Salam alikom Im so sick searching for a solution to my problem, it is a very serious problem because it s a life time issue. Im a young girl in my thirteen ages who has a fiancee who is older than her about 14 years and who has kids he is living abroad , what do you say about a fiance who has a big loan from the bank and the girl family knows nothing about it , please do help me

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.

The criteria for choosing a man as a husband is religion and good moral conduct as we have already clarified in Fataawa 11179 and 82010.

Therefore, if after asking the trustworthy people who know him, it becomes clear to you that he is a religious man and he has good moral conduct, then you should accept the marriage to him. The difference of age between the spouses is not a legitimate impediment for marriage. Indeed, ‘Umar married Umm Kulthoom, daughter of ‘Ali while she was much younger than him.

The same thing applies to a man who is indebted from a loan. It is not an impediment to marry him unless he deals with Riba and he has not repented from doing so, as in such a case he is not satisfactory as far as religion.

If he does not deal with Riba and you accept to marry him, then perhaps Allaah will provide for him in ways that he cannot imagine for the sake of the marriage. You may also help him repay his debt if you are well off.

Finally, we advise you to perform the Istikhaarah prayer if you wish to marry him. For information about the Istikhaarah prayer, please refer to Fatwa 81434.

Allaah Knows best.