What is the ruling on the marriage of a 16-year-old virgin girl to a 50-year-old married man who has seven children, given that her father rejects this marriage, knowing that the girl desires it to preserve her chastity and protect her religion, and is this marriage similar to cases that occurred during the era of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them?

The guardian must strive to marry off his daughter and not fall short in that, for he is responsible for his flock before Allah. He must choose a suitable husband for his daughter in terms of religiosity and character, and he should consider the closeness in their ages, as a large age gap can negatively affect the stability of their marital life; because congruence in age is closer to compatibility. Therefore, there is no blame on the father if he rejects a suitor due to his old age, and he must endeavor to marry her to someone suitable for her.