وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلنِّسَآءَ صَدُقَٰتِهِنَّ نِحْلَةًۭ ۚ فَإِن طِبْنَ لَكُمْ عَن شَىْءٍۢ مِّنْهُ نَفْسًۭا فَكُلُوهُ هَنِيٓـًۭٔا مَّرِيٓـًۭٔا ﴿٤﴾
और औरतों को उनके महर ख़ुशी ख़ुशी दे डालो फिर अगर वह ख़ुशी ख़ुशी तुम्हें कुछ छोड़ दे तो शौक़ से नौशे जान खाओ पियो
Marriage and family
Marriage in Islam: the conditions of a valid contract
The ruling in short
Allah says that among His signs is that He created for you spouses to find tranquillity in them, and placed between you affection and mercy (30:21). A valid marriage needs the consent of both parties, the guardian (wali) of the woman, witnesses, and the mahr. The Prophet ﷺ said that a previously married woman is not married until she is consulted and a virgin until her permission is asked.
1The requirements
- The consent of the bride and the groom. Forcing a woman to marry is not valid.
- The guardian of the woman: the Prophet ﷺ said that there is no marriage without a guardian (reported by Abu Dawud and graded sahih by many).
- Two just witnesses and the announcement of the marriage.
- The mahr, which belongs to the wife. The Prophet ﷺ taught a man to give something, even an iron ring, or teach some of the Quran he knew.
2The prohibited marriages
- A woman who is forbidden by relation (the mothers, daughters, sisters and so on), by breastfeeding or by marriage (4:23).
- Two sisters at the same time, and a woman at the same time as her aunt.
- A Muslim woman marrying a non-Muslim man. A Muslim man may marry a chaste woman of the People of the Book (5:5).
- A woman in her iddah (waiting period).
Where the schools differ
The four Sunni schools agree on the main ruling above and differ in these points. No school is preferred here.
- The guardian. the majority (Maliki, Shafi'i, Hanbali) say there is no marriage without a guardian. The Hanafi school allows an adult, sane woman to contract her own marriage, though it is recommended to involve the guardian.
- Witnesses. the Hanafi, Shafi'i and Hanbali schools require two witnesses at the contract, and the Maliki school accepts the public announcement if witnesses were not present at the contract itself.
The evidence
From the Quran
وَمِنْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦٓ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًۭا لِّتَسْكُنُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَكُم مَّوَدَّةًۭ وَرَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَٰتٍۢ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ﴿٢١﴾
और उसी की (क़ुदरत) की निशानियों में से एक ये (भी) है कि उसने तुम्हारे वास्ते तुम्हारी ही जिन्स की बीवियाँ पैदा की ताकि तुम उनके साथ रहकर चैन करो और तुम लोगों के दरमेयान प्यार और उलफ़त पैदा कर दी इसमें शक नहीं कि इसमें ग़ौर करने वालों के वास्ते (क़ुदरते ख़ुदा की) यक़ीनी बहुत सी निशानियाँ हैं
وَأَنكِحُوا۟ ٱلْأَيَٰمَىٰ مِنكُمْ وَٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ مِنْ عِبَادِكُمْ وَإِمَآئِكُمْ ۚ إِن يَكُونُوا۟ فُقَرَآءَ يُغْنِهِمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌۭ ﴿٣٢﴾
और अपनी (क़ौम की) बेशौहर औरतों और अपने नेक बख्त गुलामों और लौंडियों का निकाह कर दिया करो अगर ये लोग मोहताज होंगे तो खुदा अपने फज़ल व (करम) से उन्हें मालदार बना देगा और ख़ुदा तो बड़ी गुन्जाइश वाला वाक़िफ कार है
From the Sunnah
Sahih al-Bukhari 5136 Authentic collection
The point of the hadith: A previously married woman is not given in marriage until she is consulted, and a virgin until her permission is asked.
Read the Arabic text
حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاذُ بْنُ فَضَالَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ، عَنْ يَحْيَى، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، حَدَّثَهُمْ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لاَ تُنْكَحُ الأَيِّمُ حَتَّى تُسْتَأْمَرَ وَلاَ تُنْكَحُ الْبِكْرُ حَتَّى تُسْتَأْذَنَ ". قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَكَيْفَ إِذْنُهَا قَالَ " أَنْ تَسْكُتَ ".
Sunan Abi Dawud 2085
The point of the hadith: There is no marriage without a guardian.
Graded by
- Al-Albani: Sahih
- Muhammad Muhyi Al-Din Abdul Hamid: Sahih
- Zubair Ali Zai: Sahih
Read the Arabic text
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ قُدَامَةَ بْنِ أَعْيَنَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ الْحَدَّادُ، عَنْ يُونُسَ، وَإِسْرَائِيلَ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " لاَ نِكَاحَ إِلاَّ بِوَلِيٍّ " . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ هُوَ يُونُسُ عَنْ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ وَإِسْرَائِيلُ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ .
Sahih al-Bukhari 5135 Authentic collection
The point of the hadith: The Prophet ﷺ told a man who wished to marry to look for something to give, even an iron ring, and when he found nothing, married him for the Quran he knew.
Read the Arabic text
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ، عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، قَالَ جَاءَتِ امْرَأَةٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَتْ إِنِّي وَهَبْتُ مِنْ نَفْسِي. فَقَامَتْ طَوِيلاً فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ زَوِّجْنِيهَا، إِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ لَكَ بِهَا حَاجَةٌ. قَالَ " هَلْ عِنْدَكَ مِنْ شَىْءٍ تُصْدِقُهَا ". قَالَ مَا عِنْدِي إِلاَّ إِزَارِي. فَقَالَ " إِنْ أَعْطَيْتَهَا إِيَّاهُ جَلَسْتَ لاَ إِزَارَ لَكَ، فَالْتَمِسْ شَيْئًا ". فَقَالَ مَا أَجِدُ شَيْئًا. فَقَالَ " الْتَمِسْ وَلَوْ خَاتَمًا مِنْ حَدِيدِ ". فَلَمْ يَجِدْ. فَقَالَ " أَمَعَكَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ شَىْءٌ ". قَالَ نَعَمْ سُورَةُ كَذَا وَسُورَةُ كَذَا لِسُوَرٍ سَمَّاهَا. فَقَالَ " زَوَّجْنَاكَهَا بِمَا مَعَكَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ ".
This is general information, not a fatwa. For your own situation, ask a qualified scholar.
Fiqh questions
Marriage in Islam: the conditions of a valid contract
Allah says that among His signs is that He created for you spouses to find tranquillity in them, and placed between you affection and mercy (30:21). A valid marriage needs the consent of both parties, the guardian (wali) of the woman, witnesses, and the mahr. The Prophet ﷺ said that a previously married woman is not married until she is consulted and a virgin until her permission is asked.
Is this a fatwa?
No. It is a summary of well-known rulings with their evidence. For your own case, ask a qualified scholar.
What if my school differs from this answer?
Follow the view of the school you follow and the scholar who teaches you. The page lists the differences of the four schools.