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The question

Is my marriage contract valid, in sharia, if it was conducted in court with the bride's father present as a witness, but he did not go with her before the judge, knowing that the contract took place in Iraq and according to the Hanafi school of thought?

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Source: FtawySummarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 20261 min readAlso available in العربية
The answer

The questioner criticizes the method of documenting marriage contracts in some countries that adopt the Hanafi school of thought, pointing out that this school does not stipulate the need for a wali (guardian) for a woman in marriage, which contradicts the Qur’an and Sunnah, and emphasizes the invalidity of marriage without a wali. However, he believes that the ruler's decree validates the contract if scholars differ on its validity, to prevent disorder. He suggests to the questioner, as a precautionary measure, to ask his wife's father to renew the contract by saying: "I give you my daughter in marriage," and for the questioner to say: "I accept," and to suffice with the previous documentation.

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

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