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What is the ruling of the Sharia on a father's refusal of his mature son's marriage, despite the son's financial capability, under the pretext of completing his studies?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

It is recommended to hasten marriage for those who are able, and it is a matter upon which some scholars have ruled that it is obligatory. Ibn Kathir mentioned the hadith: "O young people, whoever among you can afford to marry, let him do so, for it helps him lower his gaze and guard his chastity." The son should be frank with his father about his desire to marry, and the father should appreciate this and help his son. In fact, many jurists have gone so far as to say that it is obligatory for the father to do so if he is able. Ibn Uthaymeen said: "A person's need for marriage is urgent... And it is obligatory for the father to marry off his son if the son needs to marry and does not have the means to do so." The father may make a mistake by prioritizing studies and career over marriage, and he should consider the matter and weigh the benefits and harms, and which one should be prioritized if combining them is not possible. The father may be excused for refusing to marry off his son before completing his studies if the son is undisciplined or negligent in his studies, or does not see an urgent need for marriage. In this case, the son should excuse his father and try to convince him.

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

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