Question:
Assalaamu ‘alaikum
Respected ‘Ulama
What is the correct age for a girl to get married? Is it seventeen? Eighteen? Nineteen? If a girl wants to get married, what should she do?
Jazakallah
Answer:
Bismihi Ta‘ala
Wa ‘alaikumus salaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh
Respected Sister in Islam
1. There is no stipulation with regard to age for the nikaah to be valid. As for the suitable age for marriage, there is no hard and fast rule in this regard as well. The boy or girl must be mature enough to undertake the responsibilities of marriage. However, they should be trained for this “maturity”, and as soon as possible, a suitable spouse should be sought. While this is not a rule, girls should generally be trained and ready by the time they are around seventeen.
2. If a girl wants to get married, she should tell her parents. They should make the effort to find her a suitable match. In the interim, she should be patient and make du‘aa.
3. She should recite “Yaa Jaami‘u Yaa Lateefu” 111 times daily, together with durood 7 times before and after and make du‘aa.
Answered by:
Uswatul Muslimah Panel of ‘Ulama