not want and leaving a woman he does want. He may marry the woman he wants, even if his father dislikes it, provided that this woman is not deficient in her religion or her character. Especially since the questioner says that the woman his father wants him to marry does not pray. A woman who does not pray is not permissible for any Muslim to marry until she returns to Islam, because whoever abandons prayer is a disbeliever in a disbelief that takes him out of the religion. Just as it is not permissible for us to marry a woman to a man who does not pray, so it is not permissible for a man to marry a woman who does not pray.
In summary, the answer is: It is not permissible for a father to force his son to marry a woman he does not want, or to prevent him from marrying a woman he wants, if she is of good character and religion. The son is not obligated to obey his father in this matter. He may marry the one he wants or the one he desires to marry, and this is not considered undutifulness to his father. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you. This listener, a brother from Sudan, says:
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment. Our answer to this, and our guidance to the brother questioner, is to say: First, it is not permissible for a father to prevent his son from marrying a woman he has chosen for himself, nor to force him to marry a woman he does not want, even if she is a relative of the father. This is because these matters are personal to the individual himself, and he has authority over himself in them. Therefore, it is not permissible to force him to do what he does not want, or to prevent him from what he wants. This is with regard to the father of this questioner. I advise him to leave his son alone regarding what he wants.
As for the son, he is not obligated to obey his father in this case. That is, he is not obligated to obey his father in marrying a woman he does not want and leaving a woman he does want. He may marry the woman he wants, even if his father dislikes it, provided that this woman is not deficient in her religion or her character. Especially since the questioner says that the woman his father wants him to marry does not pray. A woman who does not pray is not permissible for any Muslim to marry until she returns to Islam, because whoever abandons prayer is a disbeliever in a disbelief that takes him out of the religion. Just as it is not permissible for us to marry a woman to a man who does not pray, so it is not permissible for a man to marry a woman who does not pray.
In summary, the answer is: It is not permissible for a father to force his son to marry a woman he does not want, or to prevent him from marrying a woman he wants, if she is of good character and religion. The son is not obligated to obey his father in this matter. He may marry the one he wants or the one he desires to marry, and this is not considered undutifulness to his father. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you. This listener, a brother from Sudan, says: