Dear islam Web, Asalamalacum, Please would you advise me on the following question: I have met someone who I would like to marry InshAllah. Our family have been involved and are aware. The difficult situation is that i am being told that I can't get married because my mother passed away in October 2009. I have been told that I had to get married in the first 12 months after my mother passed away or after 3 years. I have been thinking and before i was born my sister passed away. Back then they said the same to my brother therefore my brother rushed and got married within a year. I thought the rush was because my sister had passed away and my mum wanted a girl in the house but now I'm being told it's because of the time limites on marriage. Firstly is this true and what is the criteria? If it isn't true do you know if this is the Hindu custom? the reason i ask that is because the village where my family are from is dominated by the Hindu culture. Thank you for your help. Best Wishes Naj

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 is His slave and Messenger.

This statement is not correct and there is no Islamic evidence for it; rather, you are permitted to marry straight away after the death of your mother, or after a month, a year, two years or whatever.

We do not know whether what you mentioned is from the customs of the Hindus, so if it is from their customs, then this must be something the Muslims took from the Hindu culture. If this is the case, then it is even more prohibited as it is imitating those non-Muslims. The Prophet said: “Whoever imitates a people, he is one of them.” [Ahmad]

Allaah Knows best.