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What is the ruling on marrying an orphaned girl who cannot conceive, if the family refuses because she is a "foundling," despite the girl's commitment to religious practice?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

It is permissible, according to Islamic law, to marry the daughter of zina (illegitimate birth) or a woman of unknown lineage if she possesses good character and religious devotion. However, it is preferable to marry a woman of known lineage. If the mother does not approve of this marriage, one should not proceed with it, due to the obligation of obeying her, and marrying this particular girl is not obligatory. Furthermore, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, encourages marrying a prolific woman, saying: "Marry the fertile, affectionate woman, for I shall boast of your multitude before the nations on the Day of Resurrection."

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

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