Source: Fatāwā Muḥammadiyyah, Vol. 1, p. 715
❖ Question:
Is the consent of the girl a Sharʿī requirement for the validity of a marriage?
❖ Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, Ammā Baʿd!
It is compulsory in Islamic law that the girl whose marriage is being arranged must grant her permission and express her willingness. A marriage conducted without her consent or against her will is invalid.
✦ Evidences from Authentic Hadith
➤ Hadith 1 – From Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه:
Arabic:
«لَا تُنْكَحُ الْأَيِّمُ حَتَّى تُسْتَأْمَرَ، وَلَا تُنْكَحُ الْبِكْرُ حَتَّى تُسْتَأْذَنَ»
قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، وَكَيْفَ إِذْنُهَا؟ قَالَ: «أَنْ تَسْكُتَ»
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Vol. 2, p. 771, Bāb: Lā yunkaḥ illā bi-riḍāhā
Translation:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“A previously married woman must not be married until she is consulted, and a virgin must not be married until her permission is sought.”
The Companions asked: “O Messenger of Allah, how is her permission given?”
He ﷺ replied: “Her silence is her permission.”
➤ Hadith 2 – Also from Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه:
Arabic:
«الْيَتِيمَةُ تُسْتَأْمَرُ فِي نَفْسِهَا، فَإِنْ صَمَتَتْ فَهُوَ إِذْنُهَا، وَإِنْ أَبَتْ فَلَا جَوَازَ عَلَيْهَا»
Reference: Reported by the four except Ibn Mājah; also by Ibn Ḥibbān and al-Ḥākim; see: Tuḥfat al-Aḥwadhī, Vol. 2, p. 181
Translation:
“The orphan girl must be consulted regarding herself. If she remains silent, that is her permission. But if she refuses, no marriage is valid over her.”
➤ Hadith 3 – From Khansāʾ bint Khidām al-Anṣāriyyah رضي الله عنها:
Arabic:
«أَنَّ أَبَاهَا زَوَّجَهَا وَهِيَ ثَيِّبٌ فَكَرِهَتْ ذَلِكَ، فَأَتَتِ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَرَدَّ نِكَاحَهَا»
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Vol. 2, p. 771, Bāb: If a father marries off his daughter against her will
Translation:
Her father arranged her marriage while she was a previously married woman, and she disliked it. She came to the Prophet ﷺ, and he annulled the marriage.
➤ Hadith 4 – From ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما:
Arabic:
«أَنَّ جَارِيَةً بِكْرًا أَتَتِ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَذَكَرَتْ أَنَّ أَبَاهَا زَوَّجَهَا وَهِيَ كَارِهَةٌ، فَخَيَّرَهَا النَّبِيُّ ﷺ»
Reference: Abū Dāwūd, Vol. 1, p. 285, Bāb: Regarding the father marrying off a virgin without consultation
Translation:
A virgin girl came to the Prophet ﷺ and said that her father had married her off while she was unwilling. The Prophet ﷺ gave her the option to continue or annul the marriage.
✅ Summary and Conclusion:
❀ A girl’s permission is a necessary condition for a valid marriage in Sharīʿah.
❀ A marriage performed without her consent is invalid and not recognized in Islamic law.
❀ For virgin girls, their silence is considered as consent, while explicit refusal invalidates any forced marriage attempt.
هٰذَا مَا عِندِي وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
