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.
The four Sunni schools agree on the main ruling above and differ in these points. No school is preferred here.
وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلنِّسَآءَ صَدُقَٰتِهِنَّ نِحْلَةًۭ ۚ فَإِن طِبْنَ لَكُمْ عَن شَىْءٍۢ مِّنْهُ نَفْسًۭا فَكُلُوهُ هَنِيٓـًۭٔا مَّرِيٓـًۭٔا ﴿٤﴾
And give unto the women (whom ye marry) free gift of their marriage portions; but if they of their own accord remit unto you a part thereof, then ye are welcome to absorb it (in your wealth).
وَمِنْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦٓ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًۭا لِّتَسْكُنُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَكُم مَّوَدَّةًۭ وَرَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَٰتٍۢ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ﴿٢١﴾
And of His signs is this: He created for you helpmeets from yourselves that ye might find rest in them, and He ordained between you love and mercy. Lo! herein indeed are portents for folk who reflect.
وَأَنكِحُوا۟ ٱلْأَيَٰمَىٰ مِنكُمْ وَٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ مِنْ عِبَادِكُمْ وَإِمَآئِكُمْ ۚ إِن يَكُونُوا۟ فُقَرَآءَ يُغْنِهِمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌۭ ﴿٣٢﴾
And marry such of you as are solitary and the pious of your slaves and maid-servants. If they be poor, Allah will enrich them of His bounty. Allah is of ample means, Aware.
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.
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 ".
The point of the hadith: There is no marriage without a guardian.
Graded by
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 .
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.
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.
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.
No. It is a summary of well-known rulings with their evidence. For your own case, ask a qualified scholar.
Follow the view of the school you follow and the scholar who teaches you. The page lists the differences of the four schools.
