Needs to marry to keep away from her alcoholic uncle
7-9-2013 | IslamWeb
Question:
Salam, a woman lives with her two maternal uncles, she doesn't know her father nor her father side of the family. She was raised by her mother's side of the family. One of the uncle she lives with is alcoholic for the last 9 years, is she sinning by living with him? In general is it harram to live in the same roof as a relative who drinks and does not pray. The uncle also does not pray nor fast. What can she do? What if she has option to marry a man she wants just to get out of this bad environment, but her alcoholic uncle refuses, does she have a good case to get imam to marry her off. As the girl is in bad situation, because I believe is better off leaving this environment and completing her half deen than staying. the girl is 21 years old and in college, never worked. So is not easy to just go live somewhere else by herself. Please advice.
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.
There is nothing wrong if that girl lives with that maternal uncle in the same house; however, it is not permissible for her to sit with him when he is drinking alcohol or consuming prohibited things. Rather, she should give him advice and enjoin him to do good and forbid him from doing evil.
As for her marriage, the one who should arrange her marriage is her Wali (guardian) according this order: her father, then her paternal grandfather, then her brother, then her brother’s son, then her paternal uncle, and then the son of her paternal uncle. For more benefit, kindly refer to Fatwa 83338.
If she is not able to reach her Wali to conclude her marriage contract himself or authorize someone else to conclude it on his behalf, then the Islamic judge may conclude her marriage; and if that is not possible, then a Muslim man of good character may conclude her marriage.
Finally, we advise her not to miss the opportunity of marrying a righteous man who would save her and keep her away from that corrupt environment.
Allaah Knows best.