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Is a mother’s injunction to her daughter not to marry a specific person, or not to marry at all, considered an unjust and tyrannical injunction, especially if it causes severe harm to the girl and the suitor, and adhering to it leads to what is unlawful, while they both desire to marry to please Allah?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

It is not permissible for a Muslim man to have a romantic relationship with a woman who is not his mahram, due to the temptation and corruption involved. This girl's fulfillment of her mother's wish not to marry you or her relative is not obligatory upon her. It is permissible for her to marry you or someone else. If this girl is religious and of good character, and it is easy for you to marry her, then praise be to Allah. Otherwise, your duty is to fear Allah and divert your heart from thinking about her. Allah Almighty said: "But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not." (Al-Baqarah: 216).

The following should be noted: - Her considering this relative as a brother does not legally prevent her from marrying him, unless there is a legal impediment. - This girl should not completely abstain from marriage, as Islamic law encourages it. - A guardian (wali) is a condition for the validity of marriage. - Scholars have differed on whether a covenant with Allah is an oath or not. The more cautious and absolving approach is for a Muslim to offer expiation for an oath if he does not fulfill the covenant.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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