Who should be older or younger in marriage? Should the man be older? Should the wife be younger? What does Islam say?

In Islam, there is no recommendation or teaching that governs who should be older or younger in marriage. Both ways is permissible.

Unfortunately, there are some people who do not allow their sons to marry an older woman. However, if you look at Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the Companions, many of them married older women.

It is amazing how we have stopped something that was practiced by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). We frown upon it but there is nothing wrong with it. If the two people wish to get married and the character and the religiousness of the person is satisfactory, we shouldn’t worry about age.

We need to correct this misconception. We do not have a problem when the spouses are older or younger. Allah has not considered this as taboo at all.