Conditions for Nikah
In Islam, there are clear regulations on the rules and conditions for entering into a religious marriage:
- nikah is concluded solely by mutual consent of a man and a woman;
- future spouses must reach marriageable age;
- it is unacceptable for them to be closely related;
- At the ceremony, the presence of a man from among the bride’s closest relatives is required, acting as a guardian: father, brother or uncle. When this is not possible, other adult Muslim men are invited;
- the ceremony always takes place in the presence of male witnesses from each of the future spouses;
- The groom must certainly pay mahr (money as a wedding gift) to the bride. The amount depends on her wishes. Modern Muslims often replace money with expensive jewelry, valuable property or real estate.
Interesting! According to Islamic tradition, the mahr should not be excessive or too small.
The conditions for concluding a nikah are in many ways similar to those that are customarily observed during secular marriage registration. This means that they have stood the test of time and have repeatedly confirmed their worth.
What is Nikah?
Before getting married, it is necessary to prepare and study our responsibilities towards our spouses in order to fulfill them to the best of our ability and remember that we will be asked about what Allah has obligated us to do. The problem of many families, unfortunately, is that husbands and wives demand their rights from their spouses, but forget about responsibilities, and for those who live for eternal life, this is much more important.
Also, for nikah, certain conditions must be met. Let's look at them in more detail:
What is the position of nikah regarding its obligatory nature?
For different people, nikah can be obligatory (wajib), desirable (mustahab) and undesirable (makruh).
Let's look at who these provisions apply to:
The family is the foundation of a healthy society, it protects us from adultery and makes it possible to satisfy our natural needs in a permitted way, multiplying and raising righteous offspring. A righteous wife (or a righteous husband) can become the reason for a Muslim to enter heaven, since she (he) will encourage him to do what is approved and warn him from what is forbidden, because the most difficult thing is to fight with your soul, which can often desire what harms us, and so the same with the shaitan, who tells us to disobey Allah, when a person is left alone and there is no one nearby who could warn and admonish.
Source
Is it possible for a Christian woman to marry a Muslim?
A Christian woman can marry a Muslim, but she will live unmarried, which means she will be in sin.
The Christian faith does not recognize such marriage, considering it cohabitation. If she is ready to take this step, then she takes responsibility for her destiny and turns away from her Creator.
The Bible calls such marriages a “great evil” and a “sin before God” that cannot be washed away in a lifetime. The guilt will “grow to the skies”, the act will be considered “lawlessness that exceeds the head.”
The Holy Book of all Christians does not approve of marriages with people of other faiths; this is clear from the sayings of the Old Testament: “take wives and marry only from your own people.” The New Testament is also opposed and through the mouth of Paul (the apostle) it says that “to marry only in the Lord,” and a Muslim does not walk under our God.
The book of Father Daniel, where he reflects on such marriages, will help you study this topic in detail.
In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful!
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, peace and blessings of Allah be upon our prophet Muhammad, members of his family and all his companions!
The Nikah ritual is a procedure that turns a man and woman who are strangers to each other into husband and wife. This is a very serious procedure that requires a serious approach.
Necessary minimum for concluding nikah
1. The bride's consent is obtained by her father. If she was already married, she must verbally give her consent. If she has not been married before, she can say it verbally, or she can remain silent approvingly.
2. Gathered in one place:
The bride's father (if there is no father, then paternal grandfather/paternal brother/son/paternal uncle/paternal nephew). Either the guardian himself or his representative, whom he himself appoints for this purpose, must be present.
The groom or his representative, whom he himself will direct for this purpose.
Two Muslim witnesses (men) or three: one man + two women.
3. The bride’s father says: “I gave my daughter (daughter’s name) in marriage to you, mahr so-and-so.”
4. The groom says: “I took your daughter (Daughter’s Name) as my wife and agree with the mahr and conditions.”
5. At least two male witnesses from among the righteous Muslims must hear what the father said and what the groom said.
And Allah knows best.
Conditions for the legality of the marriage procedure:
1. Eligibility of the bride and groom
The bride and groom must meet certain requirements. The groom must be a Muslim who has reached puberty. He should not be related to the bride by permanently forbidden blood, milk or marital relations. So, the bride cannot be his sister, maternal or paternal aunt, daughter, granddaughter, etc.
The bride in the same way should not be forbidden to him according to the temporary reasons listed in the Qur'an and Sunnah. For example, if a man is married, then all of his wife's sisters are prohibited from marriage until he divorces his wife or she dies. Other women temporarily prohibited from marriage are married women, wife's nieces, unrepentant adulteresses or prostitutes and others listed in Islamic Shariah.
The bride must be Muslim, Christian or Jewish. She must not be married, nor must she be permanently related to the groom through forbidden blood, milk, or marital relations, nor must she be temporarily barred from marriage for the reasons listed above.
2. Bride's consent
The next necessary condition is the bride’s consent to the marriage. Without her consent, the marriage is considered invalid or can be annulled by an Islamic court at her request.
When a bride is asked about a potential husband, she expresses her consent to the marriage out loud or in a passive way, such as silence, a nod of the head, or other body movement indicating agreement. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “A widow or a divorced woman cannot be married off without her order, and a virgin cannot be married off without her consent, and her silence means her consent” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).
3. Vali
The next requirement is the consent of the woman’s guardian (wali). The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The marriage contract (marriage) is invalid without wali” (Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi).
Usually a woman's guardian is her father. If for some reason a woman’s father cannot be her guardian, her closest blood relative becomes her guardian: grandfather, uncle, brother, son, etc.
A woman cannot act as a guardian. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “A woman cannot marry another woman; a woman cannot marry herself off” (Ibn Majah, Al-Bayhaqi).
If the bride does not have a Muslim blood relative who can act as her guardian, then a guardian can be appointed for her by an Islamic court represented by a ruler or a judge. In a non-Muslim society, the local imam acts as a wali for a woman who does not have a guardian.
The presence of a guardian or his designated representative is an important element of a properly concluded marriage. Without it, the marriage is not considered valid. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “If a woman marries without the consent of the wali, her marriage is invalid, her marriage is invalid, her marriage is invalid. If he (the husband) has sexual intercourse with her, she is due mahr (marital gift), for he had access to her intimate parts of the body” (Ahmad, Abu Dawud).
4. Witnesses
The next condition necessary for the validity of nikah is the presence of at least two reliable Muslim male witnesses. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “A marriage contract (marriage) is invalid without a wali and two reliable witnesses” (Ahmad, Ibn Hibban).
5. Mahr (marriage gift)
A necessary condition is that the husband must issue a marriage gift to his wife. In Arabic this gift is called mahr or sadak. Allah Almighty said: “Give your wives their mahr” (Quran, 4:4), and also: “And for what you benefit from them, give them their reward according to the law” (Quran, 4:24).
The wife has the exclusive right to receive mahr, and no one can take it away from her without her permission, not even her parents.
A marriage gift can be given in the form of money, jewelry, clothing, or other tangible or intangible assets.
Shariah has not prescribed a specific size of mahr, but it must correspond to the financial capabilities of the husband and the social status of the wife. The best gift is one that is small and easily fulfilled (not burdensome) for the husband. Such a gift will be a sign of blessing for the bride, as the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Truly, it is a sign of blessing for a woman if her engagement, marriage gift and childbirth were easy” (Ahmad, Al Hakim and others).
6. Terms of the parties
When concluding a marriage contract, both parties can put forward their own conditions, violation of which will lead to divorce. This is permitted as long as these conditions do not go against the teachings of Islam. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Any condition and even a hundred conditions will be in vain if they do not agree with the Book of Allah” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).
7. Wedding ceremony
It is advisable to begin the marriage ceremony with a sermon (khutbah al-haja), as reported in the collections of hadiths of At-Tabarani, as well as Al-Bukhari in his work “At-Tirikh”.
The main pillars of the ceremony are proposal and consent (ijab and kabul). They mean the mutual consent of the two parties to enter into a marriage relationship. Ijab and kabul must be pronounced in clear and understandable words, in the same place and in the presence of witnesses. Whoever performs this ceremony can assist the parties in saying these words. The following sentences are valid according to Sharia when concluding nikah: for example, the guardian father says (in the past tense): “I gave my daughter to you as a wife,” and the groom replies: “I accepted her as a wife.”
The presence of a written marriage contract does not in any way affect the legality of the marriage. And yet, this document may be needed as proof of the marriage and a guarantee of protection of the rights of the husband and wife.
Immediately after the nikah, the marriage comes into force and both parties become responsible to each other.
About the fact that nikah is invalid without a guardian (wali)
The Quran, Sunnah and the opinion of the majority of scholars indicate that nikah without a guardian (wali) is invalid! As for the opinion that the presence of a guardian for a woman is not a condition for the validity of marriage (nikah), this is a widespread opinion in the Hanafi madhhab. However, this is an erroneous opinion, and it contradicts the verses of the Quran, many reliable hadiths and the opinion of the Companions. Moreover, Imam al-Tahawi reported in Sharh Ma'ani al-Asar 2/4 that such great imams of the Hanafi madhhab as Abu Yusuf and Muhammad ibn al-Hasan believed that nikah without a guardian is invalid.
Evidence from the Qur'an that a guardian is a condition of nikah
Allah Almighty said: “Do not marry Muslim women to polytheists until they believe!” (al-Baqarah 2: 221). This verse is proof that women are given in marriage by men, since Allah addressed men and did not tell women: “Do not marry infidels!” Hafiz Ibn Kathir, explaining this verse, said: “Do not marry believing women to polytheists.” See “Tafsir Ibn Kathir” 1/377. Imam al-Qurtubi said: “This verse is direct evidence that there is no nikah without a guardian!” See. “Tafsir al-Qurtubi” 4/49. Allah Almighty also said: “Marry them with the permission of their families” (an-Nisa 4: 25).
Evidence from the Sunnah that a guardian is a condition of nikah
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, without making any exceptions: “There is no nikah without a guardian.” Abu Dawud, Ahmad, Ibn Majah. See Sahih al-Jami' 7555. The imams are unanimous in the authenticity of this hadith. It is enough that imams such as Ahmad, Yahya ibn Ma'in and al-Bukhari confirmed its authenticity. And this hadith belongs to the category of mutawatir (hadith transmitted in many ways). The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said: “A woman does not marry a woman and does not marry herself,” and Abu Hurayrah, transmitting these words, added : “Any woman who gives herself in marriage is an adulteress.” Ibn Majah 1882, ad-Darakutni 3/227. The authenticity of the hadith was confirmed by Imam Abu Isa at-Tirmizi, Hafiz Ibn al-Qattan, Imam Ibn Daqiqul-Idd, Hafiz Ibn Hajar and Sheikh al-Albani.
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said: “Whatever woman marries without the permission of her guardian, her marriage is invalid. Her marriage is invalid. Her marriage is invalid!” Abu Daud 2083, at-Tirmidhi 1/209. The authenticity of the hadith was confirmed by Imam Ibn Ma'in, Imam Abu 'Awan, Imam Ibn al-Jawzi and Sheikh al-Albani. See al-Iru'a 1840.
Who is the guardian for a woman who has the right to marry her off?
As for the waliy who gives a girl in marriage, he is her father, paternal grandfather, father's brothers, her brothers, sons, uncles, etc. Imam Ibn Hazm said: “It is not allowed for a woman to marry without the consent of her guardian, she is a virgin or not! And wali are her father, brothers, grandfather, paternal uncles, or uncle’s sons. But the one who is closer to her gives it away (i.e., first the father, if not, then the grandfather, if not, then the brother, etc.) And the son is not a waliy for a woman.” See al-Muhalla 9/451.
Can a son marry his mother?
As for the son, whether he can marry his mother or not, there is disagreement among scholars on this issue. Most scholars believed that a son has the right to marry his mother, and mostly Shafi'is believed that a son cannot be a waliy for his mother. However, scientists believed that a stronger opinion was that a son can be a waliy in nikah for a mother if she does not have such relatives as a father, brother, paternal uncle, etc. Imam al-Mauardi said: “A woman’s nikah is her father, then her paternal father (grandfather), then her brother, then her son.” See al-Iqna' 1/124.
Can an infidel be a waliy for a Muslim woman?
Imam al-Bayhaqi wrote in his collection of hadiths: “The chapter that an infidel cannot be a Muslim woman!” See. "Sunan al-kubra" 7/139.
What should a woman who does not have a ualiya do?!
A woman who does not have a waliyah, her waliyah is the ruler of the Muslims, qadas, etc. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The ruler of the Muslims is waliy for the one who does not have walia!” Ibn Majah 1880, Ibn Abu Shaybah 2/372. Sheikh al-Albani called the hadith authentic.
What to do if a woman lives in a country of infidels?
Imam Ibn Qudama said: “If a woman does not have a walia and there is no Muslim ruler in this area, then it is transmitted from Imam Ahmad that she is given in marriage by a worthy person with her consent.” See “al-Mughni” 9/362. And Sheikhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said that if a woman does not have a walia, then someone from among those who has influence gives her away. See al-Ikhtiyarat 350. That is as the most knowledgeable person in this area, to whom residents turn with their questions, or the head of the village, etc.
They asked Sheikh Abdul-Aziz ar-Rajihi: “Is it permissible to enter into nikah over the telephone?”
He replied: “No, it is not allowed to enter into nikah over the phone! Because when concluding a nikah there must be four: the wali, the husband and two witnesses. And it is impossible to collect them over the phone. And it is not enough to recognize the voice, since someone who is not a waliy can speak on the phone, just as someone who is not a husband can accept a nikah, or those who are not among the worthy witnesses can speak. You can change or fake your voice as if it were a wali. Bottom line: phone calls are not allowed! And four people are needed for nikah: the wali, the husband and two righteous witnesses!” See “Fataawa ar-Rajihi” 1/53.
Also, the scientists of the Standing Committee did not allow this because of the many frauds and ambiguities that can be faked, etc. during nikah by phone. See Fataawa al-Lajna 18/91.
However, if the wali, who is in another country, instructs someone whom he trusts to marry his daughter to her husband, then there is no problem.
On concluding nikah through video communication programs
Sheikh Abdullah ibn Abdulaziz Al-Jibreen (not the ibn Abdurrahman who is widely known) said: “And, according to the correct opinion, it is permissible to conclude nikah while at a distance if the husband, guardian and witnesses are present. This is possible through the international Internet.
Through this, it is possible for the parties to the contract and the witnesses to participate in one meeting according to its provision (hukm), even if in fact they are distant from each other. They hear speech at the same time, there is a proposal, then immediately the acceptance of the proposal. Witnesses see the guardian, the husband and at the same time hear their words. Such a marriage contract is valid because with this option, deception and imitation of someone else's voice is impossible.
And even if we take into account the opinion that unity in one assembly is a condition for concluding nikah, then even though they are in different distant places, however, by position (hukm) they are in the same assembly: they see each other and hear the words of each other friend at the same time, at the same moment."
Wa Allahu a'lam.
Prayer for Nikah
Religious reading: prayer for nikah to help our readers.
Muslim nikkah is a wedding ceremony that resembles the wedding of Christian peoples. Traditionally, the nikah is held at the bride's house. A local imam is invited to conclude the nikah. Also these days, nikah is held in a cafe, restaurant or even in a mosque, but mostly the imam (mullah) is invited home. However, Muslim marriage has its own rules (conditions).
Marriage Sermon
The marriage sermon is read by the imam of the mosque (or mufti, qadi), who conducts the wedding ceremony. Although the sermon can be read by the groom himself, it is advisable, based on the current conditions in Russia and the modern world in general, that the sermon, like the wedding ceremony itself, be conducted by a person with a religious education.
The absence of a marriage sermon does not affect the correctness of the canonical registration of marriage, but somewhat violates its completeness and completeness [1].
The sermon begins with praising the Lord, reciting the shahada (testimony of faith in the One God and the prophetic mission of His Messenger Muhammad), “salawat” (asking for blessings for the Prophet Muhammad) and reading the verse calling for fear of God.
Sample sequence of a marriage sermon:
“Al-hamdu lil-lyahi nakhmedukhu wa nasta'inukh, wa na'uuzu bill-lyahi min shuruuri anfusina wa sayiaati a'maalina. Man yakhdihil-lyahu falyaya mudylla lyakh, va man yudlil falyaya haadiya lyakh. Wa ashhadu alla ilahe illa Allahu wa anna mukhammaden 'abduhu wa rasuulyukh."
The Most High Creator addresses us in the final Scripture:
“O people, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and from it a mate. And from them he scattered [across the earth] a large number of men and women...” (Holy Quran, 4:1).
Source: //xn——6kccgdvsdzky9au.xn--p1ai/molitva-dlya-nikyah/
Henna night
An Islamic woman has the right to marry more than once, but the night of henna occurs only once , 1-2 days before the first nikah. It symbolizes the girl’s separation from her father’s house and unmarried friends, and also means the beginning of a new life in the status of a wife, a married lady. Essentially, “henna night” is a bachelorette party.
According to tradition, the gathered women sing sad songs, and the bride cries. It is generally accepted that the more tears shed that night, the more successful and happier the upcoming marriage will be. In former times, marriage really gave reason for crying, because the young woman was separated from her family for a long time (sometimes forever). She was worried about moving to her fiancé's family, whom she might not even know.
Ceremony in the mosque
It is advisable to schedule the wedding ceremony for Friday evening. Typically, Muslims perform nikah a few days before the secular marriage registration procedure.
Fees
It all starts with the fact that each of the future spouses, while still at home, completely washes their body and puts on formal attire. In this case, the bride’s dress is long, closed and not tight-fitting, and the headdress (veil or scarf) completely covers the hair. For this reason, Muslim brides are spared the need to spend long hours at the hairdresser on the eve of the ceremony.
As for the groom's suit, modern men do not attach special importance to it, often choosing the usual “two-piece”. Recently, there has been a tendency to order a special frock coat, which is paired with classic trousers and shoes.
A prayer is offered in the parental home, the newlyweds ask and receive the blessings of their father and mother, after which the bride and groom, each accompanied by their parents, go to the ceremony. Traditionally, the nikah ceremony takes place in a mosque, but it is not forbidden to get married at home, where a representative of the clergy is specially invited.
Ceremony
The ceremony begins with a sermon given by a mullah or imam.
Further:
- prayers follow for the happiness and well-being of the new family;
- the mahr is voiced, which the girl often receives right there;
- the groom prays for the good of his future wife and her protection from evil forces.
Having received mutual consent from the newlyweds, the mullah announces the marriage, after which the spouses exchange wedding rings. At the end of the ceremony they are given a special certificate.
What the groom gives on nicknames: gifts for the bride, her parents and relatives
In Muslim culture, a girl and a guy who decide to tie their destinies perform a betrothal ceremony - nikah. Traditionally, on nicknames, the bride and groom publicly announce to their relatives about the upcoming wedding. The groom gives gifts to the bride and her parents, and also makes small gifts to her relatives.
The nikah ceremony is performed by a mullah in a mosque or in the bride’s house. The organization of the holiday falls on the shoulders of her relatives. A Muslim engagement has no legal force, but only after its announcement the couple are allowed to live together.
After the nikah, an official wedding ceremony will take place with registration at the registry office. Only the older generation of close relatives - parents, uncles and aunts, grandparents - are guests at nikah.
Of the young guests at the nikah, only siblings of the newlyweds are allowed to attend.
Holiday Traditions
According to Muslim traditions, at nikahs the groom's relatives present gifts to the girl's family: a freshly cooked pair of geese and the oriental sweet chak-chak. One goose must be butchered by the groom's father during the celebration, and the other is taken away by the groom's relatives - such are the customs. Consumption of alcohol and pork dishes at nikah is strictly prohibited.
The festive table should be set with freshly prepared hot dishes and a variety of treats. The bride's aunts supervise the preparation of food.
A girl's clothes should not be revealing; she must wear a dress with a long skirt, long sleeves and a scarf on her head. All men present, including the groom, must wear skullcaps on their heads.
After all the guests have gathered in the bride's house, the mullah begins the nikah ceremony. It consists of reading certain prayers, finding out that everything happens by agreement of both parties. Witnesses to this sacrament are men from the families of the bride and groom - their brothers or uncles.
After the bride and groom prove by reading a separate prayer from the Koran that they consider themselves Muslims, it is time for the groom to give a gift to his bride.
Having accepted the gift, the girl expresses her agreement that she is ready to accept the groom himself. The groom does the same.
The ceremony ends with the reading of the final prayer, after which the mullah declares the newlyweds husband and wife in the face of Allah.
Previously, a gift from the groom on nicknames had to be generous. Hand-woven Persian carpets, camels or a herd of thoroughbred horses were given as gifts. Modern nickname gifts are modest. Let's try to figure out what the groom can give to the bride, her family and guests, and what is not recommended to give.
Gifts for the bride
Cloth . The bride will be happy to receive a scarf, stole or hijab as a gift. Prayer clothing is a universal gift. The groom should give what the bride liked. And from now on, he should already get used to the fact that he dresses his wife himself.
Camisole. The groom can give his beloved bride a camisole embroidered with silver or gold and expensive stones. She will definitely love this surprise.
Chitek. Decorated with a multi-colored pattern of leather pieces. They are also called “leather socks”. They are very convenient when traveling or when it is cold for performing ablution.
Bouquet of flowers . Any woman will love it if she is given a bouquet of flowers. The ideal option is a large bouquet of flowers that your beloved likes. It can also be a beautiful addition to other gifts.
Jewelry decoration. This could be a gold ring, chain or pair of earrings. Jewelry is a symbol of wealth, and the bride is free to use it at her own discretion in the future.
Service. A beautiful and skillfully made tea set will decorate a young family’s table and will remind them of a wonderful event that happened in their life.
Whatever gifts the future spouse decides to give to his future wife on nicknames, they must be made from a pure heart and with love. Only then will a gift to your beloved girl become a symbol and guarantee of future happiness.
Gifts for parents
The future husband, taking his wife from the parental home, must present his father-in-law and mother-in-law with memorable gifts. The young man presents the same things as gifts to his girlfriend’s parents that will be given to the groom’s parents.
This point is discussed in advance by the parents of the young couple so that there is no mishap (for example, the groom’s parents decided what will be given to the bride’s parents, but they did not prepare any gifts at all, or they are significantly inferior in cost).
Jewelry set . These can be gold sets of rings, earrings, chains, pendants and bracelets with precious or semi-precious stones.
Handmade tapestry with religious themes . Perfect for decorating a wall in the bride's parents' room.
Dagger. You can give the bride's father a beautiful dagger made of Damascus steel with an ivory handle. Your father-in-law will greatly appreciate your gift.
Pillows. It will be pleasant to lie on pillows made of brocade or silk, embroidered with gold, in the hot summer.
Skullcap. An ideal gift for the father of the bride. You can order a specific ornament or pattern to be embroidered by hand. Such a gift will give your father-in-law a lot of positive emotions.
