What is the interpretation of the phrase "the major is not combined with the minor, nor the minor with the major" from the Hadith: "A woman and her paternal aunt shall not be combined, nor a woman and her maternal aunt"? Does it refer to the prohibition of the younger daughter marrying before the elder, or to the prohibition of combining a maternal or paternal aunt with her brother's or sister's daughter in marriage, even if they are of the same age or if the aunt is younger?

It is not permissible to combine a woman and her paternal aunt or maternal aunt in marriage. The phrase, "Neither should the elder be married over the younger, nor the younger over the elder," is an affirmation of the prohibition against such a combination. Here, "elder" refers either to status and rank (like a paternal or maternal aunt) or to the fact that paternal and maternal aunts are typically older in age. The Hadith (definition) does not indicate a prohibition against marrying the younger daughter before the elder, and there is nothing in Islamic law to prevent that.