FatwaFederal TerritoriesMarriage & Family
IRSYAD HUKUM KE-16: WALI BAPA MASIH HIDUP TETAPI TIDAK DAPAT DIKESAN
Can a brother or paternal uncle act as marriage guardian if the father is certainly alive but his whereabouts are unknown?
Short answer
A brother or uncle cannot act as guardian while the father is believed to be alive, because certainty is not overturned by doubt.
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
- Irsyad al-Hukum (Umum)
- Topic
- Marriage & Family
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
A brother or uncle cannot act as guardian while the father is believed to be alive, because certainty is not overturned by doubt. It is advised to trace the guardian through media announcements, acquaintances, relatives and neighbours, then refer the case to the syariah court. In the Shafii school, if the nearest guardian is two marhalah or more away, guardianship passes to the sultan or judge rather than the next guardian. If he is less than two marhalah away, the sultan cannot conduct the marriage without his permission.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Tidak boleh. Ini berdasarkan kepada, keyakinan tidak boleh ditolak dengan syak seperti dalam kaedah fiqh yang masyhur:
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. “IRSYAD HUKUM KE-16: WALI BAPA MASIH HIDUP TETAPI TIDAK DAPAT DIKESAN”, 7 January 2015. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/irsyad-hukum/umum/2055-16. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/guardian-father-alive-but-untraceable/