What is the ruling on marrying a singer?

Engaging in singing as a profession is forbidden. Scholars have differed on the ruling concerning the marriage of a non-sinful woman to a sinful man, holding three opinions:

1. First Opinion (The Majority): Compatibility (Kafa'ah) is considered for the permanence of the marriage, not for its validity. Thus, the marriage is valid even if compatibility is lacking, provided both parties consent. 2. Second Opinion: Compatibility is a condition for the validity of the marriage. 3. Third Opinion: Compatibility is not considered a condition for marriage at all.

The most preponderant opinion is the first one, which states that compatibility is a condition for the permanence of the marriage, not for its validity. Therefore, if the woman and her guardians agree to marry her to a singer (mutrib), the marriage is valid. However, guardians should not marry their female wards to a sinful man, nor should a religiously committed woman agree to marry a sinful man, due to the harms involved. Al-Sha’bi said: "Whoever marries his noble daughter to a sinful man has severed her ties of kinship." Ibn Al-Qayyim held that the compatibility considered in matters of religion is that a Muslim woman should not be married to a disbeliever, nor a chaste woman to a profligate.