Answered by: Maulana Muddasser Dhedhy
Question
I have a question regarding Nikah. I have been in a haram relationship with a female and want to make things right. We have told our parents and they have approved of the relationship but have said to do an engagement only without Nikah (as they do not approve of carrying out a Nikah whilst both of us live separately). Hence, we have been told to wait until we finish studying and only then Nikah can happen. We still have a few years left to study so the Nikkah is not going to happen anytime soon.
I wanted to know if it is permissible to do the Nikah without our parents knowing at all as I will still be in contact with this girl and want to avoid falling into sin. Her brother and father have accepted the relationship but not to Nikah at the moment. They want to wait until we finish studying. Therefore, would it be possible to do Nikah without the girl’s wali? I do recall someone saying an imam can act as a wali if the girl’s brother or dad don’t agree.
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
If one is afraid of committing sin and is able to marry, then it becomes wajib upon them to marry straight away.[1]
The nikah of a mature woman (baaligah) who gets married without a guardian (wali) is valid, provided that it is done in Kuf’ (i.e. with a man that is similar to her in lineage, adherence to Islam and profession).[2]
In this situation, you should try to explain to your parents and be open with them and express your concern about falling into greater sin. You should also speak to an influential member of the family to convince your family to have the Nikah done as soon as possible.
Only Allah knows best
Written by Maulana Muddasser Dhedhy
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
[1](وَيَكُونُ وَاجِبًا عِنْدَ التَّوَقَانِ) فَإِنْ تَيَقَّنَ الزِّنَا إلَّا بِهِ فُرِضَ نِهَايَةٌ وَهَذَا إنْ مَلَكَ الْمَهْرَ وَالنَّفَقَةَ، وَإِلَّا فَلَا إثْمَ بِتَرْكِهِ بَدَائِعُ. (الدر المختار ج 4 ص 63-64. دار الكتب العلمية)
[2](وَهُوَ) أَيْ الْوَلِيُّ (شَرْطُ) صِحَّةِ (نِكَاحِ صَغِيرٍ وَمَجْنُونٍ وَرَقِيقٍ) لَا مُكَلَّفَةٍ (فَنَفَذَ نِكَاحُ حُرَّةٍ مُكَلَّفَةٍ بِلَا) رِضَا (وَلِيٍّ) وَالْأَصْلُ أَنَّ كُلَّ مَنْ تَصَرَّفَ فِي مَالِهِ تَصَرَّفَ فِي نَفْسِهِ وَمَا لَا فَلَا (وَلَهُ) أَيْ لِلْوَلِيِّ (إذَا كَانَ عَصَبَةً) وَلَوْ غَيْرَ مُحَرَّمٍ كَابْنِ عَمٍّ فِي الْأَصَحِّ خَانِيَّةٌ، وَخَرَجَ ذَوُو الْأَرْحَامِ وَالْأُمُّ وَالْقَاضِي (الِاعْتِرَاضُ فِي غَيْرِ الْكُفْءِ) فَيَفْسَخُهُ الْقَاضِي وَيَتَجَدَّدُ بِتَجَدُّدِ النِّكَاحِ (مَا لَمْ) يَسْكُتْ حَتَّى (تَلِدَ مِنْهُ) لِئَلَّا يَضِيعَ الْوَلَدُ وَيَنْبَغِي إلْحَاقُ الْحَبَلِ الظَّاهِرِ بِهِ (وَيُفْتَى) فِي غَيْرِ الْكُفْءِ (بِعَدَمِ جَوَازِهِ أَصْلًا) وَهُوَ الْمُخْتَارُ لِلْفَتْوَى (لِفَسَادِ الزَّمَانِ) فَلَا تَحِلُّ مُطَلَّقَةٌ ثَلَاثًا نَكَحَتْ غَيْرَ كُفْءٍ بِلَا رِضَا وَلِيٍّ بَعْدَ مَعْرِفَتِهِ إيَّاهُ فَلْيُحْفَظْ. (الدر المختار ج 4 ص 155-157. دار الكتب العلمية)