A Man Wants to Marry one’s Daughter and the Father Intends to Give Her to Another Man

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘ Abd Allah, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, about the case of a girl whose father wants to give her in marriage to one man and her grandfather wants to give her in marriage to another man. He (the Imam) said, ‘Grandfather is preferred above the father as long as it is not harmful to the girl and that the father has not given her in marriage before the grandfather. Both father and grandfather’s giving her in marriage is permissible.’”

“One of the two Imam, (abu Ja’far or abu ‘Abd Allah) (a.s.), has said, ‘If a man gives in marriage his granddaughter to a man, it is binding upon his son and his son also can give her in marriage.’ I then asked, ‘What happens if her father likes one man and her grandfather prefers another man?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Grandfather has greater priority.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘One day I was with Ziyad ibn ‘Ubayd Allah al-Harithiy when a man came and complained saying, “My father has given my daughter in marriage without my permission.” Ziyad then asked the people in his meeting about their views in the matter. They said, “His marriage is invalid.’” He (the Imam) has said, ‘He then asked, “What do you say, O ‘Abd Allah?” When he asked me I then turned to those who had given him an answer and asked them, ‘Of the matters that you narrate from the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, is there the case of the man who came to him (the Messenger of Allah) and complained against his father like this man and the Messenger of Allah told him that you and your assets belong to your father?’ They replied, ‘Yes, we narrate.’ I then asked them, ‘Why is it that even he and his assets belong to his father but his father’s giving in marriage is not permissible?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘He accepted their words and ignored my words.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If both father and grandfather give in marriage, the first one’s marriage is effective and if both happens at the same time, the grandfather has the priority.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If a grandfather gives his granddaughter in marriage and his son is living but grandfather is ill, still marriage is binding.’ We then asked, ‘What happens if the father loves one and grandfather loves another man and they both are equal in justice and agreement?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘I love if she agrees with her grandfather.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If a man marries, then his father rejects it, giving in marriage by the father is permissible; if the grandfather dislikes it, it is not like the case where grandfather gives in marriage, then father wants to reverse it.”’