parents, both families are disgraced and this may lead to obstructions in the marriages of the other brothers and sisters. This also usually opens the door to sins such as backbiting, accusations, publicity of faults, suspicions, and hurting feelings etc. therefore, such a step should be totally avoided.

Question: What is a guardian (Walī)?

Answer: The literal meaning of the word ‘Walī’ is ‘friend’ or ‘helper’. In common usage a Walī is ‘a close friend of Allah’. However,        in jurisprudential terms, a Walī means something completely different. In Islamic jurisprudence, a Walī is a sane and adult person who has a certain ‘authority’ over another person’s life or assets. Baĥār-e-Sharī’at states: A Walī is someone who is authorised to make decisions on behalf of someone else, whether the other person agrees or not. (Baĥār-e-Sharī’at, part 7, pp. 42)

Question: Who are Walīs amongst relatives? That is, who are Walīs in the matter of marriage?

Answer: Due to relationship, Wilāyat [i.e. guardianship] is for   ‘عَصَبَه بِنَفۡسِه’ [‘Aṣabaĥ bi-Nafsiĥī] (i.e. those relatives whose relationship is formed without involvement of the relation of a woman, e.g. one’s father’s brother, whereas one’s mother’s brother is related to him through his mother). Their order (of preference) is the same as the order in inheritance, i.e. the closest of these relatives is called the Walī-e-Aqrab (closest Walī). An ‘Ab’ad’ (distant Walī) cannot exercise his authority in the presence of an Aqrab (closer Walī). There can only be one Walī at one time in view of close relationship.

However, if there is more than one Walī in the same category then there can be several Walīs. If a woman does not have such a sane son, grandson or great-grandson who has reached puberty, then her