Asking a prospective spouse about previous marriage
As-Salamu `alaykum. My sister had a nika done and she annuled (i.e divorced) the marriage soon afterwoards. Now, three years later a guy is interested in her. My parents told the guy that she is divorced and that the previous guy married her for immigration papers and that they were friends. When the guy talked to my sister on the phone she told him to ask whatever he wanted about the divorce, and he asked her if she was living with her previous husband to which she replied no, which is correct. He then indicated that he does not want to bring up her previous marriage anymore. When he came to visit us he asked a family friend if my sisters? previous marriage was a love marriage (i.e not arranged), to which the family friend replied, "People start to have feelings after engagement". The thing is that my sister and her previous husband liked each other and we got them engaged, but in Pakistani culture, love marriage is looked down upon. I want to be truthful to the guy and tell him that it wasn't just for a green card. I have already advised her diligently to tell the potential fiancé that her previous engagment was because of her own liking; my sister does not want to do that, nether do my parents. They say that they feel no guilt but I just feel that if I were in the persons situation, I would want to know if it was a love marriage. My family says? that this was implied; she and her previous husband knew each other before the marriage and they were friends. Since I feel that they are not saying enough, can I go and tell the potential fiancé that my sister and the previous person liked each other. I have, on suggestion of another scholar, advised my parents and sister to just say that but they feel not to. Do I have the right/obligation to go against my parents and sisters? wishes and just say that they liked each other. I did salat al-istakharah about this and still wake up feeling anxious, when I tell my sister and family that I would like to just say that they liked each other they get mad at me and think I am crazy. I have had the opportunity to call the person and tell him but feel that I should ask a learned person. I know that this may sound so silly to the esteemed scholar but it is very bothering me.