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Parents Obliging Children to Marry

Question

Can parents obligate their children to marry someone without the children's consent?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

In principle, the parents have much more interest in the welfare of their children than other people. Also, due to their having greater life experience, parents feel a real need to help their children gain as many advantages as possible. Allah has fashioned them to love and to be kind and merciful to their offspring. Though Allah has regarded them highly and has given them a special rank, they are not permitted to impose their choice on their children. They are permitted to force their children only if they fear that they might commit what is forbidden. Islamic Sharee’ah does not allow them to compel their son to marry a particular girl while he has no interest in her. Choosing a girl is his right, so they should leave him choose to marry the girl he wants. However, some scholars permit the guardian of a mature girl to force her to marry a particular man but the preponderant opinion according to the Sharee’ah is that her consent should be considered in her marriage.

Allah knows best.

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