Question 2087: Can a woman or girl express her readiness for marriage to someone, or ask someone to find a suitable husband for her?

Answer
✅ Answer: Please pay attention to the following verse and traditions:
قال اللَّه تعالی : قَالَ إِنِّی أُرِیدُ أَنْ أُنکِحَکَ إِحْدَی ابْنَتَیَّ هَاتَیْنِ عَلَی أَن تَأْجُرَنِی ثَمَانِیَ حِجَجٍ...
(Prophet Shu'ayb to Prophet Moses, peace be upon them both) said: "I want to marry one of these two daughters of mine to you on the condition that you work for me for eight years..."
1 Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) was asked: How did the lineage begin with Prophet Adam? ... The Imam mentioned the creation of Eve until he said: When Adam looked at Eve, he saw a beautiful creation that resembled his own form, except that she was female! So he spoke to her, and she replied in his own language. He said: Who are you? She said: I am a creation that God (Allah) has created as you see me. Adam then said: O Lord, who is this beautiful creation whose presence and sight gives me comfort? God (Allah) said: This is My servant, Eve. Would you like her to be with you to comfort you, speak with you, and obey your command? He said: Yes, O Lord, and I will be thankful and grateful to You as long as I live. God said: Then ask Me for her hand in marriage, for she is My servant, and she is also suitable for lust/desire. Then God cast desire upon him, having already taught him knowledge before that. Adam said: O Lord, I ask You for her hand in marriage, so what is Your satisfaction regarding her? He said: My satisfaction is that you teach her My religious commands. He said: This is for You, O Lord, if You wish. God (Almighty and Glorious) said: I have wished it and I have married her to you, so take her to yourself. Adam (peace be upon him) said: Come to me. She said: No! You come to me. God (Almighty and Glorious) commanded Adam to go to her, so he stood up. And if this were not the case, women would go to men to nominate themselves!
📚 'Ilal Al-Shara'i p. 17
2 عن محمد بن مسلم عن أبی جعفر قال: جَاءَتِ امْرَأَةٌ إِلَی النَّبِیِّ فَقَالَتْ زَوِّجْنِی فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ مَنْ لِهَذِهِ فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ أَنَا یا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ زَوِّجْنِیهَا فَقَالَ ما تُعْطِیهَا فَقَال مَا لِی شَیْءٌ قَالَ لَا فَأَعَادَتْ فَأَعَادَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ الْکَلَامَ فَلَمْ یَقُمْ أَحَدٌ غَیْرُ الرَّجُلِ ثُمَّ أَعَادَتْ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ فِی الْمَرَّةِ الثَّالِثَةِ أَ تُحْسِنُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ شَیْئاً قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ قَدْ زَوَّجْتُکَهَا عَلَی مَا تُحْسِنُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ فَعَلِّمْهَا إِیَّاهُ.
📚 Al-Kafi vol. 5 p. 380
Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) said: A woman came to the Messenger of God (peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family) and said: Marry me! The Prophet said: Who is available for this woman? So a man stood up and said: Me, O Messenger of God! Marry her to me! The Prophet said: What will you give her (as a dowry)? He said: I have nothing! The Prophet said: No.
The woman repeated her statement, and the Messenger of God also repeated his statement, and no one stood up except for that same man! And the woman repeated her statement again, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family) said on the third time: Do you know anything of the Qur'an? The man said: Yes! The Prophet said: I have married her to you for (the teaching of) what you know of the Qur'an, and the man taught that to the woman!
3 Bashir ibn Hamza narrated from a man of Quraysh that he had a cousin who had a lot of wealth and sent (a letter or a person) to him with this content: "You know that many men propose to me, but I do not marry myself to them, and I have not sent to you out of desire for men, except that it has reached me that God (Almighty and Glorious) has made temporary marriage (mut'ah) lawful in the Qur'an, and the Messenger of God (peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family) explained it in his Sunnah, but Zufar has forbidden it! And I like to obey God (Almighty and Glorious) above His Throne and the Messenger of God (peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family) and disobey Zufar! So contract a temporary marriage (mut'ah) with me!"
So I said to her: Wait until I meet with Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) and consult with him!
He said: I met with Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) and informed him of the matter. So the Imam (peace be upon him) said: Go ahead! May God's blessings be upon you two spouses!
📚 Al-Kafi vol. 5 p. 465
✅ Based on tradition 1 , the primary rule for marriage is that the man proposes to the woman or her guardian, but there is no prohibition for a woman herself to express her inclination for permanent or temporary marriage to someone, or to ask a person to find a suitable husband for her, and the above narrative evidence and others also confirm this.