Question:-
A Gujrati girl intends marrying a boy from Pakistan. However, due to the boy being a Pathan from Pakistan, the girl’s parents are not consenting to the marriage. They are of the opinion that they are not compatible to each other, since they have different backgrounds. Also, they are unhappy about the girl moving over to Pakistan. Is this a valid reason to prevent them from marriage?
Answer:-
Patans and Gujratis are both considered as non-Arabs. Fataawa Hindiyyah states that ‘Kafaa’at’ is considered in being free (not slaves) and being Muslims in non-Arabs as non-Arabs boast over these two matters, and not over their family lineage. Kafaa’at is also considered in wealth and Deen (piety). In conclusion, Kafaa’at is not considered in family lineage for non-Arabs.
The parents should therefore neither prohibit the girl from getting married to the boy on the basis of his background, nor because the girl will have to move over to Pakistan after Nikah, particularly if the boy is an equal to her or superior to her in Deen and able to financially provide for her. If he is an equal to her in matters of Deen and able to provide for her (by maintaining her and paying her Mahr), then her Nikah will be valid without the consent of her guardians, and they will not have the right of annulling the marriage. However, if ‘Kafaa’at’ is not found in ‘Deen’ as the boy is a flagrant transgressor of Shariah and the girl is a religious person or he is unable to provide for her, then the guardians are entitled to annul the marriage.
Although, this is the Shari’ee ruling in regards to the matter, we advise that the girl only proceeds with the Nikah with the consent and blessings of her parents as such a marriage will then be full of blessings.
وَتُعْتَبَرُ الْكَفَاءَةُ في الْحُرِّيَّةِ وَالْإِسْلَامِ في حَقِّ الْعَجَمِ لِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يَفْتَخِرُونَ بِهِمَا دُونَ النَّسَبِ هَكَذَا في التَّبْيِينِ —–وَمِنْهَا الْكَفَاءَةُ في الْمَالِ وهو أَنْ يَكُونَ مَالِكًا لِلْمَهْرِ وَالنَّفَقَةِ وهو الْمُعْتَبَرُ في ظَاهِرِ الرِّوَايَةِ حتى أَنَّ من لَا يَمْلِكُهُمَا أو لَا يَمْلِكُ أَحَدَهُمَا لَا يَكُونُ كُفْئًا كَذَا في الْهِدَايَةِ ——وَمِنْهَا الدَّيَّانَةُ تُعْتَبَرُ الْكَفَاءَةُ في الدَّيَّانَةِ وَهَذَا قَوْلُ أبي حَنِيفَةَ وَأَبِي يُوسُفَ رَحِمَهُمَا اللَّهُ تَعَالَى وهو الصَّحِيحُ كَذَا في الْهِدَايَةِ فَلَا يَكُونُ الْفَاسِقُ كُفْئًا لِلصَّالِحَةِ كَذَا في الْمَجْمَعِ سَوَاءٌ كان مُعْلَنَ الْفِسْقِ أو لم يَكُنْ كَذَا في الْمُحِيطِ —-ثُمَّ الْكَفَاءَةُ تُعْتَبَرُ عِنْدَ ابْتِدَاءِ النِّكَاحِ وَلَا يُعْتَبَرُ اسْتِمْرَارُهَا بَعْدَ ذلك حتى لو تَزَوَّجَهَا وهو كُفْءٌ ثُمَّ صَارَ فَاجِرًا دَاعِرًا لَا يُفْسَخُ النِّكَاحُ كَذَا في السِّرَاجِ الْوَهَّاجِ (الفتاوي الهندية – باب الخامس في الاكفاء)
ALLAH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:-
Mufti Mohammed Desai
18 Rabi-ul-Aakhir 1434 / 23 November 2021
