There is no marriage except with a guardian

Arabic text

عن أبي موسى رضي الله عنه أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: «لا نِكَاحَ إِلّا بِوَليٍّ».

Translation

Abu Mūsa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There is no marriage except with a guardian."

Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) points out that a woman's marriage is not valid without a guardian who concludes the marriage contract.

Benefits

• The guardian is a prerequisite for the validity of marriage. If the marriage occurs without a guardian or a woman marries herself off, the marriage is not valid.
• The guardian is the closest man to a woman. No distant guardian can marry her off while a closer guardian is available.
• A guardian must be: accountable, male, wise, aware of the interests related to marriage, and have the same religion as the one under his guardianship. Whoever does not fulfill these requirements is not qualified to be a guardian in a marriage contract.

Topics

• Jurisprudence and Juristic Principles
• Family Jurisprudence
• Marriage