FatwaFederal TerritoriesMarriage & Family
AL-KAFI #1573: KEDUDUKAN WALI DALAM PERKAHWINAN SEORANG JANDA
Can a divorced woman or widow marry without a guardian (wali), and is a wali required only for a virgin?
Short answer
The claim that a divorced woman or widow does not need a wali is incorrect.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Al-Kafi li al-Fatawi
- Topic
- Marriage & Family
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
The claim that a divorced woman or widow does not need a wali is incorrect. The wali is a pillar of marriage, and the majority of jurists hold that a woman's marriage without a wali is invalid, whether she is a virgin or previously married. The difference is that a previously married woman cannot be married off without her consent, even by her own father, whereas a wali mujbir (father or paternal grandfather) may marry off a virgin without her permission under certain conditions.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Tuntasnya, dalam setiap perkahwinan seorang perempuan sama ada masih gadis atau janda, tidak sah tanpa kewujudan wali.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “AL-KAFI #1573: KEDUDUKAN WALI DALAM PERKAHWINAN SEORANG JANDA”, 4 February 2020. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/al-kafi-li-al-fatawi/4104-al-kafi-1573-kedudukan-wali-dalam-perkahwinan-seorang-janda. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/can-widow-marry-without-wali/