A virgin girl came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and said that her father had married her off although she hated [that marriage]. Therefore, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave her the choice

Explanation

This Hadīth shows that a young virgin woman who had not married before came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and told him that her father wanted to marry her off to a man without her consent and permission. Therefore, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave her the choice to stay in marriage with that man, in order to affirm her father's decision, or dissolve the marriage contract. That is what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) decided, for women's permission is essential in marriage according to Islamic law. So the guardian of a woman may not marry her off except with her permission and consent. If she is virgin, sane, and of age, she can choose to stay in marriage or refuse. Honoring the opinion of adult virgin women and the impermissibility of forcing them is the view adopted by the Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Iftaa', Saudi Arabia.

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