Islamic Article |- Does the brother have the right to object to his sister’s marriage and to threaten to cut her off when her father agrees to it?

There is a Muslim woman who was married to a Muslim manand they had a
child, then soon after that the Shaytan caused her to slip, and she
started to go to nightclubs where she got to know a kaafir man and a
relationship developed. Then she took her son and went to live with
that man unlawfully, after leaving her religion and giving up Islam.
Then a year after that, she repented and left her boyfriend; she
entered Islam again and began to wear Hijaband pray, and she mended
her ways completely. She went back to her parents and asked them to
forgive her, and they forgave her.
Then a few years after that, that boyfriend became Muslim and he came
to her house and asked her father for her hand in marriage, and the
father agreed, as didshe. But her brother did not agree, and he was
very upset to see the man who had committed immoral actions with his
sister, and for whose sake she had left Islam and abandoned her
husband. It upset him to see him as his sister's husband, so he did
not agree to the marriage atall and he threatened to cut off all ties
with his sister if she married him,and said that he would never speak
to her againafter that day.
This behaviour upset his parents greatly; they do not want to see
their children fighting. Hence the father tried to remind his son of
the rights of kinship and tell him that it is not permissible to sever
those ties and that Allah has enjoined upholding those ties.
But the son refused to accept that and he said that it is within his
rightsto cut her off and that this is a right guaranteed by Islam.
My question is: is this a right that is guaranteed by Islam?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The blessing of guidanceis one of the greatest blessings that Allah,
may He be exalted, can bestow upon His slave. Itis obligatory for the
slave who has been guided to show a great deal of gratitude to his
Lord for this immense blessing. We are happy to hear of the repentance
of those who have repented and of the guidance of those who have been
guided. What has happened of that man being guided from kufr to Islam,
and that woman being guided and brought back to Islam, and givingup
living the life of the doomed people, is something that brings joy to
our hearts and weask Allah to make them steadfast in Islam and to set
their affairs straight.
If a Muslim who is not related feels happy to hear the news about
thissister being guided and coming back to her religion, then one
wouldexpect that her family would be the happiest of people, because
her leaving her religion, going away from them and agreeing to live
with a kaafir foreigner in an unlawful manner causes a great deal of
distress and it is something that many people could not bear. Hence we
advise this brother to fear Allah, may He be exalted, and to not be
hasty in his decisions and not be a cause of harm to his family or
cause division among them. In fact he may be a cause of something that
is even worse than that; he may be a cause of his sister going astray
a second time. No one knows what ideas of misguidance the Shaytaan may
instil in the minds of those who have been guided.
As this woman's father has agreed to let this man who has been guided
to Islam marry his daughter, the brother has no right to object to his
father and threaten to cut off his sister. Yes, he has the right to
express his opinion and he has the right to discuss the matter with
his family and his sister. But they do not have to comply with his
opinion or accept it.
In this case we say: this brother does not have the right to cut off
his sister, because her marrying that one who has been guided is not
haraam. What sin has hissister committed by agreeing to marry that
man, such that he has the right to cut her off?
Although we say that marriage to that man is permissible according
toIslam, and that the brother's objections carry no weight and he has
no right to cut off his sister if she agrees to marry him,
nevertheless we advise the father andthe sister to think again about
their agreeing to that man, and they should listen to the other side
and discuss the matter with wise people who are close to them and who
are aware of the background. It is also essential to investigate this
suitor and find out how sincere he is in his Islam before he comes
topropose to this sister, and they should find outwhether he really is
interested in Islam.
We ask Allah to guide everyone to that which is in the best interests
of the family and to help them to find the right way and to unite in
following it.
And Allah knows best.

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