Can Parents Force Their Daughter to Marry in Islam?
Question

I am muslim. I have to ask a question about my friend who is being forced to marry someone by her parents. She wanted to marry someone else. The guy who she is being forced to marry is more educated and wealthy than the one who she wanted to marry. Her parents disapprove of her choice and they are forcing her to marry that guy. The guy who she likes is also muslim and very much devoted to islam. But just because society would not talk about them they don’t like the guy who she loves. Any suggestions?
Praise be to Allah.The Importance of a Woman’s Consent in Marriage
It is not permissible for a woman to be made to marry someone she does not want. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: A previously-married woman should not be married without being consulted, and a virgin should not be married without asking her permission. They said, O Messenger of Allah, how is her permission given? He said, By her silence. (Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 6455)
`A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that a girl came to her and said, My father married me to his brother’s son in order to raise his social standing, and I did not want this marriage [I was forced into it]. `Aishah said, Sit here until the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) comes. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came and she told him about the girl. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sent for her father, then he gave the girl the choice of what to do. She said, O Messenger of Allah, I have accepted what my father did, but I wanted to prove something to other women. (Narrated by An-Nasa’i, 3217)
So, both the guardian and the woman must agree to the marriage.
Advice for Women in Unwanted Marriages
With regard to your request for our advice regarding the problem mentioned in the question, so long as this marriage has taken place, it is better for the woman to try to keep it going as much as she can, and to try to accept this husband. She should seek reward through pleasing her parents and also try to reform her husband through a gentle approach and praying for guidance for him.
For more details, please see the following answers: 98768, 7989, 2127, 47439, 212981, 22760.
And Allah knows best.