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Rich Man's Daughter Wants to Marry Poor Religious Man

Question

My daughter is in love with a young man who is wonderful in terms of character and religion. However, he has nothing. There is no apartment to live in. His salary is very low. On the other hand, we are quite well off. We have another daughter who married a young man who is also very well off. They are quite happy, Al-Hamdu Lillah. What should we do?

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.

If this young man really wants to marry your daughter but he is unable to provide necessary expenses and accommodation and you are ready to marry your daughter to him and help in providing accommodation and necessary expenses until Allah provides for him from His Bounty, and if he is ready to accept that, you will have a great reward. The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said, “Whoever makes things easy for an insolvent person, Allah will make things easy for him in this world and in the Hereafter. Whoever covers the imperfections of a Muslim, Allah will also conceal his imperfections in this world and in the Hereafter. Allah will help the servant as long as the servant helps his fellow brother.” [Muslim]

If, however, you are unable to assist him or you simply do not want to assist him, you are not obliged to give your daughter in marriage to him, even if he is religiously and morally upright – as long as he is unable to provide accommodation and necessary expenses for your daughter. The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) advised Faatimah bint Qays  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  her not to marry Mu'aawiyah when he proposed to her. The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) told Faatimah about Mu'aawiyah: “He is a pauper, he has no money.” [Muslim]

If the young man can provide accommodation and necessary expenses but at a standard less than yours, and your daughter is pleased with that, and you know that this will cause her no harm, then it is recommended that you give her off to him in marriage as long as he is religiously and morally upright.

Allah has promised the poor man who wants to get married that He would provide sustenance for him. Allah Says (what means): {If they be poor, Allah will enrich them out of His Bounty.} [Quran 24: 32]

Moreover, Abu Hurayrah  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him narrated that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “If a man whose religion and moral conduct are pleasing to you proposes to you, then let him marry; otherwise there will be great mischief and corruption on earth. They [companions] asked: “What if he has something to be criticized about.” He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “If a man whose religion and moral conduct are pleasing to you proposes to you, then let him marry (and he repeated this thrice).” [At-Tirmithi]

Allah knows best.

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