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 have no male guardian and i wish to marry. Is it permisssbile if I appoint a sheikh, imam or a pious brother as my wali? but my main question is that i wear the face veil and i wanted to know if my appointed wali can see my face and see me with make-up and jewellery on myself for the day when i have the marriage meeting?

(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:

Can girl appoint wali guardian for 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.

Your Question: I have no male guardian and i wish to marry. Is it permisssbile if I appoint a sheikh, imam or a pious brother as my wali?

A believing woman who does not have a male guardian is well within her rights in Shariah to appoint any good righteous believer as her ‘wali’ or guardian who would give away her hand in marriage.

Your Question: …..but my main question is that i wear the face veil and i wanted to know if my appointed wali can see my face and see me with make-up and jewellery on myself for the day when i have the marriage meeting?

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 59:

O Prophet, enjoin your wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons. It is expected that they will thus be recognized, and not molested. Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 24 Surah An-Noor verse 31:

And O Prophet, enjoin the believing women to restrain their gaze and guard their private parts and not to display their ‘zeenata hunna’ (beauty, adornment, etc.) except that which is displayed of itself, and to draw their veils over their bosoms and not to display their ‘zeenata hunna’ (beauty, adornment, etc.) except before their husbands, their fathers, the fathers of their husbands, their sons and the sons of their husbands, their brothers, their brothers sons, their sisters’ sons, their female associates, and those in their possession and male attendants incapable of sexual desire, and those boys who have not yet attained knowledge of sexual matters. Also forbid them to stamp their feet on the ground lest their hidden ornaments should be displayed.

If the ‘wali’ or guardian appointed by the bride is not her ‘mehram’ relative, then all the restrictions which apply to non-mehram males would also be applicable to that person. It would not be permissible for the believing woman who sincerely fears Allah and the Last Day to expose her ‘zeenah’ or adornments of beauty to any except her ‘mehrams’.

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