Is it permissible for a woman who is 48 years old to marry a man 12 years her junior, who is already married with five daughters, and whose financial situation is difficult, especially since this would be without the consent or knowledge of her family, given that her father is ill and suffers from dementia, there are no male siblings, and her paternal uncles are distant, keeping in mind that the suitor is of good character and respected, and that she feels a need for him?

If the man is suitable for you, your family does not have the right to prevent you from marrying him. His age or his being married does not negate his suitability. Try to convince your family to marry you to him, or intercede through some righteous people. If they refuse, you have the right to refer the matter to the Sharia judge to marry you off or to order your guardian to do so. Marriage without a guardian is not valid, as the guardian is a condition for the validity of marriage according to the majority of scholars. The order of guardians is well-known, and if the father loses his eligibility, guardianship transfers to the next in line. If the guardian is absent, he may appoint another. If a woman has no suitable guardian, the Muslim judge marries her off.