The parents’ responsibility for their children’s marriage

Question

Is the marriage (nikah) of minor or adult children, for the parents and relatives, in every case a sunna or a wajib — even if it is accompanied by customs and innovations (bid‘a)? If a nikah in the sunna way cannot be arranged? And if putting a stop to the prevalent evils is impossible?

Answer

The nikah of minor children is neither wajib nor sunna; it is merely mubah, and committing innovations (bid‘a) for the sake of something mubah is contrary to both the Shari‘a and reason. Adult children are themselves mukallaf (legally responsible), and their nikah is not legally binding upon the parents — it is merely a voluntary favour (tabarru‘).

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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