Q: I have an important question which I would like to ask on behalf of a friend of mine. I shall explain the whole situation and would like some Islamic advice on the matter.
Basically one my friends family have taken him to Pakistan to get married to one of his relatives there, at the time of his travel he was unaware of this. My friend likes somebody else who he would like to marry but due to his family pressure and everything he has unwillingly got engaged to his relative from Pakistan although his heart is still with the girl in UK whom he loves and wanted to wife. The girl and him have mutual feelings and still want to be together, he is not willing to forget this girl and claims he still wants to be with her, but his family have trapped him into this wedding which he is not happy with. I would just like to know on his behalf whether this marriage which was forced upon him is considered valid in Islam, because a few islamic websites I have checked on have said a marriage which is forced or not the happiness of an individual it is not valid in Islam’s and Allah’s eyes, is this true?
Also would it be appropriate for my friend and the girl he loves to still stay in contact regardless of this marriage which has been conducted without his happiness? What would be the best Islamic way to tackle such a situation?
A: If he accepted the girl in nikaah, the nikaah is valid.
And Allah Ta’ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
Answered by:
Mufti Zakaria Makada
Checked & Approved:
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)