Answer
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In this fatwa:
Islam emphasizes faith and character over caste or social status in marriage. While parents play an important advisory role, they cannot prevent a marriage solely based on cultural or racial differences if the potential spouse is morally and religiously upright. Open communication and community mediation are encouraged to resolve disagreements, ensuring both parental respect and personal choice are balanced.
In responding to your question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and an Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states:
Compatibility in Marriage: What Islam Emphasizes
If the person is compatible (in faith and character) and you want to marry him, then your father cannot object to it based on differences of caste or status. Such material considerations are not acceptable in Islam. After all, the choice is ultimately in your hands once you have chosen based on the sound considerations mentioned above.
Compatibility in marriage entails a person’s worth in a spiritual and moral sense; the only primary criterion that makes or breaks a marriage. The Prophet Muhammad (May Allah send his peace and blessings upon him) said; “If a person with sound faith and character proposes, marry him; otherwise, you are paving the way to corruption on earth.” (At-Tirmidhi)
Parental Role in Marriage: Limits and Rights
Therefore, if you have made a choice based on the above consideration, then your parents have no right to stop your marriage. Since it is your choice to eat the food you wish to eat. Likewise, it is your choice to decide whom you wish to choose as a life-long partner. They cannot stop you from marrying the person you want simply because the person is not sharing your culture or ethnic background.
When Parents Object: Navigating Marriage Disputes
Parents, however, have the authority to intervene should you choose someone of questionable moral and religious character. Should you proceed in such a case against their wishes, your marriage is null and void according to the rules of Islamic jurisprudence.
Resolving Family Conflicts Over Marriage in Islam
If, however, your parents objection to your marriage is based purely on racial, cultural or ethnic grounds, you should seek other channels of authority to intervene in such a case, as long as the person of your choice is of acceptable religion and character. The concerned authority should get the parental consent to the marriage. If parents insist on their stand, the authority can authorize your marriage.
This last option should only be exercised after you have exhausted all endeavors to communicate with your parents, both individually and through other channels in the community such as elders or respectable leaders or Imams. It is more likely that parents are concerned about their children for genuine reasons, and that once things are explained to them, they will probably, relent.
Almighty Allah knows best.