Editing Islamic marital jurisprudence (section)

==Requirements and restrictions on marriage==
Depending on the case, a Muslim may be required, encouraged, discouraged or forbidden to marry according to holy law.<ref name="IW 4 fiqh 86384">{{cite web |title=Conditions of Marriage according to the Four Fiqh Schools. 86384 |url=https://islamweb.net/en/fatwa/86384/conditions-of-marriage-according-to-the-four-fiqh-schools |website=Islam Web |access-date=11 May 2025 |date=2 October 2003}}</ref> 

===Should a Muslim get married===

According to scholars such as Sheikh Sayyed Sabiq  and [[Al-Qurtubi]] (1214–1273) and according to the consensus of scholars (according to  Islamweb.net),<ref name="ruling-online"/><ref name="IW 4 fiqh 86384"/> 
* a Muslim is obligated (''[[fard]]'') to marry if they are able to afford it, have a desire for sexual intercourse, and are afraid they might indulge in fornication;<ref name="ruling-online"/>  
* if the Muslim does not fear committing something forbidden than the level of ruling drops to recommended (''[[mustahabb]]'');<ref name="ruling-online"/>  
* both the bride and groom should be free of madness, leprosy, and similar afflictions;  and the Muslim man must have some sexual  desire,  his must not be penis cut, otherwise the marriage is not permitted (''[[haram]]'') since in such a case a marriage harms a wife and does not protect her chastity.<ref name="ruling-online">{{cite web |title=The Ruling of Marriage  |url=https://fiqh.islamonline.net/en/the-ruling-of-marriage/ |website=Islam online |access-date=2 May 2025}}</ref><ref name="Fatwa 84026">{{cite web |title=Fatwa 84026. Marriage in Islam |url=https://islamweb.net/en/fatwa/84026/marriage-in-islam |website=Islamweb.net |access-date=1 May 2025}}</ref> Similarly the woman must not have defects such as "narrowness or blockage of her vagina, existence of a bone in her vaginal cavity that hinders penile insertion, and the existence of a bag of certain kind in the vaginal cavity", or similar problems.<ref name="IW 4 fiqh 86384"/> 

Many Muslim activists urge Muslims to marry.<ref name="islamic-marriage-syed-athar-husain-sh-rizvi"/><ref name="onislam.net"/>
There are many hadith recommending marriage as long as a (Muslim) man can afford it.<ref name="Fatwa 84026"/> and some that encourage marriage even if he has trouble affording it.<ref name="Sahih al-Bukhari 5150."/><ref name=Q.24:32/><ref name=irfi-SSMaMiI/>
* “When a man marries he has fulfilled half of the religion; so let him fear God regarding the remaining half.” (Mishkat al-Masabih 3096)<ref name="Mishkat al-Masabih 3096">{{cite web |last1=Khaṭīb at-Tibrīzī |title=13  Marriage Section 3, Mishkat al-Masabih 3096 |url=https://sunnah.com/mishkat:3096 |website=sunnah.com |access-date=12 May 2025}}</ref>
*“(Oh Muslims!) Marry, then, I will be proud of being the largest in number among nations, and do not follow the monastic life of Christians”, (Al-Bayhaqi on the authority of Abu Umamah).<ref name="Fatwa 84026"/>
*“Marry even with an iron ring.” (Al-Bukhari on the authority of Sahl Ibn Sa'd.)<ref name="Fatwa 84026"/><ref name="Sahih al-Bukhari 5150.">{{cite web |last1=al-Bukhari |title=67  Wedlock, Marriage (Nikaah) (52)Chapter: To give Mahr in the form of material things..Sahih al-Bukhari 5150. |url=https://sunnah.com/bukhari/67/85 |website=sunnah.com |access-date=12 May 2025}}</ref>
*Ibn Masoud  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him said: “If I knew that I will die on the tenth day of the last ten days of my life and I can afford marriage, I will marry since I fear temptation.”<ref name="Fatwa 84026"/>
*Ibn 'Abbaas  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him said to Sa'eed ibn Jubayr: “Marry, for the best people of the Muslim Ummah are those who have the largest number of wives”, (Al-Bukhari and Ahmad).<ref name="Fatwa 84026"/>
*Imam Ahmad  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him said: “Celibacy is not part of Islam.”<ref name="Fatwa 84026"/>
*“The best people of my nation (Ummat) are those who get married and have chosen their wives, and the worst people of my nation are those who have kept away from marriage and are passing their lives as bachelors.” <ref>Mustadrakul Wasael, Muhaddith Noori, vol. 2, p. 531 quoted in A Gift for the Youth, Shabeeb Rizvi. quoted in {{cite book| url=http://www.al-islam.org/islamic-marriage-syed-athar-husain-sh-rizvi/importance-marriage-islam | title=Islamic Marriage Handbook |chapter=Importance of Marriage in Islam | date=22 October 2012 | publisher=al-islam.org | access-date=2 May 2025}}</ref>

====Literalist Opinion====
One school of [[fiqh]] -- that of literalist school founded by [[Dawud al-Zahiri]] (aka Dhaahiri fiqh) holds that marriage is "''[[Fard#Individual_duty_and_sufficiency|farḍ al-'ayn]]'' - an absolute and individual obligation" -- poverty notwithstanding. Among other sources, they cite as evidence this Qur'anic verse:

*"And marry off the single among you and among the righteous of your male and female slaves.  If they are poor then Allah will supply their needs from His generosity. And Allah is expansive, knowing.  (22) And let those who do not find marriage hold back until Allah grants them of His generosity."  (An-Noor 24:32-33)<ref name=Q.24:32>https://quran.com/24/32-33</ref><ref name=irfi-SSMaMiI>{{cite web|url=http://www.irfi.org/articles/articles_151_200/same_sex_marriage_and_marriage_i.htm|title=Same Sex Marriage and Marriage in Islam|work=irfi.org|access-date=22 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924040208/http://www.irfi.org/articles/articles_151_200/same_sex_marriage_and_marriage_i.htm|archive-date=2015-09-24|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Wali===
According to some sources (such as IslamOnline.net), Islam stipulates that a Muslim woman should have a guardian or ''[[Wali (Islamic legal guardian)|wali]]'', (usually her father)  conclude her marriage.<ref name="IO-Wali"/> Another source, Cyril Glasse, states that the [[Maliki school|Maliki]] and  [[Shafi'i school|Shafi'i]] schools of Islamic jurisprudence require that if the  bride is a virgin, she be represented by a Wali at her wedding.<ref name="cyrill glasse-296">{{cite book|title=The New Encyclopedia of Islam |first1=Cyril |last1=Glasse | page=296 |edition=Revised |date=2001 |orig-date=1989 |chapter=Marriage |publisher=AltaMira Press}}</ref>

(According to IslamOnline.net, requiring a guardian is part of the legislation of Islam that protects women from the "desires of the ill-hearted and evil opportunists" within the rights and independence that Islam grants her.)<ref name="IO-Wali">{{cite web |title=The Wali (Guardian) in Marriage: Role & Responsibilities |url=https://fiqh.islamonline.net/en/the-wali-guardian-in-marriage-role-responsibilities/ |website=Islam Online |access-date=15 May 2025}}</ref> The role of the Wali in approving the marriage is  particularly significant for women who have not previously been married.<ref name="Al-Yousef-Islam-Laws-2025">{{cite web |last1=Al-Yousef |first1=Hassan |title=Islamic Marriage Rules – Conditions and Requirements for a Valid Nikah 2. Presence of a Wali (Guardian) for the Bride |url=https://islam-laws.com/requirements-for-valid-nikah/ |website=Islam Laws |access-date=15 May 2025 |date=7 March 2025}}</ref>
Permission from [[Wali (Islamic legal guardian)|Wali]]:<ref name=central-mosque>{{Cite web|url=http://www.central-mosque.com/fiqh/nikwhwali.htm |title=Marraige without Wali (consent)? [sic]|website=www.central-mosque.com}}</ref>
*Sunni: 
**Compulsory ([[Maliki]], [[Shafi'i]], [[Hanbali]])  
**Strongly recommended ([[Hanafi]])
According to Central Mosque website, "the relied upon position" within the Hanafi School is that if the bride is "a free, sane and adult" woman her marriage is still valid without the approval of her guardian (wali)  if the husband is a “'legal' and suitable match (kuf’)" to her. Conversely, if the husband-to-be is not a legal match for her, then her marriage is not valid. However, "disobeying one’s parents is one of the most serious of sins in Islam". (Radd al-Muhtar ala ‘l-Durr al-Mukhtar 3/56-57 & I’la al-Sunan 11/69)<ref name=central-mosque/>
*Shia: Depending on the scholar, it is either obligatory or obligatory based on precaution.{{cn|date=May 2025}}
One sahih hadith states (there are also similar hadith):
* “Any woman who marries without the permission of her wali, her marriage is invalid, her marriage is invalid, her marriage is invalid.” <ref>{{cite web |url=https://sunnah.com/tirmidhi:1102 |title=11. The Book on Marriage (14) Chapter: What Has Been Related About: There Is No Marriage Except With A Wali |website=sunnah.com |access-date=15 May 2025}}</ref><ref name="IQA-Wali-1998">{{cite web |title=Conditions of Wali (Guardian) in Islam  2127  Publication : |url=https://islamqa.info/en/answers/2127/conditions-of-wali-guardian-in-islam |website=Islam Question and Answer |access-date=15 May 2025 |date=12 June 1998}}</ref>  
Two sources (central-mosque.com and Hassan Al-Yousef), advises Muslim women who believe they their  Wali is being  unreasonably in preventing them from marrying the man they wish  to marry to "refer the matter to Islamic Scholars or Islamic Shariah councils and let a Mufti or a Scholar from a Shariah council".<ref name=central-mosque/><ref name="Al-Yousef-Islam-Laws-2025"/>

===Mahr===
{{Main|Mahr}}
Mahr is a mandatory gift given by the groom to the bride. Unlike a [[bride price]], however, it is given directly to the bride and not to her father.  Although the gift is often money, it can be anything agreed upon by bride and groom such as a house or viable business that is put in her name and can be run and owned entirely by her if she chooses. One basis for determining the mahr is the amount her older siblings were given at the time of their marriage.<ref name="Subedar-mahr"/>

The practice is reportedly mentioned in the Quran.
*  “And give the women [upon marriage] their [bridal] gifts graciously.” (Q.4:4)<ref name="Subedar-mahr">{{cite web |last1=Subedar |first1=Omar |title=Clarifying What the Marriage Mahr is |url=https://islamqa.org/?p=133760 |website=IslamQA.org |access-date=27 April 2025}}</ref>

===Requirement of witnesses===
In Sunni Islam two witnesses from both sides<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://al-islam.org/organizations/aalimnetwork/msg00200.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20051110182956/http://al-islam.org/organizations/aalimnetwork/msg00200.html|url-status=dead|title=Witnesses for Marriage|archivedate=November 10, 2005}}</ref> are necessary for the contract to be valid. According to Hanafi Fiqh by DarulUloomTT.net there must be two male witnesses or one male and two females; they must be Muslims who have reached the age of puberty and are of sound mind.<ref name="witness-IslamQA">{{cite web |last1=Khan |first1=Mufti Waseem |title=Witnesses for a marriage |url=https://islamqa.org/?p=52269 |website=IslamQA.org |access-date=4 May 2025}}</ref> 
In [[Shia]] Islam (aka Imamiyyah, according to Muhammad Juwwad Mughniyyah ), witnesses to a marriage are not [[wajib]] (required) but only [[mustahabb]] (recommended).<ref name="Mughniyyah">{{cite book|last1=Mughniyyah |first1=Muhammad Juwwad |title=Marriage according to the five schools of Islamic law |chapter=The Marriage Contract and its Conditions. Witnesses |url=https://al-islam.org/marriage-according-five-schools-islamic-law-muhammad-jawad-mughniyya/marriage-contract-and-its |publisher=al-Islam.org |access-date=4 May 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://llbmania.com/2020/11/29/marriage-in-shia-sunni-law-an-basic-outline/|title=Marriage in Shia & Sunni Law- an Basic Outline |date=29 November 2020 }}</ref>

===Forbidding of misrepresentation===

When the prospective husband misinforms his fiancée or her Wali of his suitability for marriage: i.e., of his lineage, physical status, then the bride or her Wali have the right to nullify the nikah contract.<ref name="Fatwa  86384">{{cite web |title=Conditions of Marriage according to the Four Fiqh Schools. Fatwa 86384 |url=https://islamweb.net/en/fatwa/86384/conditions-of-marriage-according-to-the-four-fiqh-schools |website=Islamweb.net |access-date=3 May 2025 |date=2003-02-10}}</ref>

===Forbidding of marriage to mahram===
Quranic verse 4:23 gives a list of relatives Muslims are forbidden to marry, (see below) a class of people known as [[Mahram]] (family members with whom marriage is permanently unlawful or (''[[haram]]''): 
{{blockquote|your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your paternal and maternal aunts, your brother's daughters, your sister's daughters, your foster-mothers, your foster-sisters, your mothers-in-law, your stepdaughters under your guardianship if you have consummated marriage with their mothers—but if you have not, then you can marry them—nor the wives of your own sons, nor two sisters together at the same time—except what was done previously. Surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Q.4:23)}} Also forbidden to marry is anyone of the same sex, [[Islamic_family_jurisprudence#Adoption_and_fostering|anyone who has had the same wetnurse feed them]], anyone who is a polytheist. Not forbidden are cousins, including first cousins who are not Mahram.

===Nikah/Islamic marriage contract===
{{Main|Islamic marriage contract}}
A Muslim marriage is a simple, legal agreement in which either partner is free to include conditions. These conditions are stipulated in a written contract. Violating any of the conditions stipulated in this contract is legal grounds for a partner seeking divorce. The first part of the "marriage ceremony" of the ''nikah'' is the signing of the marriage contract itself.

The marriage should have an offer or proposal (''ijab'') from the wali of the bride (or the person who is acting in his place), made to the groom saying in effect, “I marry [name of bride] to you”.<ref name="IQA-Wali-1998"/>

Various traditions may differ in how Nikah is performed because different groups accept different texts as authoritative. Therefore, Sunnis will likely accept the [[hadith]] of [[Muhammad al-Bukhari]], while Shia will have their own collections, for example [[Kitab al-Kafi|Furu al-Kafi]], thus producing different procedures. This contract requires the consent of both parties. There is a tradition in some Muslim countries to pre-arrange a marriage for young children. However, the marriage still requires consent for the wedding to legally take place.

===Walima===
{{main|Walima}}
The [[Walima]] is a dinner given by the groom's side of the family to celebrate the welcoming of the bride to the family. It is a strong [[sunnah]] (the repetition of an action of Muhammad) and it is recommended to be held the earliest possible day after the Nikah.  It is "disliked" ([[Makruh]]) to have the bride displayed, such as on a stage. Thus it is preferred that the couple sit together in a corner.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-06-14 |title=Walima And Its Importance in Islam {{!}} Walima- The 3 Sunnah Ways |url=https://alquranclasses.com/the-sunnah-way-of-walima/ |access-date=2024-03-31 |language=en-US}}</ref> The Walima may include speeches, sermons, prayers, and poetry. Scholars permit, and even recommend, the playing of the [[Daf]] drum during the Walima whereas music is otherwise prohibited.<ref>{{Cite web |title=When is it permissible to beat the daff? - Islam Question & Answer |url=https://islamqa.info/en/answers/20406/when-is-it-permissible-to-beat-the-daff |access-date=2024-03-31 |website=islamqa.info |language=en}}</ref>

=== Separation of the sexes===
At least among strict Muslims, unnecessary direct conversation between prospective bride and groom  before the Nikah is forbidden  as it would be between any other two non-[[mahram]] (a mahram is a family member with whom marriage would be considered permanently unlawful) individuals. Negotiation and proposals of marriage should be done through parents or guardians.<ref name="Ibn Adam">{{cite web |last1=Ibn Adam |first1=Mawlana Faraz |last2=Desai|first2=Ebrahim  | title=1. Is talking to the girl I wish to marry haram? 2. Does my fast break by talking to the girl? |url=https://islamqa.org/hanafi/askimam/5737/1-is-talking-to-the-girl-i-wish-to-marry-haram-2-does-my-fast-break-by-talking-to-the-girl/ |website=Islamqa.org, Askimam.org |access-date=27 April 2025}}</ref>  In addition  kissing is prohibited before the Nikah -- nowithstanding its prominent place in non-Muslim marriages -- according to scholars such as [[Muhammad Al-Munajjid]],<ref name="IslamQA-kiss">{{cite web |title=Is It Prohibited to Kiss Your Wife in Public? 72220 |url=https://islamqa.info/en/answers/72220/is-it-prohibited-to-kiss-your-wife-in-public |website=Islam Question and Answer |access-date=27 April 2025 |date=August 23, 2024}}</ref> Abu Ameenah [[Bilal Philips]],<ref name=philips-polygamy/> and Abdurrahman ibn Yusuf Mangera.<ref name="Intimate, affectionate interaction">{{cite web |last1=Abdurrahman ibn Yusuf Mangera |title=Intimate, affectionate interaction among spouses, is it permissible in public? |url=https://islamqa.org/?p=37015 |website=IslamQA |date=n.d. |access-date=27 April 2025}}</ref> (Philips says it is not permissible in public even after the nikah, as Muslim couples are expected to exercise ''[[Haya (Islam)|hayaa'<nowiki/>]]'' (modesty/shyness) when in public;<ref name=philips-polygamy>{{cite book|last=Philips|first=Abu Ameenah Bilal|title=Polygamy in Islam|date=2005|publisher=International Islamic Publishing House|isbn=9960-9533-0-0}}</ref>  Mangera says that "Expression of this type of interaction in public can lead to an unrestricted, carefree and immoral atmosphere which Islam forbids.")<ref name="Intimate, affectionate interaction"/>

===Interfaith marriage===
{{Main|Interfaith marriage in Islam}}

Islamic law "generally" forbids Muslim women from marrying non-Muslim men, but allows Muslim men to marry Christian or Jewish women "under specific conditions".<ref name="Setyawati-BtSS-CIoILaS-2024">{{cite journal |last1=Setyawati |first1=Dewi Zahra |last2=Olivia |first2=Veyza |last3=Ardiyanto |first3=Armanda N |last4=Melinda |first4=Qlarissa |title=Beneath The Same Sky, Different Faiths: Why is Interfaith Marriage Prohibited in Islam? |journal=Contemporary Issues on Interfaith Law and Society |date=July–December 2024 |volume=3 |issue=2 |url=https://journal.unnes.ac.id/sju/ciils/article/view/79012 |pages=743–772 |issn=0019-6665 |s2cid=52224503 |access-date=11 May 2025}}</ref>

The Qur'an explicitly allows Muslim men to marry chaste women of "the [[People of the Book]]", (i.e. [[Jew]]s, [[Christians]] and [[Sabians]]),<ref>{{cite quran|5|5|style=ref}}</ref><ref name="ODI">{{cite encyclopedia|title=Ahl al-Kitab|editor=John L. Esposito|encyclopedia=The Oxford Dictionary of Islam|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Oxford|year=2014|url=https://archive.org/details/oxforddictionary00bada|df=dmy-all|doi=10.1093/acref/9780195125580.001.0001|isbn=978-0-19-512558-0}}</ref><ref name="interfaith">{{cite web |url=http://www.scholarofthehouse.com/oninma.html |title=On Christian Men marrying Muslim Women |access-date=2008-01-20 |last=El Fadl |first=Abou |year=2006 |work=Scholar of the House}}</ref> 

*Do not marry polytheistic women until they believe; for a believing slave-woman is better than a free polytheist, even though she may look pleasant to you. And do not marry your women to polytheistic men until they believe, for a believing slave-man is better than a free polytheist, even though he may look pleasant to you. They invite ˹you˺ to the Fire while Allah invites ˹you˺ to Paradise and forgiveness by His grace. He makes His revelations clear to the people so perhaps they will be mindful.|{{qref|2|221|c=y}}}}

* ...the food of the People of the Book is permissible for you and yours is permissible for them. And ˹permissible for you in marriage˺ are chaste believing women as well as chaste women of those given the Scripture before you...(Q.5:5)<ref>https://quran.com/5/5</ref>

and historically, in [[Islamic culture]] and traditional Islamic law, [[interfaith marriage]]s have generally been recognized between those two groups, and not the gender inverse.<ref name="ODI" /><ref name="Brill Publishers">{{cite book |author-last=Elmali-Karakaya |author-first=Ayse |year=2020 |chapter=Being Married to a Non-Muslim Husband: Religious Identity in Muslim Women's Interfaith Marriages |editor1-last=Hood |editor1-first=Ralph W. |editor2-last=Cheruvallil-Contractor |editor2-first=Sariya |title=Research in the Social Scientific Study of Religion: A Diversity of Paradigms |volume=31 |pages=388–410 |location=[[Leiden]] and [[Boston]] |publisher=[[Brill Publishers]] |doi=10.1163/9789004443969_020 |isbn=978-90-04-44348-8 |s2cid=234539750 |issn=1046-8064}}</ref><ref name="Leeman 2009">{{cite journal |last=Leeman |first=A. B. |date=Spring 2009 |title=Interfaith Marriage in Islam: An Examination of the Legal Theory Behind the Traditional and Reformist Positions |url=https://ilj.law.indiana.edu/articles/84/84_2_Leeman.pdf |url-status=live |journal=[[Indiana Law Journal]] |location=[[Bloomington, Indiana]] |publisher=[[Indiana University Maurer School of Law]] |volume=84 |issue=2 |pages=743–772 |issn=0019-6665 |s2cid=52224503 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181123062516/https://ilj.law.indiana.edu/articles/84/84_2_Leeman.pdf |archive-date=23 November 2018 |access-date=25 August 2021}}</ref>

However, in various parts of the world interfaith marriages between Muslim women and Non-Muslim men take place at substantial rates, contravening the traditional Sunni understanding of ''[[ijma]]''.<ref name="Leeman 2009"/> For example, in the [[United States]], about 10% of Muslim women are married to Non-Muslim men.<ref name="pewforum.org">{{cite web |author=<!--Staff writer(s)/no by-line.--> |date=25 July 2017 |title=Roughly one-in-ten married Muslims have a non-Muslim spouse |url=https://www.pewforum.org/2017/07/26/identity-assimilation-and-community/pf_2017-06-26_muslimamericans-02new-04/ |url-status=live |location=[[Washington, D.C.]] |publisher=[[Pew Research Center]] |series=The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181016061221/https://www.pewforum.org/2017/07/26/identity-assimilation-and-community/pf_2017-06-26_muslimamericans-02new-04/ |archive-date=16 October 2018 |access-date=25 August 2021}}</ref> Opposing this are  Islamic scholars including [[Hassan Al-Turabi]], and some others.<ref name="Jahangir2017">{{cite web |last=Jahangir |first=Junaid |date=21 March 2017 |title=Muslim Women Can Marry Outside The Faith |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/junaid-jahangir/muslim-women-marriage_b_15472982.html |url-status=live |work=[[The Huffington Post]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170325020231/https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/junaid-jahangir/muslim-women-marriage_b_15472982.html |archive-date=25 March 2017 |access-date=25 August 2021}}</ref>

===Polygyny===
{{Main|Polygyny in Islam}}
[[Muslim]] men are allowed to practise [[polygyny]], that is, they can have more than one wife at the same time, up to four, per [[Sura]] 4 Verse 3.

Women are not allowed to have more than one husband.  One of the main reasons for this would be the potential questioning of paternal lineage.

===Permissible age===
Islam encourages early marriage.<ref name="soon-Islamweb.net">{{cite web |title=Fatwa: Marry as soon as you can: the earlier the better 88277 |url=https://islamweb.net/en/fatwa/88277/marry-as-soon-as-you-can-the-earlier-the-better |website=Islamweb.net |access-date=3 May 2025 |date=15 July 2004}}</ref>

*The Prophet  Muhammad said: "O, young people whoever among you can marry, should marry, because it helps him lower his gaze and guard his modesty (i.e. his private parts from committing illegal sexual intercourse etc.)" (Imam Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated from Ibn Mas'oud)<ref name="soon-Islamweb.net"/>

''[[Sahih Muslim]]'' permits marriage once a person reaches sexual maturity (i.e.: menstruation, voice changing, wet dreams)  (''[[baligh]]'').{{citation needed|date=January 2013}} Sexual maturity in Sharia law is typically understood to mean puberty.<ref>Islam and the Everyday World: Public Policy Dilemmas{{snd}} Page 102, Sohrab Behdad, Farhad Nomani, Farhad Nomani{{snd}} 2006</ref> At the same time, intercourse is forbidden until they are able to physically bear it.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.islamicislamic.com/marriage_old_divorce.htm#4._MARRIAGE_AGE_|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150509101836/http://www.islamicislamic.com/marriage_old_divorce.htm|url-status=dead|title=Requirement for Marriage|archivedate=May 9, 2015}}</ref>

If a girl has not attained the age of puberty, the vast majority of scholars hold that she cannot be married; and many stipulate that it must be in her best interest in order to be considered a valid marriage. There is some dispute as to whether or not an under-age bride can leave her family's custody and be transferred to her husband's custody, if she has not yet reached puberty. Some evidence supporting both sides can be seen in the following narrations from Muhammad:

*Narrated 'Aisha: that the Prophet married her when she was six years old and he consummated his marriage when she was nine years old. Hisham said: I have been informed that 'Aisha remained with the Prophet for nine years (i.e. till his death). (Sahih Bukhari Volume 7, Book 62, Number 65 )

*Narrated 'Ursa: The Prophet asked Abu Bakr for 'Aisha's hand in marriage. Abu Bakr said "But I am your brother." The Prophet said, "You are my brother in Allah's religion and His Book, but she (Aisha) is lawful for me to marry." (Sahih Bukhari 7.18)

However, evidence from other Islamic sources seems to suggest that this is not something allowed for all Muslims; rather specifically for Muhammad. The evidence for this view is as follows:

*Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet said: "A non-virgin woman may not be married without her command, and a virgin may not be married without her permission; and it is permission enough for her to remain silent (because of her natural shyness)." [Al-Bukhari:6455, Muslim & Others]

* A'ishah report that she once asked the Prophet: "In the case of a young girl whose parents marry her off, should her permission be sought or not?" He replied: "Yes, she must give her permission." She then said: "But a virgin would be shy, O Messenger of Allaah!" He replied: "Her silence is [considered as] her permission." [Al-Bukhari, Muslim, & Others]

It appears that the permission of an under-age bride is indeed necessary for her marriage to be considered valid; the above narrations seem to clearly make the approval of the bride a condition for a valid marriage contract.

===Arranged and forced marriages===
An [[Arranged marriage|engagement may be arranged]] between families for their children, but Islamic requirements for a legal marriage include the requirement that both parties, bride, groom and guardian for the bride (''[[wali]]''), give their legal consent, as the Quran states:<ref name="Al-Yousef-2025"/>
* “O you who have believed, it is not lawful for you to inherit women by compulsion…” (An-Nisa 4:19).<ref name="Al-Yousef-2025">{{cite web |last1=Al-Yousef |first1=Hassan |title=Islamic Marriage Rules – Conditions and Requirements for a Valid Nikah by |url=https://islam-laws.com/requirements-for-valid-nikah/ |website=Islam-Rules.com |access-date=3 May 2025 |date=7 March 2025}}</ref> 

===Fornicators===
Islam does not give fornicatorous men the right to marry a [[Chastity|chaste]] woman, nor may a fornicatorous woman marry a chaste man, except if the matter has not gone to court and the two purify themselves of this sin by sincere repentance.<ref>{{cite quran|24|3|style=ref}}, {{cite quran|2|221|style=ref}}</ref><ref>[[Javed Ahmed Ghamidi]], [[Mizan]], Chapter:The Social Law of Islam, [[Al-Mawrid]]</ref>
*Women of purity are for men of purity, and men of purity are for women of purity {{cite quran|24|26|style=ref}}

===Other===
A woman or man may propose marriage directly or through an intermediary ([[Matchmaking|matchmaker]]).

[[Wedding ring]]s were not widespread across Muslim cultures in antiquity; however, many Muslims today have adopted the tradition of wearing a wedding band alongside other practices originated from European tradition.