Is a girl religiously permitted to refuse a religious suitor whose appearance and skin color she dislikes, or must she be patient and seek reward from Allah despite her lack of patience?
The Shari'ah encourages marriage to a religious person, both male and female, as the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "If someone whose religion and character you approve comes to you, marry him. If you do not do so, there will be tribulation on earth and widespread corruption," and his saying: "A woman is married for four things: her wealth, her beauty, her lineage, and her religion. So choose the one who is religious, and you will prosper." Thus, religion is the foundation. However, if a religious person is unattractive and the other party is not pleased, there is no harm in seeking someone else from among the religious, similar to the story of the wife of Thabit ibn Qais, who sought divorce from him due to his unattractiveness, not due to any fault in his religion or character.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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