Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

I want to marry to my cousin sister who is nearly 24 years old and i am about 34.but the question is really age diffrence.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Age difference in marriage

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisaa verse 23:

23 Prohibited to you (for marriage) are: your mother, daughters, sisters, father's sisters, mother's sisters, brother's daughters, sister's daughters, foster-mothers (who gave you suck), foster-sisters, your wives' mothers, your step-daughters under your guardianship born of your wives to whom ye have gone in, no prohibition if ye have not gone in; (those who have been) wives of your sons proceeding from your loins, and two sisters in wedlock at one and the same time except for what is past; for Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.

Cousins are not amongst those to whom one is prohibited to marry in Shariah; thus a marriage between two eligible cousins, paternal or maternal, would be absolutely lawful and valid in the Sight of Shariah Law and of Allah Subhanah.

There is absolutely no restriction in Shariah Law regarding the difference of age between the groom and the bride, regardless of whether the groom happens to be older than the bride, or the bride happens to be older than the groom.

The biggest example of its permissibility in Shariah is the marriage of none other than the first marriage of Prophet Mohamed (saws) himself with Hadrat Khadijah (r.a.); at the time of the marriage the Prophet (saws) was 25 years of age and Hadrat Khadijah (r.a.) was 40, a difference of almost 15 years.

Thus the 10-year difference in age between the bride and the groom is not even a concern for the marriage to be regarded as valid in Shariah Law.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan