Forced Marriages

The Prophet’s (Salla Allah Alaihe waslm) wife ‘Aishah reported that a young female came to consult the Prophet (Salla Allah Alaihe waslm), saying, “My father has married me to my cousin to raise his social standing and I was forced into it.” The Prophet (Salla Allah Alaihe waslm) sent for the girl’s father and then in his presence gave the girl the option of remaining married or nullifying the marriage. She responded; “O Messenger of Allah, I have accepted what my father did, but I wanted to serve a lesson to other women (that they could not be forced into a marriage).” recorded by Bukhari, and Ibn Majah, "Khansa bint Khidhan who had a previous marriage, related that when her father married her and she disapproved of that, she went to the Messenger of God and he revoked her marriage." Abu Da'ud, on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas recorded that "A [girl who was not married] came to the Messenger of God and mentioned that her father had married her against her will, so the Prophet (Salla Allah Alaihe waslm) allowed her to exercise her choice."