Is the marriage of a 42-year-old divorced woman, who married without the knowledge of her guardian (wali), valid or void, and considered fornication (zina), knowing that she was in need of marriage, and that her husband refuses to meet her guardian or divorce her?

It is not permissible to marry off a woman without a guardian (wali) according to the majority of scholars, and this is the relied-upon opinion for fatwa (definition). If the closest guardian refuses to marry her off without a valid reason, the guardianship transfers to the next distant relative, or to the ruler (Sultan). If the marriage takes place without a guardian, the relied-upon opinion with us is that it is not valid, and it must be rectified with a new contract in the presence of the guardian and witnesses. However, if you both married without a guardian, believing in the validity of the marriage, in imitation of the Hanafi school of thought, then there is no need to renew the contract.