Kafa'a in Occupation

Question

A man’s occupation is carpentry, and for three generations farming and field work have also been carried on in his line alongside carpentry. Since under the law in force he belongs to the lower (artisan) class, he cannot buy lands. But he works with his own hands. Without the permission of the lawful guardian (wali), this man contracts nikah with a woman of the Rawani, who in the Punjab region are regarded as a noble people, are landowners and also do farming work.

Answer

In the case asked about, the woman and the man both share in the occupation of farming. The man also does carpentry, while the woman has nothing to do with it. So if both are ‘ajam (non-Arabs), that is, they do not trace their descent to any Arab tribe, then apparently they are equal matches (kuf’) for each other, because among the ‘ajam parity (kafa'a)

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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