Question:
Is it permissible for a man to get married to a poor woman and vice versa?
Answer:
As far as permissibility, then it is permissible. The most important thing is contentment. If he is content and she is content, then yes (they may get married). Allaah says:
إِن يَكُونُوا فُقَرَاءَ يُغْنِهِمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ
If they [whom you intend to marry] are poor, [let this not deter you;] Allaah will enrich them out of His bounty.
Surah An-Noor, Verse 32
And the prophet ﷺ married off a woman and made her dowry some suwar (chapters) of the Qur’an. And this man (who wanted to get married to the woman) didn’t have anything. The prophet ﷺ told him, “Go find something (to give her as a dowry) even if it is an iron ring”. He (the man) went and came back, saying: ‘I don’t have it.’ He didn’t even have an iron ring. So he ﷺ asked: “Did you memorize some of the surahs of the Qur’an?” He said: ‘Yes’. (I memorized) such and such surah,’ mentioning the different surahs he memorized. He ﷺ said: “I marry her to you for what you know of the Quran.’”
So there’s nothing wrong with a man getting married to a poor woman and vice versa. Rather what is to be taken into consideration is (the person’s) righteousness and uprightness. This is what is considered with regards to marriage. It’s not by having a lot of money or having little money. ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib (may Allaah be pleased with him) married Fatimah (may Allaah be pleased with her) and he gave her his coat of mail as a dowry. And from the sahabah were those who were rich and from them were those who were poor. From them were those whose means were enlarged and from them were those whose means were straitened.
Answered by: Shaikh Abu Abdillah Muhammad Ba Jamaal (May Allah preserve him)
Source: https://t.me/OfficialChannelShaykhBaajammaal/82
Translated by: Umm Yusuf bint Abu Bakr