Is a marriage contracted under duress valid, and what is the ruling on compelling one's wife to have intercourse; is that considered a form of adultery?
It is forbidden for the guardian to force a woman to marry someone she does not desire. The Sunnah and the Quran command that marriage be based on affection and mercy, and coercion contradicts this. If a marriage contract is concluded under coercion, its validity is contingent upon the woman's approval. If she approves it, it becomes valid; if she does not, it is a void contract. In the event she does not approve, the matter must be referred to the Sharia judge to rule on the annulment of the marriage, due to the scholarly disagreement on the validity of this type of contract. If the woman is forced into sexual intercourse after a coerced contract, it is not considered zina (unlawful sexual intercourse) according to Sharia, due to the شبهة العقد (doubtfulness of the contract), but it is forbidden for the man to do so.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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