And our argument is that this is a right acquired by 'asaba (agnatic relationship), so it is not established for the more distant [guardian] while the closer [guardian] exists, just like inheritance. By this, the close relative differs from the distant one. The second ruling is that this contract is invalid and does not stand in abeyance pending authorization, nor does it become valid through authorization. The same ruling applies if a stranger marries her off, or if a woman whose permission is required is married off without her permission, or if a slave marries without his master's permission. In all these cases, the marriage is void according to the more correct of the two narrations. Ahmad explicitly stated this in several places, and it is the opinion of al-Shafi'i, Abu 'Ubayd, and Abu Thawr. There is another narration from Ahmad that it stands in abeyance pending authorization; if he authorizes it, it becomes valid, and if he does not authorize it, it becomes invalid. Ahmad said regarding a young boy whose paternal uncle married him off: "If he is pleased with it at any time, it is valid; if he is not pleased, he may annul it." And if an orphan girl is married off, she has the choice [to annul] when she reaches puberty. He also said: "If a slave is married off without his master's permission, and then the master learns of it, if he wishes to grant a divorce on his behalf, the divorce is in the hand of the master. If he authorizes the marriage, the divorce is in the hand of the slave." This is the opinion of the proponents of Ra'y (rational reasoning) in every issue where permission is required. This was narrated regarding marriage without a guardian from 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, and from Ibn Sirin, al-Qasim ibn Muhammad, al-Hasan ibn Salih, Ishaq, Abu Yusuf, and Muhammad, based on what was narrated that a virgin girl came to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and mentioned to him that her father had married her off while she was averse, so the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, gave her the choice. Narrated by Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah. It was also narrated that a young woman came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and said: "My father married me to his brother's son to raise his low status through me." He said: "So he placed the matter in her hands." She said: "I have authorized what my father did, but I wanted to know whether women have any say in the matter." Narrated by Ibn Majah and al-Nasa'i. In the narration of Ibn Majah: "I wanted women to know that..."