90/11. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 6970 — Marriage Consent in Islam
(Tricks) in marriage
Hadith About Marriage Consent and a Virgin's Permission
Sahih Bukhari : 6970
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 6970
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شَيْبَانُ، عَنْ يَحْيَى، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ تُنْكَحُ الأَيِّمُ حَتَّى تُسْتَأْمَرَ، وَلاَ تُنْكَحُ الْبِكْرُ حَتَّى تُسْتَأْذَنَ ". قَالُوا كَيْفَ إِذْنُهَا قَالَ " أَنْ تَسْكُتَ ". وَقَالَ بَعْضُ النَّاسِ إِنِ احْتَالَ إِنْسَانٌ بِشَاهِدَىْ زُورٍ عَلَى تَزْوِيجِ امْرَأَةٍ ثَيِّبٍ بِأَمْرِهَا، فَأَثْبَتَ الْقَاضِي نِكَاحَهَا إِيَّاهُ، وَالزَّوْجُ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَتَزَوَّجْهَا قَطُّ، فَإِنَّهُ يَسَعُهُ هَذَا النِّكَاحُ، وَلاَ بَأْسَ بِالْمُقَامِ لَهُ مَعَهَا.
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "A lady slave should not be given in marriage until she is consulted, and a virgin should not be given in marriage until her permission is granted." The people said, "How will she express her permission?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "By keeping silent (when asked her consent)."Some people said, "If a man, by playing a trick, presents two false witnesses before the judge to testify that he has married a matron with her consent and the judge confirms his marriage, and the husband is sure that he has never married her (before), then such a marriage will be considered as a legal one and he may live with her as husband."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 6970In-book reference : Book 90, Hadith 17USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 9, Book 86, Hadith 100
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 6970
This Hadith focuses on marriage consent in Islam. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that a woman should not be given in marriage until she is consulted, and a virgin should not be given in marriage until her permission is granted. When the people asked how her permission is known, he explained that her silence, when asked, can be her permission. The report also mentions a case where false witnesses and a legal trick are used to claim a marriage. The main message from the Prophetic words is clear: marriage is not treated as a forced matter. The woman’s response matters, even when modesty makes her express it quietly.
What we learn from this hadith
- A woman should be consulted before marriage.
- A virgin's silence may count as permission when she is asked.
- Marriage consent is treated as a real matter, not a formality.
- False witnessing and tricks are mentioned as a serious misuse of legal process.
