The Guardian in Marriage, and asking the Woman’s consent - Section 1

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “A woman without a husband* must not be married till she is consulted, and a virgin must not be married till her permission is asked.” When asked how her permission was indicated he replied that it was by her saying nothing. * <i>Ayyim</i>. This means a woman who has no husband. It may mean a woman who has not been married, whether a virgin or not, or a woman previously married who has no husband. See n. 2. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا تُنْكَحُ الْأَيِّمُ حَتَّى تُسْتَأْمَرَ وَلَا تُنْكَحُ الْبِكْرُ حَتَّى تُسْتَأْذَنَ» . قَالُوا: يَا رَسُول الله وَكَيف إِذْنهَا؟ قَالَ: «أَن تسكت»

Ibn ‘Abbas reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying, “A woman without a husband has more right to her person than her guardian, and a virgin’s permission must be asked about herself, her permission being her silence.” In a version he said, “A woman who has been previously married* has more right to her person than her guardian, and a virgin must be consulted, her permission consisting in her saying nothing.” In another version he said, “A woman who has been previously married has more right to her person than her guardian” and a virgin’s father must ask her permission about herself, her permission being her silence.” * <i>Thayyib</i>. This means a woman previously married who has no husband. In view of the context it is argued that <i>ayyim</i> is used above in this sense. Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «الْأَيِّمُ أَحَقُّ بِنَفْسِهَا مِنْ وَلِيِّهَا وَالْبِكْرُ تَسْتَأْذِنُ فِي نَفْسِهَا وَإِذْنُهَا صِمَاتُهَا» . وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: قَالَ: «الثَّيِّبُ أَحَقُّ بِنَفْسِهَا مِنْ وَلِيِّهَا وَالْبِكْرُ تُسْتَأْمَرُ وَإِذْنُهَا سُكُوتُهَا» . وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: قَالَ: «الثَّيِّبُ أَحَقُّ بِنَفْسِهَا مِنْ وَلِيِّهَا وَالْبِكْرُ يَسْتَأْذِنُهَا أَبُوهَا فِي نَفْسِهَا وَإِذْنُهَا صِمَاتُهَا» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم

Khansa’ daughter of Khidham told that when her father married her when she had previously been married and she disapproved of that, she went to God's Messenger and he revoked her marriage. A version by Ibn Majah has “the marriage [arranged by] her father.” Bukhari transmitted it.

وَعَن خنساء بنت خذام: أَنْ أَبَاهَا زَوَّجَهَا وَهِيَ ثَيِّبٌ فَكَرِهَتْ ذَلِكَ فَأَتَتْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَرَدَّ نِكَاحَهَا. رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ وَفِي رِوَايَةِ ابْنِ مَاجَه: نِكَاح أَبِيهَا

‘A’isha said that the Prophet (ﷺ) married her when she was seven, she was brought to live with him when she was nine bringing her toys with her, and he died when she was eighteen. Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ تَزَوَّجَهَا وَهِيَ بِنْتُ سَبْعِ سِنِينَ وَزُفَّتْ إِلَيْهِ وَهِيَ بِنْتُ تِسْعِ سِنِينَ وَلُعَبُهَا مَعَهَا وَمَاتَ عَنْهَا وَهِيَ بِنْتُ ثَمَانِيَ عَشْرَةَ. رَوَاهُ مُسلم

Abu Musa reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying, “There is no marriage without a guardian.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.

عَن أَبِي مُوسَى عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «لَا نِكَاحَ إِلَّا بِوَلِيٍّ» . رَوَاهُ أَحْمَدُ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَالدَّارِمِيُّ

‘A’isha reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If any woman marries without the consent of her guardian her marriage is void, her marriage is void, her marriage is void. If there is cohabitation she gets her dower for the intercourse her husband has had. If there is a dispute*, the sultan is the guardian of one who has none.” * i.e., among guardians, <i>Mirqat</i> iii. 418 says that if their dispute would keep a woman from being married, they are treated as non-existent. Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «أَيُّمَا امْرَأَةٍ نَكَحَتْ بِغَيْرِ إِذْنِ وَلَيِّهَا فَنِكَاحُهَا بَاطِلٌ فَنِكَاحُهَا بَاطِلٌ فَنِكَاحُهَا بَاطِلٌ فَإِنْ دَخَلَ بِهَا فَلَهَا الْمَهْرُ بِمَا اسْتَحَلَّ مِنْ فَرْجِهَا فَإِنِ اشْتَجَرُوا فَالسُّلْطَانُ وَلِيُّ من لَا ولي لَهُ» . رَوَاهُ أَحْمَدُ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ والدارمي

Ibn ‘Abbas reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying, ‘Adulteresses are those women who marry themselves without evidence.” The soundest view is that it does not go back farther than Ibn ‘Abbas. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «الْبَغَايَا اللَّاتِي يُنْكِحْنَ أَنْفُسَهُنَّ بِغَيْرِ بَيِّنَةٍ» . وَالْأَصَحُّ أَنَّهُ مَوْقُوفٌ عَلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاس. رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “An orphan girl should be consulted about herself; if she says nothing that indicates her permission, but if she refuses, the authority of the guardian cannot be exercised against her will.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it, and Darimi transmitted it on the authority of Abu Musa.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «الْيَتِيمَةُ تُسْتَأْمَرُ فِي نَفْسِهَا فَإِنْ صَمَتَتْ فَهُوَ إِذْنُهَا وَإِنْ أَبَتْ فَلَا جَوَازَ عَلَيْهَا» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَالنَّسَائِيّ وَرَوَاهُ الدَّارمِيّ عَن أبي مُوسَى

Jabir reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying, “Any slave who marries without his master's permission is a fornicator.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Darimi transmitted it.

وَعَنْ جَابِرٌ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «أَيُّمَا عَبْدٍ تَزَوَّجَ بِغَيْرِ إِذْنِ سَيِّدِهِ فَهُوَ عَاهِرٌ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ والدرامي

Ibn ‘Abbas told that a virgin came to God’s Messenger and mentioned that her father had married her against her will, so the Prophet (ﷺ) allowed her to exercise her choice. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: إِنَّ جَارِيَةً بِكْرًا أَتَتْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَذكرت أَن أَبَاهَا زَوجهَا وَهِي كَارِهًا فَخَيَّرَهَا النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ

Abu Huraira reported God's Messenger as saying, “A woman may not give a woman in marriage, nor may she give herself in marriage, for the immoral woman is the one who gives herself in marriage.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم: «لَا تزوج الْمَرْأَة الْمَرْأَةَ وَلَا تُزَوِّجُ الْمَرْأَةُ نَفْسَهَا فَإِنَّ الزَّانِيَةَ هِيَ الَّتِي تُزَوِّجُ نَفْسَهَا» . رَوَاهُ ابْنُ مَاجَهْ

Abu Sa'id and Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “He who has a son born to him should give him a good name and a good education and marry him when he reaches puberty. If he does not marry him when he reaches puberty and He commits sin, its guilt rests only upon his father." Baihaqi transmitted in <i>Shu'ab al-iman</i>.

وَعَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ وَابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَا: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «من وُلِدَ لَهُ وَلَدٌ فَلْيُحْسِنِ اسْمَهُ وَأَدَبَهُ فَإِذَا بَلَغَ فَلْيُزَوِّجْهُ فَإِنْ بَلَغَ وَلَمْ يُزَوِّجْهُ فَأَصَابَ إِثْمًا فَإِنَّمَا إثمه على أَبِيه»

‘Umar b. al-Khattab and Anas b. Malik reported God’s Messenger as saying that it is written in the Torah, “If anyone does not give his daughter in marriage when she reaches twelve and she commits sin, the guilt of that rests on him." Baihaqi transmitted in <i>Shu'ab al-iman</i>.

وَعَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ وَأَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ:

فِي التَّوْرَاةِ مَكْتُوبٌ: مَنْ بَلَغَتِ ابْنَتُهُ اثْنَتَيْ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً وَلَمْ يُزَوِّجْهَا فَأَصَابَتْ إِثْمًا فَإِثْمُ ذَلِكَ عَلَيْهِ «. رَوَاهُمَا الْبَيْهَقِيُّ فِي» شُعَبِ الْإِيمَانِ