Urging Fathers to Marry Off Their Daughters

Question:
The truth is, I have before me a letter written by your daughter (A. A.). She wrote this letter in her own style, saying: "The truth is, Your Eminence! I do not know where to begin my letter to you. The summary of my story is that I am a university student on the verge of graduation, praise be to Allah, and I am not yet married. I know that you will say that the road is still open before me, but the customs in our village are the cause. Fathers there marry off their daughters when they are fifteen years old, whereas my father rejects everyone who proposes to me on the pretext of completing my university studies. I have now become the target of people's gazes, considered one of the girls who have grown too old for marriage in the eyes of the villagers. I—praise be to Allah—do not complain of any family problems, but I fear the passing of time and do not know what is in the unseen. This questioner remembers and says: All I want from you, Your Eminence, is that you advise my father; because I know that this will not be effective with him, but perhaps he will respond. I ask you for supplication, Your Eminence, for I consider you—may Allah reward you with good—one of the callers to Allah. Guide me in light of this letter with advice and direction, so that perhaps my father will change and my situation will change from what it is. So make supplication for me—may Allah reward you with good—and may Allah's peace, mercy, and blessings be upon you. The questioner is from Riyadh (A. A.)?"

Answer:
We advise all men to fear Allah regarding their daughters, and to strive to marry them to suitable men, even if they have not completed their studies. When a suitor comes to consult her and she is pleased, he should marry her, whether she is in middle school, high school, or university. He should not reject a suitable suitor. As long as the woman agrees, he should marry her and not prevent her from marriage until she completes her studies, for the suitable suitor may be lost, and she may complete her studies and not find a suitable suitor afterwards.
So it is obligatory for the guardians to fear Allah and to marry off their daughters when a suitable suitor comes, when a suitable suitor proposes to them; because of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): And in another wording: .
So it is obligatory for the guardian, when a suitable suitor comes and proposes to him, to marry her to him and not look at whether her studies are completed or not. He should advise her and counsel her to agree, even if she says: "Let me finish my studies." No, he says to her: "I advise you to accept. The man is suitable; in any case, we can obtain him whenever we want. The suitable suitor may go and not return, and a suitable suitor may not come." So he advises her until he marries her off, even if she is in middle school or high school, if she is of marriageable age, sound, and Allah has kept her safe. He marries her off at fifteen, or fourteen, or sixteen; there is no harm.
So the point is: he chooses a good man for her. If a suitable suitor proposes to her, it is obligatory not to be negligent with him. It is obligatory for the daughter to accept as well, and for the father, brother, and uncle to agree to it. All of them should strive... the guardians should strive, and the daughters should accept when a suitable suitor comes and not lose him for the sake of studies. Rather, the suitable suitor is a gain; for this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: This is the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
So fathers should fear Allah, and all guardians should fear Allah and marry off their daughters when suitable suitors propose to them, even if they are in high school or middle school. They should not delay their marriage to complete university studies, for there is danger in this. She may complete her studies and then not find a suitable suitor. We ask Allah for success and guidance for everyone, and we ask Allah for the questioner a righteous husband. We ask Allah to make easy for her a righteous husband and to grant her father success in what is in her best interest and the best interest of her siblings. Yes.

The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good, Your Eminence, for this blessed guidance.