What is the ruling on a father who refuses to marry off his adult daughter without a legitimate Shar'i reason, while neglecting her and her mother, despite the suitor being suitable?
Islam guarantees a dignified life for women, and the father is not allowed to neglect his daughter's material and moral rights, due to the Prophet's saying, peace and blessings be upon him: "It is enough sin for a man to neglect those whom he sustains," and he is accountable for these rights on the Day of Judgment. The wife has the right to take her obligatory maintenance and that of her daughter, in a reasonable manner, from her husband's wealth if he withholds it. The wife and daughter have the right to claim their legal rights. The father's negligence of his daughter's rights does not invalidate his guardianship in her marriage, but he is not allowed to prevent her from marrying a suitable match except with a legitimate justification, otherwise he falls into the prohibited obstruction (of marriage). If the suitor is suitable, the father is not allowed to reject him, due to the Prophet's saying, peace and blessings be upon him: "If someone comes to you whose religion and character please you, then marry him [to your daughter/ward]." The appropriate solution to the problem of marriage if advising the father is of no avail is to refer to the court to drop the father's guardianship and marry her off.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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