This text examines the juristic debate over whether the mature virgin of sound mind (al-bikr al-balighah al-rashidah) is required to have the permission of her wali in order to get married. It analyzes relevant ahadith and their variant interpretations, lines of argument, and semantics, and tries to determine the evidentiary value of a hadith report that is the basis of the acceptance or rejection of rulings concerning this subject.