Abu Mūsa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Abu Mūsa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There is no marriage except with a guardian."
Attribution: Narrated by Abu Dāwūd, At-Tirmidhi, Ibn Mājah, and Ahmad
Grade: Authentic
Explanation
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) points out that a woman's marriage is not valid without a guardian who concludes the marriage contract.
Benefits
The guardian is a prerequisite for the validity of marriage. If the marriage occurs without a guardian or a woman marries herself off, the marriage is not valid.
The guardian is the closest man to a woman. No distant guardian can marry her off while a closer guardian is available.
A guardian must be: accountable, male, wise, aware of the interests related to marriage, and have the same religion as the one under his guardianship. Whoever does not fulfill these requirements is not qualified to be a guardian in a marriage contract.
