IslamicAnswers.com: Islamic Advice

Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullah,

I have been talking to a guy in the interest of marriage for about two months now.  We’ve come to the decision that we would like to marry.  However there is one big obstacle that prevents us from moving forward.

First, he is a citizen of Pakistan, but lives in the UK on a time-limited student visa.  I’m a US citizen.  He doesn’t want to go through the hassle of procuring a US visa, so that leaves us with two options: we marry in Pakistan or in the UK.  Because of his studies, it would be easiest if we could perform the nikkah in the UK.  But I can’t apply for a marriage visa because I’m not older than 21 (the lowest age the government grants visas for joining spouses) and he’s in the country on a time-limited visa.  He suggested that I come to the UK as a visitor, which for a US citizen doesn’t require a visa, where we could perform nikkah.  Then, before my six months are up, I would return to the US for a few months or so.  But I’m worried about what legal implications there might be in that situation, so I’ve been looking for other solutions beyond getting married in Pakistan.

I heard a lecture (Fiqh of Marriage by Mufti Muhammad ibn Adam Al-Kawthari) not long ago about how I don’t need to go to the UK for nikkah.  According to the lecture, I could send my offer of marriage through email or mail.  Then, when he received my offer, he could read it in front of the witnesses and the imam (or whoever is officiating) before accepting.  When I told him this, he was uncertain…he’s worried others (the witnesses among them) would be skeptical because we met online and the Muslim community there doesn’t know me and therefore our nikkah would not be valid.

First, is the method I explained above possible?  If it is, where does the wali enter into the equation?  Second, if it isn’t possible, what other options do we have?

Jazakallah Khair

- iman9109