Is it permissible to marry عرفياً ( عرفي - urfi - a common-law marriage) with witnesses but without a guardian (wali), with the intention of completing the official marriage later, until the official procedures for marriage are finalized at the Foreigners' Marriage Office in Egypt, knowing that the wife is a foreign national, Muslim, and elderly?

An urfi marriage, if it fulfills all the conditions and pillars, such as the guardian (wali), witnesses, offer (ijab), and acceptance (qabul), is Islamically valid, even if it is not officially registered in courts. However, if it is a secret marriage without a guardian, then it is invalid.

It is permissible for the Islamic marriage contract to be performed before the official paperwork is completed, provided that the conditions and pillars of marriage are met, including the guardian. The woman's guardian, in order, is: 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 her paternal uncles.

If the guardian is absent and cannot be contacted, then a more distant male relative from her asabah (agnates) may marry her off. If none exist, then the ruler (or authority) acts as her guardian. If a Muslim judge is unavailable, then a trustworthy and just Muslim man may oversee her marriage.

It is not permissible for the marriage officiant (ma'dhun) to be the woman's guardian unless her guardian has deputized him, or if it is impossible for the primary guardians to marry her off, and no Muslim judge is available to marry her.