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Is a Marriage without a Wali Valid?

Answered as per Shafi'i Fiqh by Shafiifiqh.com

Question:

assalamualaykum ,A man (who is a shafi)  married a woman(who is a hanafi and was married before) without the presence and knowledge of her wali. Is the nikah valid?

Answer:

Wa alaykum salam wa rahmatuLlahi wa barakatuHu,

Two contracting parties are an integral in the marriage contract. They are:

1) The groom’s party; meaning, himself or a proxy [na’ib].

2) The bride’s party; meaning, her guardian or his representative [wakil].

A woman can not marry herself. Imam Nawawi stated,

ولا تصح عبارة المرأة في النكاح إيجابا وقبولا فلا تزوج نفسها بإذن الولي ولا بغير إذنه

“A woman’s word in marriage, in the offer or acceptance, is not valid. Thus, she cannot marry herself, with her guardian’s permission or otherwise.” (Rawdat al-Talibin v. 5, p. 397)

And in Shar h Sahih Muslim, Imam Nawawi mentioned,

ولا يصح نكاح إلا بولي

“A marriage is not valid except for with a guardian.” (v. 9, p. 205)

This ruling is supported by the hadith evidence:

قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: لا نكاح إلا بولي وشاهدي عدل، رواه البيهقي والدارقطني عن ابن عباس رضى الله عنهما. ورواه البيهقي موقوفا عن عمر رضى الله عنه بإسناد صحيح. ورواه أبو داود والترمذي مرفوعا عن أبي موسى رضى الله عنه بلفظ: لا نكاح إلا بولي. ورواه ابن حبان عن عائشة رضى الله عنها بلفظ: لا نكاح إلا بولي وشاهدي عدل وما كان غير ذلك فهو باطل. وروى أبو داود وابن ماجه والترمذي – واللفظ له – عن عائشة رضى الله عنها أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: أيما امرأة نكحت بغير إذن وليها فنكاحها باطل ثلاثا.

Allah’s Messenger (upon him be peace) said, “There is no marriage except with a guardian and two trustworthy witnesses.” Both Bayhaqi and Daraqutni related it on the authority of Ibn Abbas.

And Bayhaqi related it as a statement of Umar with a sahih isnad.

Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi related it on the authority of Abu Musa with the wording, “There is no marriage except with a guardian.”

And Ibn Hibban related it on the authority of Aishah with the wording, “There is no marriage except with a guardian and two upright witnesses, and what is besides that is invalid.”

Also, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, and Tirmidhi – the wording is Tirmidhi’s – related on the authority of Aishah that Allah’s Messenger, upon him be peace, said thrice, “Whichever woman married without her guardian’s permission, her marriage is invalid.”


And Allah knows best.

Shafiifiqh.com Fatwa Dept.

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