What is the ruling regarding the marriage of a 35-year-old virgin, who is of sound mind and has reached puberty, without a guardian, given her family's absolute refusal of the marriage?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
According to the majority of scholars, it is not permissible for a woman to be married without a guardian (wali). The woman's guardians for marriage are, in order: her father, then her paternal grandfather, then her son, then her full brother, then her half-brother (from the father's side), then their sons, then the paternal uncles. If the closest guardian refuses to marry her off without a valid reason, the guardianship transfers to the next in line among the guardians, or the matter can be referred to the Shariah judge to marry her.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/176106
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- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 176106
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- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy